Fiscal Year 2000-2001 was a good year for the continued development of the region. The following report outlines action on a number of projects which are underway or have received funding during the year.

July 2001 brought about a change in the size of the Commission�s Board. Effective on that date the Commission increased from seventeen members to twenty- four members. The Commission agreed to open membership to the smaller towns in the region as well as the Universities. The towns of Narrows, Pearisburg, Floyd, and Rich Creek each appointed a member. Virginia Tech appointed two members and Radford University, one member. The participation of these organizations is important for the future of the region.

The year saw some of the first results from the 2000 Census. The New River Valley grew by 8.2 percent or 12,466 persons. The region�s population is 2.3% of the State�s population and the growth is 1.4% of the State�s population growth. The New River Valley�s population change of 8.2% is higher than the Roanoke Valley�s change of 4.2%. The Roanoke Area�s numerical change was 10,731 persons. Floyd and Montgomery Counties accounted for the majority of the region�s population growth, seeing 16.0% and 13.1% increases respectively. For additional Census information visit our web site at

Virginia�s First Regional Industrial Facility Authority was developed to enhance the economic base of member localities by developing, owning, and operating one or more facilities on a cooperative basis involving its member localities. The Authority consists of fifteen Southwestern Virginia localities, each having two appointed members which make up the Virginia�s First Regional Industrial Facility Authority Board.

The Authority has held meetings regularly over the last year. Activities during this period have been devoted to the development of the New River Valley Commerce Park Project. However, the Authority has appointed a study committee to consider the establishment of an information technology services company, referred to as Dynamic Job-Oriented Technology Solutions (DJOTS). It is the primary goal of the study committee to evaluate the potential for such a program with emphasis being placed on providing opportunities to local graduates of New River Community College, Radford University, Virginia Tech, and the New River Magnet School by creating high tech jobs in the information technology industry within the Virginia�s First region. The establishment and design of this program is intended to be replicated throughout the Virginia�s First region, thus meeting rural development needs by revitalizing our struggling towns, cities, and counties affected by the downsizing or the relocation of traditional companies. Main Menu

The PDC staff worked closely with the project engineer, Thompson + Litton, to prepare documentation required by the Virginia Department of Corrections as a prerequisite for reimbursement of the State�s 50 percent share of construction costs. In January 2001, the State paid their share of nearly $16 million.

Pulaski County, with the support of the New River Valley Criminal Justice Services Board (NRVCJSB-staffed by the PDC), the Wythe Regional Community Corrections Criminal Justice Board (WRCCCJB), and the New River Valley Regional Jail Authority, submitted an initial application in September 2000 to develop a pretrial services program. The Regional Jail will operate this program serving the localities in the Regional Jail service area. This project is under development, with a pilot program expected to begin in January 2002.

The availability of funds for the development of pretrial services led to plans for the consolidation of the community-based probation services provided by New River Valley Community Corrections, Inc. and Wythe Regional Community Corrections. The plan is for the Jail to begin operation of the community-based probation services program in October 2001. The two Community Criminal Justice Boards, NRVCJSB and WRCCCJB, which provided advice to the two community-based probation services program providers were dissolved on July 1, 2001 when a new Board representing ten localities was put into place.

The Regional Task Force on Juvenile Detention, also staffed by the PDC, includes the City of Galax and the Counties of Montgomery and Tazewell in addition to the Jail Authority members. The Task Force submitted a Needs Assessment to the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) in January 2000 that proposed co-locating a juvenile detention facility with the Regional Jail. Although DJJ denied this proposal, the Task Force continues to explore the possibility of building a detention home on the Jail site. Main Menu

The Magnet School is a partnership between New River Community College and Bland, Carroll, Wythe, Giles, Floyd, Pulaski, and Montgomery Counties and the City of Radford which have joined to provide high school juniors and seniors training and dual enrollments for technology related course work. The Magnet School is expanding through satellite CISCO SYSTEMS labs. Enrollment for all Magnet School technology classes has increased to approximately 270 students. Interest and support for the School has also increased among business and technology groups. Well trained workers help attract high-tech industries to the Valley, thus encouraging recent graduates to stay in the area and boost the economy. The Magnet School offers two levels of certification in Information Technology with courses including Computer Network Hardware Operations, Computer Repair Technology, Computer Aided Design, Electronics/Robotics, and Principles of Lasers and Fiber Optics.

