On the agenda: Damascus minutes — Flock camera (Jul 6)

DAMASCUS TOWN COUNCIL

Minutes for July 6, 2026
6:00pm Regular Called Council Meeting

Council Members Present: Buddy Albro, Jeff Buckley, Sammy Campbell, Derwin Creech,
and Hunter Faust

Absent: Charles Fields
Also Present:

Katie Lamb, Mayor

Chris Bell, Town Manager

Tuesday Pope, Town Clerk
Kermit Turner, Police & Fire Chief
Shawna Cook, Treasurer
Julie Kroll, Recreation Program Director
K.T. Martin, Events & Economic Engagement

Mayor Lamb called the meeting to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance and Dr. Dane Lee, First
Baptist Church, gave the invocation.
Mayor Lamb asked for approval of the June 1, 2026, Regular Council Meeting.
• Mr. Albro made a motion to approve the Minutes, as presented. Mr. Faust 2nd the motion,
which passed (5-0).
Mayor Lamb asked for approval of the agenda, with the addition of Closed Session for
discussion of Parks & Recreation Personnel Matters, per VA Code Section 2.2-3711 (A)(1).
• Mr. Albro made a motion to approve the agenda, with the requested addition. Mr. Creech
2nd the motion, which passed (5-0).
Mayor Lamb Opened Joint Public Hearings between the Town Council and Planning
Commission for the following items:
i.

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE DAMASCUS ZONING ORDINANCE ARTICLE 8 AND
SECTIONS 15.5, 15.9, AND 16.5-3 REGARDING TRANSIENT LODGING AND
NONCONFORMING USES
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

Call to Order – Planning Commission
Staff Presentation – Chris Bell
Mayor Lamb Opened the floor for public comments – there were none to be heard
Mayor Lamb Closed the Public Hearing for that item
Planning Commission Discussion and Possible Action – PC recommends approval
Town Council Discussion and Possible Action

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•

ii.

Mr. Buckley made a motion to approve the Ordinance Amendment, as presented.
Mr. Albro 2nd the motion, which passed (5-0).

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE DAMASCUS ZONING ORDINANCE ARTICLES
16 AND 18 CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT PROVISIONS
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
•

Staff Presentation – Chris Bell
Mayor Lamb Opened the floor for public comments – there were none to be heard
Mayor Lamb Closed the Public Hearing
Planning Commission Discussion and Possible Action – PC recommends approval
Town Council Discussion and Possible Action

Mr. Buckley made a motion to approve the Ordinance Amendment, as presented. Mr.
Campbell 2nd the motion, which passed (5-0).
f.

Planning Commission Adjourn

Committee Reports
Budget, Finance, and Administration:

Town Treasurer, Shawna Cook, submitted the following report for the previous month:

Real Estate & Personal Property Taxes: The collection rate for 2026 Real Estate is 84.62%, and
2025 Personal Property is 76.87%.
Meals & Lodging Tax: $24,210.50 in Meals Taxes and $14,876.14 in Lodging Taxes were
collected for June 2026.
Town of Damascus Virginia
Investment Pool (VIP)
RESERVE FUND
EARMARK POLICE VEHICLE
SEWER FUND CD
ANTHEM RECOVERY
ADDITIONAL WORKING CAPITAL
TRAIL DAYS RESERVE
TOD ARPA 2021 (CLOSED)
Damascus Endowment Fund
FLOOD DISASTER RESERVE
VIP Stable NAV Liquidity Pool

Account
Balance
$64,787.29
$549.07
$31,494.04
$52,636.36
$635,350.36
$8,931.64
$0.00
$213,202.46
$15,655.54
$1,022,606.76

FYTD Income
$2,547.96
$21.71
$1,238.64
$2,070.18
$21,360.93
$351.30
$7,618.19
$8,675.95
$615.71
$44,500.57

