|
Adjourned Meeting
December 3, 2001
8:00 a.m.
Meeting Convened. An Adjourned Meeting of the York County
Board of Supervisors was called to order at 8:12 a.m., Monday, December
3, 2001, in the Restaurant of the Duke of York Motor Hotel, Yorktown, by
Chairman James S. Burgett.
Attendance. The following members of the Board of
Supervisors were present: Walter C. Zaremba, Sheila S. Noll, Donald E.
Wiggins, James S. Burgett, and Thomas G. Shepperd.
Also in attendance were James O. McReynolds, County Administrator;
and James E. Barnett, County Attorney.
JOINT MEETING WITH YORK COUNTY LEGISLATORS
York County Legislators present: Senator Thomas K. Norment,
Senator Martin E. Williams, Delegate Thomas Gear, Delegate Melanie Rapp,
and Delegate Harvey Morgan.
YORK COUNTY LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR 2002
Chairman Burgett noted that copies of the County's 2002
Legislative Program had been for-warded to the legislators for their
review, and he asked them to provide the Board members with their
insight as to the possible success of the requests in the next session
of the General Assembly. He reviewed for them the top five requests of
the Board and asked what the Board could do to help make these requests
a reality.
Discussion followed as to what the County had requested in the
past, specifically dealing with Route 17 improvement funding.
Senator Williams indicated the Route 17 money couldn't be put in
the state budget unless there was a specific project.
Mr. Shepperd stated that Route 17 covered multi-jurisdictions and
effects economic growth throughout the area. The Board seems to be
fighting a battle for the entire area. He stated he did not feel the
legislators would want to leave the impression with the citizens that
the issue was being ignored. He stated the Board sees Route 17 as a
priority.
Senator Williams stated that VDOT programs the money as requested
by the localities, and every locality in the state is competing for the
limited funds.
Mr. McReynolds noted that the County has been working with VDOT on
a list of priorities for lower Route 17. He stated that while there are
no specific details, it was not unusual to have a project that is not
completely scoped out. The County would like to see the funding restored
for this project as it is a very high priority.
Senator Williams stated the County legislative representatives
would all work hard to see York County gets the funds.
Mr. Wiggins stated the major problem the County has with VDOT is
that not enough funding is provided for York County projects. The whole
problem is that there is not enough state money in transportation to
satisfy anybody's needs. He stated the General Assembly's primary goal
should be working toward more money for transportation.
Senator Williams discussed his plan over the next few years to
work toward increased revenue sharing funds for the Peninsula.
Mr. Shepperd indicated the drainage issue is a meat and potatoes
issues with York County constituents. The County has done a tremendous
job or trying to fix the problems, and he stated he felt sorry for VDOT
because they routinely get beat up about drainage problems. The area has
been very lucky because of the recent dry weather, but another heavy
rainfall will have the problems surfacing again. Mr. Shepperd stressed
that there are communities in the County that have been here a long time
and have very serious drainage problems.
Mr. Morgan noted the same problems exist in Gloucester County. He
stated he has been told that VDOT's legal responsibility ends at the
roadway, and legally it doesn't have the responsibility past that; yet
it is the runoff from the highways that causes the problems on the
private properties.
Senator Williams stated there have been many bills submitted, but
the ramifications of the bills so far have been so great that they can't
get passed.
Mrs. Noll indicated that VDOT has been very reticent about
cleaning ditches because of environmental issues.
Mr. Barnett spoke of VDOT's reluctance to clean out ditches until
full-scale environmental reviews have been completed, indicated he felt
it was a delay tactic.
Mrs. Noll spoke concerning Item No. 5, stressing the need for the
local director of emergency management to have authority to make certain
decisions in times of local emergencies.
Senator Norment stated the Governor's Office was working on a
plan, and he would communicate this request to the Governor's Office in
hopes they will take it under consideration with the on-going planning.
Miss Rapp asked for clarification on Item No. 3 concerning the
number of enterprise zones being requested.
Mr. Barnett indicated the previous legislation asked for an
increase from 60 to 70 enterprise zones, but York County's request is
that of the new 10 that they go to localities that do not currently have
an enterprise zone. Mr. Barnett then discussed Item No. 10 and the
County's request to prohibit annexation petitions from being filed by
cities as landowners against counties which have obtained court-ordered
immunity from annexation.
Mr. Zaremba then addressed Item No. 12 which requests the State to
increase its support for Virginia's tourism industry. He stated the
request was meaningful for the whole state and is the only request that
is a revenue-generating bill. He noted that not one word was contained
in the VML legislative program requesting that more revenue go into the
tourism industry, and neither Virginia Beach nor Williamsburg have
brought the subject up. Given the importance of tourism to the State,
Mr. Zaremba stated he felt there needed to be some added attention given
to the tourist industry.
Senator Williams stated the tourism industry was looked on as a
good investment.
Senator Norment stated that tourism in the Historic Triangle has
not remained flat but has in-creased dramatically. As far as additional
funding goes, he stated he did not know how much more would be
available, but there was a dialog going on about the distribution of the
funding that is available. He stated he saw a move to designate a
significant portion of that funding to the localities showing the most
success, but new money just isn't there.
Mr. Morgan stated a real effort had been made to pump tourism up
as a result of the September 11 events. More money has been put into
Jamestown/Yorktown for the upcoming celebrations. He stated this area
has seen a huge increase, and he agreed with Senator Norment that new
money would be hard to find for anything.
Mr. Zaremba stated the tourism industry is one of Virginia's
bright spots; and if return is to be based on investment, the State
should be looking at increasing the opportunities.
Senator Norment asked the Board members what it felt were the
County's two top priorities.
Chairman Burgett indicated that Route 17 was its top priority.
Senator Norment noted that York County's control over that issue
was pretty small because it is a state-wide policy issue. He stated he
was trying to distinguish what the items are in the Board's program that
are particular to York County that won't be imbedded in a greater policy
issue.
Senator Williams stated he felt the drainage item was a top
priority.
Mrs. Anne B. Smith, Director of Community Services, then discussed
the grave need for mental health residential facilities and other
treatment resources for juveniles in the State, and she reviewed with
the legislators the legislative program of the Middle Peninsula Juvenile
Detention Commission.
Senator Williams stated he felt there was a real commitment in
both houses to get the money needed. As soon as the economy starts to
recover, there should be a change for the better.
Mr. Morgan then mentioned that because of the redistricting
process he no longer represented York County, but stated he had enjoyed
representing the County for so many years. He indicated he would
continue to support the County and help all he could in the upcoming
session.
Chairman Burgett thanked the legislators for meeting with the
Board this morning, and asked for their support of the Board's
legislative program for 2002.
Meeting Adjourned. At 9:14 a.m. Chairman Burgett declared the
meeting adjourned sine die.
_____________________________
_______________________________
James O. McReynolds, Clerk
James S. Burgett, Chairman
York County Board of Supervisors
York County Board of Supervisors
Back to Index
|
