City Council
MAYOR C. NELSON HARRIS
STATE OF THE CITY 2006
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Patrick Henry High School Cafeteria
Good morning, members of City Council, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens.
It's always an honor as your Mayor to come before our community to share the state of our city. You are among the many who contribute time, talents and resources to the city – thank you for gathering today to listen to and consider actions proposed to move our city into the future.
As you will remember, last year I issued a challenge to this audience and to the citizens of Roanoke to take increased ownership in shaping the future of the city. I encouraged you to get involved with the decision making of the city, becoming partners in the process of creating and executing plans for our city.
I am pleased to be able to thank so many of you who accepted this challenge and who backed a slate of Council candidates willing to be bold and say, “it’s time to embrace change.”
At this time, I want to acknowledge my fellow members of City Council with us today. Please join me now in thanking them for their tireless service. I also want to recognize two colleagues, two progressive voices, who worked hard and stayed the course—Rupert Cutler and Brenda McDaniel.
With the election of forward-thinking candidates this past May, coupled with a steady progressive majority on Council the past two years who have had the fortitude to make the tough but right decisions, I can confidently say today that we are no longer a city remaining frozen in time. Rather, Roanoke is a changing city... and this is in some ways too long overdue.
Because we are a changing city, I can assure you that Roanoke City Council has plans. Big plans. We have definite ideas about what needs to take place for our city to thrive, and we have specific strategies to make those things happen. Please allow me to share with you now a few specific initiatives for the next 12 to 18 months.
No. 1—The Redevelopment of the Victory Stadium Site
While on a regional basis, the city and Roanoke County are reviewing recreational facilities needs together and will continue to work together on coordinating plans to maximize recreational opportunities for our citizens, the future development of the location formerly home to Victory Stadium and the immediate vicinity is vitally important to the progress of the City of Roanoke. At the same time that plans are being implemented to bring five multi-use athletic fields online, the City Council is committed to developing a master plan to prepare long-term public use strategies for this site bounded by the Roanoke River, Reserve Avenue, Jefferson Street, and Franklin Road.
The master plan process will take into consideration potential amenities that the community may wish to include at the site, such as river access, the greenway system, park facilities (restrooms, locker areas, concession points, etc.), a Victory Stadium memorial, and urban festival possibilities. Some have suggested a possible outdoor music venue, and the master planning process will be timed to align with the completion of an Amphitheatre Feasibility Study currently underway.
The master planning process and, more importantly, the ultimate implementation of the plan will consider the eventual elimination of existing buildings located at the site, as well as other important master planning considerations (parking, storm water and environmental compliance, irrigation, spectator seating, project costing, etc.), all the while maintaining an efficient, environmentally sound, and effective development.
Recreation is not just about quality of life; it produces significant economic impacts. For example, this fall, our hometown will roll out the welcome mat for some of the country’s top corporations to compete in the 2006 US Challenge. This event, organized by Challenger World and presented by FORTUNE Magazine, utilizes Intelligent Sport—intelligence, communication, teamwork, and strategy challenges in addition to athletic ones—to inspire competing teams, energize their business, and increase productivity through teambuilding.
The two-day event, Oct. 20-21, will be held at locations across the Roanoke Valley. Up to 70 companies’ five-person teams may be kayaking, scaling mountains, navigating forests at night, cracking codes or engineering tasks using the simplest to the most complex equipment. Teams from national companies such as Hewlett Packard and Volvo Construction Equipment are already signed up to compete. Perhaps your company would like to be a part of this “challenge.”
The Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau and its regional partners are bringing the event to the area, and anticipate the use of facilities in multiple jurisdictions. The event’s national exposure will benefit the entire Valley, showcasing its outstanding outdoor amenities as well as its lifestyle and business attributes.
Our location will be promoted in connection with the US Challenge in magazine and TV advertising. Pre-event publicity includes four one-page advertisements in FORTUNE magazine and in DELTA SKY magazine, with a total of $750,000 in print advertising in a number of national publications. Post event publicity will include a 30-minute show on the Outdoor Living Network Channel, which will be seen in 100 countries.
Currently, more than $7 million is generated from recreation and sports programs connected with Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau. This is in addition to the many other sports and recreation programs held within our area that generate revenue. Thus, how we develop recreational amenities, namely the Victory Stadium site, is critical to our progress. We are a changing city.
