Vinton has announced several appointments to various boards and commissions that serve the town, effective July 1.
Many positions are filled by town staff and council members, but others are filled by citizens of the community who generously volunteer their time and efforts to the community.
The Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) is composed of five citizens appointed by Town Council who meet on an “as-needed basis,” serving five-year terms.
The BZA hears variance applications relative to the town’s Zoning Ordinance. These appeals are typically made when property owners believe that the strict application of the Zoning Ordinance creates a “unique and undue hardship on how he or she intends to use the property.” Additionally, the BZA has the authority to grant special exceptions from the Vinton Zoning Ordinance.
Members of the Board of Zoning Appeals are: Donald Altice, Debra Hagins, Mick Michelsen, Allen Kasey, Justin Davison and Mandy Grose.
At least nine members make up the Highway Safety Commission, including one member of Vinton Town Council. The regular members must be property owners in the town. Their purpose is to prepare and submit to council a work program for highway safety within the town. They serve for three-year terms and meet “as needed/requested.”
Highway Safety Commission members are:
James Warren Childress II, Fred Swisher, Michael Hopkins, Sabrina McCarty, Robert Patterson, Carolyn Fidler, Roy McCarty Jr., Doug Adams, Robert Altice, Barry Thompson (ex officio member), Joey Hiner (ex officio member) and Police Chief Tom Foster (ex officio member).
The Vinton Planning Commission includes five citizens appointed by Town Council. They serve as an advisory board to council and make recommendations on a variety of land use issues, including rezoning, special use permits, greenways, special development ordinances, and changes or updates to the Vinton Zoning Ordinance. They are also in charge of preparing and maintaining the town’s Comprehensive Plan, and recommending changes to reflect new land use policies. Commission members serve four-year staggered terms and meet as needed after an application has been submitted to the Planning and Zoning Department, generally within four to six weeks of the application date.
Vinton Planning Commission members are: David Jones, Robert Patterson, Keith Liles, William Booth and Robert Benninger.
The Economic Development Committee is one of four standing council committees. Their purpose is to review and provide guidance to staff related to economic development policies, services, and projects. These meetings provide an opportunity for the elected officials to stay abreast of economic development activities. They meet on a monthly basis and provide written or oral reports back to town council.
The Economic Development Committee members are:
Mayor Brad Grose, Councilman Keith Liles, Town Manager Barry Thompson and Assistant Town Manager Pete Peters.
The Finance Committee is another standing council committee, which reviews and provides guidance to staff related to all financial policies, financial statements, and audit reviews. They meet on a monthly basis to track and analyze expenditures, revenues, cash flow, budget forecasts, and capital projects. This committee also provides written or oral reports back to council.
Finance Committee members are: Vice Mayor Matt Hare. Councilwoman Janet Scheid. Anne Cantrell and Barry Thompson.
The Public Safety Committee is another standing council committee with the purpose of reviewing and providing guidance to staff related to major public safety policies, services, and projects, including police, fire, rescue, and emergency services.
Public Safety Committee members are: Vice Mayor Matt Hare, Councilman Keith Liles and Police Chief Tom Foster
The Public Works Committee is a standing council committee that meets each month. Their purpose is to review and provide guidance to staff related to major public works policies, services, and projects, concerning water, sewer, roads, refuse, stormwater, and buildings, etc. Committee members are: Mayor Brad Grose, Councilwoman Sabrina McCarty and Public Works Director Joey Hiner.
The Stormwater Citizens Advisory Committee was formed to provide timely, relevant feedback on stormwater issues presented to them and to share stormwater information with community organizations of which they are members.
The Stormwater Citizens Advisory Committee is made up of: Ray Sandifer, David Jones, Vinton Advisory Committee, Mayor Brad Grose, Janet Scheid, Anne Cantrell, Justin Davison, Theresa Fontana, Chief Tom Foster, Joey Hiner, Chris Linkous, Bruce Mayer, Stephanie Brown-Meade, Gary Myers, Barry Thompson and Sherri Winkler.
The Clean Valley Council provides educational programming and citizen participation events to spread the word about litter prevention, recycling, waste stream reduction, stormwater pollution prevention, and protecting our natural resources.
Vinton’s Representative to the Clean Valley Council is Mary Ann Brenchick.
The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is designed to bring together the public and private sectors in the creation of an economic roadmap to diversify and strengthen regional economies. CEDS members are: Janet Scheid, Chris McCarty, Doug Adams and Pete Peters.
Greater Roanoke Transit Company– doing business as Valley Metro– is a private, non-profit, public service organization wholly owned by the City of Roanoke. Vinton and Salem alternate seats on the GRTC with this being Salem’s year.
The Roanoke Regional Partnership, founded in 1983, was envisioned as an opportunity for public and private sectors and multiple governments (now the cities of Salem and Roanoke, Vinton, and the counties of Botetourt, Roanoke, Alleghany, and Franklin) to come together to help advance the greater region. Vinton’s representatives include: Mayor Brad Grose and Town Manager Barry Thompson.
The Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission Executive Committee represents participating local governments included in the geographic area delineated by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Its purpose is to promote orderly and efficient development of the physical, social, and economic elements of the district by planning, encouraging, and assisting governmental subdivisions to plan for the future. Members of the Executive Committee include Mayor Brad Grose and Town Manager Barry Thompson.
The Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission promotes and facilitates coordinated direction and guidance in the planning, development, and maintenance of a system of greenways through the Roanoke Valley. Vinton’s members on the Greenway Commission are Janet Scheid, Matt Hare, Arthur LaRoche, Anita McMillan and Pete Peters.
The Roanoke Valley Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) was created in 1979 by federal mandate to plan and budget the use of federal transportation dollars in the Roanoke region. There are currently 14 TPOs in Virginia. The Roanoke Valley Area TPO is the entity responsible for transportation-related planning within the Roanoke urbanized area boundary. Members include Janet Scheid and Keith Liles.
The Roanoke Valley Regional Cable TV Committee is the governing body for Roanoke Valley Television, RVTV-3 and Cox Cable. Members from Vinton include Mary Beth Layman, Janet Scheid (Council member) and Pete Peters (Executive member).
Members of the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority (RVRA) oversee the operation of the RVRA which partners with Norfolk Southern in a public-private partnership linking a solid waste transfer station with a landfill removing 700 tons of waste generated in the region each day. Public Works Director Joey Hiner is Vinton’s representative.
The Western Virginia Regional Industrial Facility Authority was created to allow member localities to interact as one body to cooperate in the development of facilities to overcome barriers to economic growth, to serve the region. Vinton members are Barry Thompson, Mayor Grose (alternate), Pete Peters and Sabrina McCarty (alternate).
Residents of interested in serving on various Town Council appointed boards, commissions, and committees are encouraged to submit an application at the Town Manager’s office in the Municipal Building. Candidates to fill vacancies are selected from applications on file, which are updated each year.