During this past year, significant efforts have been made toward the construction of a facility to house the School. A concept of the facility has been prepared, four acres of New River Community College has been made available to the School, and sources of funding have been investigated.

In January 2001, the Virginia�s First Regional Industrial Authority endorsed the Magnet School project. The Authority supports the program because the school has the potential to produce the skilled work force that is needed to help attract a high-tech industry to the Authority�s Commerce Park. Main Menu

Virginia�s New River Valley Regional Competitiveness Partnership

Virginia�s New River Valley Regional Competitiveness Partnership was formed at the request of the local governments. It is composed of representatives of the New River Valley Planning District Commission and the New River Valley Economic Development Alliance. The Partnership reports on the status of regional projects and encourages other regional projects through the investment of funds provided to the Partnership by the General Assembly, approximately $250,000 last year. These funds were used to support the development and operations of the New River Valley Airport as a User Fee Airport and Foreign Trade Zone. Funds were also utilized to provide operational support to the New River Valley Competitiveness Center and to further the New River Access project development. In the area of workforce development, Regional Competitiveness Partnership monies provided ongoing support to the planning and design of the Technology Magnet School and to the operation and expansion of the Work Keys Program. Main Menu

Vision 2020

Vision 2020 continues to serve the NRVPDC and its jurisdictions as a foundation for continued regional cooperation, particularly for projects that draw heavily on grassroots involvement. As the following projects show, Vision 2020 gives the New River Valley a framework for broad-based community development activities, helping to reach our goal of a healthy, sustainable community by 2020.

The Kellogg Foundation funding began the MIRA program in March 1998 and the final phase of mini-grants was completed in August 1999. However, the ripple effect of ten citizen-run community improvement projects that were implemented in the region with funding from a Kellogg MIRA grant continues. The goal of these projects was to enhance information technology access for the grassroots community, and to encourage formal and informal networks of people and organizations across the region. Over 150 citizens from across the region were involved in the development of these projects. Each team was required to build in sustainability for their efforts following the grant period. All programs are still viable in the various communities of the New River Valley.

The Coal Heritage group sponsored a festival day in 2000 and the arts projects in Floyd County continue to grow. The project participants prepared digital scrapbooks, following a training workshop from Kellogg, to record and share their accomplishments.  This model is the inspiration for the digital storytelling workshops the youth civic engagement project (below) is undertaking.

For more information about these on-going projects and programs, please contact Holly Lesko, [email protected]. Main Menu

American Heritage Rivers

The New River was designated an American Heritage River by President Clinton in July of 1998. By late July 1999, with staff support from the NRVPDC, a tri-state (North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia) New River Workplan was complete and unveiled at Congressman Rick Boucher�s New River Conference held on July 26th. Congressman Boucher hosted another conference in October 2000 where New River project coordinators shared their experiences concerning project implementation successes, challenges, funding, etc. Citizens from all three states networked during the day-long event. Community participation in this event was high for our region, due in a large part to the trust built through the MIRA work.

The New River Valley has four representatives on the New River Community Partners Board of Directors, which is charged with providing assistance and support to New River communities as they implement their projects.

In the NRV region, we are working on developing a series of access points on the New River as part of a canoe trail system that will connect with an existing system in North Carolina. Main Menu

Grassroots Leadership Development Initiative

As we reported in last year�s annual report, the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation awarded a two-year grant to the Community Foundation of the New River Valley (CFNRV) for a grassroots leadership development program (EAGLES: Energized Active Grassroots Leadership Engaged Systematically) that was developed in collaboration with NRVPDC staff. The first year of EAGLES was completed in 2000 with the participation of 13 grassroots leaders, ranging from emerging leaders to well-established leaders, including Executive Directors, ministers, Department of Social Services employees, Virginia Tech extension agents, and Head Start parents. NRVPDC and CFNRV staff developed the eight all-day Saturday sessions with a community development expert from Learning Partners in Tennessee. The participants themselves identified their leadership needs and the trainings focused on personal development as a pathway to community development.

