ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 1, 1996 TAG: 9608010037
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: DUBLIN
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
When the New River Valley Economic Development Alliance was formed seven years ago, the promotion of tourism and working with existing industries were not mentioned in its mission statement.
But both of those topics figured prominently in an all-day strategic planning session for the alliance - a regional marketing organization - at New River Community College.
Boosters of tourism argued that it is part of economic development and should not be something considered separately. Meanwhile, other people noted that more new jobs come from expansions at existing industries than from landing new companies.
Those items may still be covered under the existing mission statement, which calls for boosting the economy of the New River Valley.
Alliance Executive Director Stuart C. Gilbert brought in some newly developed tools from Virginia Tech to help cram three days of planning into a single day Tuesday. The approximately 60 people attending pushed buttons on hand-held electronic Option Finders, which translated into instant graphs and vote percentages on the various issues raised.
But it was the old-fashioned group meetings and notes stuck up on walls for consideration that dominated the last part of the session, where specific recommendations were made for what should go into a four-year alliance program.
In the area of research, participants wanted the alliance to develop an understanding of why jobs are leaving the New River Valley, compile a list of area research capabilities available at places like Virginia Tech, lock onto emerging technologies and consider business incubator facilities.
The formation of a legal authority is being considered as a mechanism for funding the alliance. Also recommended is a three-year fund-raising campaign for the alliance geared to private sources, to be run by a professional company.
The alliance should promote itself through news articles, radio and television, computer web pages and educational institutions so New River Valley residents have some idea of what its activities are, one sub-group said.
Gilbert must now put all the ideas into written form to mail to participants. It will then go to the alliance board. Once the board has studied them, the recommendations will go to the governing bodies that support the alliance for their thoughts, then come back to the board to develop a four-year plan.
"We will have it done within two weeks," Gilbert said, and it may take another two weeks to get the preliminary report mailed to alliance members for their reactions.
"The process isn't over," alliance President Danny Hardy said. "This is a living document." Getting it implemented will be a major step for the organization, he said.
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