If anyone thinks I have been idly sitting around twiddling my thumbs, you are partially correct. I do manage to get a bit of thumb-twiddling accomplished while waiting for pages on the internet to open or download. However, the time between those thumb-twiddling moments have been pretty darned productive.
New to the website that I have been working on for information for citizens or Christiansburg (also useful for other jurisdictions) are:
- Information on Non-Partisan Redistricting (just started so I will be adding to it)
- The full 174 page report from the Chamber of Commerce on Tourism in this area (some great ideas/suggestions towards the end)
- New additions (links) to the Empowering Citizens Page:
- Virginia Construction Codes Updated as of May 1, 2008
- Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development - Lots of resources can be found here.
- Environmentally Specific section that includes link to sources of information about Stormwater Management, Erosion, Environmental Regulations, and reporting violations
It is not always a good idea to trust others to get your information for you. Take the time to do some of the work on your own. It is hard to keep up with all the changes in the State Codes and other sources of the legal rights of citizens. Elected officials have to deal with a 'mountain' of issues. Trying to keep up with all of that information would be far more than a full time job. Unless the Town Charter and Town Code are updated routinely and regularly (which Christiansburg and many other jurisdictions do not because it takes time and money and there is always that issue of trying to keep expenses down in order to keep taxes down), simply going to the Code can be useless.
So, why not do your own research. It might help to get problems solved and help to keep down the cost of government at the same time. The odds are good that nobody will care as much about your problem as you do. Who better to take the time to look, learn, and then express your issues than YOU! Become an active participant in your town, your government, and your future.