We’ve completed this article by touching up the writing and adding photos.
We move on to LIVE! coverage of Governor Terry McAuliffe’s cabinet meeting here at the Institute. This is the first time in recent history that the entire cabinet has been in Danville and this meeting makes it even more rare. We’ve got the only LIVE! coverage of this meeting so refresh the page often to get the latest happenings.
We’re underway. Cabinet has meetings every Monday. This the first road trip, others to follow.
Danville Mayor Sherman Saunders speaks first, thanking the cabinet. McAuliffe asks what is the one thing he would do for the region if he was governor. Answer: Education (after 3 minutes of talk). McAuliffe calls out Danville’s low graduation rate and rightfully says money won’t solve that. No real answer from Saunders. More talk about wanting people to live in Danville.
Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jessie Barksdale is next. He still “Gets It”. He talks on economic and workforce development. Saying workforce development is the key.
McAuliffe recognizes Bill Stanley & Danny Marshall. Says his cabinet secretaries are the key to getting what’s needed. Trying to run the state as a business with excellent customer service.
Laurie Moran speaks next. Steve Bridges from Southern Virginia Regional Alliance talks about economic development marketing like the SVRA. SVRA covers Patrick, Henry, Pittsylvania and Halifax counties and the cities in those counties.
This cabinet meeting will be pretty much all presentations. Saying region’s unemployment is 7.9%, but that’s not a real number. No way. Only 14% with a college degree.
FYI, meeting started late because he stopped by the new Danville teachers orientation meeting.
Targeted industry sectors: Aerospace, food & beverage, plastics & polymers, data/IT/back office. The data category includes the hellholes of call centers. They do hire a lot, but the job turnover is horrible.
Noting that firearms manufacturing has not been mentioned. Now talking about “innovation”. The Riverstone Energy Center must have been rebranded as the Southern Virginia Product Advancement Center. Maybe this new name will get it used this time. Right…
The Southern Virginia Regional Alliance presentation continues. And ends as soon as I typed that. McAuliffe challenges back with “Cost of power and availability of water?” Good question. William Wampler from the New College Institute explains how they do workforce training as we pack up and move to the next event and article. We’re moving to the next event and article.
Here’s some more photos from the cabinet meeting. We’ll recap the entire day in another article.
Arnold Hendrix, hello!
Cabinet members on this side of the room were going to have a hard time seeing the Big Board.
Steve Bridges (Southern Virginia Regional Alliance) makes his presentation to the Governor and his cabinet. Secretary of Public Safety Brian Moran checks his phone for messages.
See? They use a Big Board too!
Serious comments please…don’t make it a joke. This is great to have in our City!!
You know my style.
Sherman should have said ” It is a tie-Education and Living Wage job opportunity.
I am work ready (am working) but I need a “living wage” job! Send some here. Working in a restaurant just doesn’t do it. We don’t all want to own a business (most small ones fail). I am experienced, dedicated and hard working but have not had a raise in about 17 years…not one penny!
Just curious, do you have any marketable skills other than the restaurant work you have had the last 17 years? Are you tied to this area or do you have the ability to relocate? What is your education level?
I didn’t say that I work in restaurant. The restaurant job was to highlight the type of job opportunities we are getting more of now-low wage ones. Yes, I am skilled but I am older. I have an AS degree and do office work. I have excellent people skills, organizational skills, and computer skills. When your are older it is very difficult to find other employment. My employer provides no insurance, retirement, bonus or any wage increase (got a few raises but they stopped). Twenty-fours years with the same employer. Stagnant wages hurt people and mine has been stagnant for many years.
My mistake – thank you. I understand your situation as I am older as well. What’s difficult to understand is what you consider a “living wage” and what it takes to earn that living wage.
Is a “living wage” just a product of what an employer decides to pay? Or, is it a product of a person’s skills and abilities? IF, you are not earning what you consider to be a living wage is it the employer’s responsibility to simply pay you more or was it your responsibilty to acquire the skills and training to earn a higher wage?
I worked in high school in a job where I realized that to earn more I needed skills. I worked and paid my own way through college. Then I found a good job where I could afford (money and time) to go to graduate school. I now have a good paying job because I realized a long time ago what it took. I had challenges and disappointments enough for all of us but I was determined.
Perhaps not earning a “living wage” now is a product of the choices made earlier in life. An employer owes employees a COMPETITIVE wage – not $5 an hour or $20 an hour but one where he/she can retain good qualified workers. If they pay to little, they cannot find employees. If they pay too much, then they may cost their product or service out of the market. If that competitive wage is not enough of a living wage for a particular individual then there is nothing more an employer can do. It is the employee’s responsibility to find a job that suits them or obtain better skills.
I don’t mean to preach nor do I know your entire circumstance. It just bothers me when I see people complain about a “living wage” or making more money while blaming an employer or thinking government raising the minimum wage will help them. To make more money, one only needs to look in the mirror. Thinking government can fix it may lead to the loss of a job completely.
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