Inception
Date
08/11/2017
04/04/2018
11/26/2018
12/21/2018
08/08/2019
05/14/2020
06/29/2021
11/7/2024
06/06/25

2

The balances shown below are from online banking:
Bank of Damascus:
General Fund: $408,553.04
CDBG ARC Downtown: $23,747.12
CDBG Program Income: $13,549.17
Damascus Endowment Fund: $7,283.74
Police Asset Forfeiture: $3,461.51
Total: $456,594.58
Refunds issued to taxpayers in June 2026: $421.01
Announcements:
A Council vote is needed to approve the following items:
▪
▪
▪

▪

▪
▪

▪

▪

Transfer the entire balance of $31,494.04 from VIP Sewer Fund CD to the VIP Flood
Disaster Reserve and close the VIP Sewer Fund CD account.
Transfer money from VIP Anthem Recovery account to the General Fund, not to exceed
$35,500, to reimburse Police Department health insurance expenses 10-510-23.
Transfer an amount not to exceed $4,000 from VIP Damascus Endowment Fund (Strong
EMS Reserve) to the General Fund to reimburse Police Department equipment expenses
10-510-05.
Transfer an amount not to exceed $1,750 from VIP Damascus Endowment Fund (Strong
EMS Reserve) to the General Fund to reimburse Police Department ammunition expenses
10-510-42.
Transfer $10,000 from VIP Damascus Endowment Fund (Strong EMS Reserve) to the
General Fund to reimburse annual Fire Department support expense 10-530-02.
Transfer an amount not to exceed $5,000 from VIP Damascus Endowment Fund (Strong
Creeper Trail Reserve) to the General Fund to reimburse Creeper Trail maintenance
expenses 10-580-32.
Transfer an amount not to exceed $11,000 from VIP Damascus Endowment Fund (Strong
Downtown Revitalization Reserve) to the General Fund to reimburse Fourth of July
expenses 10-580-15.
Transfer an amount not to exceed $4,000 from VIP Damascus Endowment Fund (Strong
Downtown Revitalization Reserve) to the General Fund to reimburse Town beautification
expenses 10-580-40.

Transfers would be made as expenses occur.
•

Mr. Buckley made a motion to approve the transfers, as requested. Mr. Albro 2nd the
motion, which passed (5-0).

The Town Manager’s report on the Damascus Strong Funds history and balance for FY 25-26
is attached for your review.
3

DAMASCUSSTRONGFUNDSHISTORYFY25-26
70-400-44 Damascus Strong Downtown Revitilzation
Downtown Snowflake Christmas Lights #1
Downtown Snowflake Christmas Lights #2
Ridgeline Diving Board Installation
Washington County Business Challenge 1st Installment
Washington County Business Challenge 2nd Installment
Downtown Donations 25-26

Beginning
Beginning
Balance
Balance
$
81,600.00 70-400-43 Damascus Strong Creeper Trail $ 35,850.00
$
(928.90) Creeper Donations 25-26
$
500.00
$
(375.39)
$
(3,450.00)
$
(2,500.00)
$
(2,500.00)
$
1,325.00

Current Balance $

73,170.71

$

Beginning
Balance
33,240.00

Beginning
Balance
70-400-42 Damascus Strong Undesignated
$ 81,600.00
Individual Recovery Assistance - Searle
$ (5,000.00)
Individual Recovery Assistance - Albro
$ (5,000.00)
Washington County Business Challenge 2nd Installment $ (5,000.00)
SORBA Tri-Cities Beark Lake Trails Project
$ (2,500.00)
Rook Jr. DPD Program
$ (750.00)
Fresh Bucks Farmer's Market Program
$ (2,000.00)
Undesignated Donations 25-26
$ 11,110.00
Remaining interest 25-26 ytd
$ 4,982.05

Current Balance $

33,240.00

Current Balance $ 77,442.05

70-400-45 Damascus StrongEMS

Current Balance $ 36,350.00

FUTUREALLOCATIONSFY26-27
70-400-44
Thrive Grants (not paid yet)
4th of July 10-580-15
Town Beautification

