Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 19, 1993 TAG: 9311190152
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MICHAEL STOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
The general consensus was that the "New Century Region" eventually needs to expand to include Lynchburg, the Alleghany Highlands and other localities.
"We've lost so much political clout," said Warner Dalhouse, chairman of First Union of Virginia. "If we can pool our resources . . . we can approach Richmond or Washington with more success."
Del. Joan Munford, D-Blacksburg, noted that Fairfax County has eight paid lobbyists for education alone, while Western Virginia has to rely on volunteers.
"Ya'll are getting eaten alive," said Henry Luke, the consultant hired to lead the meetings.
Munford, who is retiring from the General Assembly, said the Roanoke and New River valleys should "consider ourselves the nucleus for growth and advancement of the entire region."
But Luke stressed that the council - formed when the Roanoke Valley Business Council and Virginia Tech joined with chambers of commerce in the Roanoke and New River valleys - should develop a solid plan first.
"Get your own house in order," he said.
About 100 business and government leaders came to Radford University for the council's fourth session. The group - headed by Executive Director Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr. - now must form a plan that it can sell to the citizens.
"Remember, after we get it all done, if people don't buy what we are producing, then we've done nothing," Blacksburg Mayor Roger Hedgepeth said.
Blacksburg engineer Ken Anderson said some people are having a hard time grouping the Roanoke and New River valleys together. "Putting those two together is still a little hard in my mind."
"I would agree," Radford City Manager Robert Asbury said.
Fitzpatrick said he has been pleased by the cooperation between the two valleys, and that other localities have approached him about joining.
"Nobody knows exactly what we are going to end up with, but they are excited about it," Fitzpatrick said. Leaders from Lynchburg and the Alleghany Highlands have called to express an informal interest, he told the group.
The final vision session focused on the roles of government and the private sector in the region's future.
Participants agreed that government leaders from both valleys must form a council that meets regularly to discuss such issues as land use, transportation and waste disposal.
They developed the following vision statement:
"The New Century Region will be a model for America for leadership development, regional identity, problem-solving and creating 21st century opportunities."
Tom Robertson, co-chairman of the council and president of Carilion Health System, said the steering committee will review material from the four vision meetings, form task forces for further study and release an action plan by February.
"The real work lies ahead of us," he said. "If we just put this on the shelf, then we really haven't accomplished much."
by CNB