Countryside Member at Local Colors

This is a very lively Philippine folk dance performed in different regions in the Philippines. There are many different versions of this dance. The number of steps and figures of which are unlimited. This dance is performed in any kind of social gathering including wedding parties, receptions , and barrio fiestas.

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Our lovely Evelyn Sayers dances the Kuratsa (Curacha)

Countryside Celebrates Neighborhood Month

"Cutty" Edwards Awarded Clock
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An award went to "Cutty" Edwards for donating our monthly meeting room at the Holiday Inn on Frontage Road. "Cutty" received an engraved clock for his desk .

Al and Millie Steele Awarded Gift Certificate

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Al and Millie Steele received a $40 gift certificate to Coach and Four Restaurant. Millie is our "Grant Writer" and if it was not for Millie we would not have our meeting signs or grant funds for this event.

The Keeton's on Laurel Ridge Rd. made this cake!
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Judy Keeton surprised us all with the cake. Now I know why they asked for the layout of the Banner. We saved the cake for last to cut and eat.

The "SAVE COUNTRYSIDE" Banner will continue to be put to good use.

Countryside Neighborhood Alliance celebrated May Neighborhood Month on Saturday, May 19th at the Countryside Golf Club Pavilion. Millie Steele's patience with the grant paperwork was rewarded in a small way. It is a daunting task to complete the grant forms, It does not stop after confirmation of the grant award is received. After the grant funds are spent Millie has to gather all receipts, compute the volunteer hours, account for the in-kind donations and fill out more paperwork to receive the actual reimbursement from the City. Al Steele has been my go-for so many times I lost count. He takes the Newsletter to the printers and picks it up. Drops paperwork off to Neighborhood Services on the last day to submit grant paperwork. Al put the meeting signs together as we were surprised the "finished" product was not assembled. The plaque my sneaky Co-Chair, Lloyd Long, presented to me meant more then words can say. Our neighborhood during this time of adversity has united and pulled together to preserve what we all know is so special about it but others fail to see.

Countryside 2006 Budget per Meadowbrook

This 2006 Budget projection was emailed from Geary Leathers to Ms. Burcham on August 19, 2005.

I noticed that the tennis building lease is $22,500 while the City is being paid only $17,500 a year. Meadowbrook has a sweet deal. CLICK HERE to read the Roanoke Times article on the Tennis Building.

This budget does not include any revenue from the pool since it is in disrepair.

Also note the amount of real estate and personal property taxes that they "were" paying to the City and are not paying now - about $54,000.

Not only does the City not receive the taxes that were generated by Meadowbrook owning the golf course but there is sizable debt outstanding from the City's loan on the property.

Next post will show the way Roanoke City financed the golf course incurring additional waste of our tax dollars.

Click on Document to Enlarge

PS: Geary Leathers is Vice President of Operations at Meadowbrook.

The Lawrence Group - 2003 Feasibility Study

The Lawrence Group completed the study once in 2002. This second 2003 study was completed as a result of the redrawing of the airport noise contour. This study included maps which .we have already seen. They were on the City's website but they have been removed.

They wrote about us - we are the "significant number of small, single-story VILLAS" with "expectations of backing up to the open space of a golf course".

CLICK to enlarge

The Federal Guidelines regarding airport noise and discouragement of residential use. Also mentioned are the narrow fairways that "lack sufficient width for an additional double-loaded street.

Next post will be Meadowbrook's 2006 Budget and profit expectations.

Roanoke Airport Commission indicates it will not renew lease...

August 26, 2003, this is a fax to Ms. Burcham from Ed Hall asking for approval of this letter to be sent to Meadowbrook. The response on the fax cover states: "Let Ed Hall know letter is fine."

In this letter it states that "The Roanoke Regional Airport Commission has indicated that it does not intend to renew the 46-acre lease agreement beyond the November 2008 expiration Date." The "Commission" was never presented with any information.

The below images is the October, 2002, correspondence from Hall Associates, Inc, referenced in the first line of this letter.

CLICK on images to enlarge.

October 23, 2002, Hall Associates Inc initiates discussion to purchase Countryside Golf Course for Roanoke City before the 46-acre lease was used as a bargaining chip. Meadowbrook indicates that it was no longer on the market.

Hall Associates highlights the "negative" aspects of the property.

Next I will post the study conducted by LCS at Roanoke City's request in 2002-2003 which expands further the "negative" aspects of the property.