No. 2—Infusing New Energy in and Attention to Our Market District
The city’s new Market District Plan will take the heart of the city and give it more life. In October 2005, planners and designers from SFCS and Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co. visited Roanoke, and set up an on-site design studio to test ideas gathered during interactions with farmers, vendors, city representatives, and citizens. Notes lined the walls, and new ideas were coming in every day. The design team found one note on a flip chart especially encouraging; it was simple and straight to the point. All the note said was, “Make it happen!”
The result was a visionary yet pragmatic roadmap for the city market area for the next five to 10 years that exceeded expectations. Many changes to the market area have been identified. Those selected by City Council for implementation in the short term include:
• Replacing canopies over farmers’ stalls.
• Creation of a stepped plaza to draw people from the pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks into the city market.
• Improvements for the City Market Building, including the food court. Specific uses for the third floor will be considered.
• Solicitation of the private sector in commercial development along Williamson Road, near the market.
• Marketing the Market Garage to provide opportunities for private development of residential units or a hotel.
This plan is but one example of thinking strategically. Basic repairs to the market were needed. But rather than just proceed with those repairs, City Council and administration recognized an opportunity to look at the bigger picture. Public reaction has been very favorable, with feedback showing residents are excited about the ideas, and are committed to making a great downtown an even better place to live, work, and play.
The ongoing construction of the new Art Museum is another sign of great things to come for this area. We are transforming our downtown while maintaining those elements that make it unique.
For the second time in 90 years, a new building will be constructed in our downtown. VACO plans a building on the surface parking lot adjacent to its current office building at 312 Market Street. The proposed two-story building will blend into the existing streetscape with light-colored brick, double-hung windows, and pre-cast concrete trim and cornices.
No. 3—Retaining and Attracting Young People
Roanoke must retain and attract young people. Many parents are deeply interested in the return of their children and grandchildren to the area. Additionally, the region's large college student population provides a unique opportunity for converting young adults to permanent Roanoke residents.
We must understand that in a mobile culture and a global economy, we must redouble and refocus our efforts in this area. We must be about job creation. We must enhance, create or expand the social, cultural, and recreational opportunities that appeal to those under 40. We must retain the advantages of the quality of life here. In short, we must be willing to hear that there are things missing that would attract young people, and be willing to invest in those items to secure our future.
As new technologies and communication channels are being created, mass communication is becoming harder to achieve, especially with Generation X and Y. Therefore, in order to communicate with this segment of our population, new models, new programs, and new events must be created to actively recruit, attract, and retain young adults to Roanoke. As a result, the city has added a full-time position in its Economic Development Division, which is concentrating efforts on addressing the "brain drain" issue our city and region. Some of the upcoming programs and events from this division include:
Roanoke Connect Job Database, a database that allows people wanting to be in Roanoke to submit a profile to receive “hidden” job information. People are registering—from college students wanting internships to retired military officials looking for senior level employment. In four months, nearly 600 people, who want to be in Roanoke, have registered and are now being contacted by area employers.
Roanoke Wants U. is an opportunity to expose local college students to Roanoke. Last March, two groups totaling 50 students were brought to downtown Roanoke via the Smart Way Bus, exposed to local employers, given a walking tour of downtown and a meal and, on the way back, a memento to remind them to return on their own time and experience the uniqueness of our city.
A Holiday Career and Quality of Life Fair is being planned for December 28 to cater to college students home for break, young adults returning home to visit family, and others visiting in the area to connect them with local businesses who have jobs, organizations providing assistance to entrepreneurs, and quality-of-life organizations showcasing Roanoke’s unique character.
Mark your calendar now if you want to be a part of attracting Roanokers, past and present, to your business.
The NewVa Career and Quality of Life Fair is a local-only career fair that will be held on the Virginia Tech campus in April 2007, geared toward exposing students to internship and job opportunities in the NewVa region. No firms from outside the region will be in attendance.
No. 4—Strengthening Our Public Schools
Roanoke Public Schools represents the future of the City of Roanoke as the school system prepares our next generation for success, both academically and socially.
Superintendent Thompson has forged a new path to ensure the highest quality education for our youth. That path is paved through the direction of specific goals for the entire division that provide the focus and guiding principles for continuous improvement.
One of those goals has been ensuring the Schools’ management and efficiency through division-wide systems of accountability. Education has adapted to the era of accountability and Roanoke Public Schools is no exception. New systems of accountability have been forged to provide effectiveness in the delivery of education and offer support to the human capital that serves our children.
An example of this is the creation of the first ever strategic plan for Roanoke Public Schools. The plan is so highly acclaimed that the superintendent was asked to present it at this year’s Governor’s Conference on Education, where other school divisions expressed interest in purchasing model that was used for its creation.
