Board Meeting Notes

Notes from the Board of Supervisors Meeting, September 12, 2023

At the top of today’s meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved a resolution recognizing Eric Kohler, Parks Administrator, for his exemplary service to Roanoke County. Eric has been responsible for coordinating the operational logistics of the Parks, Recreation and Tourism’s special events and other key administrative functions of the Parks Division; and coordinates the parks division support of many successful special events over the years, including the annual Illuminights Walk of Lights Trail, the T-Rex Trail, Green Hill Park Kite Festival, Touch-a-Truck and other special events. Since 2019, Eric has served as the primary designer and installation coordinator of the Illuminights Walk of Lights Trail at Explore Park, which has been enjoyed more than 200,000 visitors.

Above: County Administrator Richard Caywood, Eric Kohler, and Board of Supervisors Chair Martha Hooker.

The Board also approved a resolution expressing the appreciation of the Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County to Lori Hancock, Payroll Technician, upon her retirement after more than thirty-two (32) years of service. During her time serving Roanoke County, Ms. Hancock was responsible for providing excellent customer payroll services to the Roanoke County Departments and Western Virginia Regional Jail Authority. In recent years Ms. Hancock focused primarily on payroll processing for Western Virginia Regional Jail employees. Ms. Hancock was instrumental in applying the new Global Human Resources system to payroll policies and procedures to ensure all Western Virginia Regional Jail employees were paid accurately and efficiently. Ms. Hancock has been supportive of and worked closely with other payroll team members to help process and ensure the accuracy of the bi-weekly payroll for all Roanoke County employees.

Above: Finance Manager Amy Meacham, Director of Finance Laurie Gearheart, Lori Hancock, Board of Supervisors Chair Martha Hooker.

The Board heard the first reading of an ordinance accepting and appropriating funds in the amount of $3,777,457 from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development in response to the 2022 award of funds from the Virginia Telecommunications initiative grant, and appropriating such funds to the County’s grant fund for subsequent distribution to the Roanoke County Economic Development Authority to provide economic development incentives to internet service providers. The second reading of this action is scheduled for September 26. 
>> See the Board Report for more information.

The Board of Supervisors also heard the first reading of an ordinance approving the refinancing of a lease transaction that originally financed various capital projects for the County and authorizing the continued leasing of certain County-owned property, the execution and delivery of a prime lease, and a local lease acquisition agreement and financing lease, and other related actions. The second reading for this action is scheduled for September 26.
>> See the Board Report for more information.

The Board of Supervisors approves an ordinance accepting the donation of approximately 1.4 acres of real property located at 0 Garstview Circle.
>> See the Board Report for more information.

After a public hearing, the Board of Supervisors approves an ordinance vacating a section of an unimproved right-of-way referred to as Britaney Road located in a southeasterly direction of the intersection of Britaney Road.
>> See the Board Report for more information.

Consent Agenda

The Board of Supervisors approved the following items in the form of one resolution under its consent agenda:

• A resolution requesting the Commonwealth Transportation Board name the Diuguids Lane (Route 760) bridge over the Roanoke River as the "USN AWS1 James P. Buriak Memorial Bridge" and to erect signage, Catawba Magisterial District;
• A confirmation of appointment to the Court Community Corrections Alcohol Safety Action Program (ASAP) Policy Board, Roanoke County Economic Development Authority (EDA)(District) and the Roanoke County Library Board (District);
• A request to accept and allocate funds in the amount of $4,000 from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management for the Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) Educational Grant Program;
• An ordinance authorizing the execution of an amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding with Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare and other local government entities governing the Marcus Alert Program for the Roanoke Valley (First Reading and request for Second Reading);
• An ordinance approving a permanent easement to the City of Salem for the erection of a public bus shelter located at 305 East Main Street, Salem, Virginia (the Roanoke County Courthouse property) (First Reading and request for Second Reading);
• An ordinance 1) accepting $170,709 from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and appropriating such funds to the County’s grant fund for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 for expanded shuttle service to the National Park Service’s McAfee Knob trailhead parking lot, and 2) reappropriating $42,677 of County funds from the general fund to the grant fund for expanded shuttle service to the McAfee Knob trailhead parking lot (Second Reading);
• An ordinance 1) accepting funds in the amount of $465,091 from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and appropriating such funds to the County’s grant fund for operation of the CORTRAN program, and 2) reallocating $19,379 from the County’s general fund to the grant fund, for operation of the CORTRAN program (Second Reading);
• An ordinance authorizing the execution of an amendment to the Economic Development Grant Agreement for fixed, wireless broadband service between Roanoke County and B2X Online, Inc. (B2X) (Second Reading);
• A resolution expressing the appreciation of the Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County to Richard L. Gardner, Infrastructure Services Manager, upon his retirement after more than twenty-five (25) years of service.

Work Sessions

The Board of Supervisors moved to a work session with staff to discuss a recent Economic Development Marketing Study with David Petr, CEO, Marketing Alliance, Inc.
>> See the Board Report for more information.

The Board also held a work session to discuss Roanoke County’s budget, to review the preliminary fiscal year 2023 year-end results, current year budget status, and the upcoming fiscal year 2025 budget development.
>> See the Board Report for more information.

For More Information...

More information on each of these items, along with the meeting video can be found under the Past Meetings section of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors Meetings and Videos page.