todd.jackson@roanoke.com 981-3253

A city council-formed citizens committee is searching for the recommendation that will finally bring Roanoke a winning stadium plan.

To do that, it's going to try to create momentum by eliminating public comment and attempting to hold its meetings to 90 minutes each, said committee chairman Jack Parrott.

The committee has been asked to stay on an ambitious nine-month schedule to deliver a stadium recommendation to the council. At its first meeting on Aug. 12, committee members discussed the challenge they face and agreed that it will likely take a considerable number of meetings and a sizable time commitment.

A handful of outspoken Victory Stadium supporters also attended the committee's first meeting, and one, frequent city hall critic Duane Howard, asked to speak and was allowed to do so.

With the committee's second meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Parrott said it had already received more speaking requests from residents.

The committee was concerned that its meetings could be dominated by rigid outside personalities and also was concerned that its meetings would turn into full-blown public hearings - something that could possibly impede the committee's own discussions, said Parrott, a former city councilman.

So, the committee has decided that it will not open its regular meetings to public comment - although they will remain open for people to attend under the state's Freedom of Information Act requirements, Parrott said.

The committee plans to have one or more public hearings at a later date, he added, and it invites the public to e-mail or mail written comments at their convenience.

Howard, who made an unsuccessful bid for council in May, said the committee's curtailing of public comment at its meetings is a swipe at perceived "gadflies" such as himself. Those people show up consistently at numerous city meetings to voice their opinions.

"There's an arrogance here," Howard said. "I mean, how much time is it going to take for four or five people to speak to this committee. Five minutes? Ten minutes?"

The 14-member stadium committee - 11 men and three women - was chosen by the city council to study options for a new or renovated facility that will be mainly used for high school football.

Councils past and present have struggled with public sentiment, cost estimates and corresponding politics of voting to build a new facility or to renovate all or part of Victory Stadium.