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Tourism was both defended and attacked at the Feb. 22 meeting of the Patrick County Board of Supervisors.

Lisa Martin, president of the Patrick County Chamber of Commerce and senior program manager for the Reynolds Homestead, said chamber members feel strongly that there should be no reductions to the tourism category of the 2010-11 county budget.

Doss Cummings, a chamber director and representative of Chateau Morrisette, also appeared in support of tourism funding.

"Things have changed," Martin said. "We no longer have an economy based on agriculture and manufacturing. We have to look at new ways to reinvent ourselves."

Those ways include small business development, technology jobs, and tourism, Martin said. She said her two children, both college students, are planning careers that could bring them back to Patrick County--her son in parks and recreation and her daughter in teaching.

"Funds for the chamber and the tourism advisory council are a big piece of what we have to offer," Martin said.

Terry Dalton, a member of the Patrick County Economic Development Authority and the Stuart Town Council, said he supports the Mayo River Rail Trail, but believes that both council members and supervisors should walk the path of the proposed trail. "Let's be sure it's going in the right location," he said.

As owner of the Verizons store in Stuart, Dalton said, he would be happy to sponsor part of the expenses for the trail.

"The chamber does an excellent job in promoting tourism," said Dan River District Supervisor Roger Hayden, adding that he thought more funds should be spent on advertising tourism in the county.

Peters Creek District Supervisor Lock Boyce said the town council's recent resolution to share maintenance on the rail trail with the county did not specify what percentage the town would support. One council member said 7%, he said.

Boyce agreed that everyone should walk the trail. He reiterated his long-standing opposition to the trail, saying that there is "overwhelming public opposition" to it.

Blue Ridge District Supervisor Karl Weiss, board chairman, said he serves on both the Patrick County Tourism Advisory Council (TAC) and the EDA, and sees how important tourism is to the county.

"Tourism does produce jobs," Weiss said, pointing out that Primland Resort provides 125 full-time, good-paying jobs.

"I'm not for cutting anything for tourism," Weiss said. "That would be cutting out jobs."

Tourism represents new money coming into the county, Weiss said, and the county doesn't have to fund any services for it. He agreed that the chamber has done an excellent job of promoting Patrick County.

One young man attending the meeting didn't say anything, but he wore a sign with the message: "Yes we can...build a rail trail."

The tourism budget shows a decrease of 16.96%, from $77,989 in 2009-10 to $64,764 in 2010-11, even before County Administrator Jay Scudder recommended cutting the contribution to the chamber of commerce from $18,500 to $5,000.

The category includes $34,000 for the marketing tourism line item, $8,736 for part of the salary of an administrative assistant who works on tourism projects, and $5,000 as a local contribution to the Crooked Road Heritage Music Trail program. The Mayo River Rail Trail is listed in this category, but there is no money allocated for it in 2010-11.

Most of the tourism budget is covered by the county's transient occupancy (lodging) tax, which brings in about $50,000 annually and is earmarked for tourism.

Two items related to tourism are shown in the nondepartmental budget: the Blue Ridge Heritage project, with a proposed contribution of $1,500, and the Reynolds Homestead's arts programs, with a county donation of $5,000, which matches a $5,000 grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

"I'd like to cut out Blue Ridge Heritage, the whole amount, and give it to the Caring Hearts Free Clinic," Boyce said.

"If you totally cut it out, don't be surprised if it's built in Floyd," Weiss said. Blue Ridge Heritage, a joint project of Floyd and Patrick Counties, envisions a visitor center or other facility on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Scudder said he thought the board should give the $1,500 "as a good-faith effort" showing the county's involvement in the bi-county project.

"It'll be a $16 million project if Boucher has his way," Boyce said. For that amount, he said, a liberal arts university could be built in Patrick County.

Ninth District Congressman Rick Boucher has supported and helped get funds for the project formerly known as "the Rocky Knob project" because it was expected to be developed in the vicinity of the Rocky Knob recreational area.

Scudder had trimmed several line items in the nondepartmental category before presenting it to the board of supervisors, which has the authority to determine what's in the final version of the budget.

Scudder cut the Blue Ridge Heritage contribution from $2,500 to $1,500; eliminated a $5,613 request from the Virginia Legal Aid Society; cut the PARC Workshop contribution from $26,850 to $26,068; trimmed the Patrick County Developmental Center contribution from $33,326 to $32,355, and reduced the funding to Patrick Henry Community College from $17,585 to $15,786.

