A.V. SEEKS ECONOMIC GAME PLAN; HIGH-PAYING JOBS URGED.

Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer

Antelope Valley economic leaders should establish at least 3,000 high-paying jobs in the next five years, said a consultant hired by economic development leaders.

The region has created new opportunities in the past several years, but there has been a growing dissatisfaction among employees over the quality and pay of the jobs, said John Griffin, a consultant with Celeste & Sabety, an Ohio firm hired to help the Antelope Valley develop an economic game plan.

``The challenge here is to create 3,000 wealth-creating jobs,'' he said.

To reach that goal, Griffin said, the Antelope Valley needs to have the equivalent of at least one full-time person lobbying on behalf of defense and aerospace issues; develop a targeted recruitment program at such companies as aerospace subcontractors and specialized auto-part makers; make phone calls to manufacturing companies already in the Antelope Valley to ensure they are not planning to leave the region; do a better job of marketing the 2 million square feet of empty space at Air Force Plant 42 and build smaller manufacturing buildings ``on spec''; and work to ensure workers are adequately trained.

Other actions needed, Griffin said, include creating image and reputation management, developing a legislative agenda, and providing adequate and predictable financial support for economic development efforts.

His comments were a preview of a conference to be held Nov. 6 in Lancaster to announce an economic game plan being developed for the Antelope Valley. The plan is being drawn up for the Antelope Valley Regional Partnership, an economic steering committee composed of officials from Palmdale, Lancaster and Los Angeles County as well as from private enterprise and the education field.

The project, estimated to cost $195,000, is being funded by state and federal grants aimed at helping communities hurt by defense industry cutbacks.

Griffin suggested that the economic effort would be overseen by a ``gliding coalition,'' but did not offer details as to who would be involved in that coalition.

``It's a nucleus of an idea now,'' said Vern Lawson Jr., who is overseeing the economic project for the partnership. ``I see it as a combination of potential funders and folks who represent different constituencies like the Board of Trade and the partnership. Nothing is concrete right now.''

In addition to the region's own economic plan, Lawson sees the Antelope Valley tying in with a similar, countywide effort by the county Economic Development Corp. Among the elements of that plan that would benefit the Antelope Valley, he said, are a proposed aerospace initiative that includes trying to attract work on a future jet fighter and the encouragement of aerospace companies to use local facilities and suppliers.

An additional element of the county plan that fits with the Antelope Valley's plan is the idea of building manufacturing buildings first, or ``on spec,'' and then luring businesses.

``If you have a real building to offer, you have a much better opportunity to land these businesses,'' said Lee Harrington, a representative of the Economic Development Corp.