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

DATE: THURSDAY, May 4, 1995                   TAG: 9505040070
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI                                LENGTH: Medium

DEVELOPMENT BOARD TO SEEK TOWN FUNDS

The board approved the proposed budget Wednesday morning. It includes money for advertising, promotions, and the hiring of a director and administrative assistant.

In the overall proposed budget now being studied by Pulaski Town Council, the plan is to fund two-thirds of the new economic development initiative with interest generated by the town's Urban Development Action Grant money. The UDAG funds, originally secured from federal sources to loan for an industrial expansion, have been earmarked as they have been repaid for loans to other new businesses and for economic development in general.

The town has received five applications for the director's job already, with advertising for the position just now beginning to hit the media. The cutoff date for applications is May 27.

After that, Town Council's Human Resources Committee will screen the applications down to a reasonable number for interviews.

Roscoe Cox, the current director who will be stepping down in June, urged the board to maintain highway sign advertising that he started for the town when he was director of its Main Street program. Existing contracts for the billboards run out in the next few months, and Cox said other clients are lining up for them.

"This year, in my judgement, is going to be the year in which Pulaski comes out and shows what she's got," he said, but it will take support from local businesses to maintain the advertising level. "We have to get out here and sell the idea that we are open for business ... Every one of us have got to be marketers."

The board also discussed ideas for prominent signs to be placed at four entrances into town.

A number of board members wanted the signs to be more permanent than metal or wooden signs, possibly using stone or brick to mount them.

"My feeling is, if we don't spend the right amount of money and do it properly, let's don't do it at all," said Don Copenhaver. "We are on the move. We're doing some things here that have never been done before ... Let's go a step farther and do it right."

"I think you're right. We're not ready to rush into this," board Chairwoman Sybil Atkinson said. "We've waited this long. Let's get it right."

The board's Marketing Committee will look into the various sign proposals and make a recommendation.