County approves CEDS plan at meeting Monday

Without fanfare, the Alleghany County Board of Commissioners approved a plan presented by AngelouEconomics by a unanimous vote on Monday. Angelou, an economic consultant firm based in Austin, Texas, operated a nine-month project in the region.

In 2002, the Northwest North Carolina Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) committee, funded primarily through a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, hired Angelou to assess the region and form a five-year economic recovery plan, for each of the eight counties individually as well as for the region as a whole.

The commissioners approved both the regional and the county-specific plans, opening the door to a variety of federal-funding options.

Counties included in the northwestern North Carolina CEDS project are Alleghany, Ashe, Davie, Forsyth, Stokes, Surry, Rockingham and Yadkin. Commissioner Patrick Woodie, who chairs the CEDS board, said the group was asking the commissioners to approve their economic development plans, including the Alleghany County Economic Development Strategy and the regional strategy.

Woodie requested a motion that the commissioners approve both plans. Commissioner J. Warren Taylor said he feels that the actions might not all be appropriate for this county. "I'm all in favbor of approving the vision and the goals," he said.

Chairman Eldon Edwards agreed, noting that the overall concept is good. "We can't obligate ourselves on each one of these actions," Taylor added.

Woodie noted that other funding options are being persued and that approving the plans does not require the county to move forward on any specific action.

With that discussion, Taylor made the motion to approve the plan and Edwards seconded.

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