M E M O R A N D U M

May 19, 2021 TO: Mayor and Members of City Council John C. Blair, City Attorney Management Team Mid-Managers FROM: Steven L. Rosenberg, City Manager Leslie Beauregard, Assistant City Manager SUBJECT: Activity Report

Community Development

Key Construction Project Updates Gloria’s Pupuseria Renovations are in progress at 331 N. Central Avenue for a new 3,400 square foot restaurant on the main floor of the former Train & Hobby Shop. Framing and rough in inspections were scheduled. O’Reilly Auto Parts Store A building permit was issued for a new 9,720 square foot building located at 715 Richmond Avenue for the retail sale of auto parts for the O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, a national chain. High-Tech Route 11 A temporary occupancy permit for 2nd floor and partial 1st floor was issued pending completion of minimal site work. A temporary occupancy permit was issued for North Ridge Café. Staff provided job assistance for mechanical hood installation for café tenant.

2

Green Hills Fabrication Facility The building plan for a new 64,000 square foot fabrication facility, to be located at 101 Industry Way, was submitted for review. Plumbing site inspections were conducted for fire, water and sewer lines. Staunton Crossing A building plan review was completed and a building permit was issued for a 5,745 square foot retail structure, with up to three tenant spaces, located at 102 Crossing Way. The site plan was approved and a pre-construction meeting held. Footer inspections currently were scheduled. A temporary certificate of occupancy was issued for the Holtzman Oil gas station and 7-Eleven convenience store located at 101 Crossing Way. Reports

Planning Commission The Planning Commission initiated a mass rezoning process for the Uniontown area on the east side of the City. Using the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map, staff created a list of addresses to potentially include in the rezoning. On March 30, Planning Commission members conducted a walk-through of the area. The Commission has decided to wait until the early fall to hold a public information meeting. Public hearings would then be scheduled. Building Construction and Related Activity

Permits Issued Apr-21 Apr-20 # Chg % Chg

New Residential 4 1 3 300.0%

Residential Renovations 12 6 6 100.0%

Electrical Permits 19 21 -2 -9.5%

Mechanical Permits 12 7 5 71.4%

Plumbing Permits 16 10 6 60.0%

Commercial New-Renovations 5 2 3 150.0%

Miscellaneous 6 3 3 100.0%

Total 74 50 24 48.0%

3

Total Monthly Building Permits Issued

50 53

9688

100 9992 90

76

125

62

96

74

Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Sep-20 Oct-20 Nov-20 Dec-20 Jan-21 Feb-21 Mar-21 Apr-21

New Residential5%

Residential Renovations

16%

Electrical Permits26%

Mechanical Permits16%

Plumbing Permits22%

Commercial New-Renovations7%

Miscellaneous8%

Permits Issued April 2021

Permit Fees Collected Apr-21 Apr-20 # Chg % Chg

New Residential $953 $335 $618 184.6%

Residential Renovations $1,057 $603 $454 75.4%

Electrical Permits $1,795 $2,243 -$448 -20.0%

Mechanical Permits $1,107 $957 $149 15.6%

Plumbing Permits $1,469 $1,311 $158 12.1%

Commercial New-Renovations $1,268 $1,721 -$453 -26.3%

Miscellaneous $204 $500 -$296 -59.2%

Total $7,853 $7,669 $184 2.4%

4

Economic Development

Staunton Crossing Demolition Hazardous materials were remediated in two-thirds of the buildings, which were certified and approved for demolition by the independent third-party testing agency. Demolition was completed on six buildings.

Total Monthly Building Permits Fees Collected

$0

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000

$40,000

Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Sep-20 Oct-20 Nov-20 Dec-20 Jan-21 Feb-21 Mar-21 Apr-21

New Residential,

$953

Residential Renovations, $1,057

Electrical Permits, $1,795

Mechanical Permits, $1,107

Plumbing Permits,

$1,469

Commercial New-Renovations, $1,268

Miscellaneous, $204

Fees Collected April 2021

5

This effort will facilitate the redevelopment of the site, moving it closer to qualification as a Tier 4 site under Virginia’s Business Ready Sites Program and making it more marketable. The contractor has 12 months to complete the demolition project. On April 12, staff worked with the City’s Information Technology Department to get updated drone footage of the site as demolition efforts continue. This footage was shared at the orientation meeting for the Economic Development Authority board members and with City Council at its work session on April 22. Shenandoah Valley Partnership Billy Vaughn attended the Shenandoah Valley Partnership’s regular board of directors meeting on April 23.

Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport The Shenandoah Valley Airport (SHD) formed a Community Task Force in 2019 to promote the airport and its economic importance to the region. The task force formed a circle of 80 to 100 ambassadors to champion SHD through ambassadors’ professional and personal networks. Fly SHD Ambassadors come from Harrisonburg/Rockingham; Staunton/Augusta/Waynesboro; and Lexington/Rockbridge. Amanda DiMeo was asked to be one of the local ambassadors and attended the first meeting of the group on April 20. Economic Development Authority On April 14, staff conducted an orientation for all Economic Development Authority (EDA) members in the Rita S. Wilson Council Chambers. On April 22, the EDA held its regular monthly meeting in Council Chambers. One board member participated via Zoom. Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Grant On April 27, the survey results were presented and discussed with members participating in person and online. Business Retention and Expansion On April 15, Governor Ralph Northam announced the expansion of local company Ryzing Technologies. Ryzing Technologies will invest $149,000 to expand capabilities at its facility in Staunton, creating 31 new jobs. The company serves U.S. military and allied

6

forces as well as industrial, commercial and governmental clients. It focuses on creating engineered textiles, rigid inflatable structures and rapid prototyping. Department of Housing and Community Development On April 30, Ms. DiMeo attended the Department of Housing and Community Development’s Enterprise Zone training for local zone administrators. Virginia Economic Development Association On April 8, staff met with Debbie Melvin, Assistant Vice President of Workforce Solutions with Virginia Economic Development Partnership. On April 26, Ms. DiMeo participated in the monthly meeting of Virginia Economic Development Association. The featured speaker was Tom Crabbs, military liaison for the Office of the Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs. Focusing on economic development and the military, John Malfitano also briefed the group on the veterans-focused Onward to Opportunity program and emphasized the importance of hiring veterans and supporting veteran-owned businesses to aid economic development. Following the presentation, local economic development officials met virtually with Stephen Moret, chief executive officer of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, who gave an overview of current projects. Mr. Moret reported that the state continues to receive multiple requests for sites and buildings, but it loses prospects due to lack of prepared sites and incentives. He encouraged site readiness preparation as a priority moving forward. GO Virginia On April 27, staff attended the regular GO Virginia meeting via Zoom. New board members were introduced followed by an overview of the new Emil & Grace Shihadeh Innovation Center. A joint venture between Lord Fairfax Community College and local industry partners, the center will train and equip youth and adults to meet the demands of the regional job market. Industry partners will play an active role in the development of the program of study, while also committing to work-based learning opportunities for students, culminating in marketable certification opportunities. The center will be a hub of workforce development for the community, serving both high school students and adults. Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant Funding Update The City is currently in its second year as a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) entitlement community. This cycle of funding provided an allocation of $352,891 for eight sub-recipients and the second year of funding for two City public facilities projects that received initial funding in the FY2019 cycle. To date, excluding the FY2021 allocation, HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocations to the City total

7

$1,040,050, with $208,010 earmarked for program administration. The following table provides a breakdown by funding cycle.

Funding Cycle CDBG

Allocation

Program Administration (20% of total)

Sub-Recipients

Funding

Number of Sub-

Recipients

City Public Facility Funding

City Public Facility Projects

FY2019 $354,433 $70,887 $145,000 6 $138,546 2

COVID-19 (Round 1)

$207,590 $41,518 $166,072 6 $0 0

COVID-19 (Round 2)

$125,136 $25,027 $100,109 5 $0 0

FY2020 $352,891 $70,578 $232,313 8 $50,000 2

Total $1,040,050 $208,010 $643,494 25 $188,546 2

For the upcoming FY2021 federal fiscal year, HUD awarded the City $339,361 in CDBG funds to continue providing funding for housing, community activities and assistance for low- and moderate-income persons and special needs populations. The CDBG allocation will be available beginning October 1. During the next several months, with the support of the City’s consultant, staff will begin the process of developing the draft FY2021 Annual Action Plan for approval by City Council in early August. Business License Activity During April, the Commissioner of Revenue’s Office issued 38 business licenses compared to 37 the previous month, representing a 2.7% increase. This month a year ago, only 14 business licenses were issued. The following bar chart provides a monthly comparison for the total number of business licenses issued for the past year.

0

10

20

30

40

50

420

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 421

Trendline

8

As seen in the following pie chart, the services sector accounted for nearly 75% of the total licenses issued in April.

Area Unemployment Rates During March, Staunton’s unemployment rate of 5.1% was 0.2 points lower than the previous month’s rate. As seen in the graph below, Staunton’s rate was higher than the rate of Augusta County, lower than the rate of Waynesboro and the same as the state’s rate. Augusta County had the lowest rate in the area at 4.1%.

