Waiting For Response From Meadowbrook

I asked Brian Townsend again last night if he had received a response from Meadowbrook, current operators of Countryside, whether they would be willing to operate the golf course through June, 2009. This is what the City Administration and City Council agreed to do while drafting a Request For Proposal (RFP) to solicit proposals from interested operators for a 10 year period. This would also include Meadowbrook assuming they are not fed up with the whole process of one year leases. During Winter months they lose money so the City is hoping to offer extending through Spring, 2009, in order to make up for the loss over the Winter months. It has now been more than a week and no response from Meadowbrook. I wonder what "Plan B" is? Would it be closed when Meadowbrook's lease ends October 31st? The golf carts and maintenance equipment belongs to Meadowbrook. Even if Parks and Rec maintained it there would be no golf carts even if there is equipment (which I doubt they have). Parks and Rec do not have any experience maintaining or managing a golf course. I would wager that Meadowbrook IF they agree would not be willing to pay the City any rent. The suspense continues!

Today I Was Just A Mom

I gained a daughter or lost a son today - either way it was an emotional day. Everything else in my life took a back seat. My son's happiness is all that mattered. Of course I "blubbered" and embarrassed my son ... it was just sort of like it came out of nowhere this blubbering "tough" activist crumpled at the sight of her son getting married. Don't get any ideas that I am a pushover - it was just this one time.

City Attorney Explains FOIA To Council

On Monday, September 15th, City Attorney William Hackworth at the request of Mayor Bowers explained the FOIA (Freedom Of Information Act) and the reason Councilman Court Rosen was denied a copy of the Roanoke City Market Building proposal prior to the September 2nd City Council meeting.

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Mayor Bowers said that the public may want clarification as to what bits of information the Council can have access to and asked Mr. Hackworth for the legal standing on that.

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The City Attorney said that the issue “was a novel one for him and one that had never come up before … he had never had a member of a governing body ask for proposals” prior to award or rejection. He spoke to Bill Hefty, an expert attorney on the Virginia Public Procurement Act in Richmond and they had not ever had that issue come before them either. However, Mr. Hackworth relayed Mr. Hefty’s advice that “if Council as a whole decides they want to see proposals submitted as part of an RFP process they have a right to make the decision to do so. However, an individual member of Council acting on their own would essentially have the same standing as a member of the public.” Therefore they would be denied. Mr. Hackworth elaborated by saying if an individual member of Council asked for a proposal he would advise them to bring the request before all members of Council in a closed meeting.

Roanoke Times Poll Results For Countryside

What should the council do with the Countryside property?

Keep it as a golf course
313
(88.67%)

Sell it
33
(9.35%)

Other
7
(1.98%)

Total Replies : 353

Countryside Direction Finally Made Clear

After heated debate Roanoke City Council agreed 6-1 to move forward with a Request For Proposal to maintain Countryside as an 18-hole golf course. Those present literally stood up for Countryside. Only ONE stood up opposed and it was Hank Bostwick's sidekick, Chris Berry of chrisberryonthe.net.

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Besides myself, speakers included the President of the Senior Tour, Tommy Firebaugh, who spoke representing 130 members which includes members such as "Chip" Woodrum and Board of Supervisors member "Butch" Church.

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Also speaking in favor of Countryside Golf Course was the well respected former Director of Athletics at Patrick Henry High School, Woody Deans.

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The RFP will be for a minimum of 10 years. It will be put out for a period of 45-60 days per the City Manager, Darlene Burcham. She also reiterated that the current operator Meadowbrook (who may also bid on the operation) would be asked to continue operating the golf course for 8 months until fiscal year end June 30, 2009.

Hank Bostwick seems "alarmed" that his so-called - "Sources close to the City government have indicated to me that based on the age of the course, it is likely that the irrigation system–which is an asbestos irrigation system–will need to be replaced sooner rather than later. Roanokers will be shocked, no doubt, when they are hipped to how much it may cost to encapsulate and remove the asbestos from the course and replace the aging irrigation system." Get with the program Hank, your sources are baloney. There IS asbestos in the irrigation system and according to the DEQ asbestos experts it can STAY in the ground undisturbed and another irrigation system installed. IF development had occurred the irrigation system would have been disturbed. THEN the developer would be subject to expense. Ony a fool of a developer would have not done their due diligence before committing to any ground disturbance.

