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Home My WebLink About1/5/1994 - Special èj 0 - .T....I'....~y ." 1"4 - Roanoke County Board of Supervisors Sunnybrook Inn Roanoke, Virginia 24018 January 5, 1994 The Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County, Virginia, met this day at the Sunnybrook Inn, this being a special breakfast meeting for the purpose of meeting with the Roanoke Valley members of the General Assembly. IN RE: CALL TO ORDER Chairman Eddy called the meeting to order at 7:37 a.m. The roll call was taken. MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Lee B. Eddy, Vice Chairman Edward G. KOhinke, Supervisors Bob L. Johnson, H. Odell "Fuzzy" Minnix, Harry C. Nickens MEMBERS ABSENT: None STAFP PRESENT: Elmer C. Hodge, County Administrator; Paul M. Mahoney, County Attorney; Mary H. Allen, Clerk; John M. Chambliss, Assistant County Administrator; Don C. Myers, Assistant County Administrator; Anne Marie Green, Community Relations GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Senators Malfourd "Bo" Trumbo, Delegates C. Richard Cranwell, and A. Victor Thomas, J. Brandon Bell, Morgan Griffith, 4 ,#j J IX JlK~ January 5, 1994 .~QK. QQUHTY ~.CISLATIVS K~~~~U~6 --- County Attorney Paul Mahoney presented the resolution adopted by the Board of supervisors on November 30, 1993. This resolution outlined the Board of Supervisors legislative requests as follows: I INCLUDE $2,395,100 IN THE 1994-96 BIENNIUM APPROPRIATION ACT FOR PERSONNEL AND OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE VIRGINIA RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AUTHORITY, A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA. These funds would be used solely to operate Virginia's Explore Park, a 1300-acre outdoor living history museum and environmental conservation and outdoor recreation reserve on the Roanoke River adjoining the Blue Ridge Parkway in Roanoke and Bedford Counties. This appropriation would enable the Authority to open Explore Park to the public on a year-round, five-day a week basis after eight years of planning and development that included land acquisition with a 1988 appropriation of $6 million of state general funds. Park development will continue to be funded from grants from federal, state, local, and private partners. The appropriation requested for fiscal year 1994-95 is $1,098,300; and the appropriation requested for fiscal year 1995- 96 is $1,296,800. II A. Law Enforcement. The County urges the General January 5, 1994 'l2 - Assembly to restore funding for the H.B. 599 Program (state aid to localities with police departments). B. Education. Realizing that public education is the foundation of American democracy and the cornerstone of our future economic well being, the County urges the General Assembly to enhance funding for public education, including increasing the funds available to the Literary Fund for local school capital construction or renovation projects. At a minimum the General Assembly should fully fund the Literary Fund in the amount of $100 million for FY 1994-95. Local school divisions should be authorized to establish opening dates for school. The County requests the General Assembly to approve an amendment to the Roanoke County Charter providing for the popular election of school board. C. Public Investment in Information. The County urges the General Assembly to closely monitor the findings and recommendations of the Council on Information Management pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 238 with respect to amendments to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, the Virginia Privacy Protection Act, the Virginia Public Records Act, and the Intellectual Property Act so as to protect the taxpayers' invest- ment in the collection, development, storage and maintenance of public records. This taxpayer investment is of critical importance with respect to the County's development of its GIS system. The General Assembly should adopt legislation to allow ," ,~ 4: iJ ~ r~J January 5, 1994 lL~ local governments to recover tne actuai costs or develop1ng such computerized information and public records information systems. D. Recvclinq. Roanoke County is a leader in the development of a local recycling program; however, such programs in conjunction with the Commonwealth's recycling goals adversely affect the County's finances. Since the County is losing money recycling, the County urges the General Assembly to either waive its recycling requirements (25% for 1995) or to guarantee market prices to local governments for recyclable materials. E. social Services. The County urges the General Assembly to continue and to increase administrative funding for the support and implementation of the Comprehensive Services Act. Further, the County urges the General Assembly to closely monitor the findings and recommendations of the task force created by House Joint Resolution No. 603 concerning the proposed restructuring of Virginia's long-term care system for the elderly. F. Public Libraries. The County urges the General Assembly to provide full funding of state aid for pUblic libraries. currently, public libraries receive only 77% of the state funds required under the formula prescribed in § 42.1-48 of the Code of Virginia. Full funding of the state aid to public libraries would result in an increase of $40,000 to Roanoke County. G. pavment of Taxes. Upon the request of the January 5, 1994 !"- ~ 4' !, "; . .. '.i . :JI Treasurer of Roanoke County, the General Assembly is urged to amend § 58.1-3013 to require credit card companies to honor local ordinances authorizing the payment of local taxes by credit card and imposing a service charge not to exceed 4% of the amount due. H. Drunk Drivinq. The County urges the General Assembly to increase the penal ties for DUI violations and to improve and toughen enforcement of the DUI statutes. I. Equal Taxation and Borrowinq Powers. The County urges the General Assembly to adopt legislation equalizing the taxing and borrowing powers of counties with those powers granted to municipalities. J. Unfunded Mandates. The County supports the reduction of unfunded regulatory and statutory mandates and opposes any state mandates on local governments without sufficient funding to cover the costs of those mandates. K. Annexation. The County urges the General Assembly to continue the moratorium on any city-initiated annexation and any city annexation initiated by citizens of counties. L. Growth Manaqement. The County petitions the General Assembly to grant local governments in the Commonwealth the authority to adopt growth management ordinances including the power to impose impact fees, ordinances to impose aesthetic and design criteria considerations for the protection of historic and natural resources (like the Blue Ridge Parkway), to restrict the authority of the courts to overrule local land use decisions, and to allow reasonable procedures and time periods for the t· \'1" ~"~ %~~ {~:) January 5, 1994 - amortization of non-conforming signs. M. container Deposit. The County urges the General Assembly to adopt legislation establishing a deposit on beverage containers. N. Lotterv Proceeds. The County petitions the General Assembly to return a portion of the lottery proceeds to local governments as originally intended. o. Animal Control. The County urges the General Assembly to adopt enabling legislation to control the breeding of dogs and cats. A critical pet over-population problem exists in the Commonwealth of Virginia because of accidental and deliberate breeding of dogs and cats leaving too many animals without good homes and suffering because of lack of adequate shelter, food, and veterinary care. A reduction in the number of stray dogs and cats in our local communi ties will lessen the burden on local governments and save tax dollars. IN RE: DISCUSSION Mr. Mahoney advised that their most important requests are funding for Explore and various education requests. other requests discussed included the elected school board charter amendment, the post Labor Day opening, and concern for the proposed $10.00 per ton solid waste tax. The Board members and state legislators also discussed regionalization of services, and the County's responsibility to provide low cost housing. Supervisor Nickens presented information to those present designed to encourage tourism along - January 5, 1994 A" '" ~" ~J ß ~ the Blue Ridge Parkway. IN RE: ADJOURNMENT At 9:00 a.m., Chairman Eddy declared the meeting adjourned. Submitted by: -rn~ .Æ/. c¿~L~ Mary H. A len, Clerk