With a labor force of 12,178 people, 11,563 were employed and 615 were unemployed in Staunton in March. The following table provides a comparison by locality of labor force data changes from the prior month to the current month.

Retail Trade

24%

Direct Seller

3%

Business Services

50%

Professional

Services

13%

Contractors

10%

0.0

4.0

8.0

12.0

320

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 321

Augusta Waynesboro State Staunton

9

Area Month Labor Force Employed Unemployed Unemployment

Rate

Staunton

Mar-21 12,178 11,563 615 5.1%

Feb-21 12,016 11,377 639 5.3%

Change 162 186 -24 -0.2%

Augusta

County

Mar-21 36,694 35,201 1,493 4.1%

Feb-21 36,241 34,781 1,460 4.0%

Change 453 420 33 0.1%

Waynesboro

Mar-21 10,681 10,098 583 5.5%

Feb-21 10,513 9,925 588 5.6%

Change 168 173 -5 -0.1%

State

Mar-21 4,249,613 4,031,709 217,904 5.1%

Feb-21 4,228,227 4,000,520 227,707 5.4%

Change 21,386 31,189 -9,803 -0.3%

The April report, containing the most current unemployment data by the Virginia Employment Commission, was unavailable at the publishing of this report.

Finance

• The department issued 7,181 utility bills and general bills totaling $1,118,394 during April.

• Collection activities in April resulted in recovery of $4,988 in delinquent utility invoices. • The Utility Payment Office processed 4,040 receipts in the amount of $814,601

during April. • The department processed 501 City and 153 Schools accounts payable checks totaling

$3,449,013; 774 City and 512 Schools payroll-related advices totaling $2,952,764; and 67 ACH debit/wire transactions totaling $1,408,653.

• The department, in conjunction with the Human Resources Department, reviewed

proposals from vendors for employee retirement plan administrative, investment management, and employee education services. Intent to award was issued to Empower Retirement, LLC.

• A contract was awarded to Concrete Foundation Inc. for the Berkeley Place retaining

wall replacement project.

10

• The department accepted and reviewed proposals in response to the Annual Auditing Services request for proposal. Brown Edwards & Company LLP was awarded the contract and an engagement letter has been fully executed.

• Staff members continue to participate in project meetings and tasks related to the

upgrade to Munis V2019.1 and the upgrade to the Tyler Parks and Rec module.

• The department continued to award utility assistance through the COVID-19 Municipal Utility Relief Program. The deadline was extended until June 30, 2021 (or until funds have been exhausted, if sooner). Customers can now receive assistance more than once due to recent changes to the program.

• Staff members continued the process of studying the American Rescue Plan Act to

determine funding available to the City and Schools.

• Several staff members participated in the Tyler Connect 2021 virtual conference held the last week of April.

• The department, in conjunction with the Information Technology Department,

continued the implementation process for the Kronos Attestation module.

Fire and Rescue

• Staunton Fire and Rescue responded to 318 incidents in April, totaling 1,116 emergency incident responses for 2021. The average response time for April was 5 minutes and 11 seconds. The average response time for 2021 is 5 minutes and 10 seconds. o Fire Station No. 1 responded to 210 incidents in April. o Fire Station No. 2 responded to 108 incidents in April.

• Staff received over 959 hours of training in April. Personnel totaled 3,217 training

hours for 2021, averaging 24 hours per person every month.

• Staff conducted 28 business fire safety inspections and 22 re-inspections in April. Routine fire inspections were discontinued to due COVID-19.

11

Human Resources

Employee Actions

The following employee actions were processed:

Terminated:

Full Time—5

Part Time/Seasonal—2

Hired:

Full Time—4

Part Time—9

Retired—3

Activities Human Resources staff members took part in the following activities in April:

Recruitment (based on exceptions to the hiring freeze):

• Initiated recruitment for the following positions: o Part-Time Drug Court Technician – Blue Ridge Court Services o Firefighter/EMT – Full-Time o Firefighter/EMT – Part-Time o Equipment Maintenance/Traffic Superintendent

• Continued recruitment for the following positions:

o Recreation Program Counselor o Recreation Program Supervisor o Codes Inspector II o Seasonal Labor – Parks and Recreation o Utility Operations Engineer o Lifeguards o Pool Manager o Custodial Workers – Part-Time o Water Treatment Plant Operator o Equipment Operator I – Parks Maintenance o Sanitation Workers – Part-Time

12

o Police Officer (Certified Only)

Orientations:

• Conducted orientations for five full-time employees. Other: • In coordination with the Virginia Department of Health and Fire and Rescue

Department, the second round of COVID-19 vaccinations was administered to employees on April 21.

