Economic development was a major topic at the 101st annual North Carolina Association of County Commissioners Conference last week in New Bern, which Edgecombe County Commissioners Viola Harris and T.C. Cherry attended.

Harris said that gubernatorial candidates Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue and Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory came to the conference Friday. They did not appear together, as Perdue attended the morning session and McCrory came that afternoon.

In one of the conference's workshops, Harris said that UNC School of Govern-ment Assistant Professor Jonathan Morgan talked about how counties can find new economic niches for themselves.

He said that counties have to look at what is within their area that might interest residents, and that could bring money and people into the area, Harris said.

She suggested that Edge-combe County's niche could be tourism.

In another workshop, Harris said the commissioners looked at ways county leaders could prepare for their communities' long-term vitality and for a bond rating increase. Several ways were discussed, including looking at the county's financial condition, maximizing revenue, controlling expenditures and promoting a political culture of sustainability.

During the workshop, Harris said, the group said "a single elected official cannot solve all the short term and long term problems faced by county government."

But UNC School of Government Associate Professor William Rivenbark said "a single elected official could select certain initiatives to work on during (their) tenure to prepare for a bond rating increase and create community vitality."

Commissioners who attended the conference also elected new association officials.

Harris lost her bid to be the association's second vice president to Jackson County Commissioner Brian McMahan.

She is the District 7 governor of the association; the district includes Wilson, Nash, Edgecombe, Halifax and Northampton counties.

Harris said she was impressed by the conference's opening ceremony, which had a procession of people carrying all 100 of the state’s counties' flags.

"I was the voting delegate (for Edgecombe County) and therefore was able to carry in our flag. I felt privileged to do so," Harris added.

Cherry declined to comment.