Clifton Forge Town of

What Clifton Forge Town of does

The Town of Clifton Forge, Virginia is a municipal corporation and political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia, chartered in 1906 and operating under a Council-Manager form of government with five elected at-large council members and a Mayor selected by Council. It delivers a full suite of municipal services to residents and businesses within town corporate limits, including police (8 sworn officers, ~4,500 calls/year), fire and EMS (~42 fire/EMS personnel, 24/7 coverage since paid staff added July 2022), water treatment and distribution, sewer, public works, planning/zoning, code enforcement, library services, and economic development. The water system is a core technical asset: a conventional surface water treatment plant drawing from Smith Creek with 3.0 MGD design capacity and 2.2 MGD safe yield, delivering potable water to over 8,000 people across Alleghany, Bath, and Botetourt Counties through 35 miles of water mains, 25 miles of sewer lines, and 1,700+ meters.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across four primary streams: real estate tax ($0.165 per $100 of assessed value), personal property tax ($3.65 per $100), consumption-based water and sewer billing (effective July 1, 2024; ~$114/month for a 5/8 meter at 5,000 gallons), and license fees (annual business licenses and animal tags). Utility revenue is operationally ringfenced — no tax dollars fund utilities. Economic development is actively pursued through Enterprise Zone benefits (utility, business license, and real estate tax reductions plus $500-$800 per job per year Job Creation Grants for five years), a Downtown Façade Improvement Grant Program (up to $10,000 per project), and a Virginia Housing-funded downtown upper-level housing feasibility study. The Town also markets a distinct heritage and tourism brand around its C&O Railroad history, the Historic Masonic Theatre, and proximity to Douthat State Park and the George Washington National Forest, supported by a dedicated Visit Clifton Forge website and active social media presence.

Name

Clifton Forge Town of

Legal name

Town of Clifton Forge

Website

https://cliftonforgeva.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1906

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Town of Clifton Forge, Virginia is a municipal corporation chartered in 1906 that delivers police, fire, EMS, water treatment, sewer, public works, planning, and library services to residents and businesses, with a regional water system serving over 8,000 people across three counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922), Police Protection (922120), Fire Protection (92216)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

City Clerk/Records, Elections & Civic Engagement (BPAIACAB), Municipal Tax & Revenue Administration (Local) (BPAIACAD), Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN), State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM), Public Works Departments (Streets, Bridges, Stormwater, Fleet, Maintenance) (BPAIALAD)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Water and sewer utilities
• Public safety services
• Community development programs
• Public works infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Clifton Forge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Tax: The Town levies real estate taxes at $0.165 per $100 of assessed value, payable in two installments. Personal property tax is $3.65 per $100 of assessed value.
2. Utility Services (Water and Sewer): Monthly water and sewer billing. The town began consumption-based billing July 1, 2024. A bill based upon a 5/8 meter and 5,000 gallons per month is $114 for water and sewer combined. Revenue funds operations with no tax dollars used for utilities.
3. Business Licenses: Business license applications required annually by March 1st for businesses operating within town corporate limits.
4. Animal Licenses: Annual dog and cat tags required, with fees of $2.00 for spayed/neutered animals and $10.00 for unaltered animals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Town of Clifton Forge provides essential municipal government services to its residents and businesses, including public safety (police, fire, EMS), water treatment and distribution, sewer collection, public works (roads, stormwater, solid waste), planning and zoning, economic development, and public library services. Operations are funded by property taxes, monthly utility billing, and licensing fees.

