| 114th Year, 11th Issue | Thursday, October 24, 2002 | Sparta, North Carolina |
The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) team — a group representing seven counties, including Alleghany — will soon choose an economic consultant to lead the planning and implementation of a $400,000 economic recovery project.
The money is a combination of federal and state grant funds awarded to the team late last month. Since then, the CEDS committee has been considering proposals from 19 economic consultants, narrowing them down to four semi-finalists. They hope to select the proposal and consultant around Nov. 1.
David Bradley, president of the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce, said he learned the grant was approved in a letter dated Sept. 27 and received Sept. 30.
"We're all still very excited about it," Bradley said. "It's a major hurdle that we've cleared, and we're ready to go full speed."
The Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce and the Northwest Piedmont Council of Governments were the official grant applicants.
sOf the total, $320,000 is to come from the U.S. Department of Commerce, administered through the Economic Development Administration, while the other $80,000 is through the N.C. Community Development Block Grant program.
The seven counties — Alleghany, Ashe, Forsyth, Stokes, Surry, Rockingham and Yadkin — approximately follow the Fifth U.S. Congressional District, represented by Richard Burr.
Rep. Burr initiated the grant effort, and he is a member of the CEDS team. The team has about 45 members.
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