
DATE: Wednesday, September 10, 1997         TAG: 9709100697

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: PUBLIC LIFE 

SOURCE: BY KAREN WEINTRAUB, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:  112 lines

BRIDGING THE GAP REGIONAL GROUP USES CLOUT TO OVERCOME DIVISIVENESS, BOOST ECONOMY.

There are certain longstanding truths about Hampton Roads: workers here aren't paid as well as they are elsewhere; cities work against each other more than they do together and business leaders complain behind the scenes but rarely get out in front to lead.

A year-old group called the Hampton Roads Partnership is trying to change those facts of local life by bringing together regional ``movers and shakers'' to help improve the job market.

Their work is barely begun, but already, they've had a few successes. All 16 local municipalities have agreed to help fund the public-private group, contributing between $5,000 and $15,500 apiece. They established a new center tasked with helping Hampton Roads maintain its military presence.

And even their one failure - an ill-fated bid to bring a National Hockey League franchise to Hampton Roads - received unanimous support from local governments.

The 80-member organization includes all the area mayors, the presidents of all local colleges and universities and the top officers of many of Hampton Roads' top companies. The heads of the Hampton Roads Coalition of Civic Leagues and the International Longshoremen Association are members. And all four branches of the service and NASA Langley are also represented with non-voting members.

The Partnership's newly expanded board of directors met for the first time last week in a two-day retreat. As evidence of its clout, both gubernatorial candidates agreed to address the group and Gov. George Allen dropped by unannounced with words of encouragement.

Norfolk Mayor Paul D. Fraim, a member of the Partnership's executive committee, said the group's high voltage ensured the municipalities' involvement.

``You couldn't afford not to be there,'' he said. ``If all the other cities and all of the business community was going to strategize, then you couldn't be parochial.''

Fraim said he realized the need for such a group when Norfolk Southern Corporation President and CEO David R. Goode - now Partnership co-chairman - asked him why Hampton Roads couldn't be more like Charlotte, where the mayor plays an active role in regional economic development.

``I told him the difference was that the mayor of Charlotte spoke for the Charlotte region and the mayor of Norfolk did not speak for the region,'' he said, ``and we needed to find a way for the region to speak as one.''

Fraim said the Partnership is quickly developing that voice.

``I think it's really working,'' he said.

The full board will continue to hold quarterly meetings throughout the year, and an 18-member executive committee will meet monthly. Members also participate in eight committees focusing on tourism, regional identity, healthy communities, transportation, ports, military partnering, technology and work-force training.

The group's plans for the upcoming year include:

Hiring a consultant to help increase tourism, perhaps, in part, through the development of a large-scale convention center.

Working to name a Navy vessel USS Hampton Roads.

Creating a tracking system to analyze patterns of violent crimes across Hampton Roads.

Continuing to develop a package of large-scale construction projects intended to spur economic development across the region.

Virginia Beach Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf said she hopes the Partnership can force the region's legislators to work together to get Hampton Roads the state money it deserves.

``We've been talking about this for 21 years,'' she said. ``It's time that folks work together.''

So far, Oberndorf said, the cooperative work of local government, education, military and business officials has been encouraging.

``It took 10 years for Raleigh, North Carolina, to create the (research) triangle,'' she said. ``We're one year into our journey - but hopefully it won't take 10 years.'' ILLUSTRATION: HAMPTON ROADS PARTNERSHIP

Description: A public-private strategic planning organization

that uses its political and business clout to push projects aimed at

stimulating growth and bringing high quality jobs to Hampton Roads.

Mission: Provide leadership to focus on those strategic issues

that will enhance Hampton Roads' competitive position in the global

economy.

Board members: 79

Budget: $400,000 a year

Contributors: Every municipality in Hampton Roads contributes

between $5,000 and $15,500 annually, with larger communities paying

more. Other organizations represented on the board also pay on a

sliding scale with a $5,000 minimum.