ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, June 23, 1996 TAG: 9606240131
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
THE NEED to act as a region, discussed above, underscores the importance of initiatives such as the New Century Council.
A few years ago, this group got together hundreds of citizens from across the region to fashion an area-wide strategy for a "preferred future," as opposed to a future imposed by default and outsiders. Now the council is looking for ways to implement some of its recommendations.
The New Century Council's active members and tiny staff, including director Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr., aren't having an easy time of it. They have failed to sustain a broad base of participation. They have remained too wedded to the business community, and are getting little cooperation from governments.
They have a long way to go still in overcoming New River Valley suspicions of Roanoke Valley motives, and in prodding Virginia Tech to adopt a more active leadership role.
And they are having a hard time getting around a big problem: The region lacks a core of leadership, deep or strong, to which they can turn to get things done.
Even so, the council and its various committees have been working behind the scenes - pushing ideas, seeking collaborators, encouraging others to do the same. And their efforts have not been without success.
Indeed, the New Century Council has quietly been a catalyst for several developments potentially important for our region's future. Among them:
Formation of the New Century Presidents Council, made up of college and university presidents, school superintendents and business representatives hoping to coordinate educational opportunities in the region.
A new commitment by three planning district commissions to work together on regionwide projects.
A partnership among adult-education providers to design a model for workforce development to replace the current maze of training programs.
The start of an effort to develop benchmarks for monitoring and enhancing the region's quality of life.
An agreement with Hughes Aircraft to install, in 12 demonstration sites, technology that will beam the Internet and televised instruction to schools - for the first time in the world - directly via satellite.
More focused attention on the idea of developing a major intermodal (air, highway and rail) distribution facility in the New River Valley.
Creation of the New Century Technology Council, made up of heads of high-tech businesses, to foster awareness and growth of technology-based industry in the region.
These are commendable projects. They also exemplify the sorts of efforts our region needs to pursue more aggressively, and with clearer focus and broader support, if we are to secure a prosperous place in what Michael Clough calls the new, new South.
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