$
$
$
Future Balance $

70-400-43
(6,250.00) Creeper Trail Maintenance 10-580-32
(11,000.00)
(4,000.00)
51,920.71

70-400-45
$ (5,000.00) Police Equipment 10-510-05
Police Ammunition 10-510-42
Fire Dept Support 10-530-02

70-400-42
$ (4,000.00)
$ (1,750.00)
$ (10,000.00)

Future Balance $ 31,350.00

Future Balance $

Current Total Endowment Funds $ 220,202.76

220202.76 $

17,490.00

Future Balance $ 77,442.05

-

Streets, Lights and Maintenance:

Mr. Creech reported that Public Works has been busy with the following projects:

4

Parks and Recreation:

1. Mr. Faust reported the Fresh Bucks program at the Farmers Market is going great, and
requested the Town donate an additional $1,200 out of the Damascus Strong
undesignated funds.
•

Mr. Albro made a motion to approve the donation, as requested. Mr. Buckley 2nd the
motion, which passed (5-0).

2. 2026 Trail Days event report:

5

PROPOSAL: To shift the entire Trail Days footprint to a Thursday to Saturday schedule based on exhibitor
feedback and attendee trends.
-

Exhibitor Area (“Vendor Village”) at the Town Park - open starting 3pm Thursday
Music at the Town Park Stage - 3-8pm Thursday, 12-8pm Friday and Saturday
Programs at the Rock School and Old Mill - Thursday to Saturday
Sunday - shift the scheduled exhibitor times and music at the Town Park to Thursday instead
No change to Tent City hours - open 9am Thursday to 6pm Sunday

2026 TRAIL DAYS DATA
Tent City Wristband Sales (of 2,198 total)
-

Thursday - 896
Friday - 691
Saturday - 611
Sunday - N/A

Town Info Tent Merch Sales (of $22,464 total)
-

Thursday - $1,800 ($2,253 in 2025)
Friday - $11,222
Saturday - $8,713
Sunday - $729 ($916 in 2025)

BENEFITS
-

-

This is in response to an organic shift in attendee behavior. The highest Tent City sales are on Thursday
and many exhibitors are seeing a continued increase in Thursday sales during their setup time. We expect
that Thursday will continue to grow, especially if we lead that growth.
We get to end the festival with a big day, a grand finale of sorts, on Saturday.
This aligns with the schedules for Tent City and the Rep Area, Trail Days Ministry Team, Damascus
Library, Damascus Trail Center, and the Post Office.
Reduces staffing and volunteer demand by one day by removing the need for a full day on Sunday.
Exhibitors report better flight availability and pricing for Sunday vs. Monday, for those who fly here.
Allow exhibitors to pack up at their own pace on Sunday and use it as a travel day. For those who would
like to offer discounts and/or wholesale orders on Sunday, they still can.

CONSIDERATIONS
-

Sunday is still half of the weekend, and weekdays may be harder for local traffic. However, the music at
the park will continue until 8pm daily, and many vendors choose to stay open until the music ends.
How to continue to drive downtown foot traffic on Sunday
How to better cross-promote the Whitetop Ramp Festival on Sunday

ATTACHMENTS
-

A: 2026 Exhibitor Survey Responses
B: Placer.ai supplemental data on visitor traffic

