Posted on September 24, 2018 at 3:26 PM by Whitney Slightham
I recently had occasion to see a number of
city manager’s from my old stomping grounds - Texas. As it had been a year since
I started work in Roanoke and since I had last seen most of them,
they naturally inquired how things were going. I was more than happy
to let them know that from my perspective things couldn’t be
better.
Stacking
Up
Fully aware that these
are managers who measure annual population growth in the
thousands and economic expansion by the 10’s and sometimes 100’s of millions or
even more, I was proud to say Roanoke is growing in a manageable manner - that
is, enough growth to matter but not so much that it dominates
every conversation and consumes every dollar. As for economic growth, of course
I pointed to the 10’s of millions being invested in our Innovation Corridor by
Virginia Tech, Carilion, and others,
along with the 100’s of millions that private interests have invested in
downtown, resulting in a vibrant and attractive place that I dare say
many back in Texas would envy.
I went on to point out our airport with its expanding air service
located within a few short traffic-free minutes of where most of us live, the
recent return of Amtrak, the richness of our diversity, our wonderful arts and
culture offerings, neighborhood libraries, the miles and miles of greenways, and
on and on. Of course, I couldn’t help but highlight the mountains - something
not all too common in the Lone Star State.
As these were fellow managers, I also got to brag a bit about
my Council and their commitment to their city and each of its
neighborhoods, and their ongoing focus to ensure everyone has
the best shot at success possible. I got to highlight how decision makers across
our region have come together to ensure we have safe and reliable drinking
water, increased access to broadband, and globally competitive economic
development opportunities.
Something Special
After speaking with them, I felt pretty good
about my new home. We have something pretty special. Any time we can share that
with people, we should. I am proud of what we have done in
Roanoke, what we are trying to do - whether it’s fixing something or seizing
upon a new opportunity. I enjoyed bragging a bit about we have here. Heck, we
even have a few places that can do barbecue pretty
well, and we’ve got our own star high up on top of a mountain!
- Bob Cowell