Benefits:

• Interviewed three supplemental retirement plan administrator finalists and announced an intent to award to Empower Retirement, LLC.

Training: • Attended Virginia Retirement System (VRS) virtual roundtable to discuss and prepare

for recent legislative changes.

• Attended the Virginia Society of Human Resources virtual conference.

• Attended VACoRP annual training on processing of short- and long-term disability claims for qualifying VRS hybrid plan members.

Community: • Attended various meetings of the Valley Community Services Board’s executive and

human resources committees.

Information Technology

Information Technology staff took part in the following activities in April:

• Completed migration to the Virginia ESInet for NG911 (Next Generation) i3. This provides for quicker connection time and better caller location reporting. Staunton is the fourth Public Safety Answering Point in the state to compete the upgrade and did a majority of the on-site programming without external vendor support.

• Audio-visual upgrade completed in the Rita S. Wilson Council Chambers and Caucus Room. The project includes replacement of audio equipment, installation of cameras, display monitors, upgrades to projector and microphones, better integration with Zoom, closed captioning and new iPads for City Council.

13

• Installed credit card point-of-sale hardware at both City swimming pools.

• Completed technology installation at the new Blue Ridge Court Services Lexington office including network, telephone, internet, VCIN connectivity and security cameras.

• Started work with a security consulting firm to develop updated security policies and procedures.

• Produced drone videos of Staunton Crossing to show building demolition status.

• Replaced several workstations and printers.

• Fulfilled six FOIA requests for email and telephone records. • Supported 36 different meetings with 232 participants for 905 minutes (over 15 hours)

on the Zoom platform and streaming on the City’s website and government access channel.

Library

• The Library undertook a soft reopening of the facility on April 19 with a formal

announced reopening the following week on April 26. The building is now open to patrons for quick visits: visitors may now browse the collections and use computers, but everyone is asked to limit their visits to 30 minutes. The library continues to offer curbside pick-up services to those who prefer not to enter the building.

• Library Director Sarah Skrobis attended two Zoom sessions as part of an Emergency Workbook Committee to give feedback to the Library of Virginia as it produces a new handbook for emergency management planning for libraries across the Commonwealth of Virginia.

• Public Services Librarian Melissa Davidson attended an American Library Association online training titled Serving Deaf Patrons in the Library.

• The Friends of the Staunton Library again posted volunteers in the parking lot on

select days to collect donated books and media. The group will continue to accept donations in May and June.

• The Talking Book Center (TBC) hosted a site visit from two representatives of the

United Way of Rockbridge County, which generously contributes financial support to the organization. The TBC continues to struggle with municipal funding in the wake of the economic fall-out from COVID-19, and board members are exploring ways to fundraise to fill the gaps.

14

Monthly Statistical Report: April 2021 Circulation MONTH YTD

Interlibrary Loans MONTH YTD

Borrowed 26 198

Adult 3,724 38,623

Lent 0 0

Young Adult (YA) 191 5,782

Juvenile 2,298 24,938

PROGRAMS

Digital 2,863 30,730

Adult 1 13

Attendance 9 87

Total Circulation 9,076 97,318

YA 1 12

Talking Book Center Circulation

1,682 14,729

Attendance 93 1,266

Juvenile 10 124

Items Checked In 12,661 12,661

Attendance 533 7,943

Outgoing to VLC Libraries 2,349 20,449

PEOPLE

Incoming from VLC Libraries

2,253 30,761

Library Visitors 2,209 22,104

Total Holds Filled 8,207 59,009

Computer Users 71 1,110

Juvenile Computer Users 0 0

Added to Collection 863 16,184

Meetings Held 0 0

Withdrawn from Collection 665 14,313

Volunteer Hours 58 241

New Card Registrations 55 555

Database Use/Sessions 185 3,392

Total Registered Cards

20,293

Curbside Visits 1,280 7,244

Parks and Recreation

Horticulture Horticulture completed the following tasks:

• Mulching and clean up at the following locations:

o Montgomery Hall Park building and plantings

o Hardy parking lot

o Old Firehouse parking lot

o Augusta Street parking lot

• Met with Landscape Advisory Board on April 6 to discuss Arbor Day plans and to review

a proposal for “Bee City USA.”

• Continued to care for spring flowers. The cooler spring temperatures benefited spring

displays and extended the life of flowers.

15

• Excavated and built two brick seating areas in Gypsy Hill Park. The two areas are

located near the Gypsy Hill Express. Each will have an 8' park bench installed and

allows for Americans with Disabilities Act access. The seating areas are memorials

funded by the DeHaven family and Vicki Cash Graff.