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ATTACHMENT A: 2026 EXHIBITOR SURVEY RESPONSES
“We are considering shifting the vendor area to be open from Thursday afternoon through Saturday evening.
(Pack up/departure anytime on Sunday.) Please share any feedback you have on this.
NOTE: No changes have been made, we are just weighing options at this point.”
YES = 18
This is a great idea. Sunday isn’t great for sales. Maybe Thursday will be better.
I think this makes sense. I sold a bunch Thursday afternoon...Even just setting the close time as Sunday at noon
would be nice for getting more travel home in for vendors coming from a far.
I would be fine with that. Sales are slow on Sunday as a rule.
This sounds good. Sunday has been very slow for us over the years. This year we did a couple thousand on both
Friday and Saturday, and Sunday was just a few hundred. Staying all the way until 4 or 4:30 made for a very
long and slow day, especially having to drive home that night. Even if Sunday was leave sometime after 12:00
that would be much better than later in the afternoon.
Would be HUGE for vendors who need to travel home on Sunday!
I would support this. I stuck around for Sunday the first two years and had virtually no traffic. This year and last
year I packed up on Saturday evening and left early Sunday morning.
I REALLY like that answer. We always have hikers stopping on Thursday picking up gear before the selection
thins out. Sundays most of the hikers have moved up the Trail and already made their purchases. (Or ate and
drank through their budgets!)
Seems like it could be fine. Sunday morning was very quiet - but a few people came around. If some vendors are
packing up on Sunday but some aren't it could feel chaotic. I would say as long as the vending area is closed on
Sunday this seems like a good idea.
We think that would be great Thursday thru Saturday .. there isn’t a lot of people on Sunday
This would be ideal for me and many other brands that travel a long way for trail days. I do enjoy Sunday as it is
a more relaxed affair that day, however I find a very low ROI for our brand being on site that day. On Sunday
we basically slash prices to blow out any inventory we do not want to bring back with us.
I usually set up on Thursday. I arrive around 2-3 pm. It's a casual setup meet m greet.
Sunday continues to be a really tough day. The traffic feels low and the energy feels flat. We totally understand
the event requirements and respect what you're trying to do, it just feels like ending things by noon would be a
more successful day than trying to force a 4pm departure.
-

-

Sunday is the big one for us. That day moves really slowly and generates about 20% of the traffic and
interest that the rest of the days do. We would love to have a third day that's fun and valuable but over the
last few years Sunday has been a really tough day to stick out.
I really applaud the efforts you all have taken to make Sunday a larger part of the weekend. I wish there
was more of a pull for other outdoor minded people to stick around. Most of what we've seen on Sunday
doesn't fit out target demographic and for the booths down near the library. Many of the art and culture
booths are still relevant but the outdoor gear booths don't do as well.

Yes, I believe that Sunday afternoon is a waste of time. Very few sales and we are just waiting to pack up and go.
Many of us have long drives and staying until 4 PM achieves very little and makes the travel home more difficult.
7