Product overview

The Town of Clifton Forge offers a unified suite of municipal government services encompassing core administrative functions (town management, council operations, FOIA compliance), public safety (police, fire, EMS), utilities (water treatment and distribution, sewer), public works, planning and community development, and library services. Supporting digital platforms include an events calendar, business directory, online utility payment system (EdmundsGovTech), economic development programs with grant opportunities, available properties listings, and a government documents portal. The town's services are organized around community governance, public safety, infrastructure management, and economic vitality, delivered through both in-person operations at Town Hall and digital channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Municipal Government Services Core municipal government services including town management, council operations, public safety, utilities, planning, and community development for the Town of Clifton Forge, Virginia.
• Police Department Services Law enforcement services provided 24 hours a day by the Clifton Forge Police Department with eight sworn officers, responding to an average of 4,500 calls per year.
• Fire and Emergency Services Fire suppression, EMS, and emergency services staffed by approximately 39 firefighters, 3 professional firefighter/EMTs, and 30 EMS-trained individuals running 24/7.
• Water Treatment and Distribution Conventional surface water treatment with flash and rapid mix flocculation, sedimentation and filtration; plant capacity 3.0 MGD with safe yield 2.2 MGD; delivers potable water to over 8,000 people.
• Public Works and Sewer Services Management of 35 miles of water mains, 200 fire hydrants, 1700+ water meters, 25 miles of sewer lines, 705 manholes, 3 sewer pump stations, and 25 lane miles of roadways.
• Online Utility Payment Online portal for paying water and sewer utilities, powered by EdmundsGovTech cloud platform; transitioned to consumption-based billing on July 1, 2024.
• Economic Development Services Economic development programs including the Downtown Façade Improvement Grant Program (up to $10,000 per project), property redevelopment initiatives, and enterprise zone incentives.
• Public Library Services Public library services at 535 Church Street including catalog access, digital resources (Heritage Quest, Britannica Online, Learning Express Library), community programs, and meeting room rentals.
• Business Directory Searchable business directory featuring local businesses in Clifton Forge with categories including retail, restaurants, services, healthcare, and arts/culture.
• Events Calendar Town events calendar platform allowing residents and visitors to view, search, and subscribe to community events, meetings, and activities.
• Government Documents Portal Digital repository of town documents including strategic plans, budgets, financial reports, comprehensive plans, water quality reports, and zoning maps.

Quantifiable outcome

• Water treatment capacity of 3.0 MGD with only 1.1 MGD typical usage
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• American Red CrossminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Fire Department cooperates with the Red Cross on smoke detector installation program, providing free smoke detectors to town residents in need.
• Alleghany County Sheriff's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolice dispatch merged with Alleghany County Sheriff's Office in 2010; after-hours emergency calls routed to County dispatch at 965-1770 where Clifton Forge officer is dispatched 24/7.
• CSX Railroad PoliceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFPD Patrol Division assists CSX Railroad Police in dealing with situations and calls for service within the town.
• Alleghany CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Wastewater Treatment Plant owned and operated by Alleghany County. Town water system serves parts of Alleghany, Bath, and Botetourt Counties. Building permits and inspections provided through Alleghany County.
• WACOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolid waste collection contracted through WACO (Western Alleghany County). Contact: 540-863-6650.
• Alleghany Highlands Chamber of CommercecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-marketing partner for economic development and tourism promotion. Chamber website linked from Town website for relocation and business information.
• Alleghany Highlands Economic Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint economic development efforts for the Alleghany Highlands region, including enterprise zone benefits and business recruitment.
• SERCAP, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Development Block Grant (CDBG) Planning Grant partner for housing rehabilitation community meeting.
• Virginia HousingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Impact Grant (CIG) Planning Program funder for Downtown Upper-Level Housing Feasibility Study.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• City of Lexington, Virginia: Nearby small Virginia independent city serving a comparable resident base with full municipal services including water treatment, police, fire, and planning functions; similar Council-Manager governance profile.
• Town of Pulaski, Virginia: Small Virginia town with a similar Appalachian industrial heritage and full municipal service portfolio, including utilities and public safety, serving a comparable population size.
• Town of Christiansburg, Virginia: Small Virginia town in the New River Valley operating police, fire, water/sewer, and economic development functions for a similar resident base, with comparable reliance on utility and property tax revenue.
• City of Covington, Virginia: Independent city adjacent to Clifton Forge within Alleghany County, providing a directly comparable set of municipal services (police, fire, water/sewer, public works) to a similarly small population in the same regional economy.
• City of Buena Vista, Virginia: Small neighboring Virginia city in the Alleghany Highlands region providing the same municipal service portfolio (public safety, utilities, public works, planning) to a similar population scale.
• City of Galax, Virginia: Small Virginia independent city in the Blue Ridge region providing a directly comparable set of municipal services to a similar population, including utilities and public safety.
• Town of Narrows, Virginia: Small Virginia town in Giles County with a similar small-town municipal service footprint including water/sewer utilities and public safety, providing a directly comparable governance and operating model.
• Town of Bedford, Virginia: Small Virginia town operating full municipal services including utilities, police, fire, and planning; comparable in scale and the Council-Manager governance structure used by Clifton Forge.
• Town of Rocky Mount, Virginia: Small Virginia town operating a similar municipal service mix (police, fire, water/sewer, public works, planning) and comparable Council-Manager governance model.

Broad incumbents

• Alleghany County, Virginia: County government that operates the regional wastewater treatment plant, provides building permits/inspections, and hosts the consolidated police dispatch serving Clifton Forge; broader geographic incumbent that shapes Clifton Forge's cost structure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/results?search_query=town+of+clifton+forge
• Facebookfacebook.com/TownOfCliftonForgeVA
• Instagraminstagram.com/townofcliftonforge
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clifton-forge-town-of

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clifton Forge Town of