There’s an interesting economic development situation brewing in Rockingham County.
County commission chariman Jerry Owens has told Rockingham County Partnership co-chairs Elton Trent and Craig Cardwell to let president Lisa Perry walk away or else.
The “or else”:
Owens says if the partnership board fails to respond or take action, the county will end its contract with the partnership in 90 days, although “county funding for the partnership may cease immediately.”
Perry says the letter to partnership co-chairs stating she would not renew her contract effective Nov. 1 was not a resignation, but a “means to garner support from the executive board to address pressures that were making it difficult for her office to work effectively.”
OK. But Owens counters:
“Unfortunately, both the internal and external dissatisfaction evident during this situation is indicative of the larger problem….(The partnership needs) structural and practical changes to function as it was intended,” but “the level of communication, accountability and co-operation has been inadequate.”
Here’s my translation: The county’s been forking out a lot of money for not a lot of jobs.