• Supported a small dedication ceremony held by The Augusta Garden Club for a

planting area in Gypsy Hill Park as a memorial to Nate Sowers.

• Celebrated Arbor Day with several special events:

o Launch of interactive tree tour app for Gypsy Hill Park at event attended by citizens

and members of the Landscape Advisory Board.

o Arbor Day tree planting at Dixon Educational Center, co-hosted by Staunton City

Schools and Shenandoah Green.

o Recognition of the City by The Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA for the

25th year.

Maintenance Park Maintenance completed the following duties:

• Removed pool covers from Montgomery Hall Park and Gypsy Hill Park pools.

• Installed new sod and repaired broken water line on Jerry May Field.

• Continued mowing operations in Montgomery Hall Park and Gypsy Hill Park.

• Replaced several damaged bumper rails in Montgomery Hall Park.

• Continued work on all athletic fields in preparation for spring sports.

• Worked on irrigation systems on the golf course, and at John Moxie Stadium and

Winston Wine Memorial Stadium.

Community Outreach Staff engaged in the following community outreach activities:

• Assisted Horticulture with the Gypsy Hill Tree Traipse app launch event for Arbor Day.

• Attended the Celebration of Holiday Lights meeting.

• Conducted interviews for Camp Staunton program counselor positions.

• Virtually attended Virginia Parks and Recreation Society Western Service Area state

conference exhibitor and sponsorship committee meeting.

• Updated Parks and Recreation website.

• Completed and submitted spring/summer recreation programs online.

• Assisted Park Maintenance with athletic field work.

• Aided with pool cleaning and preparation for the upcoming season.

• Completed, printed and mailed the Summer 2021 activity guide.

16

Police

• The department hired certified police officer Christian Davis, who also began the field training program.

• Police officer applicant testing was held on April 20.

• Police personnel responded to 2,687 incidents during the month, including 1,475

citizen calls for service, 781 officer-initiated activities, 173 administrative calls and 258 directed patrols.

• The department’s E-911 Center handled a total of 4,880 telephone calls during the

month, including 1,287 9-1-1 calls. • The average response time for police emergency calls for service during the month

was 3 minutes and 44 seconds; it is 3 minutes and 56 seconds for the year.

Public Works

• Twenty-four new customer rental accounts were established. The Public Works Utility

Office collected $42,826 in payments.

• Bi-annual fire alarm inspections were completed in contracted City facilities by VSC Fire and Security Specialists.

• Facilities computer upgrades commenced at Public Works and Nelson Street offices.

• A backup HVAC system, crucial for uninterrupted operation of City computer and

telephone systems, was acquired and installed in the IT server room in City Hall.

• The utility field crew (with assistance from the Street Division) repaired five water main breaks, two valves, and one water meter; cleared blockages in five sewer laterals; repaired one manhole and one sewer lateral; cleaned 1,320 feet of sewer line; television inspected 3,500 feet of sewer line; and installed one new sewer connection.

• The utility locator processed and marked 551 locate tickets for Miss Utility.

• The utility technical services crew replaced a damaged motor at the Amherst Road

pumping station.

• Water treatment plant Chief Operator Seth Hoilman, and his staff of expert operators earned the Virginia Department of Health’s Gold Level Performance Award for Excellence in Granular Media Filtration for 2020. This is the 17th consecutive award, but the first time receiving the top (Gold) level award.

17

• On April 30, Equipment Maintenance and Traffic Superintendent Mark Holland and Jason Redifer, an equipment operator in the Streets Division, retired.

Tourism

Activities The Tourism Department staff took part in the following promotional, networking, or administrative activities in April:

• Attended Coronavirus Travel Sentiment Survey Findings webinar hosted by Destinations Analysts.

• Participated in a virtual international media familiarization tour with Virginia Tourism Corporation.

• Hosted travel writer Lindsay Garrison, April 8-9. Here article was published on April

25 and is available at https://www.rvaonthecheap.com/travel-to-family-friendly-staunton-virginia-a-travelogue/

• Organized and implemented a family travel advertising campaign promoted through

social media channels and in Northern Virginia Magazine’s April weekly e-newsletters. The social media campaign commenced on April 21 and will run through June 21, and is available at https://getaway.visitstaunton.com/family-getaway/

• Met with Ethan McSweeney concerning promotion of the new Summer Stages at The

Blackburn Inn in the Visit Staunton e-newsletter.

• Managed Visit Staunton social media and blog posts.