The Mary Reynolds Babcock Leadership Program continues to target grassroots leaders from across the region, and brings them together for individual training and group building exercises over the course of a year. The participants for the second year of this Task Force were identified in late 2000. The second class had 17 leaders with diverse economic, age, race, and gender backgrounds, bringing the total number of EAGLES participants to 29. The participants in both classes report increased connection to community and an understanding of the importance of relationships in community, including this comment:  "The biggest change has been my attitude about the importance of community, the players in the community."  Another participant reported "I have come to realize that I am not willing to give up the social capital that I have built up in seven years [in the New River Valley]." 

The EAGLES program is being evaluated, and a third class of EAGLES will begin in late 2002. In addition to the intensive Task Force training program, the EAGLES Program offers community-wide workshops on relevant topics, which included a journaling workshop in May 2001.  There was also a follow-up to last year's balance workshop, a weekly meeting among local leaders to explore in-depth the issue of balancing work, family, and volunteer time. Main Menu

The two funding applications submitted in February 2000 for Youth Civic Leadership grants were both awarded, and the Youth Civic Leadership Grant award has been renewed for a second year.  The group of citizens working to develop this initiative has determined that a digital storytelling workshop for youth to tell their story about community is the most appropriate use of the funds. These workshops will take place in late 2001.

These projects, with staff support from the Commission, have strengthened the grassroots community in the New River Valley. There is a growing cross-jurisdictional network of citizens who are interested in sustainable development issues, and who are learning the skills needed to make a difference in their communities. Main Menu

In August 1999, the New River Valley Airport near Dublin received the following designations: Customs Port of Entry from the U.S. Customs Service and Foreign Trade Zone from the U.S. Department of Commerce. These designations are referred to as Customs Port of Entry No. 1481 and Foreign Trade Zone No. 238.

A U.S. Customs officer was assigned to the New River Valley Port of Entry in October of 1999 and began working with the Alliance to get the Port of Entry ready for activation. On March 26, 2000, the New River Valley Port of Entry was officially activated by the U.S. Customs Service.

Since its activation, the New River Valley Port of Entry has logged more than 2,200 customs transactions. This volume exceeds the number of entries at the well-established Charleston, West Virginia port during the same time period. The New River Valley�s Port #1481 has been called the "most successful inland port startup" in the United States.

Port #1481 is a full service Port of Entry for industrial, business, and personal cargo being transferred into or out of the United States and is available for public use. Before Port #1481 was established, it was necessary to travel to Richmond or Dulles Airport to receive shipments of foreign origin.

While New River Valley manufacturers, such as Volvo Trucks North America, account for most of the Port activity, other examples of Port use have included shipments of personal goods by a new Virginia Tech professor moving to the area from Canada, a soldier returning home from Germany, and international students at local universities.

The chief benefits to businesses of the Foreign Trade Zone and Port of Entry are related to convenience and savings of import fees. From an economic development perspective, Foreign Trade Zone benefits can be a useful marketing tool in attracting new businesses to the New River Valley. Development of the Foreign Trade Zone will facilitate expansion of the New River Valley�s already significant level of international trade while helping to diversify the economy and create jobs. Main Menu

The New River Valley Competitiveness Center continued its successful operation for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001. The Center�s mission is to create jobs and diversify the local economy. The Center was at capacity at the beginning of the year with twelve companies that each served a different segment of the economy. The companies that occupied space in the Center created over 75 new jobs during the year.

Two tenants graduated last year. Boyer-Crawford, Inc. moved in July 2000 to their new facility, staying in the New River Industrial Park within a mile of the Competitiveness Center. ACT MicroDevices, Inc., Haleos, Inc., graduated in March 2001, and moved to a shell building in Blacksburg. Upon graduation these two companies had increased their employment by over 150 while in the Center.

