HomeMy WebLinkAbout3/29/2011 - SpecialMarch 29, 2011 175
Roanoke County Administration Center
5204 Bernard Drive
Roanoke, Virginia 24018
The Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County, Virginia, met this day at the
Roanoke County Administration Center, this being a special meeting for the purpose of
discussing redistricting alternatives and hearing requests for funding from cultural,
tourism, and other agencies for the fiscal year 2011 -2012 budget. Audio and video
recordings of this meeting will be held on file for a minimum of five (5) years in the office
of the Clerk to the Board of Supervisors.
IN RE: CALL TO ORDER
was taken.
Chairman Church called the meeting to order at 4:39 p.m. The roll call
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Joseph B. "Butch" Church; Vice - Chairman
Charlotte A. Moore, Supervisors Michael W. Altizer, Eddie
"Ed" Elswick, Richard C. Flora
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: B. Clayton Goodman III, County Administrator; Diane D.
Hyatt, Assistant County Administrator; Daniel R. O'Donnell,
Assistant County Administrator; Teresa Hamilton Hall,
Director of Public Information; Paul M. Mahoney, County
Attorney; Deborah C. Jacks, Clerk to the Board
IN RE: WORK SESSIONS
1. Work session on redistricting alternatives (Paul M. Mahoney,
County Attorney)
In attendance for this work session was Paul M. Mahoney, County
Attorney; Judith Stokes, General Registrar, Philip Thompson, Deputy Director of
Planning, Todd Booth, Engineering /GIS Technical Supervisor and Gary Coleman, GIS
Coordinator.
Mr. Mahoney advised this was the second work session on redistricting
and would be reviewing the revised map with suggested changes based on the
feedback from the Board from the first work session. Mr. Mahoney indicated it was his
hope that the Board could provide the necessary guidance to proceed with the first
reading of an ordinance on redistricting at the April 12, 2011, meeting and the second
176 March 29, 2011
reading and public hearing at the April 26, 2011, meeting. He further indicated Ms.
Stokes had received a letter from the State Board of Elections requesting all redistricting
plans be submitted to the State Board of Elections by April 29, 2011. Mr. Mahoney
explained he did not think this date applied to Roanoke County because preclearance
from the Justice Department was not required. Mr. Mahoney then advised that the
General Assembly would be meeting on April 4 and 5 to try to redistrict the
Commonwealth of Virginia for purposes of the general assembly, House of Delegates
and the State Senate, with a veto session on April 6, 2011. The General Assembly
voted to have a one percent (1%) population deviation, with a two percent (2 %)
deviation for the House and Senate. He advised that the current total deviation for
Roanoke County is nine point six percent (9.6 %). The changes that are being
presented today involve where Cave Spring and Vinton come together, where the
Vinton and Hollins Districts come together and where Hollins and Catawba meet. The
goal is to try to correct the imbalance identified as a result of the 2010 census in terms
of population between Cave Spring and Vinton, as those are the two districts most out
of balance. Mr. Mahoney then review the suggested changed in Cave Spring and
Vinton, advising it was a requirement to follow the census boundaries.
Supervisor Altizer stated he did not like the Bandy Road section and
wanted to make sure that the Board was correcting tings and making things easier for
the citizens. Supervisor Moore remarked it was her main objective to clean up the area
in Crowell's Gap.
The next map reviewed was the Hollins District and Mr. Mahoney stated
the changed marked here related to the Orchards area and the Ruritan Area.
Supervisor Flora indicated that either option would split communities of interest, but if
forced to choose, would prefer for the Ruritan area to be moved, however, he noted that
his first preference is the no change option.
The next map was the Hollins /Catawba Districts, which would result in a
change in polling location.
Supervisor Elswick stated he wanted to know if the County was in
compliance and people have been voting in the same place for ten years, why change if
there was no serious issues. Supervisor Moore stated she had an issue with the
citizens that lived on Crowell's Gap. Mr. Mahoney explained the County has a
constitutional obligation to try to have equal population in all of the districts, which we do
not have and have gone from a percentage deviation of about four point seven to four
point eight percent (4.7 -4.8 %) ten years ago to double those numbers to nine point six
percent (9.6 %). Additionally, Mr. Mahoney stated he thinks that number will double
again over the next ten years and if doubled again it would be an eighteen percent (18%
deviation. Supervisor Elswick stated "if it ain't broke; don't fix it." and remarked that the
Board's obligation is to let people continue to vote where they always have and not
spend so much taxpayer money going through iterations of redistricting and then the
confusion and telephone calls as a result of people not knowing where to vote.
March 29, 2011 177
Mr. Mahoney clarified the Board would need to do an ordinance even to
main the current boundaries and in addition, Ms. Stokes has advised three different
polling places will need to change. The first is the result of construction at Cave Spring
Middle School, discussion have been ongoing with Cave Spring Baptist Church, which
is directly across the street from the middle school. The second location change may
be the 419 Library. The final change is the possible combination of Bennett Springs
and Masons Spring, creating one medium sized polling location versus two small
precincts. He noted the only caution is that the State can come back and require two
separate locations.
Supervisor Altizer inquired how many people are on Windy Hill; with Mr.
Coleman responding 103 and remarked that area was one large census block
Supervisor Altizer stated he wanted staff to tell him there is no other legal way to fix this
area which would keep the people at the top of the mountain in the Vinton district and
the people on the further end to Cave Spring. Mr. Goodman inquired if there were an
appeal process, with Mr. Mahoney responding the appeal process dealt with numbers,
not the drawing of the census blocks.
It was the consensus of the Board for the committee to go back and look
at attempt at redrawing the map between Cave Spring and Vinton using the ridgeline on
old Virginia Springs Road, relook at the Ruritan area, if necessary and the ridge line on
Green Ridge and hold another work session on April 12, 2011.
The work session was held from 4:40 p.m. until 5:35 p.m.
Chairman Church opening the evening session at 6:02 p.m.
IN RE: FUNDING REQUESTS
1. Funding requests from health and human service agencies for
Fiscal Year 2010 -2011
Chairman Church advised that this time had been set aside for health and
human service agencies to submit funding requests to the board for the fiscal year
2011 -2012 budget. The agencies were called to speak in alphabetical order from Z to
A.
Representatives from thirty (30) agencies addressed the Board to request
funding. A list of representatives is on file in the Clerk to the Board of Supervisors
office.
4
•
IN RE: ADJOURNMENT
March 29, 2011
Chairman Church adjourned the meeting at 7:33 p.m.
omitted by: Approved by:
borah C. J' ac oseph B. "Butch" Church
Clerk to the Bard Chairman