LEADERS COOL TO POOLED DEVELOPMENT RECRUITING

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, January 26, 1993                   TAG: 9301260157
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: GEORGE KEGLEY AND DAVID POOLE STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
LEADERS COOL TO POOLED DEVELOPMENT RECRUITING
Harry Nickens' proposal that the Roanoke Valley pull all its economic development efforts under one umbrella drew a cool response Monday.
The Roanoke County supervisor, dusting off an idea he promoted a few years ago, said valley governments should stop fighting among themselves for industrial prospects.
Nickens thinks that if Roanoke Valley governments are serious about job creation, they would combine their economic development resources.
His proposal is that Roanoke, Roanoke County and Salem disband their individual economic development units and launch a united effort under the Roanoke Valley Economic Development Partnership.
His resolution is on the agenda for tonight's meeting of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors.
Economic development leaders, responding to the proposal, said the partnership is doing its defined job of marketing the valley and they see no need to change it.
"We think we're on track; we're going in the right direction, but we need more investment," said Jim Young, the Salem lawyer who heads the partnership. The organization is funded by the governments of Roanoke, Salem, Vinton, Roanoke, Botetourt, Craig and Franklin counties and by businesses.
Brian Wishneff, Roanoke's economic development chief, said, "I don't know how we can get any closer" to the partnership. Asked about unity, he said, "I thought we had that."
Roanoke City Manager Robert Herbert said the city needs an economic development staff to work with the Centre for Business and Technology "and to get business in it."
The partnership is working well, Herbert said, and as long as the valley has individual governments, they will need revenue to pay for local services.
Elizabeth Doughty, the partnership's executive director, said development in broad terms involves much more than attracting business and industry. The attraction part can best be served through one organization, she said.
Doughty sees the partnership "as a great example of cooperation," but she admitted her office needs more people. She has a staff of two.
Nickens suggested that each government's economic development staff work for the partnership director while drawing pay and benefits from the governing bodies.
If all governments were to pool their development budgets, he said, they could increase marketing and work on industrial parks.
In raising the issue, Nickens was responding to Roanoke Mayor David Bowers' recent comment that splintered governments were hampering industrial recruiting.
Roanoke County this year set aside $206,872 for economic development and donated another $71,667 in dues to the regional partnership.
Roanoke allotted $297,649 for development and $96,397 in dues to the partnership. Herbert said the governments doubled their contribution while payments from business "have waned."

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB