Published: September 12, 2009 11:24 pm      

Residents invited to ‘Take a Seat at the Table’

Vision Shared in Beckley Sept. 22

Vision Shared and The Register-Herald are inviting Beckley area residents to “Take a Seat at the Table” with Gov. Joe Manchin, his Cabinet members and senior staff at a town hall meeting Sept. 22 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center.

The event is a continuation of a series of local meetings Vision Shared and the governor first began in 2006. The Manchin administration has visited Clarksburg, Martinsburg, Logan and Wheeling. Beckley is the next stop.

“We want Raleigh County and neighboring county residents to tell us what their ideas are for West Virginia’s future,” Manchin said. “This event is not a time for government to tell the people how to solve the state’s problems — just the opposite. We want to hear from the people what solutions they have for meeting this state’s challenges. Working together, we can forge a new West Virginia.”

Vision Shared and its co-presenter, The Register-Herald, will be joined by several host organizations: AARP, United Mine Workers of America, West Virginia AFL-CIO, West Virginia Business and Industry Council, West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, West Virginia Education Association and the West Virginia Hospital Association. Leaders of these host organizations will attend this event to participate in the discussions with residents.

“This is a unique opportunity for everyone in our readership area to come to the table and bring their ideas for advancing the state to our governor and other leaders in the executive branch,” said Frank D. Wood, Beckley Newspapers publisher. “We encourage everyone to attend and join the discussion.”

Vision Shared President Juliet A. Terry said participants are encouraged to think ahead of time about ideas they have for building a brighter future for West Virginia and arrive Sept. 22 ready to tell state government leaders about them.

“The format we follow for these meetings puts the microphone in the hands of the people and gives them the opportunity to share their thoughts with the administration in a safe, respectful environment,” Terry said. “After the general session, each Cabinet secretary is available for one-on-one interaction with the participants, which provides a rare opportunity for people to have direct access to the state’s decision makers.”

Refreshments will be provided by the West Virginia State Medical Association.

Vision Shared is a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan community and economic development organization dedicated to advancing West Virginia’s growth potential. Terry said hosting these town hall meetings is just one way Vision Shared bridges gaps between the public and private sector so more West Virginians have the opportunity to participate in transforming the state’s economy.

For more information, e-mail info@visionshared. com.