N.C. Dept. of Commerce logo courtesy of department website.

From the State of North Carolina Office of Gov. Bev. Perdue, shared Aug. 23:

RALEIGH—Gov. Perdue today announced a series of three regional forums designed to promote the competitiveness and economic development capacity of small towns in North Carolina. The Governor’s Forums on Small Town Competitiveness will bring together state and local officials, business and economic development leaders and various federal, state, local and non-profit organizations dedicated to community economic development.

N.C. Dept. of Commerce logo courtesy of department website.

“North Carolina’s small towns are the heart of our state and the sorts of places where our efforts to strengthen education are paying off with a skilled, educated workforce that can attract new businesses,” Gov. Perdue said. “The economic health of these small towns is critical to the economic future of the entire state. These forums are designed to celebrate what’s great about small town North Carolina and how we can preserve these wonderful communities by helping them stay competitive in the 21st century economy.”

The three Governor’s Forums will be held across the state. Each forum will include a panel discussion on best practices from local government leaders within their respective regions, a discussion of the challenges faced by small towns and a Small Town Competitiveness Resource Fair – to link up small town leaders with funding and service providers that may be helpful to local economic development.

Local elected officials are invited to attend these half-day sessions in their respective region.

The schedule is as follows:

  • East – Sep. 16 at Martin Community College, in Williamston
  • Piedmont – Sep. 28 at Davidson Community College, in Thomasville
  • West – Oct. 6 at Haywood Community College, in Clyde

Joining Gov. Perdue in this effort are partners including the N.C. Department of Commerce, the NC League of Municipalities, NC Association of County Commissioners, the NC Rural (Economic Development) Center, the Golden LEAF Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Appalachian Regional Commission.

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Kathleen O'Nan is a contributing reporter to Carolina Public Press.

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