Lotzothoughtz

So about a week and a half to two weeks ago was it…Alfred Dowe resigned from the City of Roanoke’s City Council (weird of words yes, but technically it is the City of Roanoke, not Roanoke City).  It makes you wonder what other financial oddities are out there within the city, both legal and like Dowe, illegal.  

For instance the City’s “attempts” at youth retention and attraction, spear headed by Stuart Mease.  Aside from his salary (50k a year I believe) how much more money has the city slapped at this effort?  With a population that is largely under 34 years old, significantly under, the city is just slapping a bandage on a gunshot wound.   

If Mr. Mease was bringing in hundreds of kids a year, sure I’d be the first to give him an oddly long hug, but he’s not.  It’s not his fault, but going around to career fairs and area colleges only gets you so far.  With a city unable to attract new and dynamic businesses (they all go to Blacksburg these days) and seemingly incapable of mining the rich fields of thousands of college students just 45 minutes away from the city, what is the point.   

At the end of the day if you can’t bring in any new major businesses, while losing traditional businesses and/or those existing businesses weakening to a break point, you and your city are screwed.

Welcome to Roanoke.