Sending a Greeting Card to Meadowbrook

Click to Enlarge

March 20, 2003, is a fax from Ed Hall and Associates to Ms. Burcham with attached contact information and subsequent note to email it to Ms. Shuck, Director or Roanoke Regional Airport. This follows the previous contact from Ms. Shuck. Do you suppose there was verbal conversation between Ms. Burcham and Ms. Shuck to initiate the passing of Meadowbrook's contact information to Ms. Shuck? Possibly just to add Meadowbrook to the Christmas Card list. How did I get all this stuff you ask? The Freedom of Information Act can be a beautiful thing but it has it's pitfalls - CLICK HERE to read my Roanoke Times Commentary and my learning experience with the FOIA.

Correspondence With the Airport Commission

A year or so ago, I wrote to the Airport Commission questioning their position on the Countryside lease. I found it odd that renewal of the lease would suddenly become questionable.

In light of the items that were posted here earlier, you might find it interesting to read the reply that Jacqueline Shuck of the Airport Commission sent me and the subsequent copy of a Roanoke Times article she had copied for me.

I find it interesting that Ms. Shuck suggests that golf course management never applied for an extended lease. "Perhaps this is because they were not interested in continuing to own Countryside or because they could redesign and continue operating without our land...." Given that the course operated at a profit and that letters from DB in 2002 suggested that the city work to influence the Airport Commission to NOT renew the lease make me really get a bit suspicious about the whole historical timeline.

I also find it very interesting her reasoning for denying the lease renewal. This is especially interesting in light of the DB note to contact her about non-renewal of the lease back in 2002. It seems to me that I was fed a load of hogwash (or just plain lied to) back in 2005 or 2006 (depending on what date you believe).

Personally, I think this whole thing smells more and more.

Enjoy!

PS Click on the images to make them bigger

Part III - Two Year Anniversary

Click on letter image to enlarge

This is the response from Ms. Shuck to Ms. Burcham regarding the availability of the 46 acres of airport owned property serving as a RPZ (Runway Protection Zone) mandated by the FAA to be clear of objects of any kind. Click HERE to the link to the VDOA (Virginia Department of Aviation) website that clearly defines recommended "land use" adjacent to airport runways. It states that: "The Department of Aviation recommends that communities discourage the development of residences, schools, churches, hospitals, daycare centers, nursing homes and other similar uses, including uses resulting in large open-air assemblies of people, such as amphitheaters and stadiums in Overflight Areas. Compatible uses include commercial, industrial, agricultural, golf courses, parks and other similar uses."

Click HERE for the VDOA Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan

Shortly after we learned that Roanoke City took the option to purchase Countryside in May, 2005, I called and spoke to Ms. Shuck to ask why the lease on the airport property would not be renewed for the current owner, Meadowbrook. The answer at that time was that it was a safety hazard. The trees needed topping and kids would climb the guide light towers. She referenced 9/11 security concerns and the desire to "fence in" the RPZ except that it may trap wildlife. My question is between the time of the writing of this letter to Ms. Burcham in January, 2003, and May of 2005 what has changed that makes the statement, "might be viewed as quite irresponsible if it were to release any of the few acres it does own, especially land dedicated to meeting the safety needs of the traveling public" irrelevant in 2005 or today. Also note the comment about the golf course being a compatible land use according to the FAA and that Federal Airport Grant Funds were used to purchase the the property in 1957. This means that the Feds will have to approve any land swapping as any proceeds to the sale of property bought with Federal Funds must be returned to the Feds. The Feds must approve the land swap. More on the "land swap" later including map.

Part II of Two Year Anniversary

Click on Letter to Enlarge

January 3, 2003, Letter from Ms. Burcham to Ms. Shuck in followup to the previously posted December Memo.

Two Year Anniversary of Our Nightmare

Click on the memo to enlarge

It has been two years since we became aware of Roanoke City's purchase of the Countryside property. Some of you saw the late news on May 2nd, 2005 and some of us woke up to the announcement in the Roanoke Times. Click here for the entire article.

Any changes to the use of the Northwest Roanoke property, which borders Interstate 581 opposite Roanoke Regional Airport, "will be considered only after community input and public comment as required by the zoning process," the news release said.

The city approached Meadowbrook Golf about the land, which was not being marketed for sale, said Geary Leathers, vice president of operations. Countryside has been a financial success, but the company realized that with part of the 18-hole course on land owned by the airport it might not always be available for golf.