Those were the words being echoed tonight in a joint meeting session with the Page County Board of Supervisors and the Members of the EDA. Johnny Woodward did state that in a meeting with the State EDA director said that there are no shoppable land in Page County. The state that a locality have atleast a minimum of a 50 acre tract to market. After a few rounds of the “blame game”, both boards settled into a discussion that eventually brought the BoS worksession to a total 4 hour meeting. No word on the budgeting amount, if any, for the EDA had been decided.
Earlier John Comer was appointed to fill the vacancy of the planning commission. Shenandoah Rescue Squad asked for 2 to 3 months more of the paid help that had been helping the Squad get back on track. They have 11 applications to look at and need to get people back up to speed and some training. Johnny Woodward commended the Squad for making such progress.
Carol Gaunt was given the go ahead to use the GIS and her staff for the upcoming redistricting.
A public hearing has been set aside in January for two recommendations proposed by Sheriff John Thomas. First, adoption of an ordinance that requires moped/scooter riders to wear helment and google, face shield, or windshield. This only applies to the County of Page and not the town localities. Each town would have to adopt their own ordinance. Second, adoption of an ordinance that involves a residential development of 100 lots or more. I will have more on that later, unless others who were at the meeting also remembers and would like to clarify.
There will be a public hearing on the Zoning ordinance. The date has not been set yet. The BoS asked the Planning Commision to go back and review the current ordinance and distinquish between immediate family and non-family. The BoS would like to see a no waiting period for family.
My impression of last night’s LONG meeting is that the EDA NEEDS to change their working attitude. they need to accept that they have made mistakes and acceot the responsibility for those mistakes instead of blaming past supervisors. They need to assess what they here, first, as well as planning for the future influx of outside businesses. They need to find innovative ways to develop business for the county , instead of relying on old methods that no longer seem to work.Repeating the same mistake and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.
They need to let go of their personal differences with the BOS and start working with the BOS instead of maintaining their attitude of being independent from the BOS.JUst because they CAN, doesn’t mean they SHOULD.
One thing that DID come out of this meeting is the NEED for a business plan that includes both short term goals as well as long term goals and HOW both the EDA and the BOS intend t meet the goals, instead of grasping at the proverbial straws.
My impression is that the BOS is willing to let go of past mistakes,work around those mistakes and do what they can to go forward. It’s working for the Shenandoah Rescue Squad’s problems. Why can’t the EDA do the same?
For those who wish to delve deeply into the nuts and bolts (or weeds) of economic development in Virginia, set aside some time to read this instructive story — and then the related e-mails (see the left rail) — from Sunday’s Roanoke Times.
Do the math. Weigh the cost-benefit ratio for what the Commonwealth of Virginia, Montgomery County and Christiansburg offered Microsoft in an ultimately failed attempt to lure 50 jobs at a proposed data center.
Maybe it made sense. Or, maybe . . . it was voodoo economics. I don’t know . . . . Ultimately, a sinkhole sent the project elsewhere. That also might be a cautionary tale for Page County’s “Best and Brightest.” (Did they conduct a complete geological study of Rebecca Hudson’s property before agreeing to buy it? Old news, I know. But, I recall from my teenage, tour-guide days that Andrew Campbell and Benton Stebbins in 1878 made the most important discovery in Page County’s economic development history, thanks to a sinkhole!)
Anyway, happy reading:
http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/wb/269714
What a depressing, but telling, story. I remember when everyone pointed to this Microsoft move as an example of “how it’s done”. Now it turns out Christianburg has to eat that huge loss.
When will our local leaders realize that we can improve our local economy by supporting our local business people. It’s no mystery. One hundred small business will employ many more people that a huge corporate factory.
Remember when the big sell was Fibrowatt bringing in 20 low paid jobs? All we had to do was give up our clean air and views.
Old, you are so right not to mention the dioxin that fibrowatt would have brought, keith ought to post my status on face book about the 6 myths of diabetes, the veterans administration has determined that diabetes is caused by dioxin.
I agree about supporting local businesses. There is or should be more than incentives as the reason for any company to move here. Most companies move their midle to top management to an area to run their business, then fill in the lower positions with the locals. By having strong small businesses,the relocated personnel will spend their money locally, which in turn boosts the local economy. A win-win situation without waiting for a return for the incentives to be paid back.
I hate the thought of this county depending on a large company for employment.
Those incentive packages only work out if the company stays after they have run through the incentives.
We and many other locations have seen a departure of the business when the tax brakes, back scratching, behind closed doors special deals, and other incentives disappear.
Would the wrangler wash operation have left if the water rates had not been raised? Or taxes increased?
Or the alma poultry plant, or blue bell, or wrangler, or wallace, or any of the others we have lost just since I’ve been in page county virginia. If one thing or another {I smell incentives or loss of} had not gotten in the way of “bunisess as usual” causing increases in costs, they would still be here. Or so I say.
Got any idea what happened to “monty” is he still trolling? Or did he get a life?
Trolling? surely you jest.