Another important goal accomplished was the implementation of programs and procedures to train, promote, and retain a highly qualified and diverse staff. One of the outcomes of this effort was the newly formed Leadership Academy. The Leadership Academy produced four new principals this year from its 2006 cohort and will continue to be a force in local professional development and leadership efforts.
Two Council-School Board work groups have been formed this year to address the Schools’ funding and facilities. One group will revisit the funding formula by which local revenue is shared with schools. This study is long overdue, as the current formula was created in the 1980s, many years before Standards of Learning tests and No Child Left Behind became critical mandates for school systems and before the city was making major investments in the Schools’ capital program.
The other group will look at school facilities to make sure they are well-utilized. This includes exploring facility use and ensuring that our school buildings align with program and instruction functions, as well as the standards of accreditation. It will also mean looking at how school buildings might be used by the larger community.
Our hope is that by establishing these two work groups, each with a clear focus and timeframe, to look at long-term, sustainable approaches to mitigating costs and maximizing investment, we can develop effective future strategies that truly benefit the Schools and the city.
Since Roanoke Public Schools receive 25 percent of the city’s annual budget, I have recommended to David Carson, the new chairperson of the School Board, that he consider giving an annual State of the Schools address as a way to report to the larger community and speak more deeply about the direction of Roanoke Public Schools.
The city continues to make a substantial investment in the School’s capital needs. This year, our students moved into Phase 1 of the new Patrick Henry High School, which consists of classrooms, a library, and this beautiful cafeteria in which we are meeting this morning. Construction of Phase 2 is underway and includes the addition of a gym and a fine arts wing; a new stadium should be in place for the 2007 football season. In addition, planning is already underway for the new William Fleming High School.
Let me reiterate: Roanoke Public Schools represents the future of the City of Roanoke. In order for our city to have a bright tomorrow, we must commit our attention, our support, and our resources to the education of our youth today. Our students must become responsible adults who can engage with their community and take part in sustaining Roanoke’s progress. I have every confidence in the outstanding leadership of our School Board and our School Administration to identify ways to make this happen and to implement those necessary strategies.
Roanoke Public Schools is proud to have the benefit of the recently created Roanoke Public Schools Education Foundation to assist the division in meeting developing needs for education. The Foundation’s mission is to support and recognize innovative programs that enhance district instructional goals, and provide opportunities for all segments of the community to contribute to the district. While still in its infancy, the Foundation is already working to expand educational programs, including professional development initiatives, and encourage the community to be active participants in the education of city students. I commend past Chair Kathy Stockburger for having the vision and energy to birth the Foundation.
I encourage all of you here today representing our business community to participate in this new initiative.
No. 5—Creating a Modern Library System
Our Public Library System is a valuable resource for the city. Library systems across the country are becoming keenly aware of the need for new ways to offer information, entertainment, and enlightenment. Roanoke’s Public Library System is no exception. We are looking at innovative methods and strategies to give our citizens the best access to all types of literature, reference materials, audio/visual resources, and to the World Wide Web. We have made significant progress in this direction. In October 2005, the city completed a Comprehensive Library Study. I am proud to report that in recognition of strong community support for libraries, in December 2005, Council voted to make the recommendations a part of the city’s Comprehensive Plan and $5.7 million was allotted to the Public Library System for capital projects. In addition, the library’s operating budget for 2006-07 increased 41.96 percent over FY 2005-06.
Phase one recommendations are currently being implemented in specific areas. The libraries will add new technology such as self check-out to its branches in the upcoming year. The number of programs offered for children, teens, and adults will continue to increase. Six new positions have been added this year to better respond to customer needs. Finally, the city has invited proposals from architects and engineers for the design of a new full-service branch, renovation of a current branch, and a possible storefront service point. The selection process should be completed by September.
Phase 2 of the Library Study recommends building a new library. The purpose of this phase is to make the Main Library more of a popular downtown branch and may include adding a mini branch on front of the library dedicated for research. It also incorporates the possibility of allowing compatible retail space, such as Kinkos, or a coffee shop, to lease an area of the library, with the intent to attract people, to make it a downtown destination. Another recommendation is to lease space on the upper floors of the building. The ultimate goal is to create a downtown library that is smaller but more efficient in its usage and space, and that complements the Market District and the new Art Museum, making it more of an economic development tool.
Phase 2 focuses on strengthening research at Main Library by increasing the small business and reference collections, and enhancing facilities for the Virginia Room. There is a recommendation to move the Law Library collection into the Main Library facility, but leave a small area at the courthouse for legal research use. In addition, the study advocates beefing up the Main Library’s popular collections of books and DVDs, creating more meeting rooms, and providing better parking for patrons.
