Jean Overton, director of the Roxboro Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Center, is scheduled Monday evening to make a presentation to commissioners seeking their support for the resolution. Overton is on the agenda for the commissioners’ regular March session, which is set for 7 p.m. Monday, March 10.

The draft resolution calls on the Federal Railroad Administration for “assistance or intervention” if necessary “so that we might be able to encourage a more cooperative spirit from representatives of the Norfolk Southern real estate division.”

Citing the U. S. 501 corridor as “one key ingredient to long-term growth” in Roxboro and Person County, the resolution also notes that Roxboro City Council’s 2006 strategic plan “specifically seeks to eliminate the unused railroad spur along Highway 501 for the purpose of encouraging economic development and to beautify the southern entryway into the City….”

The unused segment of railroad right-of-way on the east side of 501 is about four miles long, including a 1.6-mile section where railroad tracks have been removed. Sixteen cuts provide access across the Norfolk Southern right-of-way along the unused portion. Half of the crossings are within the section that has no tracks.

While praising Norfolk Southern as a “community-conscious corporation” whose officials “have been stellar partners when working with new industry that plan to make use of the services” the railroad offers, the resolution adds, “…however, we have found the real estate division to be significantly less concerned about the negative impact they make on future economic development opportunities in the City of Roxboro and the County of Person….”

Leaders of city and county governments, the Roxboro Uptown Development Corp. the chamber and the chamber Economic Development Center, the draft resolution states, “would very much like to engage in open and fair dialogue with the railroad. Unfortunately, the response thus far from Norfolk Southern representatives (if any response is provided) is rarely one that encourages dialogue.”

In other business Monday night, commissioners:

• Will hear an appeal from the owners of Roxboro Dragway for a variance to the county’s noise ordinance that would permit the dragway off U.S. 158 East to operate Wednesday evenings until 11 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays until midnight and Sundays between 12:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Although the Roxboro Dragway has operated, under various ownership, at the same location for more than 30 years, it was cited last year for violation of the county’s noise ordinance that was adopted nearly 10 years ago.

• Consider final action on a 15-year lease agreement between the county and Hall’s Agri Business for use of the former Maxway building at the corner of Main and Abbitt streets in Uptown Roxboro. The county plans to relocate the register of deeds and tax offices from the county courthouse to the facility. The county would pay an annual rental rate of $121,847, or $10,154 a month.

• Consider Emergency Communications Department Director Hal Oakley’s request for allocation of an additional $38,500 to his department for the balance of the fiscal year to cover anticipated budget overruns owing to higher costs of part-time personnel and overtime pay incurred because of illness and off-the-job injuries to 911 Center personnel.