He also recommended cutting the Caring Hearts Free Clinic from the requested $10,000 to $6,412; Citizens Against Family Violence from $6,000 to $4,750; the Patrick County Community Food Bank from $5,712 to $5,000; and Piedmont Community Services from $45,768 to $44,435. He recommended eliminating contributions to the West Piedmont Better Housing program, the Roanoke River Basin Association, and to operating expenses for STEP Inc. (which is moving into a new center).

Scudder also recommended trimming the requested Blue Ridge Regional Library contribution of $277,321 to $261,982.

Hayden said that with increased use of computer technology, "people aren't using the library as much as they used to."

Scudder said the library building belongs to Patrick County and the county doesn't have the expense of renting a building, which costs $125,000 a year in some localities. "It looks like we're getting a pretty good bang for our buck," he said.

Boyce, who last year advocated charging for library cards, said he thought the library ought to charge a fee for computer usage. He also questioned the value of the bookmobile.

Scudder pointed out that there were 11,026 visits to the bookmobile last year.

Smith River District Supervisor Crystal Harris said she had seen people lined up to go into the bookmobile at one spot in Woolwine, many of them older people.

Patrick County is the only branch in the system that has a bookmobile, because there is only one library for a widespread county of 19,500.

Henry County has libraries in Martinsville, Collinsville, Ridgeway and Bassett, and a historical center in Bassett.

A report from the Blue Ridge Regional Library shows that 72,701 items circulated at the Patrick County Library last year, and 42,312 from the bookmobile--a total of 115,013 items, which was more than at any other branch except the main library in Martinsville, with 204,388 items.

The number of individual visits was 43,633 at the library and 11,026 from the bookmobile, or a total of 54,659, which was higher than other branches except for Martinsville and Collinsville.

Scudder said funding for the Patrick County Library has been cut the past three years, and his recommendation was for level spending. "It's an essential government function," he said. "It's well-used by the public."

"You think it's essential infrastructure?" Hayden asked.

"To some people it is," Boyce said.

"So we're not going to cut anything," Hayden said. "Just go back and cut everything 2.5% across the board."

Mayo River District Supervisor Ron Knight said the board had been presented a balanced budget without the need to cut it 2.5%. He said he voted on a tax rate last year that he thought would sustain the county's needs even with the cuts coming from the state.

A copy of the proposed county budget is now available for public reading at the Patrick County Library, at the request of Meadows of Dan citizen Ed Neyman.

The board of supervisors plans to hold another budget work session at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 4.