We are excited about the plans already underway, as well as those proposed for Phase 2, and what their implementation will mean to our library system.
No. 6—Making Plans to Celebrate
Beginning with the launch in February 2007 of the new Civic Center Exhibit Hall, the city will celebrate Roanoke’s 125th Anniversary for the entire year. This celebration will recognize our city’s rich history while acknowledging the impressive developments on the horizon.
The year will include a dynamic mix of historic reflection, cultural recognition, and celebration. On March 22, 2006, I announced that Roanoke is planning a 125th Anniversary Celebration and that a 125th Anniversary Committee has been appointed to help shape the upcoming events for 2007. The committee has planned a series of activities and special events that will honor Roanoke’s past, present, and future, as well as the city’s cultural richness.
Yesterday I announced the results of the committee’s work. The festivities are set to begin in March 2007 and end in December 2007. From a festive parade and kick-off celebration at the Roanoke Civic Center on March 31, 2007 to photographic exhibits, cultural exchanges, historical tours, concerts, appraisal fairs, and scholarly gatherings and receptions, the 125th Anniversary Celebration will offer something for everyone in the community.
Specific plans include:
• Presentation of a proclamation recognizing the 125th Anniversary Celebration and announcing a kick-off event on February 10, 2007. Mark that date on your calendar.
• A kick-off event in March at the Roanoke Civic Center, which will incorporate a variety of exhibits and activities for families.
• A special edition of The Roanoke Times will be produced that highlights Roanoke’s history, present, and progressive future.
• Special landscaping to create an Anniversary Garden at the main corridors, plazas, and thoroughfares throughout the city.
• Special recognition of the city’s anniversary and the 400th Anniversary of Jamestown during the Fourth of July Music for Americans fireworks event at River’s Edge.
• Tours of historical churches.
• A gospel extravaganza and choir exhibition at the Roanoke Civic Center in September.
• An Antique Show at the Roanoke Civic Center that may contain a family genealogy component and a historical furniture exhibition.
• A celebration of businesses and neighborhoods that have sustained themselves over 125 years.
These small celebratory events will culminate in the fall with the Roanoke Arts Festival, a four-day extravaganza that will incorporate all components of the performing arts including the symphony, theatre, ballet, opera, and jazz. The festival will become an annual event that will facilitate the involvement of our youth, as well as collaborative partnerships with the arts and cultural organizations, civic and community organizations, and businesses in our community. The festival also is designed to encourage regional tourism and economic development in our city. The closing event will be held on December 24 at Hotel Roanoke.
As we continue the planning process for the 125th Anniversary Celebration, I will encourage the adoption of additional activities and events that will reflect upon our community’s history, its heroes, culture, and heritage, and will serve as memorable events for families to enjoy. Initiatives throughout the city indicate that there is a rising spirit in our community and I would like for the 125th Anniversary Celebration activities to be a continuation of this contagious hometown pride. Each of us has every right to be proud of the 125th commemoration of this great city, which I think will remind us of those with vision and courage in the past to celebrate and produce change at critical moments in our city’s history.
Today I have talked a lot about change. Roanoke is a changing city. We are poised to embrace change and create an innovative, thriving community. To quote the Greek Philosopher Heraclitus, “Nothing endures but change.” If Roanoke is to endure, we must change... and continue to be ready for new ideas and new approaches.
We are seeing that transition in the addition of a $100 million Carilion Clinic, the Biomedical Center, the Civic Center Expansion, the Ebony Club/Culinary School, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge, a Urkops Store, a rebuilt Patrick Henry and William Fleming High Schools, the Riverside Center for Technology, a new Art Museum, a new Fire-EMS headquarters and fire station in downtown, the opening of RAMS—the first new elementary school in years, and a new Grandin Village Streetscape, just to name a few.
These are just the beginning— expect more changes. Your City Council is embracing change—it was the focus of our Council elections, and a plurality of voters expressed their agreement to champion and embrace change in our community by electing the current slate of City Council members.
As we near the 125th anniversary of this great city, the plans are already mapped out to take us in a productive and progressive direction. What remains to be done is to put actions to our words, and watch with excitement and pride as those plans take shape and mold our city into an even more extraordinary place.
Never forget that we each have a role to play. The success of this transformation will depend on citizens taking the time to support our community and contribute to its welfare.
I thank you for your continued support and I look forward to seeing these exciting plans unfold in the year ahead of us. Roanoke is today a changing city, and I say with utmost conviction that it is a very good thing!
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