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

DATE: FRIDAY, October 27, 1995                   TAG: 9510270057
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

ALLIANCE MAKES ITS CASE WITH MONTGOMERY

Last spring, the county Board of Supervisors slashed one-half of its contribution to the regional marketing agency, after deciding it would get more "bang for the buck" by putting the money into the county's own economic development office.

This week, with budget time fast approaching, alliance President Barry Evans told the board both that its support is critical, and that Montgomery County benefits anytime new jobs are brought to the New River Valley.

That's because studies show that one-half of the valley's commuters drive to Montgomery County to work, Evans said. "You are the hub in the New River Valley."

Evans, a Giles County insurance agent, outlined plans to expand the alliance's executive committee to include administrators from the valley's four counties and one city, along with executives from Virginia Tech, Radford University and New River Community College.

He said rebuilding lines of communication will be a priority. "We haven't communicated with you all," Evans said. "We've lost that dialogue."

One of the reasons supervisors decided to slash their contribution to the alliance from $44,500 to $22,250 was a sense that the board never got a follow-up on results the organization got from the prospects it attracted to the area.

More recently, several members of the Montgomery Regional Economic Development Commission, at a Sept. 20 meeting, questioned what role the alliance is going to play in the face of stepped-up state recruiting efforts.

Frank Crockett, an Appalachian Power Co. executive, is leading the alliance's recruitment efforts while it searches for a new executive director to replace Franklyn Moreno, who left in August to start his own business. Crockett said eight to 10 major prospects have visited the area in the last two months. He attributed the surge to state efforts.

Evans said for that work to continue, the alliance needs financial support from local governments, along with the state. "If we don't have the public funds, we cease to exist," he said.

No finances for the 1996-97 fiscal year were discussed this week. But Board of Supervisors Chairman Larry Linkous thanked Evans for the presentation.

"There had been some lack of communication in the past and this is a step in the right direction," Linkous said.