February 14, 2005

RALEIGH — Privatization, sustainable development, local budgeting, and performance management will be among the issues discussed this week during a series of workshops for local government officials to be held in Wilmington, Research Triangle Park, Charlotte, and Asheville.

The Center for Local Innovation, a project of the Raleigh-based John Locke Foundation, is the host of the events, which began Tuesday morning at the Wilmington Hilton and conclude Friday at the Renaissance Hotel in Asheville. Wednesday’s event is at the Radisson Governor’s Inn in RTP, while Thursday’s Charlotte event will be held at the Hyatt at South Park. Each workshop begins at 8:15 am and concludes with a luncheon at noon.

Participants in the Innovation 2005 workshop series will include city and county officials, business executives, and other civic leaders.

Speakers and panelists will include former Raleigh Mayor Tom Fetzer, Hickory City Manager Mick Berry, Johnston County Manager Rick Hester, New Hanover County Commissioner Bill Caster, Moore County Manager Steve Wyatt, Concord City Manager Brian Hiatt, and a trio of local-government analysts from the California-based Reason Foundation, a nationally known policy institute with expertise in privatization and competitive contracting, transportation, and land-use policy.

Chad Adams, director of the Center for Local Innovation and vice chairman of the Lee County Board of Commissioners, will convene the meeting. For each panel, prepared remarks will be followed by lengthy question-and-answer sessions to encourage discussion on innovative ideas for governing cities and counties in North Carolina.

The cost of the workshop is $10 per person, including lunch. Visit the Center for Local Innovation website or call 919-828-3876 for more information.

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