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02-18-2011 Called MeetingCALLED MEETING OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HELD THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF FEBRUARY IN THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND AND ELEVEN PRESENT: Thomas J. Wright, III, Chairman Stan D. Clark, Vice- Chairman JoAnn W. Hall Kenneth M. Bunch ABSENT: Al Casteen Also Attending: A. Paul Burton, Interim County Attorney W. Douglas Caskey, County Administrator Donald T. Robertson, Director of Information Resources and Legislative Affairs Carey Mills Storm, Clerk Chairman Wright called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. at the Paul D. Camp Community College Workforce Development Center in Franklin, Virginia for the purpose of meeting jointly with the Franklin City Council to solicit questions from the public regarding the Navy's proposed Touch and Go Program at the Beverly Rose Municipal Airport. Mayor Jim Councill welcomed those present for the purpose of receiving a presentation from the City of Franklin and the Navy concerning questions regarding the Navy's proposal to use the Beverly Rose Municipal Airport for Touch and Go training exercises. He advised that answers to the questions raised tonight will be posted on the City's website. He advised following this meeting, the City Council will conduct its regular meeting. Reverend Johnson delivered the invocation. The Pledge of Allegiance was conducted. June Fleming, Franklin City Manager, advised responsive to citizens' requests, information pertaining to the Navy's proposal has been compiled and placed on the City's website. She provided a status report on what City staff has accomplished to date with respect to the Navy's proposal. She advised that City staff received a Performance Work Standard (PWS) containing descriptions of work to be performed by City staff. She advised 1 that the PWS is only in draft form and no negotiations have occurred to date between the City and the Navy. She advised that staff's best educated guess is that it will cost in the range of $3 million to implement the proposal, exclusive of personnel costs. She added that the actual cost will only be determined when Franklin staff begins negotiations with the Navy. Taylor Williams, Franklin City Attorney, addressed the 1947/48 deeds and the environmental assessment conducted by the Navy which requires that a Federal agency consider all the environmental impacts of a Federal undertaking and propose reasonable alternatives for mitigation if there is a significant impact. He explained that the existence of these deeds became known in April 2010 when the City of Franklin received an inquiry from the Navy asking if the City would be interested in the Navy using the Airport for touch and go exercises. He advised that the City Council, by letter dated April 22, 2010, advised the Navy that it would have an interest in participating in an RFP process which was to be initiated by the Navy in the Fall of 2010. He advised that at a meeting on September 27, 2010 between the City and the Navy at the Airport, the Navy had indicated that it may not be required to solicit an RFP and at a meeting on September 30, 2010, the Navy introduced the two (2) deeds from 1947 and 1948 indicating that the Navy had a legal interest in the Airport property and was relieved of the requirement of soliciting an RFP. He addressed the language in the 1947 and 1948 deeds which has been subject to much controversy. Admiral J. C. Harvey, Jr. addressed the public regarding the Navy's purpose in needing to utilize the John Rose Airport for practice touch and go exercises. He stated that some of the lost revenue and jobs from Hurricane Isabel and the closure of International Paper can be made up from the Navy being able to utilize the Airport. Supervisor Clark left the meeting and did not return. Commander Watkins addressed the public regarding pilot training and practice landings on aircraft carriers. He advised that there will be no more than three (3) aircraft in a pattern at a time; there will be no aircraft flying over the City of Franklin; Navy operations at the Airport will only be scheduled Monday through Friday for three (3) hour periods with a maximum of 2-3 hour periods per day. He advised that there have been no fatalities or damage to private property in over 800,000 flight hours since 1980. Mayor Council called for questions from the public. 2 Jim Rainey questioned the language in the deeds with the Navy, specifically the clause allowing the Navy to revert the property. Frank Rabil inquired why the City Council didn't tell the Navy to consider other options. Bob Luck asked the Mayor why he is in favor of the Navy's proposal. Ames Herbert asked the Mayor why he continues to support the Navy's proposal. Jim Vasoti raised questions about the need for rezoning and creating building code changes. He asked why citizens should have to endure the changes. Asa Johnson asked how the Village at Woods Edge was to market a quiet retirement facility with loud planes flying overhead. Bob Trainor inquired if input was solicited from organizations such as FSEDI, the Airport Board, hospital, Village at Woods Edge, YMCA, day care centers, IP and schools. Chuck Lilley read a statement from Sol Rawls. Linwood Johnson inquired how new businesses in Isle of Wight and Franklin will be affected. He further inquired about statistics on plane crashes at Fentress. Ed Bankston inquired about the Navy obtaining exclusive use of the airport and the associated economic impact. Joe Joyner inquired where records can be obtained regarding fuel dumping in his area. He requested additional information on flight patterns, helicopter traffic and whether or not the Franklin City Council has read its own Mission Statement. Joe McGuire inquired how affected citizens will be compensated who experienced a loss in real estate values. He questioned why the Navy wouldn't consider other options. Byrd Saville asked if the Council was concerned about their constituents and impacts on economic development. He wanted to know why the Navy was leaving Chambers Field; more about Langley AFB's expanding safety zones and why the Navy didn't want to go to North Carolina and build in the wilderness. Edward Hudson questioned the financial impact on the City of Franklin. Mrs. Pugh stated that she is in favor of the Navy's proposal because it supports the men and women serving overseas. Lynn Rabil wanted to know if citizens will be reimbursed for the loss of value to their homes. George Merrell, Jr. stated that he lives in the flight zone and believes the noise will not be beneficial. Mr. Freeman asked how church services were to be conducted during training exercises. Patty Drake inquired as to why City Council had the flight pattern changed to avoid flying over their houses. Linda Rogers questioned the 20 days per month of training exercises. Pastor Charles Ricks inquired as to the impact this would have on the senior citizens residing at Springdale Apartments. At 7:50 p.m., Chairman Wright moved that the Board adjourn its joint meeting. The motion was adopted by a vote of (3-0) with Supervisors Bunch, Hall and Wright voting in favor of the motion; no Supervisors voting against the motion; and, Supervisors Casteen and k absent from the meeting. - /1 J ,/ z _L", Carey M lls Storm, Clerk 4 homas J. W hairman