Again only second time but it seems that two solid day is better than stretching it out and losing the buzz.
Excellent idea; Thursday is a good swap for Sunday and helpful for vendors to be able to break down and travel
home; for hikers to be able to get back on trail.
Not sure how this would affect food, but I am in favor.
This would be great! Packing up on Sun ASAP then driving over 6 hrs is better. I think offering Food, Vendors,
Non profits all a chance to "setup" 8am-12pm would ease the "rush and chaos" of setup for all. Maybe a 1pm
opening- 6:30 pm would also help town businesses to avoid a rush that day at dinner.
We would be very open to this! Friday and Saturday were awesome - Sunday was hard to justify and it would be
nice to fly home on Sunday vs. Monday.
I love this idea actually! Usually Sunday is not busy at all, the only folks we really had coming to the booth were
folks grabbing their prizes following their race. I think this shift is a great idea.
MAYBE = 11
Not sure if Thursday afternoon is necessary, town still feels very quite on Thursday, but Sunday is pointless for
vendors. Especially past noon. I would be in favor for shortening Sunday, and closing the expo area at noon, or
doing without Sunday completely. Friday and Saturday are very much the meat of the event.
Ooof. I think hours should be set and firm. Don't allow for early pack ups as that hurts the rest of the vendors and
attendees that stayed/came late. I would be in favor of Thursday afternoon hours and Sunday morning hours, but
not a vendor's choice when to leave on Sunday.
For me, being an author, I don't think I would need to be there on Thursday. Being in the library for 8 hours both
Friday and Saturday was more than enough time to meet attendees and talk to them about my book.
Love this concept. Sunday feels dead. Thursday has more opportunity.
We weren't to busy this year on Sunday, but we have been in the past. Vending on Thursday might not be very
productive.
My question would be - how busy is tent city on Thursdays? Is it worth it for brands to show up a full day early?
How can Trail Days help make Thursday "worth it" for hikers to get in early?
My concern for this would be lower sales opportunities. Even though Sunday is my weakest sales day, it's still a
day where most people have off work. But I noticed the Sunday crowd this year was light. It could be worth a try.
It would definitely funnel more people in on Saturday. It would be helpful to really ramp up Friday events,
classes, give-aways, music, etc to get people to come in early for it.
My opinion is to keep it to Friday, Saturday, and vendors can leave Sunday when they want to. People who
passed the Town booth Thursday morning would have been happy if we had all the merchandise we had Friday
and Saturday. If we back up the festival to include Thursday afternoon, people would still want even more festival
time and want Thursday morning, then Wednesday, etc. Let's stay reasonable with festival hours: Friday,
Saturday, and light on Sunday. We want vendors and other greeters not to be tired, but to be as cheerful and
pleasant as they like to be to visitors - and extending the hours might make that hard.
I see the benefit in to both but I was just as busy on Sunday as I was on Saturday. My perception is that it’s mostly
the hiking community on Friday and Saturday and Sunday is a majority locals and visitors. My feeling is that’ll
it’s the biggest event like it and it’s special. You can stick around Sunday. Sure, we all want to go home but it’s
TRAIL DAYS!! Enjoy it.
I do very well on Sunday, it is slow at first, then picks up late morning then Peters out about 2pm. But those few
hours business is good. I find this is when most of the town folk come through after the mass of out-of-towners are
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gone. I would hate to see the event not advertised through Sunday. Opening Thursday afternoon would be
amazing too. I don't have any definitive facts, but I was very busy all three days, even Thursday night when we
were setting up.
I think staying open on Sunday is still the best idea. It is slower traffic but I do still make a lot of sales on Sunday,
and often make wholesale sales to other vendors then. I think if it closes Saturday people will start leaving
Saturday instead of Sunday and the whole thing will start to feel shorter. I think an optional option to set up and
sell on Thursday is a good idea though.
I think it would be harder to get everything ready to go and set up by Thursday afternoon as a vendor who has to
fly and ship everything. However, it could be done, although we would probably want to pack up Saturday night.
NO = 2
NOTE: Both of the “no” responses are from craft vendors.
you won’t make everyone happy but our sales show Sunday is a strong day for us. I would not expect the same
from Thursday afternoon. Many of Sunday’s customers are local and not thru hikers IMO. I would expect a
Thursday opening to be a net loss on sales compared to Sunday. We would remain open Sunday but the added
time for vendors being required to stay until Sunday at 4 helps keep some people there. Those people wouldn’t
likely be there Thursday.
I like selling on Sundays too.
UNCLEAR = 2
Sunday sales are slower but still worth it. Not having the morning mass and having the right music to finish
would make a difference.
For us, this would be more of a challenge. It would add a day of travel, and our company does not have a specific
travel team, meaning the people who travel are volunteer and have full-time positions at the company.
• Mr. Faust made a motion to shift the park festival timeframe from Friday through Sunday,
to Thursday through Saturday. Mr. Albro 2nd the motion, which passed (5-0).

Planning Commission:
Mr. Bell reported the next PC meeting will be on July 14th at 6pm.

