VIRGINIA BEACH
The city should hire a military budget analyst to help recruit defense-related businesses to Virginia Beach, Councilman Ron Villanueva suggested Monday.
The position could be added to the city's economic development office, and the job would be to scour federal spending plans.
Villanueva's idea is to determine where government dollars are going and use that data to lure companies. The suggestion, made at a council retreat in Town Center, comes as the city actively begins to tout itself to the defense industry.
A consultant's report said the city should market the skill sets of retiring military personnel. And two months ago, the City Council formed a Military Economic Development Advisory Committee to help recruit businesses to support Oceana Naval Air Station and Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base.
Committee members mostly are retired military officers who can serve as liaisons between local government and defense officials. The former officers know private contractors and can identify workers, many leaving the military, who could be ideal for new companies, officials have said.
"It's embryonic now," said Vice Mayor Louis Jones, "but I think it's going to grow."
Villanueva said Virginia Beach could be "Pentagon South" and also could partner with other military communities to attract telecommuting jobs. He added that those jobs could come from the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security.
"I think we could do a lot more," Villanueva said. "A lot of folks still don't understand what our opportunities are."
Richard Quinn, (757) 222-5119, richard.quinn@pilotonline.com
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