City Manager's Messages

City Offices Closed June 20, 2022 - Solid Waste Management Collection Changes 

City offices will be closed on Monday, June 20, 2022, in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.   As a result, the following schedule will be in effect for collection of trash, bulk, brush and “A” week single-stream recycling during that week.

Residential/Commercial:

All residential/commercial solid waste collection (including, recycling, bulk and brush) will be delayed one day:

Monday Routes – Trash, “A” week single-stream recycling, bulk and brush will be collected on Tuesday

Tuesday Routes – Trash, “A” week single-stream recycling, bulk and brush will be collected on Wednesday

Wednesday Routes – Trash, “A” week single-stream recycling, bulk and brush will be collected on Thursday

Thursday Routes – Trash, “A” week single-stream recycling, bulk and brush will be collected on Friday

For more information, call 853-2000, option 1

Groceries Not Guns: Upcoming Gun Buyback Event

There will be a gun buyback event held on Saturday, June 25, 2022, from 11 AM - 3 PM at the Melrose Community Center (1427 Melrose Ave NW Roanoke, VA 24017). You can receive a $250 grocery gift card for a semi-automatic handgun or $150 grocery gift card for a shotgun, rifle, or revolver. Bring all firearms to the event in a closed box or similar container. Limit 2 firearms per household. No firearms dealers.  Must be a Virginia resident and 18 years or older.  Name, address, date of birth, social security number, gender, and race are required by state law.  No other questions asked.

Free gun locks will be available.

Repairs made to NW Rugby Pillars

Earlier this Spring, a concerned resident brought to the city’s attention damage to the NW Rugby Pillars. Price Francisco built these pillars for the Rugby Land Co. in 1916, which served as the gate way to the Rugby-Melrose Neighborhood. Over a 100 years later theses pillars are still cherished by residents.

The City of Roanoke was able to obtain the services of Kelly Francisco Stone Masonry to make the repairs to the damaged stone wall. Kelly is the great grandchild of the original creator and is 4th generation of stone masons in the Francisco family.

Kelly pictured here with his son John and Alberto. 

Thank you to the Francisco family for preserving this piece of history and concerned citizen Shirley Bethel.

VDOT Seeks Comments on Study to Improve Section of Williamson Road in Roanoke

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in partnership with the City of Roanoke invites residents and travelers to provide input on a transportation study to address bicycle and pedestrian safety as well as transit needs along the section of Williamson Road (Route 11) between Orange Avenue (Route 460) and Hershberger Road (Route 101) in Roanoke. 

The study will analyze the operational and safety issues. Public comments on the study will be accepted through an online survey June 6 - 20, 2022. Information about the study and the online survey can be found on the VAProjectPipeline.org website or by using the direct link at  https://metroquestsurvey.com/fb6j6q. 

Community input received through this survey will help further refine and finalize potential improvements. The study partners may consider the recommendations for possible advancement through future local, regional, state and federal transportation funding programs. 

PLAY Roanoke Announces Summer Meals Program Schedule

PLAY Roanoke is proud to participate in the USDA Summer Meals Program. This program provides free meals to folks 18 and under in our community without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service. Meals will be provided, on a first come, first serve basis, at the sites and times (Monday–Friday weekly) as follows:

•  Indian Rock Village (2034 Indian Village Lane):  June 21-August 12, 2022, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
• Jamestown Place (1533 Pike Lane):                     June 21-August 12, 2022, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
• Landsdowne Park (2624 Salem Turnpike):          June 21-August 12, 2022, 12:00-1:00 p.m.

In addition, meals will be served at the following closed enrolled sites; meal service at these sites is limited to children enrolled in the program:

• Apple Ridge Farm (Rt. 796, Copper Hill Rd) :                 June 27-August 4, 2022, 8:00-9:00 a.m.,12:00-1:00 p.m.
• Eureka Recreation Center (1529 Carroll Ave.):               June 21-August 12, 2022, 8:00-9:00 a.m., 12:00-1:00 p.m.
• Grandin Court Recreation Center (2621 Barham Rd.):  June 21-August 12, 2022, 8:00-9:00 a.m., 12:00-1:00 p.m.
• Preston Park Recreation Center (3137 Preston Ave.):  June 21-August 12, 2022, 8:00-9:00 a.m., 12:00-1:00 p.m.

Protect the Blueway: 'Trash for T-Shirt' program

Roanoke Stormwater, Roanoke Parks and Recreation, and local river outfitter Roanoke Mountain Adventures (RMA) have launched a “Protect the Blueway: Trash for T-shirt” program to reduce the amount of trash in the Roanoke River and promote use and care of the Roanoke River Blueway.

Creating a clean water legacy requires a concerted effort between city staff and the city’s residents and businesses. Together, we will transform the Roanoke River and its 13 tributaries into community assets, focal points, and sources of pride for those that live, work, and play in the Upper Roanoke River watershed.

If you want to show off your love for the Roanoke River, pick up a bag of trash on your next river float or greenway walk and you’ll receive a free “Protect the Blueway” shirt from RMA! This unique t-shirt features a map of the City of Roanoke, the Roanoke River and its tributary streams, along with the slogans “Protect the Blueway” and “Love Where You Live”.

*Limit 1 shirt per participant. Shirts are not available for purchase and can only be picked up from RMA staff after providing photo documentation of your cleanup.

Roanoke Mountain Adventures is an outdoor equipment and clothing shop located at 806 Wasena Ave SW, Suite 300, Roanoke, VA 24015. To learn more about RMA, please visit https://www.roanokemountainadventures.com/.

For questions about the program, please call (540) 853-5915.

CITY OF ROANOKE HEALTH PLAN TRANSPARENCY REPORTING

On October 29, 2020, the Transparency in Coverage Rule was released by the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Treasury based on an executive order by the President to improve price and quality transparency in American healthcare in an effort to put patients first. This rule is a historic step toward putting health care price information in the hands of consumers and other stakeholders to ensure consumers are empowered with the critical information they need to make informed health care decisions.  The requirements in the Transparency in Coverage Rule will also reduce the secrecy behind health care pricing with the goal of bringing greater competition to the private health care industry.  

Beginning July 1, 2022, group health plans and issuers of health insurance are mandated to make available machine-readable files that include in-network negotiated payment rates and historical out-of-network charges for covered items and services, including prescription drug pricing. The files must be posted on an internet website that is publicly available and accessible to any person free of charge. No conditions can be imposed on the access to the files, such as establishment of a user account, password, or other credentials or submission of personally identifiable information to access the file. The files must be updated on a monthly basis and also clearly indicate the date on which they were most recently updated.

The health plan price transparency rule can help employees know the cost of a covered item or service before receiving care and help define the value of those services. This pricing information can also be used by third parties, such as researchers, app developers, etc. to help consumers better understand the costs associated with their health care.  

The City of Roanoke will post the machine-readable files on https://www.roanokeva.gov/ under ‘Important Resources’, titled “Health Plan Transparency Reporting” in order to comply with the ‘Transparency in Coverage Rule’, effective July 1, 2022. Health plan pricing will be available on July 1, 2022.