I mentioned a few weeks ago that Christiansburg Town Council member Brad Stipes had started writing a blog.

He recently wrote that he had participated in a Q&A with 5th grade students at Christiansburg Elementary. The Councilman wrote that the topic at hand was what the kids thought made Christiansburg a great place to live, and what could make it even better. Their responses were funny, enlightening, and - in some cases - dead on. An excerpt here, make sure to read the whole article - and the comments - for a good chuckle and some thought-provoking comments:

• Matthew E. will run a recycling program in Christiansburg when he grows up - "Did you know there only about 2 - 5 recycling places in Christiansburg? I have said that because I think that Christiansburg needs a recycling program where people set out bins and put what they want to recycle ..."
• I see a future Christiansburg Town Planner in Levi - "I'm concerned about the Huckleberry Trail Bridge. I think that you should not buy the cheapest bridge you can find. Because it would look bad to the town of Christiansburg and would ruin the economy. I also think you should get a bridge that is steel and silver, that is fancy on the side..."
• Tiffani really understands aging - "I think we need a new Christiansburg Elementary School. This school is 45 years old. In fact, the school gets older and older each year ..."

Maybe it seems to be more difficult than the kids realize, but I think there's some real truth to what they say. Christiansburg needs to beef up - well, perhaps START - it's recycling program. The Town should be forcing developers to provide homeowners with greenspace and recreational opportunities, rather than building and paving every square inch of land. Christiansburg is certainly not without fault, but it's refreshing to see Brad Stipes - and the residents of Christiansburg - getting so involved.

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