Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 9, 1993 TAG: 9310090049
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MICHAEL STOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
"I look upon this kind of thing like Roanoke saying, `Hey, we want to help you,' " Sen. Madison Marye, D-Shawsville, said. "That's kind of like being from the government and saying I want to help you. I'm a little suspicious."
Marye's skepticism was echoed by business leaders who didn't articulate specific concerns about the project, but said they want to wait to see if there are hidden agendas for the project.
They stressed that differences in geography and culture could make it hard for the New Century Council to develop common goals for economic development, education and quality of life.
"I don't think it's impossible, but I do think that the diversity we're looking at may make it difficult," said Hiawatha Nicely, vice president of Magnox Inc. in Pulaski and a leader in the New River Valley's economic development efforts.
Some of the same folks also say the New River Valley needs to strengthen partnerships among its own localities before it starts trying to work with the Roanoke Valley.
"I'm not interested in forming another group that might take away from" the New River Valley Economic Alliance," said Nicely, who served as president of the group in 1989-90.
Gary Weddle, president of the regional marketing group, said he's worried the New Century Council could drain two of the Alliance's most valuable resources: volunteers and funding.
"What they are saying is right on track, but I think we need to approach it cautiously because there is the possibility of overlapping, . . . of bumping heads on these two issues."
His feelings were intensified Thursday when Weddle learned the New Century Council is the likely recipient of $200,000 in state funds that both the Alliance and the Roanoke Valley Economic Development Partnership wanted for their own economic development efforts.
The brainchild of the Roanoke Regional Business Council and Virginia Tech, the New Century Council is a group of community leaders who believe the Roanoke and New River valleys must work together to survive in a global economy.
Leaders for the project are Thomas Robertson, co-chair of the council, and Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr., its executive director. Former Virginia Tech President James McComas was co-chair until colon cancer forced his retirement last month.
Roughly 40 people from the New River Valley will be among more than 100 participants in a seminar Tuesday at Mountain Lake Resort in Giles County. It's there that the New Century Council will begin plotting a regional master plan for the next century.
Several New River participants said their high hopes are clouded by a lot of unanswered questions.
The main question: Will the New River Valley be an equal partner or is this simply an attempt by Roanoke to take advantage of the area's resources and strengthen its ties to Virginia Tech?
"I think the whole idea of regionalism is a good one," Montgomery County Supervisor Larry Linkous said. "I just want to be cautious and make sure that the New River Valley is not swallowed up by the Roanoke Valley. We need to maintain our own identity. It's not something we should rush into."
Representatives from local chambers of commerce have been on the council's steering committee, but are waiting to find out more details before formally endorsing the idea.
Jim Stewart, a board member for the Christiansburg-Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, said he's been pleased with the leadership provided so far by Robertson and McComas.
"From an economic standpoint I think it will be an overall enhancement to the area," he said. "The question naturally will surface - Is there a hidden agenda? - but if that turns out to be the case then there will be no deal. It just won't happen."
Stewart, the director of the Center for Innovative Technology's regional office at New River Community College, said there's been a concerted effort not to have the council perceived as just a Roanoke-Virginia Tech partnership.
Still, he said, it's only natural for the Roanoke Valley to link itself to the state's largest university in these competitive economic times.
"Just because Virginia Tech's located in Blacksburg, it is not the property of Blacksburg," he said. "It's a state institution. Gosh, I sound disloyal saying that."
While the Alliance has been successful in working for the entire New River Valley, local leaders agree that deep-seated rivalries - much like those between Roanoke, Roanoke County and Salem - still exist between area localities.
"Its essential that we overcome some of the barriers between the communities," said David Thacker, president-elect of the Greater Blacksburg Chamber of Commerce.
Some of the fiercest battle lines have been drawn between Christiansburg and Blacksburg, Montgomery County's two towns.
Linkous said the local rivalries date back decades to old high school football rivalries and downright civic pride. In the case of Blacksburg-Christiansburg, though, the tension has centered on the growing commercial center spreading along the U.S. 460 and Virginia 114 intersection.
In 1986, Blacksburg objected to Christiansburg's annexation of that area, which included the Corning plant and what is now the New River Valley Mall. Christiansburg eventually added 5.4 square miles and 2,700 residents.
Just last year, a proposal to merge the Blacksburg and Montgomery County chambers was voted down by the memberships of both groups.
"There are always going to be these geopolitical battles, but if we don't transcend these, then we are going to be left behind," said Weddle, who is also a member of Radford City Council.
Linkous said he believes the local governments are finally starting to work together.
For instance, Montgomery County and Blacksburg recently agreed to build a recreation park at a new elementary school in Blacksburg that will be available for community use after school hours.
"It's going in the right direction. It's just going slow," Linkous said.
There is also a natural, unspoken rivalry between Radford and Blacksburg - stemming from the universities in both municipalities.
Bill Yerrick, president of Radford's Chamber of Commerce, is a big advocate of the New Century Council.
But Yerrick, telecommunications director at Radford, said he had concerns that Tech's role might overshadow Radford University's.
Marye, a longtime critic of Tech's strong influence on the New River Valley, said it's tough representing a constituency ranging from farmers to highly paid college professors.
"It's not easy when you have two or three local governments all with different positions," he said.
The doubts about the New Century Council don't worry Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr., the former economic developer for Dominion Bank who was recently hired to lead the group.
"If there weren't some concerns then we wouldn't be human," he said. "If there are any hidden agendas, then I'm not aware of them and if I was then I wouldn't be involved."
Fitzpatrick is confident the two valleys - with the help of Henry Luke, a Jacksonville, Fla., consultant hired by the group - can develop a plan that will create jobs for future generations.
"We're going to set a whole new course," he said. "And our goal is not to get involved in this nit-picking, them-versus-us attitude. Neither the Roanoke Valley nor the New River Valley can survive in the best possible way without one another."
Nearly everyone interviewed for this story - including those skeptical of the regional approach - had high praise for the former councilman.
"He is very articulate and apolitical. Bev has a great ability to provide leadership," Yerrick said.
"I'm super-impressed with him," Weddle said. In an effort to familiarize himself and meet New River Valley leaders, Fitzpatrick spent a whole day at the New River Valley Economic Summit last month.
Another uncertainty about the New Century Council is how McComas' departure will affect New River's role in the vision plan.
Darrel Martin, a special assistant to the president at Tech and a key member of the steering committee, said other Tech administrators will pick up the ball.
"Jim McComas certainly was a force in shaping this council, but this is a team approach," Martin said.
He said the Council is a process "for people that want to leave a legacy for the next century," and there is no room for squabbling among various localities.
"If we are going to have competitive victories then we can't spend our time playing intramural games."
Taylor Cole, regional vice president for Central Fidelity Bank, said a well thought-out vision could help this region develop a niche and create jobs much like the Research Triangle did in North Carolina.
"We cannot continue this broad-brush anything-goes kind of thing. If we can combine our resources together then we can do much better," he said.
Cole said he's hopeful the entire New River Valley will support the project.
"Other communities have done it and shame on us if we don't," he said. "Skeptics have kept us from realizing the potential of this area for a long time. I am just hopeful that we can overcome that."
by CNB