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

DATE: SATURDAY, May 28, 1994                   TAG: 9405310164
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

ECONOMIC COUNCIL MEETS THURSDAY WITH VOLUNTEERS

The New Century Council will kick off the second phase of its visioning process for the Roanoke and New River valleys with a meeting of volunteers Thursday at Virginia Tech.

After forming last year with the intent of developing a strategic economic plan for the valleys, the group came up with seven goals it wants to focus on, including education, infrastructure and partnership between local governments. Now it wants to get down to specifics.

"We're going to try to put everybody on the same sheet of music," said Ed Whitmore, research associate with the New Century Council.

Seven teams set up to address those goals will be broken down Thursday into 26 subteams, which will be expected to begin scheduling work meetings. By fall, Whitmore said, the group hopes to have interim reports from the teams on a variety of issues, especially ones that might be forwarded to the General Assembly for consideration when it convenes in January.

"We're going to take the visioning state and try to make an action plan," Whitmore said. "This is turning dreams into reality."

The New Century Council recently expanded to include Alleghany County, Clifton Forge and Covington, bringing the total number of locales represented to nine counties and five cities.

Robert Skunda, Virginia's secretary of commerce and trade, will speak, as will Henry Luke, a consultant hired to lead the group's visioning meetings.

by CNB