Southwest Regional Recreation Authority (SRRA)
Board Meeting
February 22, 2010 (5 p.m.)
Oxbow Center – St. Paul, VA
Minutes
Voting Members Present:
Jack McClanahan, Chairman Wise County Representative
Mark Caruso, Vice-Chairman City of Norton Representative
Eugene McClellan Scott County Representative
Russell Lockhart Buchanan County Representative
Margie Douglass Tazewell County Representative
Jon Bowerbank Russell County Representative
Mark Vanover Dickenson County Representative
Tina Rowe, Treasurer Lee County Representative
Non-Voting Members Present:
Tammy Vanover Dotson, Secretary Mountain Motor Sports, Inc.
Michael Wampler Chairman, Spearhead Trailblazers
Craig Kadervak The Forest Land Group
Randall Rose Virginia Tourism Corporation
Others Present:
Jeff Cochran The Lane Group
K. D. Cook Black Diamond RC&D
Debbie Hale Spearhead Trailblazers
Gary Hale VEC
Fred Lunsford Town Manager, Appalachia
Sarah Love McReynolds Spearhead Trailblazers
Andy Mullins Cycling Club
Vernon L. Salyers Mountain View ATV Club
Chris Starll
John Tull Mayor, Town of Appalachia
Buzz Witt Spearhead Trailblazers/City of Norton
Jack Yates Lonesome Pine Trails
Welcome and Introductions – Jack McClanahan, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 5:10 pm.
Apologies were made by Jack that he and some of the Board members had arrived late as they had
just gotten out of another trails related meeting.
Approval of the Agenda – Mark Caruso, Vice-Chairman, presented the agenda. A motion to
approve the agenda was made by Jon Bowerbank and seconded by Eugene McClellan. The motion
carried.
Presentation of the Minutes – Tammy Dotson, Secretary, presented the minutes from the January
25, 2010 meeting. A motion was made by Russ Lockhart and seconded by Eugene McClellan that
the minutes be approved as presented. The motion carried.
Financial Report – Tina Rowe, Treasurer, presented the Financial Report. She reported that the
balance of the General fund is $27,107.60 with $15,396.00 in the other fund. These balances do not
include sponsorships just received for the Adventure Tourism Workshop. A motion to approve the
financial report was made by Eugene McClellan and seconded by Mark Caruso. The motion carried.
Discussion followed that each locality should be putting SRRA as an annual line item budget item. It
was also decided that a letter should go out to all IDA’s and towns with the SRRA area. . A motion
was made by Jon Bowerbank that a letter be sent to each of the above mentioned entities requesting
that SRRA be put as an annual line item budget items for a least a five year commitment. Motion was
seconded by Mark Caruso. Motion carried. Mark Caruso will draft letter and send out to board
members via email for approval.
Old Business:
Legislative Update – Mark Caruso, Vice Chairman, reported on the following:
A. Overview of Richmond Trips – Mark Caruso and Michael Wampler recently spent time
in Richmond trying to guide the pending SRRA bills through the legislature. Legislation to
provide full police power for rangers was tabled (left in committee) for potential consideration
again until next year. But, there was an arrangement made with local sheriff’s departments
that they will assign police officer to the sections of trails within their municipalities.
B. Civil Penalties – Bill allowing for civil penalties to be directed to SRRA was left and in
committee and can be considered again next year as well.
C. OHVs on the roads – that legislation has passed the house and is now in the Senate for
consideration. It is expected that this legislation will pass the senate and become effective
July 1, 2010. The legislation is very brief and general in nature, but will be followed up with
local ordinances. SRRA will design a template fashioned after the Hatfield-McCoy Trail
System that each municipality will be able to use. Each rider must be SRRA permitted and
enforcement will be the responsibility of the individual municipalities. It is extremely important
that all localities adopt uniform ordinances. Discussion then followed concerning localities
that have already adopted ATV friendly ordinances. It was emphasized that regional
cooperation and uniformity is extremely important to make this project work.
D. Funding - Mark reported that funding, thanks to Del. Bud Phillips, for $500,000
operational funds is included in some legislation that will hopefully be passed. It has been
requested that the legislature put SRRA as an annual budget item.
Adventure Tourism Workshop Update – Randy Rose reported that he and others had just come
from a planning meeting for the Adventure Tourism Entrepreneur Workshop. The date of the
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workshop is Friday, April 9 at the Holiday Inn in Norton. The workshop will begin at 8:30 am and will
end at 4 pm with a complimentary lunch being served. Anyone interested can go to
www.vastartup.org to view tentative agenda and to register. This workshop is free to interested
persons, but registration is required.
