Susan McCulloch, a resident of Ridgeway, assumed the reins of the Town of Buchanan on April 12. “Buchanan is a beautiful town with so much to offer,” she says. “Its leadership has some terrific goals, and I’m excited to get started.”
Nestled along the James River in Botetourt County, the town of 1,178 has been in search of a new town manager ever since Jason Tyree vacated the position on March 12 in order to become city manager for the City of Buena Vista.
“We are thrilled to have someone with Susan’s extensive education and community and economic development background coming to Buchanan,” Craig Bryant, mayor, says. “Her passion for local government and helping communities grow will be a huge benefit to the town.”
The native of New Hampshire originally came to Virginia years ago to attend Averett University. Although she pursued equestrian studies in college, she decided to become a public servant instead.
“Once I understood the role of public service and working to help citizens and communities reach their goals, I became very passionate about local government,” she explains.
The new town manager most recently served as the economic development project manager for Pittsylvania County and the program manager for Pittsylvania’s Business Assistance Fund. During her two years in Pittsylvania County, she played a role in the creation of 1,577 new jobs and the attraction of $483 million of capital investment. “It meant a lot to see the quality of life increase for citizens once jobs were brought in that paid a livable wage,” she says of the work she did.
Prior to her time in Chatham, she spent 10 years with the City of Martinsville as the community planner and zoning administrator. While there, she worked on several housing projects.
She also led the Martinsville Uptown Revitalization Association, which regularly held different events and engaged in partnerships that promoted the Martinsville Historic District and business district. One of the major projects executed by the association while she was there was an effort to highlight upstairs units throughout the uptown area that could be turned into residential spaces.
While working for Pittsylvania County, she obtained a graduate degree in public administration from Old Dominion University in the hopes of one day putting it to use as a town manager. “My career path and education prepared me well for this role. When I saw the Town of Buchanan was searching for a town manager, I jumped on it,” she says. “Buchanan has so much potential. The town is so authentic.”
McCulloch is currently getting to know the town better by talking with residents and local business owners and reviewing the comprehensive plan. Going forward, she hopes to implement a blight and vacancy remediation program and assess the town’s infrastructure, including water and sewer.
She also plans to make economic development a top priority by looking at the town’s existing buildings to see if they can be renovated in the hopes of attracting new occupants. “I’m very passionate about seeing main streets thrive and helping small businesses,” she says. In order to further the town’s economic development, she will be partnering with existing businesses, as well as regional organizations.
Tourism, she adds, will be a driving force behind the town’s continued growth. “We have amazing natural assets, including Purgatory Mountain with its views and trails and the James River with the swinging bridge. The tourism component is an important avenue to explore. We will be searching for ways to generate the best impact,” she says.
McCulloch’s connection to Buchanan runs deep. Her father-in-law is from just outside of the town limits and attended James River High School. “I’ve already met quite a few family members. It’s neat getting to hear stories about him. I met someone who rode the bus with him. Another person played in the fields with him as a child,” she says.
She is currently house hunting in Buchanan. She hopes to have a new house lined up in time for her family, including her husband and four children, to relocate from Ridgeway following the end of the school year. “Living here is something my family is really looking forward to,” she says.
About the Author:
Aila Boyd is an educator and journalist who resides in Roanoke. She holds an MFA in Writing from Lindenwood University.
