Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 14, 1993 TAG: 9307140049
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Clearly, Bowers would prefer a two-cities-and-a-town merger plan for the Roanoke Valley, with Roanoke County being split between Roanoke and Salem, and Vinton remaining a town. But he knows that could be difficult to get because of county voters' opposition to consolidation.
If merger is out, he suggested Tuesday, the city's ability to grow and thrive economically would be enhanced if it could expand its boundaries by annexation.
For a decade, Roanoke has been barred from annexation because Roanoke County is one of about a dozen suburban Virginia counties that are immune from annexation.
The last annexation by the city was in 1976, when it acquired nearly 16 square miles and 15,000 residents from the county.
Bowers has suggested three options for the city to stimulate growth in the valley.
One would be the voluntary consolidation of Roanoke and Roanoke County by voters' approval. A second option would be for the city to give up its charter and become a town within the county.
The third would be the return of the city's right to annex. City officials have said this would help them address mounting problems of poverty, homelessness, unemployment and health care for the poor.
Bowers said the state has an "archaic and very damaging" system of annexation, which allows Roanoke County to be immune from annexation, while cities such as Danville are permitted to expand and plan their growth.
"If this annexation immunity is an impediment [to growth], and I believe it is, then let's move to end it," he said. "If it keeps us from thriving, then let's be rid of it."
But there has been no recent attempt in the General Assembly to revive the power of annexation for Roanoke and other large cities that are surrounded by suburban counties. Smaller cities retain the right to annex, but it can be an expensive and lengthy process.
Roanoke County officials would fight any move that would give the city the power to annex.
Councilman James Harvey said it might take a drastic action, such as the city giving up its charter, to shake up state legislators and send them the message that cities need help.
Despite the initial negative reactions from county officials to his proposals, Bowers said he will await responses from others. He said he will make specific recommendations after he returns from a trip to Russia.
"My effort is to open up the discussion," he said, adding that he doesn't know what the outcome of the talks will be.
Bowers said he wants to know the feelings of county residents as well as their political leaders'.
"This a two-way street. I wanted to hear what they think," Bowers said.
Fuzzy Minnix, chairman of the county Board of Supervisors, said he hasn't detected any change in county voters' sentiments on merger since they last rejected it.
"I personally don't think that enough time has lapsed to heal the wounds of the [1990 referendum]," Minnix said. "There were bitter rivalries and some bad feelings then."
Bowers might have caused more hard feelings by talking about splitting the county between Roanoke and Salem, Minnix said.
"I think it might have been a mistake for him to put it that way," Minnix said.
Minnix said the county has too many other pressing issues to spend time and money to negotiate another merger plan. He said it could cost more than $500,000 in staff time and other expenses.
Supervisor Harry Nickens said he, too, hasn't detected any change in county voters' opposition to consolidation.
Nor, he said, does he see much evidence of cooperation or sincerity by Bowers in the proposal to split the county between Roanoke and Salem.
Supervisor Bob Johnson said Bowers' contention that the local governmental structure is an impediment to economic growth is "hogwash."
When officials can't find any other reason to blame for the slow growth, he said, they blame it on the number of governments.
by CNB