Congresswoman Virginia Foxx Visits Ashe Constituents
By Miles Tager
The Mountain Times
Anyone who might have been concerned that newly elected U.S. Representative
Virginia Foxx might ever forget where she came from had those fears put to rest
this week, as the congresswoman and former state senator paid a listening visit
to West Jefferson Tuesday morning.
Speaking – and listening – at Frasiers Restaurant in an event sponsored by the
Ashe County Chamber of Commerce, Foxx was introduced by speakers Cabot
Hamilton, Chamber President, and new Ashe County Commissioner Judy Porter Poe.
Hamilton welcomed the new member of Congress –
the first from Western North Carolina in over
a century – on behalf of the chamber and said the area was delighted “to have
one of our own mountain people representing us.”
Then introduced by Poe, Foxx, from Watauga
County, said “I am here
to hear your concerns; I have represented Ashe (in the North Carolina Senate)
for ten years, and will stay in close touch with you.
Fresh from her first week in Washington, where
she was sworn in and began setting up her office in the capital, Foxx has
returned to North Carolina
“to get out in the district and visit every county, where she “is insistent
about doing all my shopping here.”
‘I want you to be in touch with me,” Foxx said.
Foxx introduced Todd Poole, her district director, and said two district
offices were being set up, one in Clemmons just off Interstate 40 that is
already operational and one in Boone – on the Highway 105 Extension – that will
be up and running soon.
“There is no phone yet for Boone but the Clemmons phone number is 336-778-0211
and my home phone still works.”
“A toll free number will be installed,” Foxx said.
Before introducing local speakers, Hamilton
said “Virginia Foxx is one of us and understands our issues and concerns.”
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U.S. Representative Virginia Foxx talks with Bob Washburn, CEO
of Ashe Federal Bank and beside her is WJ Town Manager Ken McFadyen. Photo
by Fawn Roark
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She has,
unusually for a freshman congressman, been appointed to three committees, Hamilton said; Education
and Workforce, Agriculture, and Government Reform.
The first speaker from the audience was Ashe
Board of Education head Donnie Johnson, who said the educational community’s
concerns included the federal program No Child Left Behind, schools at or over
capacity, students with disabilities, and students with English as a second
language.
The local school board supports No Child Left Behind as a long range plan,
Johnson said, and Ashe
County was one of only
two systems statewide that met those federal standards 100% last year.
West Jefferson Town Manager Ken McFadyen spoke of “many issues where we have a
relationship to the federal as well as state government; more than most people
think.”
McFadyen said some of the towns main concerns were an internet sales tax,
transportation and the federal T-21 grant program that is up for
re-authorization, and the 1996 Federal Communications Act, which McFadyen said
has been outdated by new technology like cable internet.
“We hope to see the T-21 program continued,” McFadyen said; those funds help
with sidewalk and other projects on the local level.
Ashe County Manager Dan McMillan spoke next and described Foxx as “a friend of Ashe County
for many years.”
McMillan outlined “many issues with the state and federal government,”
including Medicaid reform.
Ashe County pays out $2 million for Medicaid
annually, McMillan said; “about two-thirds of what we pay for the schools.”
“Other needs and projects include the Ashe County Library, which “is very
heavily used,” new monies for Parks and Recreation facilities, the Ashe County
Airport, a new county jail, and work ready to start on the Historic 1904 Ashe
County Courthouse.
“We are very excited about bids going out on the courthouse work,” which will
be paid for in part by a T-21 Grant
Once work is completed on the lower level the county would hope to pursue
additional federal and state transportation funding “for the upstairs,”
McMillan said.
Foxx spoke to the concerns, warning initially that “it is going to be a tough
budget year” in Washington.
I will make sure that the 5th District gets its share,” Foxx said.