Police and Fire Advisory:
Chief Turner presented the following reports for the previous month:

Operations: June 2026, Damascus Officers had 93 calls for service. We’ve taken 16 investigative
reports and made 6 arrests. We had 0 reportable accidents.
Arrests are as follows: Simple Assault 1, Shoplift 1, Vandalism 1, Trespass 1, Warrant Service 2.
Traffic Enforcement Activities: We issued 16 citations along with 12 warnings. Violations are as
follows: Trespass 1, Drive on Suspended License 1, Fail to Obtain Va Registration 1, Expired
Registration 1, Fail to Stop at Stop Sign 1, Fail to Obey Highway Sign 1, Speeding 25 mph 9,
Speeding 35 mph 1.
9

Speeding complaint areas include: Douglas Dr.
Special Report: On June 24th. 2026 around 3am I had 2 individuals that came into town and
destroyed 2 of the Flock cameras. After the investigation was completed, there was one arrest
on June 30, 2026, and the other will occur on July 1, 2026. I am working with Flock to get a quote
for the damage done and once I get that and we go through the court hearing then there should
be restitution for each of these two to pay back. The Flock cameras were used to locate these
two individuals, and this case is closed with 2 felony charges per person.
K9 Report: See Attached Reports. We assisted WCSO during the month of June on Interstate 81
conducting drug interdiction work. During these two days K9 Marco was deployed a total of 7
times, and multiple drugs were recovered with several felony and misdemeanor charges during
those two days.
Police Vehicles: Nothing New Currently
Auxiliary: Nothing new currently.

10

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

Also, K9 Marco will be two years old on July 14th!

Damascus Volunteer Fire Department
Here is a list of the call types that the Damascus Volunteer Fire Department received for the
Month of June 2026 as well as the dates that they occurred.
Transformer Incident / Fire (1) - 6/6/2026
Motor Vehicle Crash (5) - 6/7/2026, 6/10/2026, 6/12/2026, 6/13/2026, 6/28/2026
Outside Fire (1) - 6/14/2026
Structure Fire (1) - 6/20/2026
Automated Crash Detection - (1) - 6/21/2026
Vehicle Fire (1) - 6/26/2026
Landing Zone (1) - 6/26/2026
Fire Alarm (1) - 6/29/2026
12

1 MVC was cancelled en-route
Total amount of responses from DVFD for the month of June totaling in 12 calls with 7.58 Hours
for the month spent from Dispatched - Clear time.


Chief Turner presented a $10,596.72 repair bill after the transmission went out on one of
the trucks, and included other wear and tear/damages. He said the Fire Department
would appreciate any help the Town could give toward that bill, and suggested using
some of the Damascus Strong funds designated for Emergency Services towards it.
•

After discussions, Mr. Albro made a motion to distribute the remaining unallocated
Damascus Strong funds designated for Emergency Services as follows: 1) Pay the
Fire Department’s truck repair invoice in full ($10,596.72), 2) and send the remaining
$6,893.28 to the Damascus Rescue Squad. Mr. Faust 2nd the motion, which passed
(3-1-1, with Buckley opposed and Campbell abstaining).

Code Enforcement:
Mayor Lamb presented the following activity report for the previous month from the Town’s Code
Enforcement Officer, Marty Berry:

Visits and Contacts: 3
Lodging: 0
Assist P.D.: 0

Zoning: 7
Meals: 0

Business License: 0
Complaints and Investigations: 7

Special Committees
➢ Events & Economic Engagement – Mayor Lamb read the following report, from K.T. Martin
with upcoming events and activities in Town.

Hello Council,
As I enter the final month of my contract, I'd like to share a few updates on recent events and
upcoming opportunities that continue to highlight the collaboration, resilience, and momentum
within our community. While my report is brief this month, I look forward to presenting a more
comprehensive DAM 200 impact report and recommendations at next month's meeting.
DAM 200 Update
The DAM 200 Dual Sport Adventure Motorcycle Ride, held June 5–7, was a tremendous
success. While a full impact report and financial summary will be presented next month, I
wanted to share a few highlights.
The event saw a surge of registrations in the final days leading up to the ride, with more than 20
riders registering during the last couple of days before the event. The camaraderie from riders,
volunteers, and sponsors was evident throughout the weekend.
13

