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HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/16/2015 - RegularSeptember 16, 2015 433 Roanoke County Administration Center 5204 Bernard Drive Roanoke, Virginia 24018 The Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County, Virginia met this day at South County Library for the purpose of a half-day Board of Supervisors Retreat. No audio and video recordings of this meeting are on file. IN RE: CALL TO ORDER Chairman Peters called the meeting to order at 2-05 p.m. The roll call was taken. MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman P. Jason Peters, Supervisors Joseph B. "Butch" Church, Joseph P. McNamara and Charlotte A. Moore MEMBERS ABSENT: Supervisor Al Bedrosian STAFF PRESENT: Thomas C. Gates, County Administrator; Daniel R. O'Donnell, Assistant County Administrator- Richard Caywood, Assistant County Administrator, and� Deborah C. Jacks, Chief Deputy Clerk to the Board IN RE: WORK SESSIONS 1. Work session to discuss Community Strategic Planning and process with the Board of Supervisors (Thomas C. Gates, County Administrator) Mr. Gates gave a brief overview and turned the meeting over to Daniel R. O'Donnell who will be handling the process. Mr. O'Donnell went through a PowerPoint presentation, a copy of which is on file in the office of the Clerk to the Board of Supervisors. M r. Gates asked if the Board felt there was anything that staff was missing. Supervisor McNamara stated at the end of the day it is about economic development and asked if this can be done as a regional strategy, i.e. meeting the needs on a regional basis. Supervisor Peters stated he felt that we were already doing that with Public Safety. He added we need economic development and a diverse work force. Supervisor Church commented we need to keep our graduates in town and asked Mr. Gates what was his opinion. Mr. Gates stated he agreed and feeds back 434 September 16, 2015 to the vision. Mr. O'Donnell stated that the focus groups would not need to be limited to County residents. Mr. Gates strongly encouraged each Board member to take a role. Supervisor McNamara asked how do you get a cross section across the County in certain age groups. Mr. Gates stated he has some resources that he can use. He added that the challenge is to get other persons engaged. Supervisor Church commented that interest needed to be generated so that people will attend Board meetings. Supervisor McNamara then remarked that another concern is that we have great volunteers, but they have an agenda. So, would we limit the focus groups to only include those that have not been on something else in the last several months. Next, he asked what would be an objective for a livable community. How would the focus group know if it is affordable or realistic? Supervisor Church stated he gets a lot of input from areas not closed to the RCAC and could we make the focus group meetings more user friendly. Mr. Gates responded the focus groups would not be held in the RCAC. Mr. O'Donnell stated the plan is not a document, but a process that will produce a document. Supervisor Peters added another group that we need to reach out to is the colleges and high school seniors. Mr. Gates then advised this would be done during the same time frame as the budget as he would like to see completed in same fiscal year. It was the consensus of the Board to move forward. Work session was held from 2-05 pm until 2-50 p.m. A recess was taken from 2-50 p.m. until 3-00 p.m. 2. Work session to discuss Economic Development Strategy (Thomas C. Gates, County Administrator, Jill Loope, Director of Economic Development) Supervisor Church inquired if Mr. Gates was asking what the Board feels that staff is doing well. Mr. Gates responded that he is interested in economic future and wants to move forward. He advised he would like the Board to help him understand where the County is now and where it needs to be. Supervisor McNamara stated that Roanoke County is eighty-five percent (85%) residential, but if you look at the valley as a whole, the businesses are in Roanoke City and we are a bedroom community. He stated he believed that commercial businesses are needed but not necessary to have in Roanoke City or Roanoke County. Supervisor Peters stated he would like to control where the companies are located. September 16, 2015 435 Supervisor Church stated there is a trend throughout Virginia in declining school enrollments. Mr. Gates responded that he did not know if this was correct. Supervisor McNamara stated he thought the whole area has declining enrollment. Mr. Gates advised he would try and find some information. Supervisor Church stated he thinks we need to educate people where we are and how to get here. Supervisor Moore stated she would like to see more flights out of the airport. She would like for the travel agents to talk to him and explain the difficulties. She suggested a resolution of support. She expressed her appreciation of the fantastic job being done with Explore Park. She stated she also agreed with both of the presentation