Melanie McFadyen is new Fincastle Town Manager

Melanie McFadyen is the new Town Manager of Fincastle. It is a part-time position and she is also a reading teacher at Breckinridge Elementary School. McFadyen’s credentials include degrees from the University of Virginia in Environmental Science and a Masters in Planning and Community Development as a Kellogg Fellow at Illinois’s Institute for Rural Affairs. She became Fincastle Town Manager in the Fall.

McFadyen and her husband Ken moved their family to Botetourt in 2016 and live just outside of Fincastle.

She also worked in the Peace Corps after her Bachelor’s Degree completion. While at Illinois she had the chance to intern at a variety of small-town projects including The Main Street Program, one of the US’s premiere small town revitalization entities. She worked a number of years in Sparta, NC and in Town of West Jefferson in Ashe County, NC. Her experience in community development lends itself to her new position in Fincastle.

Currently, she said, “The Town has issued an RFP ( Request For Proposals) from qualified consultants to develop a comprehensive plan for the Historic/Business District Revitalization that will include: the evaluation of existing or architecturally significant buildings within the town, marketing strategy for the Historic District improved access to the Business district, façade improvement  of historic structures , creating a pedestrian friendly business district, a physical improvement plan, improved period street lights, a strategy of adaptive reuse and other measures that would meet the goals of the revitalization plan.”

 The Town has continually updated its Mission statement, and she said is striving for a community friendly environment. She sees a significant part of the next evolution of Fincastle to be about community where the Fincastle resident, the town officials, the citizens of the county and interested parties work together to fulfill the Town’s new comprehensive plan.

McFadyen is excited about what is happening in the future for Fincastle. The RFP ‘s were due back by mid-December and will be reviewed in the next weeks alongside Town Council and the Town Planning Commission.

For more information on how you can help, Call he town office at 540-473-2200

–Cathy Benson and photo Cathy Benson. Tagline: Melanie McFadyen Fincastle Town Manager