McDonnell, Bolling begin economic development discussion (Danville, Virginia)

Comment: Well it is good idea to come to Southside and help us poor people get better jobs, like working in a uranium mine or mill, sounds so fun! Heck, we want progressive jobs, high tech jobs like ours the people in Northern Virginia! Yes, let's wait for the uranium study, strange after all the years of uranium mining problems; the great NAS may say something different about uranium! How come no one in the government has done a study to follow the lives of nuclear energy workers or the uranium mining in our country? Is everybody so trusting that they believe what some group may say something is safe and other scientists says the opposite, maybe the little green dollars influence most people! Remember, when the tobacco industry said smoking was healthy and was allowed to put cigs in military rations and hooked a whole generation of smokers! Do we really trust our government so much, when the government made our military stand in the ditches, on the ships, even children was encouraged to watch the nuclear bombs explode in our Western States and the islands? I am a person (cat) that always asks why! Do you ever ask why or how come? No to Uranium Mining and Milling!  Will the local citizens be allowed to attend all the meetings that Mr. Gov will have every 30 days?
By Catherine Amos
Published: December 16, 2009
Updated: December 17, 2009

Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell and Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling met in Danville on Wednesday morning with dozens of local elected officials and economic development leaders, kicking off McDonnell’s promise to work directly with Southside on ways to improve the local economy.

The meeting was the first of what McDonnell pledges to be monthly discussions on the ground in the area, which continues to face double-digit unemployment. The economic roundtable met for about an hour and a half at the Institute of Advanced Learning & Research before McDonnell and his team continued on to Martinsville to hold a similar discussion.

The two main issues of discussion were improving local work force development and the need for state funding to successfully compete with other states for economic development projects through incentives, such as the Governor’s Opportunity Fund and Enterprise Zones.

The roundtable included Secretary-Designate of Commerce and Trade Bob Sledd, Delegate Danny Marshall, R-14th, Delegate Don Merricks, R-16th, Sen. Frank Ruff, R-15th, former state Sen. Charles Hawkins, Jeff Anderson, director of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Danville Mayor Sherman Saunders and Pittsylvania County Administrator Dan Sleeper, among many others.

“You’re ahead of the game and that’s a good thing,” Bolling said of the cooperation between Danville and Pittsylvania County in building industrial parks. “What we want to figure out now is how we can help you get farther ahead of the game.”

McDonnell asked about the status of the Berry Hill Road industrial megapark project in Pittsylvania County and about what the state could do to further the project. Local officials stressed if Danville and Pittsylvania County want to compete with North Carolina, state funding is essential.

“When we weigh in head-to-head, the best incentive package we can bring to the table puts us at a more level playing field,” City Manager Lyle Lacy told McDonnell.

Danville Economic Development Director Jeremy Stratton said the city was seeking businesses in six target sectors — pharmaceuticals, automotive energy, polymers/plastics, food/beverage, aerospace and information technology. Many in the group touted the advantages of bringing advanced manufacturing to the area and the need to develop a qualified work force — along with prepared sites such as industrial parks.

“Virginia has some very good niches in advanced manufacturing,” Anderson said. “We’re really trying to get those leaders together and get the investments in.”

Pittsylvania County Supervisor Fred Ingram brought up the sensitive issue of supporting uranium mining — but only if it proves to be safe — in the quest for jobs. He asked for McDonnell’s opinion.


“If it can be done safely, let’s move on it,” Ingram said.


McDonnell said he was “looking forward” to the scientific study and was following the issue closely.

Following an afternoon of meetings, Marshall said he “got good information,” from the discussions in Danville and Henry County.

“There’s a thousand pieces of economic development,” Marshall said. “We invest in the land, but we need to invest in our people to make sure they are ready for the jobs that are going to come to our area.”

McDonnell’s team did not have its next visit set in stone, but the governor-elect vowed they would be “on the ground every 30 days,” and would return sometime in January to outline plans for the General Assembly.

“We’ve got a number of ideas that we’re gonna be pushing and pushing hard,” Bolling said. “… We’ve got a great product, we just need to sell it more. We’ve got a lot of work to do in these areas.

“If you see other people doing things that we don’t have the ability to do, make sure we know about it. Because we’re not afraid to see if we can go out and tackle it or at least match it.”

“There’s tremendous opportunity in Southside Virginia,” McDonnell said. “There’s great ideas down here.

There’s uniquely unified leadership between Danville and Pittsylvania County … There’s a lot of vision…What we need now is to provide the tools and some resources to be able to close the deals.”

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http://www2.godanriver.com/gdr/news/local/danville_news/article/mcdonnell_bolling_begin_economic_development_discussion/16393/