At a regional administrators luncheon earlier this summer, local leaders including Craig Meadows, Montgomery County Administrator; Gary Larrowe, Botetourt County Administrator; Bob Cowell, Roanoke City Manager, began discussing a regional forum for elected officials, university officials, and healthcare administrators.
The goal was to bring all of the leaders from the New River and Roanoke Valleys in one room to learn more about what Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech are doing and planning for the region, as well as to open a dialogue about how localities can be part of the planning and anticipated growth. The expectation was that the meeting would be the first of many.
Pictured here are the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors and County Administrator who were in attendance at the meeting (from left to right: Sara Bohn, District A; Chris Tuck, District B; Chair Todd King, District D; Steve Fijalkowski, District C; Mary Biggs, District F; and Craig Meadows, County Administrator).
In total, 21 cities, counties, and towns, along with Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech administrators, were present at the gathering, which was held at Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute in Roanoke, Va., on Sept. 12. The localities present included: Alleghany County, Town of Blacksburg, Botetourt County, Town of Buchanan, Town of Christiansburg, Town of Clifton Forge, City of Covington, Craig County, Town of Fincastle, Floyd County, Franklin County, Giles County, Montgomery, Pulaski County, Town of Pulaski, City of Radford, City of Roanoke, City of Salem, Town of Troutville, and Town of Vinton.