Tazewell County/SRRA Agreement – Jack McClanahan, Chairman, reported that Mark Caruso had
sent out a copy of the Tazewell County and SRRA “Memo of Understanding” to all voting board
members. A motion was made by Russell Lockhart and seconded by Mark Caruso that the
“Memorandum of Understanding” between the SRRA and Tazewell County be approved. The motion
carried.
New Business:
SRRA Calendar of Events – The forthcoming Adventure Tourism Workshop is being held in April.
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On May 1 and 2 there will be a Trail Building Workshop to be held at Stoney Falls. This workshop
is being sponsored by SRRA and the City of Norton. This workshop will include classroom instruction
and hands on training. There was discussion over other possible future events.
ATV Safety Training Center – Jack McClanahan reported that the project has been handed over to
Freddie Allison. Mr. Allison reported the Training Center will probably be located at the Wise County
Fairgrounds and hopes to report more at the next meeting.
Other Business:
Final Comments from Board Members
Eugene McClellan, Scott County Representative – stated that the horse park is going well and
they are working on a possible bicycle ride event.
Tina Rowe, Lee County Representative – thanked Mark Caruso and Jack McClanahan for recently
representing SRRA at a Lee County Chamber of Commerce meeting.
Margie Douglass, Tazewell County Representative – reported that Tazewell is moving forward
with trail development.
Russell Lockhart, Buchanan County Representative – Reported that Buchanan County is working
with their Tourism Board, and that they are sponsoring a Public Information Meeting to inform
citizens.
Mark Caruso, City of Norton Representative – Informed everyone that the Norton IDA has
provided SRRA with office space and some office furniture. The office will be located in the Hotel
Norton. Office equipment is still needed such as fax, computer, etc. If any municipality has any of
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this equipment that could be donated, please let Mark know. The office should be open by March 1 .
At that time we need to consider changing the mailing address to reflect the physical location of our
offices. Mark also reported that Lenowisco is drafting a map of the entire SRRA area.
Jon Bowerbank, Russell County Representative – Inquired if the organization could presently
accept donations. He went on to state that he would like the Trailblazers organization to continue their
efforts to secure a 501(c) 3 designation. Jon also publically thanked Jack McClanahan and Mark
Caruso for their commitment.
Jack McClanahan, Wise County Representative – has asked Wise County to include SRRA as a
line item in their annual budget.
Tammy Dotson – publically thanked Randy for doing minutes last month in her absence.
Craig Kadervak – reported that he has trail maintenance manuals from the state of NJ and offered to
pass those on to the board.
Randy Rose – commented that despite the economic slowdown he is still seeing vehicles with ATV’s
on I-77 traveling to Hatfield-McCoy Trail System.
Public Comments
John Tull – stated that the “Rails to Trails” project is underway between Appalachia and Big Stone
Gap. There was also discussion concerning that Appalachia plans to allow “off-road” vehicles such
as golf carts in their town limits. Mark Caruso stated that the legislation did not intend for this type of
vehicle use and that the Authority could not take responsibility for golf carts and they would not be
covered with the SRRA permit.
Fred Lundsford – reported that the property for the “Rails to Trails” project has been secured. This
will be a unique “Rails to Trails” in that it will feature two tunnels.
Bill Smith – Kudos to Mark Caruso, Michael Wampler and Jack McClanahan for the work they have
done with the legislature in Richmond. Bill informed the board that next week he will be traveling to
Washington, DC and asked what message or materials do we want taken. There was some
discussion over what materials and message that Bill should deliver to our legislatures. During this
discussion, it was requested that a letter of support from SRRA for Black Diamond RC&D be secured.
Bill also reported that “Fish VA First” met recently at Ferrystone Park and that he had made that
group aware of SRRA.
K.D. Cook –Reported that he has taken over the position that Blaine Delaney had recently vacated.
He also reported that Blaine Delaney will be the representative for ARC and plans to support the
Spearhead Trails to this group and colleagues.
Andy Mullins – reported that the International Mountain Bike Association will be doing a trail building
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workshop on April 17 and 18 to be held at Bristol at Steel’s Creek in Bristol, TN, and that he would
love to have some representation from SRRA there.
Buzz Witt – reported that Virginia Intermont College now has a tourism program. The instructor is
Mark Reynolds, PhD. Representatives from SRRA recently met with Dr. Reynolds to explore future
working relationships between the two groups.
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Next Meeting Date – The next meeting will be held on Monday, March 29 at 5 pm at the Oxbow
Center.
Adjourn – With there being no further business, a motion was made by Eugene McClellan, and
seconded by Margie Douglass, that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried. The meeting was
adjourned at 6:45 pm.