• Assisted with filming of the second Staunton, Augusta County, Waynesboro promotional video for the Greater Augusta Regional Tourism (GART) board on April 27.

• Managed Shenandoah Valley Tourism Partnership (SVTP) blog posts. • Launched the Staunton, Augusta County, and Waynesboro microsite, viewable at

https://exploresaw.com. • Produced weekly e-newsletters and Staunton on Tap weekly listing of events. • Produced a monthly e-newsletter. • Staffed the Tourism Advisory Board meeting.

18

• Attended eight GART meetings, a Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail meeting, a trolley meeting, a Fall Foliage Bike Festival meeting, a SVTP marketing committee meeting, and a Happy Birthday America meeting.

Public Relations

The following is a list of newspapers, websites, magazines and television stations that published articles/stories about Staunton:

Date Headline Source Reach

04/17/21 Celebrating Amtrak’s 50th: 8 Incredible Small Town Stops Travel Awaits 3,493,760

04/13/21

American Shakespeare Center Announces Return To

Live Performances With HENRY V, MACBETH And More Broadway World 1,106,063

04/12/21 Staunton Neighborhood Celebrates A Year Of Howling During The COVID-19 Pandemic NBC-12-WWBT 1,036,572

04/08/21 These Are America's Most Beautiful Streets Travel MSN – MSN.com 730,806

04/20/21

American Shakespeare Center Set To Return To Live

Performances Beginning May 13

Greensboro News

and Record 467,812

04/23/21 Staunton Launches Tree Tour Celebrating 25 Years As A ‘Tree City’ NBC29 WVIR 216,659

04/04/21 HISTORY CORNER: The Historic Shenandoah Valley Coeur D’Alene Press 169,724

04/23/21

Chicano Boy Taco In Staunton Thrived Despite

Pandemic, Flood DNR online 58,048

TOTAL REACH 7,279,444

Website Visitation

Website Traffic

April 2020 April 2021 % Change

5,563 visitors 13,345 visitors +139.8%

10,893 page views 36,255 page views +232.8%

40 visitor’s guide requests 223 visitor’s guide requests 457.5%

19

Website Demographics

Top 10 States Top 10 Metro Areas

April 2020 April 2021 April 2020 April 2021

Virginia Virginia Harrisonburg Washington, D.C.

Maryland Maryland Washington, D.C. Harrisonburg

North Carolina District of Columbia Roanoke-Lynchburg Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News

New York Pennsylvania Richmond-Petersburg Roanoke-Lynchburg

Pennsylvania North Carolina Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News

Baltimore

Florida New York New York Richmond-Petersburg

California Florida Charlottesville Charlottesville

Georgia Georgia Atlanta New York

Texas New Jersey Philadelphia Philadelphia

Tennessee Ohio Los Angeles Raleigh-Durham

Smith Travel Research (STR) Hotel Occupancy Report

Occupancy

(%)

2021 Year To Date

Jan Feb Mar 2019 2020 2021

This Year 26.5 30.3 39.9 39.8 36.4 32.2

Last Year 35.0 40.9 33.4 45.4 39.8 36.4

% Change -24.3 -25.9 19.6 -12.3 -8.6 -11.6 The STR Destination Report is a publication of STR, Inc. and STR Global, Ltd., and is intended solely for use by paid subscribers. Reproduction or distribution of the STR Destination Report, in whole or part, without written permission is prohibited and subject to legal action. If you have received this report and are NOT a subscriber to the STR Destination Report, please contact us immediately. Source: 2020 STR, Inc. / STR Global, Ltd. trading as "STR".

394

843

707 681631

540

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

Age April 2021

62%

38%

Gender April 2021

Female Male

20

Office on Youth

Crime Control Programs • Nine youth received detention alternative services.

• One youth from Staunton successfully completed the shoplifting alternative class.

• On April 23, the Crime Control Coordinator and Director met with the

Staunton/Augusta 25th District Juvenile Court judges to discuss crime control community programs and services.

Parenting Programs • Four adults participated in Active Parenting class.

• Twelve adults participated in For Kids Sake co-parenting program.

• Nine adults participated in First 5 Years class.

• Parenting Coordinator distributed materials, signs and pinwheels to schools and

organizations in the Staunton, Augusta and Waynesboro area promoting Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Substance Abuse Prevention Program • Prevention Coordinator participated in a Community Coalitions of Virginia monthly

meeting on April 5.

• Prevention Coordinator participated in the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) meeting at Staunton High School on April 12.

• Prevention Coordinator participated in National Drug Take-Back Day in Staunton on April 24. Members of the Staunton High School SADD club assisted.

