Recycling in Roanoke

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Spotlight on Reason #2 Achievements SUCCESS The City of Roanoke has been recognized this year for a number of outstanding achievements including: Donation of Carvins Cove Easement The Environmental Stewardship Award (Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge The Adaptive Reuse Award (Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation) Emerging Artists Series Outstanding Adult Program (Virginia Public Library Directors’ Association) Fire-EMS Department Outstanding EMS Agency for the Western Virginia EMS Region Governor’s Award for Outstanding Fire Department Response Oral History Initiative Neighborhoods USA Notable Award Police Department Virginia Law Enforcement Challenge, 1st Place (Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police) Operation Heatwave, 2nd Place, Virginia State Police Print Publications Roanoke Citizen Gold Award (Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals) Gold Summit Award (Public Relations Society of America, Blue Ridge Chapter) Annual Report Gold Award (Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals) PLAY Silver Summit Award (Public Relations Society of America, Blue Ridge Chapter) Silver Circle Award (City-County Communications and Marketing Association) Renovate Roanoke Outstanding Cooperative Program with Other Libraries and Agencies (Virginia Public Library Directors’ Association) Valley View E-Branch Premier Visual Award and a 2008 Visual Victories Award (CBL Specialty Retail Conference) Outstanding Service Innovation (Virginia Public Library Directors’ Association) Web site Second Place in Center for Digital Government Digital Cities Survey (cities with population between 75,000 and 125,000). Roanoke was ranked first in the survey in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006. n 2 ROANOKE CITIZEN Fall 2008 For city services or information, visit www.roanokeva.gov
“ Local government is about balancing views, resources, and making decisions that are best for the community.” leadership Profile By Christina Koomen Alvin Nash Question: What made you want to serve on City Council? answer: Like everybody else, I read in the paper about the situation with Councilman Alfred Dowe. I felt terrible and was sad for all concerned. I received a phone call from a couple of longtime friends of mine encouraging me to apply for the open seat, and then I got a call from a couple of Council members asking me to consider applying. I have always been interested in Council and since I would not have to run a campaign or raise a lot of money in a short time, I decided to give it a shot. Question: What qualities do you bring to City Council that benefit its service to citizens? answer: As a lifelong resident, I am committed to the progress of Roanoke. I believe that this city remains a “balanced option” for an individual or a family to live a good quality life. I have a positive attitude about life and I have always worked well with a team. I excel in cooperation while retaining my integrity and responsibility. I have given back to my community in many ways but the best way to give back is to serve. I have 25 years of experience in various forms of business management, program development, and community involvement. I feel confident that my experience can serve the community and assist City Council. Question: In your opinion, what is the most important function of City Council? answer: City Council should provide leadership for the good of the community. Local government is about balancing views, resources, and making decisions that are best for the community. There are five areas that reflect my philosophy: Council should be efficient in spending tax dollars and managing assets for which it is responsible; Council should keep the community informed about its activities and listen to the concerns of the community; Council should provide public services such as roads, water supply, safety, sewerage, and have appropriate emergency protection plans; Council should support the economic and cultural development of its communities and protect the environment; and Council should represent its constituents to other state and federal governments. Question: What do citizens need to understand about City Council? answer: City Council is a team. Individually we have no power, but collectively we can make decisions that will affect people for decades. I want people to understand that being a Democrat, Republican, or Independent is secondary to being responsible. On City Council, there are seven heartbeats and each represents a diverse individual who cares about the people of this city, and who is trying to be fair and reasonable. Question: What is leadership? answer: To me leadership means to act in a manner that is honorable, courageous, compassionate, and ethical. Leadership is having character, character is having responsibility, and responsibility is the one trait that makes this city function as it should. Alvin Nash says it’s better to be the person who can settle a fight than the person who starts one— and this from a former U.S. light heavyweight kickboxing champion. Over the years Nash’s life has come to embody the classic yin and yang balance that forms the foundation of the martial arts he enjoyed as a young man. Nash was born and raised in Roanoke, one of five children whose family was displaced from their Northeast neighborhood by the urban renewal movement of the mid-20th century. They moved to Hurt Park, where they were among the first families to live in the new housing project there. Nash attended local schools, followed by Virginia Western Community College, where he studied architecture, drafting, and blueprint reading, and hooked up with Hayes Seay Mattern & Mattern as part of a state apprenticeship program. “Having come from Northeast to where I am now proves that there is opportunity, there is a chance for people to work their way up,” Nash reflects. In those days, Nash’s mother was on the board of Total Action Against Poverty (TAP) and got Alvin involved by encouraging him to lead a karate class for agency participants. By chance, another employee at TAP mentioned needing to review the Federal Register for a grantwriting project, and because his work at HSMM had familiarized him with this document, Nash offered to help— and his career with TAP was launched. About 10 years ago, Nash spun off from TAP the Blue Ridge Housing Development Corporation, the agency he still heads. Some of the key issues facing the city, Nash believes, are neighborhood revitalization, business development, and education. However, he says he’s not here just to offer a lot of answers. “What Council needs, and what the city needs, is the right questions.” His main talent, he believes, is trying to appreciate and understand what people care about, and making them comfortable working with him on solutions. Nash joined City Council in the spring, and says he’s looking forward to working with the new members, and seeing what he can accomplish in the coming year. “I think for some reason this is where I should be,” says Nash, with zen-like insight. “Time will tell.” To get city news on your e-mail or pager, visit www.roanokeva.gov/myroanoke ROAnOKe CitiZen Fall 2008 3
Page 1 and 2: Fall 2008 citizen Roanoke’s Star
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Page 7 and 8: By Lynda Zielinski Reason #4 A grea
Page 9 and 10: One of the projects the Orvis Roano
Page 11 and 12: Reason #7 support for Youth creatin
Page 13 and 14: Reason Investing in Neighborhoods #
Page 15 and 16: The Arts are back for an encore. TH

Recycling in Roanoke

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