		Front Page

	Tourism, rail trail, library topics of budget session By Nancy Lindsey Tourism was both defended and attacked at the Feb. 22 meeting of the Patrick County Board of Supervisors. Lisa Martin, president of the Patrick County Chamber of Commerce and senior program manager for the Reynolds Homestead, said chamber members feel strongly that there should be no reductions to the tourism category of the 2010-11 county budget. Doss Cummings, a chamber director and representative of Chateau Morrisette, also appeared in support of tourism funding. "Things have changed," Martin said. "We no longer have an economy based on agriculture and manufacturing. We have to look at new ways to reinvent ourselves." Those ways include small business development, technology jobs, and tourism, Martin said. She said her two children, both college students, are planning careers that could bring them back to Patrick County--her son in parks and recreation and her daughter in teaching. "Funds for the chamber and the tourism advisory council are a big piece of what we have to offer," Martin said. Terry Dalton, a member of the Patrick County Economic Development Authority and the Stuart Town Council, said he supports the Mayo River Rail Trail, but believes that both council members and supervisors should walk the path of the proposed trail. "Let's be sure it's going in the right location," he said. As owner of the Verizons store in Stuart, Dalton said, he would be happy to sponsor part of the expenses for the trail. "The chamber does an excellent job in promoting tourism," said Dan River District Supervisor Roger Hayden, adding that he thought more funds should be spent on advertising tourism in the county. Peters Creek District Supervisor Lock Boyce said the town council's recent resolution to share maintenance on the rail trail with the county did not specify what percentage the town would support. One council member said 7%, he said. Boyce agreed that everyone should walk the trail. He reiterated his long-standing opposition to the trail, saying that there is "overwhelming public opposition" to it. Blue Ridge District Supervisor Karl Weiss, board chairman, said he serves on both the Patrick County Tourism Advisory Council (TAC) and the EDA, and sees how important tourism is to the county. "Tourism does produce jobs," Weiss said, pointing out that Primland Resort provides 125 full-time, good-paying jobs. "I'm not for cutting anything for tourism," Weiss said. "That would be cutting out jobs." Tourism represents new money coming into the county, Weiss said, and the county doesn't have to fund any services for it. He agreed that the chamber has done an excellent job of promoting Patrick County. One young man attending the meeting didn't say anything, but he wore a sign with the message: "Yes we can...build a rail trail." The tourism budget shows a decrease of 16.96%, from $77,989 in 2009-10 to $64,764 in 2010-11, even before County Administrator Jay Scudder recommended cutting the contribution to the chamber of commerce from $18,500 to $5,000. The category includes $34,000 for the marketing tourism line item, $8,736 for part of the salary of an administrative assistant who works on tourism projects, and $5,000 as a local contribution to the Crooked Road Heritage Music Trail program. The Mayo River Rail Trail is listed in this category, but there is no money allocated for it in 2010-11. Most of the tourism budget is covered by the county's transient occupancy (lodging) tax, which brings in about $50,000 annually and is earmarked for tourism. Two items related to tourism are shown in the nondepartmental budget: the Blue Ridge Heritage project, with a proposed contribution of $1,500, and the Reynolds Homestead's arts programs, with a county donation of $5,000, which matches a $5,000 grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts. "I'd like to cut out Blue Ridge Heritage, the whole amount, and give it to the Caring Hearts Free Clinic," Boyce said. "If you totally cut it out, don't be surprised if it's built in Floyd," Weiss said. Blue Ridge Heritage, a joint project of Floyd and Patrick Counties, envisions a visitor center or other facility on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Scudder said he thought the board should give the $1,500 "as a good-faith effort" showing the county's involvement in the bi-county project. "It'll be a $16 million project if Boucher has his way," Boyce said. For that amount, he said, a liberal arts university could be built in Patrick County. Ninth District Congressman Rick Boucher has supported and helped get funds for the project formerly known as "the Rocky Knob project" because it was expected to be developed in the vicinity of the Rocky Knob recreational area. Scudder had trimmed several line items in the nondepartmental category before presenting it to the board of supervisors, which has the authority to determine what's in the final version of the budget. Scudder cut the Blue Ridge Heritage contribution from $2,500 to $1,500; eliminated a $5,613 request from the Virginia Legal Aid Society; cut the PARC Workshop contribution from $26,850 to $26,068; trimmed the Patrick County Developmental Center contribution from $33,326 to $32,355, and reduced the funding to Patrick Henry Community College from $17,585 to $15,786. He also recommended cutting the Caring Hearts Free Clinic from the requested $10,000 to $6,412; Citizens Against Family Violence from $6,000 to $4,750; the Patrick County Community Food Bank from $5,712 to $5,000; and Piedmont Community Services from $45,768 to $44,435. He recommended eliminating contributions to the West Piedmont Better Housing program, the Roanoke River Basin Association, and to operating expenses for STEP Inc. (which is moving into a new center). Scudder also recommended trimming the requested Blue Ridge Regional Library contribution of $277,321 to $261,982. Hayden said that with increased use of computer technology, "people aren't using the library as much as they used to." Scudder said the library building belongs to Patrick County and the county doesn't have the expense of renting a building, which costs $125,000 a year in some localities. "It looks like we're getting a pretty good bang for our buck," he said. Boyce, who last year advocated charging for library cards, said he thought the library ought to charge a fee for computer usage. He also questioned the value of the bookmobile. Scudder pointed out that there were 11,026 visits to the bookmobile last year. Smith River District Supervisor Crystal Harris said she had seen people lined up to go into the bookmobile at one spot in Woolwine, many of them older people. Patrick County is the only branch in the system that has a bookmobile, because there is only one library for a widespread county of 19,500. Henry County has libraries in Martinsville, Collinsville, Ridgeway and Bassett, and a historical center in Bassett. A report from the Blue Ridge Regional Library shows that 72,701 items circulated at the Patrick County Library last year, and 42,312 from the bookmobile--a total of 115,013 items, which was more than at any other branch except the main library in Martinsville, with 204,388 items. The number of individual visits was 43,633 at the library and 11,026 from the bookmobile, or a total of 54,659, which was higher than other branches except for Martinsville and Collinsville. Scudder said funding for the Patrick County Library has been cut the past three years, and his recommendation was for level spending. "It's an essential government function," he said. "It's well-used by the public." "You think it's essential infrastructure?" Hayden asked. "To some people it is," Boyce said. "So we're not going to cut anything," Hayden said. "Just go back and cut everything 2.5% across the board." Mayo River District Supervisor Ron Knight said the board had been presented a balanced budget without the need to cut it 2.5%. He said he voted on a tax rate last year that he thought would sustain the county's needs even with the cuts coming from the state. A copy of the proposed county budget is now available for public reading at the Patrick County Library, at the request of Meadows of Dan citizen Ed Neyman. The board of supervisors plans to hold another budget work session at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 4.