Check and Connect/Truancy Prevention • Supplemental Education Coordinator provided services to 22 students and their

families. Of the 22 participants, seven students were from Staunton High School and five were from Shelburne Middle School.

• Supplemental Education Coordinator participated in Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences, hosted by Valley Community Services Board on April 28.

Teen Pregnancy Prevention • Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coordinator facilitated virtual Family Life Education at A.R.

Ware Elementary School for students in the fourth and fifth grades from April 6 to April 16.

21

Community • Director participated in the Community Policy Management Team meeting on April 5.

• Division Supervisor participated in the Staunton Family Assessment Planning Team

meetings on April 6 and 20.

• Director participated in the Support for Vulnerable Communities subgroup of the Public-Private Partnership on April 8.

• Director, Division Supervisor, Parenting, Teen Pregnancy and Prevention coordinators attended the virtual Mental Health of America of Augusta annual conference on April 26. The Division Supervisor sat on the conference panel for further discussion on youth and mental health in the Staunton, Augusta and Waynesboro area.

• Prevention Coordinator and Safe Routes to School Coordinator participated in a virtual

webinar Fighting Off Burnout While Creating Personal Resilience hosted by National Criminal Justice Training Center on April 28.

Staunton Downtown Development Association1 Design Committee • With approval from the Staunton Downtown Development Association (SDDA) Design

Committee, Greg Beam has been working with Beverley Street business owners as they agree to partner with the SDDA, creating an updated approach to the annual Downtown Service District flower basket/planter program in 2021. The updates to the program will allow for a blend of both street level and hanging flowers and plantings—further enhancing the beauty of downtown. The SDDA contracted with Leslie Geer to provide botanical design and maintenance services for 2021. Mr. Beam and Ms. Geer have remained in communication with City of Staunton Horticulturist Matt Sensabaugh seeking additional guidance and recommendations as the street level plantings started during April. The hanging baskets are scheduled to be placed at intersections by Memorial Day weekend.

• In the coming months, SDDA will be ordering new banners to be used downtown, as the current banners are showing their age and need to be replaced, having been in use for more than 10 years. Kathy Frazier (Frazier Associates) and her team members have provided a few initial suggestions/concepts of new designs for street level banners downtown. SDDA Design Committee members are currently reviewing/discussing the designs and making recommendations for potential changes

1 The Staunton Downtown Development Association (SDDA) is an independent, non-profit corporation,

separate from the City of Staunton. Pursuant to the Staunton City Code and a contract with the City, SDDA

provides facilities and services funded by the City in the City’s downtown service district. SDDA furnishes information to the City Manager’s Office for inclusion in this Activity Report to update the City in the

performance of its obligations.

22

to the mock-ups. SDDA aims to place an order early summer for the replacement/new banners. Mr. Beam and Ms. Frazier (at the request of the Public Works Engineering Office) provided suggestions regarding the banner placement on new poles being installed on Central Avenue, as once the projects/upgrades are completed, new banners will be placed along Central Avenue as well.

Economic Vitality SDDA and the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) have been providing small business support relief and recovery efforts over the past year, awarding grant dollars to businesses located within the Downtown Service District. SDDA has distributed close to $10,000 in the past year. Better Together grants have been awarded to businesses which have joined forces to develop new products and services in the wake of COVID-19. SDDA’s goal is for downtown business owners to increase communication and collaboration with their neighbors and discover new ways in which they can help each other. Recent recipients of Better Together grant awards include Fretwell Bass, which partnered with Queen City Music Studios and Refill Renew, which partnered with POP Plastics.

Promotions • SDDA is partnering with 106.3 WQSV to air conversations which spotlight local

business owners’ and community members’ stories, strategies and goals for the future. The radio interview series, named Staunton Stories, is hosted by Mr. Beam and produced by Ben Leonard, WQSV Station Manager. Sarah Butterfield (Blue Mountain Coffees) and Wavely Groves (Echo-Hollow Art & Sound) have been the most recent guests for this series which airs on Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. on 106.3 WQSV Staunton.

• Mr. Beam has remained in communication with the City Manager’s Office, and the City’s Tourism, Economic Development, Public Works and Police departments as the Shop & Dine Out in Downtown initiative has successfully returned. Businesses are continuing to find ways in which to promote weekend shopping and dining opportunities in downtown.

• Mr. Beam recently met with Carolyn Maloney, Executive Director of the Staunton Augusta Art Center, brainstorming ways in which to continue to collaborate and develop new activities, events and promotions moving through 2021 into 2022. Mr. Beam and Ms. Maloney are eager to develop new ways in which community members can experience art, history and culture in downtown Staunton following the pandemic.

