THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 18, 1996 TAG: 9607180325
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY IDA KAY JORDAN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: 45 lines
A new Development Action Team, with the former assistant director of the Economic Development Department as chief of staff, has been organized by City Manager Ron Massie to set a single development agenda for Portsmouth.
Chief of staff Steve Herbert moved his office from the Economic Development quarters in the Central Fidelity building to City Hall last Friday. He will continue his work as coordinator of Vision 2005, a community and economic development plan now entering its second year.
``The objective is to get everything on the table and to bring everybody to the table to participate,'' Massie said Tuesday. ``The separation of the parts sometimes has created problems.''
The team will include Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority Director Danny Cruce, Economic Development Director Matthew James, city attorney Tim Oksman, planning Director Jim Gildea, three deputy city managers and several other department heads.
``Many projects are dependent on cooperation between departments,'' Massie said. ``We're all in this together.''
Massie said the new team, which will meet every other week on Thursday afternoons, will enable the city to focus its resources on priority projects. Herbert will report directly to Massie.
As a parallel to the staff team, Massie also has established a development policy group, made up of the mayor and one City Council member plus the volunteer chairs of PRHA, the Industrial Development Authority, the planning commission and the Municipal Finance Commission. They will meet monthly.
``They will set the direction,'' Massie said. ``I think they also will help strengthen the links among the staff of PRHA, IDA and other city agencies. This will eliminate any confusion about the mission of each group.''
The Economic Development Department will be ``refocused,'' he said, on selling Portsmouth to new businesses and keeping existing businesses, as well as managing the city real estate that is available for business development.
Massie said the new team does not increase the city bureaucracy but brings the parts of government to focus on projects. However, two new jobs will be created. Herbert will have a research assistant and a clerical aide in his office.
``This will allow the city to establish a single set of priorities and set a single agenda for everyone,'' Massie said. ``Different departments won't be going in different directions.'' by CNB