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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 14, 1993                   TAG: 9307140363
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

LEADERS GIVE ADVICE

That's the approach taken by Roanoke officials as they begin work on the Roanoke Vision '93 plan, which will guide development in the next two decades.

Here's part of the advice that was given to nearly 300 people at a forum Tuesday night to begin the citizen-participation phase in the planning process:

Paul Brophy, vice chairman of the Enterprise Foundation and the keynote speaker, made these suggestions:

Think big. Have a broad and far-reaching vision.

Think regionally, across political boundaries. Core cities and the suburbs need to work together to solve problems.

Be inclusive. Don't create development situations where there is a winner and loser.

Create public and private partnerships. Get the business community involved.

Keep downtown strong and make it stronger. It is the heart of the community.

Face the tough problems, such as Roanoke's poverty and the increasing elderly population.

Walter Rugaber, president and publisher of the Roanoke Times & World-News, made these observations:

Roanoke's role in the region will be determined partly by the residents in the region, and whether they want the city to have a role. Unless the city can persuade the region that it has a role, it might not occur automatically.

Voters tend to blame their political leaders when there are economic problems. Political leaders can be hindered or helped by voters' knowledge and understanding of issues.

Estelle McCadden, president of the Melrose-Rugby Neighborhood Forum, outlined a list of neighborhood requests:

Reducing the number of boarded and vacant houses.

Better schools and more efficient use of school buildings when they are not being used by students.

More jobs and better employment opportunities.

The opening of community-access centers so city services can be brought closer to neighborhoods.

William Johnson, plant manager for Vitramon, gave the reasons why the manufacturer of computer chips decided to locate in the city:

The available work force, professionalism of the state and city economic development specialists, air service and the location.

City officials gave no hint of the infighting among the Roanoke Valley localities.

Vitramon decided to expand in Roanoke for several reasons, including the quality of its workers.

City Manager Bob Herbert said the two overriding issues for the plan will be the population mix the city wants in the next 10 to 20 years and how to create the economy to pay for the services that will be needed.