Terpenny will be Floyd's fourth town manager

by Wanda Combs
Editor

Lance Terpenny, who has been serving as Christiansburg’s town manager for the past 14 years, has accepted the Floyd Town Council’s offer for a job, Will Griffin, Floyd’s mayor, told the Press Wednesday. Official action to accept Terpenny as Floyd’s town manager will be taken at the next Council meeting.
Terpenny was one of 56 applicants vying for the town job, after Korene Thompson resigned a few weeks ago to take a job with an area nursing home. He will become the town’s fourth manager.
A Virginia Tech graduate, Terpenny had replaced John Lemley as the Christiansburg town manager after serving as his assistant for seven years.
For about a month, Terpenny had been in contract negotiations with the Christiansburg Town Council. He had been serving as town manager without a contract. On Tuesday night, the Christiansburg Town Council asked for his resignation effective August 1. Terpenny said after a conversation between he and council in closed session, “we felt the best thing was to separate our employment relationship. There’s no hard feelings.”
After his resignation, Terpenny will receive one year’s worth of compensation.
Terpenny’s base salary as town manager in Christiansburg is $128,750. Griffin said the Floyd Town Council has offered to pay him $50,000, about $7,000 more than the previous town manager. Griffin explained that was “based on his (Terpenny’s) experience and where Floyd is. There’s a lot going on in our town, and we’ve got the chance to hire a professional with a wealth of experience to help us navigate.”
Terpenny has been in the New River Valley since 1975. “I’ve always had a passion for Floyd’s charm and the friendly people there,” he told the Press. Terpenny said when he realized there was an opportunity in Floyd, he called the mayor and was invited to talk to council.
He said he has accomplished “most everything” he set out to accomplish in Christiansburg with the exception of one fire station, and he is looking forward to opportunities in Floyd.
He and his wife have a son, 19, who is a sophomore at Virginia Tech, and a daughter, who is a freshman at Christiansburg High School. He said the entire family is excited about being a part of the Floyd community.
He has a civil engineering degree from Virginia Tech. He also has experience in mechanical engineering and industrial arts education.
After his graduation from college, he worked for the Virginia Department Of Transportation in Christiansburg before accepting a job with the town.
He currently serves as the president of the Virginia Municipal League.
He said he is looking forward to working in Floyd and that the people here “have positive attitudes, are very friendly…and are very passionate about Floyd’s natural charm and the beauty of the downtown. That appeals to me.”
“He’s bringing years of experience as a town manager to our town,” Griffin said. “It’s going to be great to have that to draw from now.”