Hank Bostwick's StarCityHarbinger is again misrepresenting the facts of the meeting: He states that: "A few citizens, including Roanoke Star-Sentinel’s Council reporter Valerie Garner, spoke in support of the golf-course-in-perpetuity motion and noted that decaying infrastructure at the golf club and course need immediate resources from the City coffers."

As a "surprise" guest at our neighborhood meeting on Monday, Sept. 8th, Mr. Rosen said "he had no problem with Countryside remaining an 18-hole golf course". Then when asked "in perpetuity" -. Mr. Rosen responded, "YES" looking me straight in the eye. This can be confirmed by Councilwoman Anita Price who was present as well as other neighbors. However, Mr. Rosen contradicted that statement at City Council tonight when he questioned the city attorney - referring to Mr. Lea's motion that Mr. Lea "meant the premise of the whole motion was to make Countryside a golf course in perpetuity and my understanding to that is no - I am just asking as a matter of law" (he was looking at the city attorney for a response). The City attorney explained (though I am sure Mr. Rosen already knew the answer) that the motion is NOT a contract. Then Mr. Rosen went on to say "I have a lot less issue with that."

Mr. Lea is right that something else is "cooking" behind the scenes but this blatant contradiction is a much too obvious "red flag."

This is what I said and is the exact text I read which I gave to the City Clerk:

It was on May 2, 2005, Council voted to take an option to purchase Countryside Golf Course. Here we are over three years later and time is of the essence with the lease ending Oct. 31st and with no RFP yet issued.

The “data and financing“ has been available for all these years.

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There is no reason to stall the process any longer and risk the shutdown and eventual decay of the golf course. Decay of city owned property is NOT fiscally responsible. This DELAY is not physically responsible…. stalling leads to suspicion.

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We are intelligent citizens.

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I will quote a member of Council’s own words in an email dated 9/22/05 obtained from a FOIA request - that said, "this process is being watched by a large number of people who are intelligent and can determine when they are being involved or left out … trust is a major factor here …let’s do what we have to do to keep that with our citizens." I have not forgotten those comforting words Mr. Lea and we are still watching and we are still intelligent.

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Council had questions at the briefing on Countryside in regard to promotion of the golf course. If you initiate a “google” search of “Countryside Golf Course Roanoke” you will see that what comes up besides the airport hotels that tout it as an amenity for their guests. The results of the search displays the City’s website under Planning - Special Projects which says though stalled that the golf course is still slated for development and the RFP for development is still downloadable. It is no wonder that people say they think the course is closed. I ask Council to have this destructive promotion removed from the City’s website.

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I ask Council to consider a ten year operating agreement as the minimum for the City to consider. To really recoup the City’s investment a 20 year lease would be a better. As Ms. Shuck stated at the airport commission meeting 20 years was OK with them as long as there was commitment by this council that the property would be used for golf course fairways. She also stated that golf course fairways was a preferred use by the FAA. Evidently the FAA considers golfers as expendable.

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Again, I ask this Council to end this delay today and our anxiety and expediently instruct the City Administration to issue a RFP.

Q99's "Driving For MDA"

Dick Daniels and David Page who host "The Breakfast Club" with plenty of humor on Q99 FM took turns hitting 99 golf balls at the Par 3 in Hanging Rock. Dick and Dave have given their support for Countryside Golf Course in their own humorous style. Both are avid golfers and play here at Countryside. This charitable event is only one of many they do throughout the year. Balls were purchased on air 2 weeks ago at $100 each for the MDA. A hole-in-one would have won a Saturn convertible - Dick got one ball 7 inches from the cup. Check the Q99 website for the YouTube clip of the evening event: CLICK HERE to Q99FM then on the YouTube link.

Countryside Banner Waves Again

Horns blew with thumbs up signs as we hoisted the banner again on Saturday. With another Council crisis looming Al and Ken were called to duty once again. One man stopped his SUV in the middle of Cove Road to give us a "high five". When will we be able to retire this banner? What is going on behind the curtain oh, ye, mighty and powerful oz.