• For the past several months, Mr. Beam has been in communication with Emily Kilgore, Director of Education and Engagement at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, as the museum staff works towards developing a new temporary exhibit entitled Making History in the Present: A Community Curated Exhibit which will share the story of Staunton and Augusta County during the COVID-19 pandemic. SDDA will assist

23

with requesting the use of borrowing objects and items, as well as encouraging community members to share their stories of the past year, including the pandemic, protest movements and the August floods that affected the City. Individuals, businesses and organizations are encouraged to participate. Items will be returned after the exhibit ends in March 2022.

• Mr. Beam has recently been in communication with the Augusta County Historical Society, developing a new way in which to partner and reintroduce to downtown Staunton, a program which the Historical Society first introduced in 2006 titled Passport to Augusta County. The updated program/activity will make use of several life-size cutouts of the following people: William Shepperd (African American missionary and explorer), Cyrus McCormick (inventor of the grain reaper), Grandma Moses (folk artist), Morning Sky Woman (Native American woman), Ida Stover (President Eisenhower's mother), President Woodrow Wilson and John Colter (famous scout on the Lewis and Clark expedition) all with important ties to Staunton, Waynesboro and Augusta County. The cutouts are currently on display at the Augusta County Historical Society offices located the third floor of the R. R. Smith Center for History and Art. The educational activity will take place in downtown Staunton during summer 2021. Additional details are forthcoming.

Organization Committee • Recently it was announced that Hannah Adams, current SDDA Marketing Manager,

will be stepping out of her role with SDDA in mid-May. She is graduating with a dual master’s degree in Public Health and Public Policy from the University of Virginia in May and will be joining Booz Allen Hamilton in Northern Virginia as a healthcare management consultant. Ms. Adams first joined the SDDA team in spring 2020 and immediately jumped in to help with the COVID-19 response, and later, the downtown floods. From there, she did a little bit of everything … helping with events, social media posts and developing the new membership program. Ms. Adams has shared that she most enjoyed getting to know all the business owners and community members that make Staunton great.

• Michele Waitier has been selected as the next SDDA Assistant Executive Director, with an official start date of June 1, 2021. Ms. Waitier is currently the assistant executive director of Staunton’s Valley Mission Inc., a position which she will hold through the end of May 2021. With over 20 years of experience working and volunteering in local non-profit organizations, Ms. Waitier has demonstrated the commitment, passion and experience that is needed to assist SDDA as it moves to the next level. Ms. Waitier has shared that she is eager to use her skills and knowledge in non-profit administration, to carry out the mission and vision of SDDA and continue the momentum the organization has generated within the community.

24

Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development Mr. Beam continues to participate in the Creating Community Vitality monthly online training/seminars, presented by Virginia Main Street, Department of Housing and Community Development. This year-long series will be separated into three-parts, focused on building a location’s identity, supportive ecosystems and community in a format promoting monthly education, inspiration and application. The most recent seminar entitled LEADERSHIP + NETWORK was presented by John Sarvay, owner of Floricane, a Richmond-based strategy, engagement and culture consultancy. National Main Street NOW Conference 2021 Mr. Beam, SDDA Board President Len Doran, Vice President Claire Richardson and Economic Vitality Chair Sarah Lynch participated in the 2021 Main Street Now Virtual Conference. The Main Street Now Conference is the premier gathering of local leaders from across the country—and the world—who share a commitment to building vibrancy and economic opportunity in downtowns and commercial districts. With three days of immersive online content and networking opportunities, this year’s conference provided the SDDA team opportunities to reflect on how the events of the past year have changed our work and how we can move towards rebuilding a stronger, more equitable downtown for the future. Main Street Now 2021 programming focused around a number of major themes including: Recovery and Resilience, Equity and Inclusion and Small Business and Entrepreneurship. The plan will be for the National Main Street Now Conference to be held in person—for the first time in two years—in Richmond, Virginia in 2022. Mr. Beam has asked to participate on the committee which will be charged with recruiting and selecting guest speakers and presenters for the conference. Tourism Advisory Board Meeting Mr. Beam participated in the Tourism Advisory Board meeting, reporting on recent and upcoming happenings, projects and goals of the organization. Student Internships Mr. Beam continues to work with Ms. Alix Brewer with the Staunton Montessori School (SMS), and two SMS high school students as they participate in their online spring internship. The two students continued to make strides on developing A Teen’s Guide to Downtown, which will be Zoom-style interviews with people who live and work in downtown Staunton. These interviews will be edited into shorter clips to broadcast through the SDDA’s website and to post on social media in the spring.