ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, May 16, 1996 TAG: 9605160137
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PULASKI
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
Pulaski's new economic development arm has had an impressive first 10 months.
It secured an enterprise zone with tax breaks for new businesses in the town, wrote the proposal for reopening and improving the Draper Mountain Overlook which has earned preliminary state approval, secured the nationally known Artrain for next month's Depot Days in Pulaski and is sponsoring the annual Count Pulaski Festival as well.
But that's not all. It has installed new town entrance signs, gotten Pulaski on the cover of the upcoming premiere issue of "New River Quarterly" and in the main feature section of "Majestic Southwest Virginia" magazines, worked with 21 business prospects, completed a historic walking tour brochure for the town, developed a computerized database of buildings and sites for potential business, and more.
Part of the "more" is working with the city of Galax and town of Wytheville to secure a segment of the syndicated "Jim Baugh's Outdoors" television show, with the three localities sharing the cost with the state. Taping of the show, which will center on the New River Trail but also have footage on Pulaski's Gatewood Park, is scheduled to start in several weeks.
"I think, if we just had three of these, it would be a success for the first year," Wayne Carpenter, vice chairman of Pulaski Board of Economic Development, said at a meeting of its executive committee Wednesday.
"You're not going to see 'support this' or 'support that' or 'thinking about doing this'" on the list of accomplishments, said Barry Matherly, the town's economic development director. "Supporting something takes no time."
The office also will have an Internet World Wide Web home page next month, also covering Pulaski's municipal activities and linking with the Southwest Virginia Governor's School, Pulaski County school system and state data on Pulaski."It's just as easy to put the whole town up on a home page as it is the Department of Economic Development, and it makes more sense," Matherly said.
The home page will not be up until the end of June, but the town is scheduled to be on line today. "So we can start receiving messages," Matherly said.
Leon Scales of Martinsville, a master's degree candidate at Virginia Tech in public administration, joined the department this week as an intern. His first job will be putting the finishing touches on the recruiting package seeking businesses in the town's new enterprise zone. "As soon as he's done with that, we're going to put him full time on the enterprise zone," Matherly said.
LENGTH: Medium: 53 linesby CNB