One of the clearest takeaways was the strong interest in additional riding opportunities
throughout the year. Riders consistently expressed a desire for improved communication about
local dual sport routes and more reasons to return to Damascus beyond the annual event.
Next month, I will share the complete impact report along with a proposal outlining how event
proceeds could be invested to support long-term Hurricane Helene recovery while further
strengthening Damascus as a destination for the dual sport riding community.
A Day in Damascus | Thursday, July 30
I am excited to invite everyone to A Day in Damascus, presented in partnership with the Virginia
Highlands Festival.
It is shaping up to be one of the best days of the year to experience our community, with more
than 35 curated experiences.
I encourage everyone to take a look at The Highlander, the Virginia Highlands Festival guide,
beginning on page 78, and map out your own itinerary. Whether it's a trolley ride, the Fig Tree
Flower Farm scavenger hunt, the Bites & Brews Tour, local artists at Laurel Creek Park, a
geology bus tour, or live music at Cardinal Music Hall, there truly is something for everyone.
Taste of Damascus
In collaboration with Appalachian Sustainable Development and several of our local
restaurants, Taste of Damascus will be held in Town Park on Saturday, August 15, from 1:00–
4:30 p.m.
Local restaurants will be serving sample-sized tastes of their signature dishes, giving attendees
the opportunity to experience a variety of Damascus flavors in one place. The event will also
feature local beverages, live music coordinated and sponsored by The Crooked Road, and a
People's Choice award creating some healthy competition, making it a fun afternoon
celebrating our community's culinary talent.
I'm encouraged by the momentum these partnerships and events have created and excited to
see them continue to grow.

Citizens Comments
None at this time.

Manager’s Report
Chris Bell presented the following Manager’s Report for the previous month:

Creeper Trail
▪ Pile work completed on Trestle 16, pile work continuing on Trestle 17.
▪ Repurposed benches installed at Creekside Park.
▪ USFS announced trail reopening March 2027
14

▪

Awaiting design details on lighting and water monitoring camera packages for both
Trestles.

Emergency Preparedness
▪ VT Tech & Appalachian State assisting town on developing rural municipal emergency
response and recovery planning guide. (see attached)
FEMA/VDEM
▪ Updated town fiscal policy was submitted to VDEM on 6/12/26
▪ Awaiting approval of Town Hall project post insurance review
▪ Submitting preliminary Category Z expenses for review this month.
Grants
▪ Flood resilience community meeting scheduled for July 21st at 5:30PM at Trail Center.
▪ Seeking council approval for the NRCS EWP 5035 project engineering task order from
WSSI in the amount not to exceed of $136,800.00 for related engineering services and
construction oversight (see attached)
•

▪

Mr. Albro made a motion to approve the task order. Mr. Faust 2 nd the motion, which
passed (5-0).

Laurel Gateway Project - Hurt & Profitt completed infrastructure analysis on 6/29/26, RKG
Associates completing final market and financial analysis this month.

Miscellaneous
▪ Scattered Site Rehab Phase II – Permits submitted and approved. Contractor selection
completed for two blight removals and two rebuilds. Sign installed adjacent to Town Hall.
▪ Bayer Property – Stantec to complete field sampling plan by July 15th for EPA review and
approval, sampling to occur August/September. Brownfield study and planning activity
funding approved. Follow-up with DEQ later in July.
▪ Stormwater Study – Hurt & Profitt released to complete phase 2 of engineering for final
design and construction details. Expected date of completion September.
▪ Trademark– Certificate of issue for both “Trail Town, USA” and “Appalachian Trail Days”
trademarks expected within the next 11 weeks.
▪ Health Commission Building Lease – Awaiting signature from the Health Commission on
the updated lease agreement for Medical Building.
▪ Beaverdam Creek Bridge – Prosim bridge inspection report published to town website.

