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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1/27/2001 - Special January 27, 2001 Roanoke County Administration Center 5204 Bernard Drive Roanoke, Virginia 24018 January 27, 2001 The Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County, Virginia, met this day at the Moody Center, Hollins University, this being the fourth Saturday of the month of January 2001 and a special meeting for the purpose of an Economic Development Forum. IN RE:CALL TO ORDER Chairman Minnix called the meeting to order at 8:45 a. m. The roll call was taken. MEMBERS PRESENT:(left at 1:00 p.m.) Chairman H. Odell “Fuzzy” Minnix , Vice- Chairman Joseph B. "Butch" Church, Supervisors Bob L. (left at 4:00 Johnson, Joseph McNamara, Harry C. Nickens p.m.) MEMBERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Elmer C. Hodge, County Administrator; Paul M. Mahoney, County Attorney; Mary H. Allen, Clerk to the Board; John M. Chambliss, Assistant County Administrator; Dan R. O’Donnell, Assistant County Administrator; Kathie B. Scearce, Community Relations Director; Arnold Covey, Community Development Director; Jill Barr, Assistant Economic Development Director; Melinda Cox, Economic Development Specialist; Joe Zielinski, Economic Development Specialist; Diane Hyatt, Chief Financial Officer; Brent Robertson, Budget Director January 27, 2001 OTHERS PRESENT: Dennis Cronk, Commercial Realtor; Will Davis, Economic Development Executive, AEP; Mark Emick, Virginia Western Community College; Dennis Fisher, Carilion Biomedical Institute; Bonz Hart, New Century Technology Council; Mark Kilduff, VA Economic Development Partnership; Steve Leonard, Aliah, Inc. Facilitator; Beth Neu, Roanoke City Director of Economic Development; John Phillips, Virginia Tech Economic Development Officer, Virginia Tech; Brandon Price, Vice President, Virginia Biotechnology Association; Kim Simon, Aliah, Inc. Facilitator; Phil Sparks, Economic Development Partnership; Al Thomason, Roanoke County Planning Commission; Linda Weber, Roanoke County Superintendent of Schools; Joe Yates, City of Salem Economic Development Director IN RE:WELCOME County Administrator Elmer Hodge thanked all the participants for attending and asked that everyone introduce themselves. He announced that there would be a brief Closed Meeting during lunch to discuss two issues. IN RE:DISCUSSION Supervisor McNamara described how the Aliah process worked, and explained that prior to the forum, the participants had been divided into the groups representing players that impact the future of economic development. The participants divided into five groups which were (1) Partners, (2) Competitors, (3) Roanoke Region, (4) New Enterprises, and (5) Existing Enterprises. Each of the groups discussed the impacts of various factors (drivers) to their specific group and chose five drivers that most impacted their group. The leaders of each group then shared the results with the entire group of participants. January 27, 2001 IN RE:LUNCHEON RECESS At 12:25 p.m., Chairman Minnix declared a luncheon recess. IN RE:CLOSED MEETING At 12:26 p.m., Supervisor Minnix moved to go into Closed Meeting pursuant to the Code of Virginia 2.1-344A (3) to discuss an economic development prospect for which there has been no previous announcement; and 2.1-344A (7) legal briefings by counsel concerning the SCC proceedings and Virginia Gas Pipeline. The motion was carried by the following recorded vote: AYES:Supervisors Johnson, McNamara, Church, Nickens, Minnix NAYS:None IN RE:OPEN MEETING At 12:50 p.m. the Board returned to Open Meeting. IN RE:ACTION CONCERNING VIRGINIA GAS PIPELINE Supervisor Nickens moved to authorize the County Administrator and County Attorney to retain a consultant engineer to prepare a cost comparison study to construct the gas pipeline in a new easement versus an existing easement (co-location) at a cost not to exceed $10,000. The motion was carried by the following recorded vote: AYES:Supervisors Johnson, McNamara, Church, Nickens, Minnix January 27, 2001 NAYS:None IN RE:CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION R-012701-1 At 1:30 p.m., Supervisor Johnson advised that the Closed Meeting was held from 12:25 p.m. until 12:50 p.m. and moved to adopt the Certification Resolution. The motion carried by the following recorded vote: AYES:Supervisors Johnson, Minnix, Church, Nickens, McNamara NAYS:None RESOLUTION 012701-1CERTIFYING THE CLOSED MEETING WAS HELD IN CONFORMITY WITH THE CODE OF VIRGINIA WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County, Virginia has convened a closed meeting on this date pursuant to an affirmative recorded vote and in accordance with the provisions of The Virginia Freedom of Information Act; and WHEREAS, Section 2.1-344.1 of the Code of Virginia requires a certification by the Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County, Virginia, that such closed meeting was conducted in conformity with Virginia law. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County, Virginia, hereby certifies that, to the best of each members knowledge: 1. Only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements by Virginia law were discussed in the closed meeting which this certification resolution applies, and 2. Only such public business matters as were identified in the motion convening the closed meeting were heard, discussed or considered by the Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County, Virginia. On motion of Supervisor Johnson to adopt the Certification Resolution, and carried by the following recorded vote: AYES:Supervisors Johnson, McNamara, Church, Nickens, Minnix NAYS:None IN RE:RECONVENEMENT January 27, 2001 The participants reconvened at approximately 1:30 p.m. After identifying and prioritizing the drivers of all the players, the participants determined the effect of each driver on the future of the County. The participants brainstormed two actions that each player might take to ensure the success of each driver. They then predicted whether the player would be successful at implementing the actions. Bonz Hart, representing the New Century Technology Council offered several suggestion for recruiting high-tech companies which included taking the prospect to another technology company, to a technology university and students, to a technology attorney, to a technology networking group, and showing the prospect the night life in the Roanoke Valley. There was general discussion among the participants on what Roanoke County should make available to economic development prospects, especially high technology prospects, including venture capital, angel capital, flexible space with short term lease agreements, an outstanding web site, and a trained employee pool. Vice Chairman Church thanked everyone for attending and participating in the forum and presented gifts to the individuals from outside agencies and businesses. RE:ADJOURNMENT At 5:00 p.m., Vice Chairman Church adjourned the forum. Submitted by:Approved by: January 27, 2001 _________________________________________________ Mary H. Allen, CMCJoseph B. “Butch” Church Clerk to the BoardVice Chairman January 27, 2001 This page left intentionally blank