New tenants or the expansion of existing tenants quickly occupied the vacant space left by the graduation of these tenants. Four new tenants moved into the Center during fiscal year 2000. On July1, Blue Ridge Independent Living Center moved into space left by Wyatt Insurance Agency that graduated in June 2000. Also on July 1, the New River/Mt. Rogers Workforce Investment Board moved into the space vacated by Boyer-Crawford, Inc. These two tenants fill out the regional office space designed for anchor tenants.

Incubator tenants that joined the Center included McIntyre & Associates and Covenant Software who install and maintain UNIX and Oracle software. McIntyre moved into a 382 sq. ft. office that became available after Boyer-Crawford moved. Also joining the Center was May Person D/B/A Brightside Press. Brightside is a short run book publisher specializing in local books in runs of 200 to 1,000. She occupies a 622 sq. ft. space previously rented to ACT MicroDevices. In addition to the new tenants, three tenants expanded their operations and increased their space. Expert Automation, Inc. moved from a 382 sq. ft. office to a 659 sq. ft. bay and converted it to an engineering lab. Staff Contracting moved from a 382 sq. ft. office to a four office suite that totals 694 sq. ft., and Luxine, Inc. added a 617 sq. ft. bay to their existing space.

The Center continued to improve services for the tenants. In the past fiscal year the Internet service was upgraded to a T-1 line which greatly improved the service for those depending on the Internet for their business, including McIntyre & Associates. With the upgrade, the Center was able to provide free e-mail addresses to all tenants. Presentations were made to the tenants on various subjects during the year, including seminars on employee benefits and communication services.

The Mentor program got a boost with Victor Bongard, an attorney from Blacksburg, taking charge of expanding the program. The efforts more than doubled the number of interested parties to serve as Mentors. Mr. Bongard presented an outline of his success to the Virginia Business Incubation Association's annual meeting in Roanoke in June.

In October 2000 improvements to the building were completed. The major portion of the work was the addition of a heat pump in the offices on the west end of the building to solve a heating and cooling balance problem and the addition of a patio outside the Conference and Training Rooms.

On September 28, 2000, the U. S. Economic Development Administration approved a $2.0 million grant for a 23,000 sq. ft. expansion of the Center that will double the size of the incubator. In addition, the Center received a $250,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Business Assistance and a $1.3 million bank loan. By June 30, the plans and specifications were nearly complete with construction to start September 2001. As a part of the expansion and infrastructure improvements, the Center will acquire an additional eleven acres of land for future expansion. Main Menu

The Giles Business Incubator (GBI) is now functioning under the Giles County IDA. This regional effort to service small, mid, and large businesses in Giles County is an anticipated win-win situation for the business community and county residents.

Terri Martin has served as Director of the GBI since November 2000. Since coming on board, she has worked closely with the Giles County Economic Development Director to work on bringing new businesses to the Incubator and to Giles County. The following are exciting things that have been happening at the Incubator:

PPTI, Inc. provides internet service for Giles and Monroe counties and also does some computer sales and service.

PGiles County Partnership for Excellence has moved into the Incubator and occupies three suites. They are offering several services to the residents of the County. Representatives from Social Services, Virginia Employment Commission, and Veteran�s Benefits now visit the Incubator on a regular basis to meet with clients.

The Giles Business Incubator is the recipient of two grants for fiscal year 2000-2001. The GBI was awarded a $30,000 Virginia Department of Business Assistance Program Support Grant for use in marketing and promotion. In addition, the Appalachian Regional Commission Entrepreneurial Initiative provided a $10,000 planning grant for use in establishing a building skills training program for at-risk adults and youth. The latter grant involves regional cooperation from Giles County Schools, Giles County Partnership for Excellence Foundation, Department of Social Services, Giles County Housing and Development Corporation, Giles Business Incubator, New River Community College, Workforce Development Council, and local contractors such as W. G. Simmons and GLP. A grant application has been submitted to fund the program in Giles County. For further information, contact Terri Martin at (540) 726-3888 or [email protected]. Main Menu

