NC partnership Region Drawing Fire

Below is a link to an article on the Charlotte Regional partnership. They are one of seven partnerships in North Carolina and funded by both private and public funds. I was not in economic development when these partnerships were created but it is my understanding they were created to assist the counties in their regions to better market themselves. The theory was that by pooling these funds in a central location, poorer counties could participate in activities that would otherwise be beyond their capacity.

Each of the regions has a similar form, with an executive director leading the region and a board of directors made-up of appointees that oversees these activities. Each region has developed to match the specific requirements of their location, some are more tourism oriented, some are marketing driven and others are more project specific. What has been called into question in the Charlotte Region is the administrative cost versus results and the effectiveness of the group to deliver on its goal of recruiting industry to visit the area. I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Bryant and think he is an extremely capable leader. I don't question his passion for the job. I think he does well with the system he has to work with. I simply question the system. I think the partnerships have evolved beyond what they were established to do: bring opportunities to areas that have limited assets or enhance those that already have significant assets in place.

Please read the story and form your own opinion: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/business/story/1228354.html

Have the administrative costs risen too much? Are they providing the results that are expected? I think the questions are difficult to answer and the answers are not black and white but the do need to be considered.