Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 14, 1994 TAG: 9408060005
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
The sessions Monday and Tuesday at Virginia Commonwealth University featured pep talks, brainstorming sessions on the Republican administration's agenda, a country barbecue and even drawings for door prizes.
Allen handed out books on Thomas Jefferson containing handwritten personalized notes to each participant. His wife, Susan, welcomed the group to ``the extended Allen family,'' administration officials said.
The agency heads, most of whom were appointed by Allen after his purge of the state bureaucracy, also were shown some of the governor's campaign commercials and treated to a miscellany of his favorite slogans.
All participants received gray ``A-TEAM'' polo shirts emblazoned with Allen's 1993 campaign logo - a blue patch of the state of Virginia with a gold lightning bolt across it. They also received copies of what the administration calls the ``10 Rules of the Game'' for the Allen team.
Gail Nardi, spokeswoman for the Virginia Democratic Party, questioned the tone and purpose of the sessions, some of which were underwritten by about $5,000 of taxpayers' money.
``It is troubling to think of Virginia, which has always been known for nonpartisan and fiscally responsible good government, to be developing some sort of personality cult around the governor,'' Nardi said.
``State government is supposed to work for all of us, not just for one of us.''
Ken Stroupe, the governor's press secretary, dismissed the Democrats' criticism.
``They were too busy stabbing each other in the back and didn't build teamwork - bugging offices and taping each other's phone calls,'' Stroupe said.
Jay Timmons, the governor's chief of staff, defended the substance of the sessions.
``We want [administration officials] to know what the governor's programs are,'' he said, referring to Allen's priorities of crime control, job creation, education and welfare reform.
Another speaker, Mike Thomas, the governor's secretary of administration, said participants had a chance to meet each other, discuss ideas and brainstorm.
``We want agencies working together, instead of agencies fighting battles for turf,'' Thomas emphasized.
Walter Macfarlane, who headed Democratic Gov. Douglas Wilder's policy office, called the sessions helpful. Allen appointed him as acting superintendent of the Virginia Department of Correctional Education.
``Doing it on this scale is a great idea,'' Macfarlane said during a break in the program. ``It forces people to sit down in a casual atmosphere and share ideas.''
by CNB