Regional economic plans are underway

An economic consultant team from Texas will visit Alleghany and seven other northwestern North Carolina counties next month to begin developing a five-year plan for the region's economic recovery.

The Northwest North Carolina Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee (CEDS) — which is composed of leaders from Alleghany, Ashe, Davie, Forsyth, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry and Yadkin counties — on Nov. 7 voted to hire AngelouEconomics of Austin, Texas to assess the region and generate a five-year strategy.

In late September, CEDS was awarded $400,000 in grants for an economic recovery initiative — $320,000 from the U.S. Department of Commerce, administered through the Economic Development Administration, and $80,000 through the N.C. Community Development Block Grant program.

The CEDS group then included only seven counties. Davie was added earlier this month. The geography roughly follows the 5th Congressional District, represented by U.S. Rep. Richard Burr, who initiated the grant effort.

Patrick Woodie, chairman of the CEDS team, said the grant program was one of four such initiatives for different regions in the state. Alleghany and Ashe counties initially had the option of being included in either the 5th District group or with 10th District counties.

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