City Council voted Thursday night to designate a portion of Memorial Drive as “Patriot Way” to honor the service of veterans to the nation.
The dual designation extends from Central Boulevard to Main Street. The dual designation will not change street addresses.
In addition to the designation, the Public Works Department has developed a program to allow businesses, veteran organizations and fraternal organizations to honor veterans and commemorate patriotic holidays by sponsoring the display of American flags on designated city-owned street light poles.
The holidays are Memorial Day, Fourth of July, September 11th and Veterans Day. Flags are to be installed seven days prior to the holiday and be removed no later than seven days after the holiday.
The city already has executed an agreement with the Fraternal Order of Eagles to install 34 American flags in the center median of Memorial Drive between Cleveland Street and Poplar Street for Veterans Day.
In other action Thursday, Council voted to:
• endorse an application by the Metropolitan Planning Organization for state money to improve the access to Berry Hill Road at the intersection with U.S. 58 and to widen the a portion of the road.
• reduce the fee charged to students by Danville Transit for using the Reserve A Ride service, which offers door-to-door transportation to locations not provided by regular bus service. The door-to-door service requires reservations. The new fee charged to students with a valid identification card will be $2, effective Dec. 1. The current fee is $4.
• endorse two applications for state highway money to widen a portion of Mount Cross Road. The project is being planned in two phases: 1) from Lowes Drive to the entrance of the Averett North campus at Parker Road, and 2) from Parker Road to the city limits. One application is for money to complete funding for the first phase. The second application is to begin funding of the second phase. Design of the first phase is complete. Right of way acquisition will begin this winter. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2017.
City Council met Thursday night instead of the first Tuesday of the month as normal. The change in dates is due to Tuesday’s General Election. Council's meeting included a business session followed by a work session. In work sessions, Council reviews non-routine matters that will be voted upon in future business meetings.
In the work session, Council discussed fee changes for parks and recreation programs and the library. Those changes will be voted upon at Council's next business session, which will be held on Nov. 17.
Council also discussed a proposed Tobacco Commission grant application to start an advanced manufacturing precision machining program at George Washington High School. The grant would require a dollar-for-dollar local match. Funding options for the local match will be discussed at the next work session on Nov. 17.
River City TV airs live all Council business sessions. The first rebroadcast will be at 8 p.m. Thursday. Watch it on cable (Comcast channel 10 and Gamewood channel 122) or streaming at RiverCityTV.org. The taped broadcast is available now on the City’s YouTube channel -- DanvilleVAGov.
River City TV does not air work sessions, but they are open to the public.