ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 19, 1995 TAG: 9512190030
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: Reporter's Notebook
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER
'Twas the week before Christmas,
And all through Pulaski,
The economy brass
Thought they'd landed their pass key.
VML awards hung
In the town halls with care;
For UDAG and Burlington:
The pride of each mayor,
'Cause Dublin was fated
For an industry park,
While Pulaski created
A new Main Street spark.
Then the state made an offer
They couldn't refuse:
An incentives coffer
Of things they could use
To bring in more business.
But there was one catch:
Just a few could possess
A prize from that batch.
The county and town
Both tried just the same;
When scores all came down,
They'd both won the game.
Development districts now
Cover the place;
The incentives cash cow
Made a marketplace
For industries looking
at where to expand
Or seeking a booking,
A new plant to land.
Where once unemployment
Reared its ugly head,
A sense of enjoyment
Pervaded instead.
The future looked bright
As the new-fallen snow:
A new dynamite
Way of saying Go! Go!
Pulaski struck back
From a burned-out court building,
Going on the attack
To re-do floor to ceiling.
It took on the occasion
To rebuild its treasure,
And threw in a train station
Just for good measure.
Dublin doubled its size
Adding Burlington Mills;
Which is now a new prize
Filling up to its gills.
A start will be made
On a new bank today,
The first tract to grade
With more on the way.
A new town hall
Will be one more goal,
And a place for mail call
Is soon to unroll.
With progress like this
And still more within sight,
It's a happy Christmas
And to all a good night.
LENGTH: Medium: 78 linesby CNB