The Jacksonville Center, a previously modified barn, located in Floyd, received additional grant funds to renovate the facility into a cultural business incubator. NRVPDC staff did the feasibility study as well as the grant applications. Granting agencies include Rural Development and the Appalachian Regional Commission. These are in addition to the Virginia Department of Business Assistance funds announced the previous year. The total renovation funds are now $581,000. NRVPDC staff is administering the project. To- date, the architect has been selected and preliminary design is proceeding. Main Menu

The future site of the Floyd Regional Commerce Center is located just outside the Town of Floyd on State Route 615.

In addition to the money, effort, and forethought already invested by the Floyd County Board of Supervisors, the project has received $1,000,000 from the Economic Development Administration (EDA), $420,000 from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, and $387,500 from the Virginia Department of Transportation.

These grants will be used in the first phase of development at the Center, which includes developing access and infrastructure to 37 acres of the 169-acre site by installing water and waste water lines, building access roads, and grading two industrial sites.

The Floyd Regional Commerce Center site was formerly the Phlegar family farm. The old family farmhouse located in the center of the property, has been listed on the National Register of Historic places. The County has deeded the farm house and two acres of land around it to the Floyd County Historical Properties Trust, Inc.

Construction on the first phase of this project is expected to begin Fall 2001.

Planning has accelerated for the new Floyd Regional Commerce Center in the wake of severe textile job losses in the County and other regional job losses. PDC staff completed the EDA application for infrastructure improvements. Staff also talked with the Department of Housing and Community Development concerning additional funding possibilities and anticipated applying for State funds. Main Menu

This revitalization project has been on hold for a number of months. Finally, in the Spring of 2001, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) began its Route 61 Realignment Project, the main reason for the Downtown revitalization project delays. The revitalization project is expected to resume at the completion of VDOT�s portion and is expected to be completed by Winter/Spring of Fiscal Year 2001-2002. Main Menu

The development of the New River Valley Commerce Park continued during FY 2001. Grant and loan announcements were made by Rural Development, Appalachian Regional Commission, and the Department of Housing and Community Development. Authority representatives have continued working towards the acquisition of properties for the development of Phase 1 of the Park. The Authority anticipates closing on financial documents during the Winter with grading and construction beginning in early Spring 2002. Main Menu

PDC staff updated the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), the strategic plan for the Economic Development Administration. Embodied in the update was a revision to Vision 2020 which outlines goals and strategies for economic development, education and training, health and human development, natural and cultural environment, and physical infrastructure in the New River Valley.

The CEDS document also includes an Annual Project Package Report which lists and ranks projects in the region according to specific criteria and priority levels. The criteria this year included: regional significance, relationship to locally adopted comprehensive plans, per capita income and unemployment in the locality, relationship to private investment and previous investment, and readiness to initiate projects. Level 1 priority projects included water and sewer improvements, employment creation/retention, microenterprise assistance, tourism, roads, local schools and educational facilities, and technology career facilities. Main Menu

Welfare Reform Phase II Implementation

The Commission staff has continued to be a strong regional player in welfare reform efforts in the New River Valley. The five Departments of Social Services, known collectively as the Partners-for-Self-Sufficiency (PSS), contracted with NRVPDC staff to write a regional grant application to fund programs and services for the hard-to-serve population (those clients who have several barriers to employment). PSS was awarded a $471,000 collaborative grant to expand services to the hard-to-serve welfare population�funding three important components that will help increase these clients� chances of becoming and remaining self-sufficient.

Component #1 of this grant is funding a contract with Media-Tel, Inc. to transform a newly developed comprehensive in-house screening instrument into a secure, web-based database. This database will hold information from the internal assessment and additional diagnostic assessments obtained from other sources. Access to aggregate data will be available to DSS staff, agency managers, and other organizations serving the hard-to-serve population. This will enable them to evaluate the effectiveness of existing resources, the need for the development of additional community based resources, and outcomes of the process of moving individuals toward self-sufficiency.

