Future of Hampton Roads

Executive Committee

Town Point Club

December 21, 2004

MINUTES

Present: Chairman Vince Thomas, President David Clark, Jim Babcock, Ed Brickell, Jim Chapman, Clyde Hoey, Will King, Harry Lester, Anna McNider, Jim Oliver, John Stone, Harry Train, Jake Tobin

Chairman Thomas opened the meeting at 10:10.

The minutes of the Executive Committee meeting of October 26 2004 were approved.

Jim Babcock reviewed the work of the Planning Committee and its subcommittees. All subcommittees are active.

The Communications subcommittee is developing a Communications Plan. They are also recommending new members to the Steering Committee.

The Legal subcommittee is researching the legal framework of regionalism in Virginia.

The Organizations subcommittee is inventorying regional organizations and assessing their contribution to the regional effort.

The Opportunity subcommittee is defining the opportunities and issues that will define the regional agenda.

Jim Babcock noted that he had briefed the City and County Administrators on the project. He will brief the Mayors and Chairs and selected legislators to include someone from the Cities, Counties, and Towns legislative subcommittee. Jim Oliver asked if we should brief the Hampton Roads Caucus in order to challenge the entire delegation to become active on regional issues. It was noted we would need a, "champion", to take us there. Jim Chapman suggested we ask for a bill to create a legislative study commission on the Hampton Roads structural project, perhaps with funding to help with the research. Jim feels that it would be useful to have legislation introduced to provide funding for some regional studies. He and Jim Babcock will contact legislators to ask their advice on how best to involve the legislative delegation.

Anna McNider briefly discussed the Legislative Action Committee. The committee is attempting to gather legislative agendas from groups throughout the region. Portions of a joint legislative package have already been received from the Chambers of Commerce of Southside and the Peninsula. The committee's work will be most important when the Economic Competitiveness opportunities are well defined. The Committee intends to meet with Legislators to press for issues of import to FHR as they are developed. Several members stressed that we should visit Legislators only when we were ready to seek support for specific legislative initiatives. Anna noted that the committee had three action items on its plate at this time.

- Construct a list of calling committees

- Support transportation issues as they are raised

- Support structural issues as they emerge from the planning process

The committee also proposes to sponsor an FHR Board breakfast for each of the gubernatorial candidates in the early spring.

Jake Tobin distributed for discussion a list of nominees for officers and members of the Board of Directors of the Future of Hampton Roads, Inc. to be presented to the full Board at their Annual Meeting in January. Discussion followed and the list was refined. The Executive Committee, acting as the Nominating Committee, unanimously approved a motion to forward the nominations to the Board for their consideration at the Annual Meeting. The list of nominees is attached for the record.

There being no further business, the Executive Committee meeting adjourned at 11:02