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About the author

Brian Kirwin

The right wants to jeer him. The left wants to censor him. Moderates usually want both. Brian Kirwin is a political consultant and public relations strategist in Virginia Beach with a lightning-rod flair. Brian also serves on the VB Arts & Humanities Commission and frequently appears on Hampton Roads theatrical stages, if only to prove that all actors aren’t liberals. Kirwin’s columns stir up debate and hit the political scene with no punches pulled.

Comments

6 Responses to "See how Hampton Roads performs"

1. 

   Britt Howard February 6, 2009 13:08 pm

   If this is to be a marketing tool or a measurement for a “continual improvement” program for the region, I think it would be a good idea.

   I liked some of the layout. Some of the pictures were nice but, a more effective rotation could be used unless you were on a specific themed page.

   Under Economy Indicators:
   Modeling and Simulation is NOT an indicator. A major up and coming industry that can affect the local economy yes, indicator no. Same goes for Port/Maritime. More of an arguement can be made for Port/Maritime as goods transportation ability could be read as an indicator. These I would think should belong in an industry category that should indeed be bragged about or lumped in with transportation/goods transport.

   My biggest gripe is the Workforce Quality page. This has long been a strong suit in Hampton Roads. Some of the educational points made were very good but, very much went unmentioned. Some community colleges work directly with major manufacturers to develop technical skill programs with certifications or two year degrees. It also ignores a source of quality technically trained labor that is continually replenished. That would be our huge military presence. Those that stay after a military retirement have their own benfits and provide their own cost savings should they find local civilian work here. This is really important given our recent decline regarding our worsening net migration. It acts as a buffer to a degree. You can be factual and still sell this huge selling point a bit better.

   I didn’t look at the entire thing. Not a bad idea. I hope my suggestions were not taken as “bashing” it.

2. 

   Brian Kirwin February 6, 2009 13:38 pm

   Thanks for your comments, Britt. The more they get, the better it will be.

   Keep ‘em coming.

3. 

   Henry Ryto February 6, 2009 19:18 pm

   A pretty good site.

   1. Spot on when hitting mass transit reliability. The must fustrating thing about riding HRT is late buses.

   2. Under Poverty, doesn’t mention the disabled. At a meeting I attended in December, someone who works with the disabled gave the figure that 1 in 7 local residents is disabled.

   I don’t know who accurate that number is (sounds high), but – if anywhere close – needs to be looked at in government planning.

4. 

   Missy Schmidt February 6, 2009 20:04 pm

   Thanks so much, Brian, for your post. And, right you are that we at the Partnership will read comments here at BD. The more we can get the word out and receive quality comments such as these, the more we can improve the site for its best use by all in Hampton Roads.

   I am the collector of public comments, both technical and content. We’ll then review these on a regular basis with the Council on Virginia’s Future (web host and developer) and make updates. Keep ‘em coming!

5. 

   Missy Schmidt February 17, 2009 22:10 pm

   FYI, the “Search” feature is still being worked on, but should be up soon. That will help with navigation a great deal. Thanks for the comments.

   Missy@HRP.org

6. 

   SmartRegion.org » HamptonRoadsPerforms.org in the Media June 2, 2009 09:48 am

   [...] Bearing Drift blogger, Brian Kirwin, shares website with his readers whose comments will be used for website updates. [...]