PSS also recognizes the necessity to conduct more extensive assessments of a portion of their hard-to-serve clients who may have "hidden barriers" to employment such as medical, mental illness and substance abuse problems, learning disabilities, etc. For component #2 of the grant, PSS has been working with several service providers to develop a process that will allow VIEW Workers to "red-flag" serious barriers to employment that require further assessment and individualized consultation. This grant will fund a partnership between PSS and other service providers to provide an extensive assessment circuit program that would allow VIEW Workers the flexibility to utilize the services of a variety of specialized psychologists and counselors for general medical, learning disabilities, mental health, substance abuse and vocational assessments. In addition, NRCC's Bridges-to-Practice Trainer will implement a New River Valley-wide learning disabilities awareness training to DSS staff, and an intensive "Train-the-Trainer" eight-hour training course for key DSS staff members.

For component #3 of the grant, PSS is contracting with New River Community College in order to implement region-wide learning disabilities training for DSS staff and community partners. PSS has also contracted with New River Community College to implement the program that includes modules such as mock interviewing, communication skills, basic computer literacy, and workplace ethics. Main Menu

Transitional Housing

The Commission is administering a $700,000 Community Development Block Grant awarded to the City of Radford by the Department of Housing and Community Development. Radford City applied for the funds on behalf of the Women�s Resource Center of the New River Valley. This Community

Improvement Grant is for the construction of a transitional housing facility to be owned and operated by the Women�s Resource Center. Transitional housing provides victims of domestic violence with a safe environment for longer periods of stay than is feasible in an emergency shelter. People living at the Women�s Resource Center emergency shelter will be eligible to move into an apartment for a stay of three months up to two years. Additionally, staff of the Women�s Resource Center, will be on-site providing supportive services to families through-out their stay at the facility. Included in the scope of services are counseling, parenting classes, life skills training, educational assistance, financial management, and programs designed specifically for children serviced by this facility.

Designed by Architectural Alternatives of Blacksburg, Virginia, the project is a cluster of eight apartment units of various sizes plus a common community area, playroom, laundry, and office space for Women�s Resource Center staff. Construction began in July 2000 under a contract awarded to Independence Construction of Princeton, West Virginia and is expected to be complete by July 2001. Main Menu

New River Valley Disability Services Board (NRVDSB)

The PDC contracted with the NRVDSB for staff support services. PDC staff assisted the DSB in performing a number of different tasks, including setting up two satellite offices of the Blue Ridge Independent Living Center, preparing the 2000 Disability Services Needs Assessment, and an accessibility survey of polling places located throughout the NRV. The DSB Staff Support position also serves as a liaison between the Virginia Disability Services Commission and the NRVDSB. Main Menu

Park-and-ride facilities provide a common location for individuals to transfer from single-occupancy vehicles to higher-occupancy vehicles. These facilities can help maximize the efficiency of the transportation system and provide options for commuters. The most opportune time to plan for park-and-ride facilities is before or during the design phase for new roads or improvements to existing roads. This report identifies some suggested general locations for consideration concerning future development of park-and-ride facilities in the New River Valley. The report also lists locations of existing designated park-and-ride lots in the region and parking lots where park-and-ride activity has been observed. Included in the document is a map of the region with the suggested and existing park-and-ride locations noted. The study report offers some overall recommendations: the vicinity of each I-81 interchange (excluding exits 94, 118, and 128 where park-and-ride lots already exist) should be assessed for development of park-and-ride facilities (particularly notable for existing demand is the exit 114 interchange area); a regional rideshare program should be developed to coordinate and promote ridesharing (i.e., carpooling, vanpooling), use of park-and-ride lots, and use of transit systems; shared use of parking lots, where appropriate and viable, should be pursued to address park-and-ride needs; and the park-and-ride, rideshare, and modal connection concepts should be included, where appropriate, in the VDOT small urban area transportation plans, local comprehensive plans, and institution master plans. Main Menu