Minutes 04/20/2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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April 20, 2004 A special meeting of the Council of the City of Martinsville, Virginia, with the Henry County Board of Supervisors was held on April 20, 2004, in Council Chamber, Municipal Building, beginning at 5:00 P. M., with Mayor Gene Teague presiding. Council Members present included: M. Gene Teague, Mayor; Terry L. Roop, Vice Mayor; and Council Members Joseph R. Cobbe, Bruce H. T. Dallas, and J. Ronald Ferrill. Benjamin Gardner, Chairman, Coalition for Economic Progress, presented an update regarding the Coalition. He reviewed the timeline from the initial economic development effort in 1983 until the present. He highlighted the proposed organizational chart and stated that the recommended overall budget be $2 million. Mr. Gardner requested final approval and funding. A discussion ensued regarding the fate of the City and County economic development offices. Vice Mayor Roop stated that he felt that Council is "getting ahead of ourselves;" the original mission was joint marketing. Council Members Cobbe and Ferrill expressed their readiness to move forward. Mayor Teague questioned whether tonight's proposal is the same from previous discussions. A discussion ensued regarding a proposed budget with specific financial details and structure. Mayor Teague requested the following information by the next regular Council meeting: (1) a breakdown of duties of the new structure; (2) specific financial commitments from all interested parties; and (3) transition plan of closing the City and County economic development offices and such financial impacts. Council Member Ferrill moved to endorse the proposed structure as presented with full support; the motion was duly seconded and carried by the following vote, with all members voting: Vote 4 - 1; Yeas (4) - Cobbe, Ferrill, Roop, Teague; Nays (1) - Dallas. Council Member Cobbe moved to allocate the City's FY05 economic development budget to the 117