made today. She indicated she would like to see more associations like the Brambleton Avenue Business Association. She indicated she felt we need to move forward with broadband. Supervisor Church commented that he felt Explore Park can be a real diamond in the rough. He added that even though broadband will not help residential customers, maybe it would help businesses and the whole picture should be looked at. Supervisor Peters stated he agrees with everything as discussed in length with Mr. Gates. He is excited about what is happening with Explore Park and Roland E. Cook. He stated his concern is what are we going to incentivize businesses to come to Roanoke with. What are we going to put out there publically either for expansions or new businesses. This is something that needs to be discussed. Roanoke County needs to step up and compete. As Mr. Burch has talked about before, all the localities are competing for the same dollar and we need to get a grip on true economic development. He stated he felt that sometimes we get too territorial and do not see the forest for the trees. We may not have the $10 million, but all the localities may and that would benefit everyone. He added that we need to get Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to work with us. For example, there are three stop lights within 1,500 feet on Electric Road and a potential roundabout at Rt. 311 could change a dreaded route to a good one. Mr. Gates stated he is in agreement with aggressively pursuing businesses. He questioned if incentives were more important or infrastructure. He stated he felt we needed a combination of "quality of life" as well as a place that people want to live, then businesses will want to be here too. Supervisor McNamara asked about transportation and broadband and stated we are missing a community strategy. What do we do to leverage Virginia Tech and make a valley -wide initiative? He stated he thinks we need to work collaboratively as a region and decide what we are going to go after. He added until we understand what we are going after or sell, the other items are not going to get us where we need to go. 436 September 16, 2015 Mr. Gates responded that he agrees with honing in on strategy. If we were to focus on healthcare, we have a great association with Virginia Tech. Additionally, we need people to stay here as well. It is likely to take a while to get the framework built, but we need to start the discussion and plan. Supervisor Moore stated she was in agreement, but feels incentives are needed. She added that it is all about technology these days. She indicated that affordable broadband is important and that we should put the fiber in on any construction. Mr. Gates responded that broadband is a big discussion. The County needs accessibility, reliability and cost effectiveness. On some level it becomes a PR issue. He added that he feels it is important to make sure that people look at our community and know the infrastructure is there; all about how people perceive us. Supervisor Church stated people want a "downtown" and that there is no identification mark for the County. Mr. Gates responded he has been talking with Economic Development and Community Development to think about these issues with our planners. Supervisor Peters explained he has three items. First would be incentives and to make sure we are in the ballpark, second is broadband. He is not sure he supports the Broadband Authority. He added that as a county, we need to identify where our growth is going to be and lay the fiber there. Third, what are we doing to put out a skilled labor workforce? He feels that we need another technology center; we have Arnold Burton, but we need another. We need bricklayers, small engine repair, etc. Education is the first piece to bring together. Supervisor Moore asked if the millennials can be trained to work like baby boomers. Mr. Gates advised that staff would need to figure out a way to hear from them. The next step is planning. These meetings will take place outside of the Board Meeting and he would like to have another in October. The work session was held from 3-00 p.m. until 4-17 p.m. At 4-17 p.m. Chairman Peters moved to go into closed meeting. IN RE: CLOSED SESSION 1. Section 2.2-3711.A.1 to discuss and consider the employment, appointment and resignation of specific public officers, appointees, or employees, namely the County Attorney The closed session was held from 4-27 p.m. until 4-37 p.m. September 16, 2015 437 IN RE: CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION At 4:37 p.m., Supervisor Peters moved to return to open session and adopt the certification resolution. RESOLUTION CERTIFYING 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 2.2-3712 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 member's 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. IN RE: ADJOURNMENT Chairman Peters adjourned the meeting at 4:37 p.m. Submitted by: Chief Deputy rk to the Board Approved by. - P. Ja$on Peters Chairman 438 September 16, 2015 PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY