HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/18/2003 - Special
July 18, 2003
651
Roanoke County Administration Center
5204 Bernard Drive
Roanoke, Virginia 24018
July 18, 2003
The Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County, Virginia met this day at the
Explore Park Visitor Center for the purpose of attending the Regional Leadership
Summit Meeting.
IN RE: CALL TO ORDER
Chairman McNamara called the meeting to order at 12:20 p.m. The roll
call was taken.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Chairman Joseph McNamara, Supervisors Michael W.
Altizer, Joseph B. “Butch” Church
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Vice-Chairman Richard C. Flora, Supervisor H. Odell
“Fuzzy” Minnix
STAFF PRESENT:
Elmer C. Hodge, County Administrator;Diane S. Childers,
Clerk to the Board
OTHERS PRESENT:
Elected officials and staff from the following localities: Town
of Vinton, City of Roanoke, City of Salem, Town of Clifton
Forge, County of Alleghany, County of Franklin. Also
present was staff from the Roanoke Regional Airport,
Regional Airport Alliance, and the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany
Regional Commission.
IN RE: WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
Chairman McNamara welcomed the participants and introductions were
made. The invocation was given by William D. Bestpitch, City of Roanoke.
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IN RE: DISCUSSION OF AGENDA ITEMS
1. Highlights of Roanoke Regional Initiatives (Elmer C. Hodge,
County Administrator – County of Roanoke)
Mr. Hodge outlined the following cooperative initiatives that had been
undertaken by area localities: (1) Cooperative Fire and Rescue Stations at Read
Mountain, and Clearbrook; (2) Cooperative Fire and Rescue efforts with the Town of
Vinton; (3) Roanoke Regional Fire/EMS Training Center; (4) Roanoke Regional Tactical
Training Center which serves the Police and Sheriff’s Departments for the City of
Roanoke and County of Roanoke; (5) Emergency services 800 MHz radio station that
serves the Police, Sheriff, and Fire and Rescue Departments for the City of Roanoke
and Roanoke County, as well as Explore Park, Roanoke Valley Resource Authority,
Roanoke Regional Airport Commission, and other local law enforcement and fire and
rescue agencies that have access to the system; (6) Regional sports marketing efforts
such as the formation of a Sports Marketing Committee through the Convention and
Visitors Bureau, as well as Roanoke County and the City of Salem co-hosting the A.S.A.
Class B Men’s Fast Pitch National Championship; (7) Formation of the proposed
Roanoke City/Roanoke County regional water and wastewater authority.
2. Development of regional legislative agenda (Wayne Strickland,
Executive Director, Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional
Commission (RVARC))
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Mr. Strickland presented the following proposed additions to the legislative
agenda that was presented in 2002: (1) The General Assembly should provide
statutory authority for the separation, for taxing purposes, of business personal property
and personal property. (2) The General Assembly should fund Virginia’s regional
competitiveness program. Funding for the program was eliminated in 2002. (3) The
Commonwealth needs to move aggressively to address tax reform. He requested that
localities review the legislative agenda and return their responses to his office by
October. The RVARC will compile the list of priorities and will schedule a meeting with
legislators in November following the elections. There was general discussion
regarding the priorities. Mr. Rupert Cutler, Roanoke City Council, noted that funding for
I-81 does not mention rail freight service. Ms. Jacqueline Shuck, Executive Director of
the Roanoke Regional Airport, reported that airport funding had been reduced by 60%
and this was an issue that needs to be addressed. Mr. Bill Bestpitch, Roanoke City
Council, indicated that funding for transportation projects looks unfavorable. He was
informed at a Virginia Municipal League (VML) Policy Committee on Transportation
meeting that the I-73 project was still eligible for funding, but the reality is that funding
for the project is questionable.
3. Update from the Roanoke Regional Airport Alliance. (Beth
Doughty, President – Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce)
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Ms. Doughty reported that the pledge campaign is part of the regional
economic strategy and that the goal of $2 million in pledges was reached on July 16.
She indicated that a number of major users of the airport still need to submit pledges, in
particularly in the New River Valley. She stated that Barry Duval, consultant with
Kaufman & Canoles, has been in contact with AirTran Airways, as well as other low-fare
carriers such as JetBlue Airways. To date, 103 businesses have submitted pledges
totaling $2,146,000.
4. Roanoke Regional Airport Commission application for the small
community air service improvement program grant. (Jacqueline
Shuck, Executive Director – Roanoke Regional Airport
Commission)
Ms. Shuck stated that the grant is being sought to provide a revenue
guarantee to AirTran Airways to make up the difference in fares while they are building
their market. This revenue guarantee has been requested by AirTran. She reported
that $20 million in funding is available and no more than 40 airports will receive grants
(no more than 4 grants per state will be allocated). Ms. Shuck indicated that the pledge
bank being compiled by the Roanoke Regional Airport Alliance helps to protect the
revenue guarantee. She requested that all localities draft a letter of support to be sent
to the Docket Operations at the U. S. Department of Transportation. The federal fiscal
year ends September 30, and it is anticipated that the grants will be awarded prior to
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this time. Beth Doughty indicated that she would coordinate drafting a letter of support
on behalf of the business community.
5. Other business
Mayor Ralph Smith, City of Roanoke, reported that Norfolk Southern has
agreed to host the next Leadership Summit via a rail excursion. The meeting will be
held on October 15 and will begin in Bedford. The excursion will be a three hour rail trip
that will end in Christiansburg. Mayor Smith indicated that a bus will depart from
Roanoke at 11:00 a.m. and will shuttle passengers from Christiansburg to Roanoke
upon conclusion of the trip. Box lunches will be provided.
Mr. Strickland reported that the next Mayors and Chairs meeting will be
hosted by the Town of Vinton at the Vinton War Memorial on August 22. He also stated
that the long-range water supply study has been completed, and a press conference will
be held in early August. Citizen input will be accepted regarding the study through early
September.
IN RE: ADJOURNMENT
Chairman McNamara adjourned the meeting at 1:30 p.m.
Submitted by: Approved by:
________________________ ________________________
Diane S. Childers Joseph P. McNamara
Clerk to the Board Chairman
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