15

Legal Matters
At the appropriate time, motion to Recess into Closed Session for Discussion and
Consideration of Administration and Parks & Recreation Personnel Matters, per VA Code
Section 2.2-3711 (A)(1).

Unfinished Business
➢ Damascus Strong funds designated for EMS: Already covered under Police & Fire.

New Business
a. Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) DMO 2026 Grant expense approval – Julie Kroll

•

Mr. Albro made a motion to approve the VTC DMO marketing grant expenses, as
presented. Mr. Buckley 2nd the motion, which passed (5-0).

b. PR Marketing Proposal – Julie Kroll



It was the consensus of the Council to table this proposal until the August meeting.
16

c. Rooted In Damascus – Local non-profit partnership proposal for community pride and
economic vitality. Looking for partnership with, and funding from, the Town, to include:
$2,500 to enhance and support the Damascus Christmas Parade; $16,500 to create a
Damascus Winter Wonderland for the holiday season; and a Special Called Council
meeting with Rooted’s board of directors to discuss possibilities for remaining Damascus
Strong funds.
•

After discussion, Mr. Buckley made a motion to table further discussion on the
proposal until the August Council meeting, and to include a public comment period.
Mr. Albro 2nd the motion, which passed (5-0).
 The proposal was later rescinded.

Consent Agenda
• Mr. Albro made a motion to pay the bills for invoices exceeding $2,500, 2nd by Mr. Creech.
The motion passed (5-0).
• Mr. Faust made a motion to pay the bills presented as well as the standard and/or
recurring bills that will come in before the next Council meeting. Mr. Creech 2nd the
motion, which passed (5-0).

Mayor & Council Members Reports
Mayor Lamb thanked the staff for making the Independence Day Celebration such a success, as
well as Donna Foltz for the Farmers Market success. She also thanked K.T. Martin and the other
organizers for the DAM 200 event.
Mr. Buckley has had citizens telling him how nice the park restrooms are being maintained, and
gave a shout out to the custodian, Rebecca Lovern.
Mr. Campbell expressed a big thank you on behalf of the Holston Future Business Leaders Club
to Mayor Lamb, Mr. Albro, and all the donors of monetary funds to help pay for the trip to San
Antonio to the National NBLA convention, which was a fantastic trip.
Mr. Creech said he participated in the DAM 200 event this time, and it was so much fun!

Announcements
UPCOMING EVENTS & OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Damascus Farmers Market – Thursdays from 4-7pm
o July 21: Flood Resiliency Community Meeting 5:30pm (at the DTC)
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o July 24-25: Creeper Trail Ride to End Cancer
o July 30: VA Highlands Festival’s Day in Damascus
For information on upcoming events, go to our website visitdamascus.org. For citizen info
go to damascus.org, and don’t forget our social media presence on Facebook and
Instagram!
•

Mr. Faust made a motion to Recess into Closed Session for Discussion and Consideration
of Administration and Parks & Recreation Personnel Matters, per VA Code Section 2.2-3711
(A)(1). Mr. Creech 2nd the motion, which passed (5-0).

•

Mr. Faust made a motion to return to Open Session, 2nd by Mr. Creech. The motion passed (5-0).

•

CERTIFY (individually): We Certify that only public business matters lawfully exempted from open
meeting requirements and only such matters identified in the motion by which the closed meeting
was convened were heard, discussed, or considered in the closed meeting.
Buddy Albro – Yea

Jeff Buckley– Yea
Sammy Campbell – Yea
Derwin Creech - Yea
Hunter Faust – Yea
•

After review, Mr. Faust made a motion to approve moving forward with the proposed
resolution for Town Manager duties and authority, as well as the draft organizational flowchart. Mr. Albro 2nd the motion, which passed (5-0).

• Mr. Campbell made a motion to adjourn, 2nd by Mr. Faust. The motion passed (5-0)

9:02pm

___________________________________
Katie Lamb, Mayor

_________________________________
Tuesday Pope, Clerk

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