Since running in 2001, Bob Miller has been in training for this year’s Board of Supervisors election. Coming close to a supervisor’s seat was the catalyst to further his resolve.

     Miller had prepared for the 2001 election by attending the UVA Sorenson Institute for Political Leadership and has become a regular fixture at supervisors and planning commission meetings since.

     Preparing for this election, Miller is back in school taking one course at UVA and another at Lord Fairfax Community College. "Both of these courses have improved my leadership skills and expanded my knowledge and awareness of the problems we face and more importantly, the potential solutions to those problems", said Miller.

     Some of the problems Miller discussed were managing growth, increasing good employment opportunities and creating elder housing.

     "I truly think that the board has done an excellent job in appropriately managing growth", said Miller "I want to be part of the team to continue that effort", he added.

     "The challenge for growth is for us to direct the growth where we as a community want to see it go", said Miller."In the past 12 years only 18 percent of the growth has occurred in residentially zoned areas", he added. Rapid growth counties surround Madison now, and Miller predicts that in the next 5-10 years taxes in these adjoining counties are going to skyrocket.

     "When those counties shut the door and rebel, we all know where their residents are coming", said Miller. Miller vacillated on who may be the first to show up in Madison and their rationale for doing so.

     "It’s a toss up of families with school age children who want rural beauty and the setting that they are losing," said Miller. "It’s also easy to say that retirees are the ones moving to Madison from metropolitan areas. We may become just as attractive if schools are growing so rapidly because we maintain smaller student teacher ratios," he added.

     "I truly find myself drawn to challenges," said Miller. "I have been told that I have creative problem solving skills as a talent," he added.

     "I think the challenge to keeping Madison like it is, combined with creating some jobs, employment and affordable housing will take creative skills," said Miller.

     Miller highlighted Plow and Hearth as an exemplary business, but listed several other possibilities that could be an asset to the county. "Madison could connect to the skyline drive via an elevated tramway," said Miller. "Consider a link between Syria and Skyland by tram - more tourists would come through Madison," he added.

     "Bed and breakfasts are a great thing to have here, but we need more restaurants," said Miller. Local small income producing enterprises were seen possibilities as Miller discussed his own entrepreneurial enterprises that were built in Madison.

     "I would encourage people to buy locally, to encourage home grown business. I like the home grown concept of growth versus corporate America coming in," said Miller. "Employment is important to keep the people who were raised here, working here and to keep teachers (and their spouses) living and working here," said Miller.

     Miller pointed to the revitalized Main Street infrastructure and other pending projects as vital to attracting some new businesses. "The BASS fitness/swimming pool would be a great asset to the community," said Miller. Elder housing was another focus for Miller as he spoke about its increasingly important role in Madison.

     Lifetime Madison residents make up a larger portion in the elder population in the county, not new comers. As they age in place Miller cited that there were no places for residents to move when they could no longer maintain or keep up their home. Miller’s initiative to attract HUD funds for a senior-housing center was one of the solutions highlighted to address the growing need.

     Incorporating the community in the government was a common theme in Miller's announcement.

     "This has to be a community dictated to the will and the wish of county citizens," said Miller. "I’d love to see citizens' roles increase," he added. "It is discouraging to sit through board meetings and see only a few citizens present at each. We need more consistent input in government. I have been encouraging Madison to promote and inform its citizens and have built a website (www.madisonmatters.com) to help inform the public," said Miller. I would make use of citizen task forces for issues facing the county. "We have a lot of talent, both retired and professional that could be tapped to help guide the county," said Miller

     "I, like anyone else, would like see Madison remain a rural, prosperous, quiet place to live. I currently have and can develop further skills to do that," said Miller.

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