Several area localities invited to attend
Roanoke County will host a regional summit next month for elected officials from around the Roanoke Valley to focus on the region’s economic future. The meeting will be held on Thursday, February 28 at 6:00 p.m. at Green Ridge Recreation Center.
The special meeting was requested by Roanoke County Board of Supervisors Chairman Mike Altizer who looks forward to discussing the area’s economic development strengths, challenges, and opportunities with surrounding governments. Elected officials and staff from Botetourt, Franklin, and Montgomery counties along with the cities of Roanoke and Salem, and the Town of Vinton have been invited to participate.
The summit is in conjunction with the Roanoke Regional Partnership. John Rhodes will serve as the evening’s keynote speaker. Rhodes is a senior principal with Moran, Stahl & Boyer – site selection and economic development experts with more than 40 years of experience.
Rhodes will discuss the composition of a healthy local economy. Topics will include a review of current market trends, factors for present economic development opportunities, and the strategic value of real estate to economic growth. A group discussion will follow the presentation. The goal at the end of the evening is to achieve a consensus with regard to the next step. This could involve asking staff from the various localities to prepare information for a future meeting.
Roanoke County Board of Supervisors Chairman Mike Altizer views the summit as a chance to broaden the area’s economic development possibilities. “As a member of the Board of Supervisors, it is important to me to seek out every opportunity to bring more growth and jobs to the Valley. By bringing other localities to the table, we’ll have a chance to learn from each other and to see if there are any opportunities to work more collaboratively for the betterment of our region.”
