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Despite the loss of two key economic developers last Friday, city and county leaders say the governments won’t skip a beat as they work with companies that want to bring jobs to the area.

And one Greensboro City Council member says those changes are a chance to consider even more aggressive economic development. Robbie Perkins said he’ll begin putting pressure on business leaders today.

Last week, Rob Bencini, Guilford County’s economic development coordinator, was laid off and Jim Westmoreland, Greensboro’s assistant city manager for economic development, left his job to work for the N.C. Department of Transportation.

Bencini and Westmoreland often worked as a team with Dan Lynch, president of the private Greensboro Economic Development Alliance, to coordinate incentives offers for such companies as Honda Aircraft Co., Lynch said.

He said that Westmoreland’s interim replacement, Andy Scott, is experienced in development finance.

If a company does come calling, County Commissioner Billy Yow said the county will function smoothly.

Although Bencini often introduced companies to Lynch and his group, Yow said that Lynch eventually carried the load.

“If somebody comes to the county and they’re looking for these services, the first thing they’re going to do is call the administrative offices,” Yow said.

“They’re going to get in touch with the county manager. And he’s going to refer them to Dan Lynch. And it’s going to come right back to us.”

Interim County Manager Brenda Jones Fox has pledged to communicate directly with Lynch. But it may not be the same as having one professional dedicated to that job.

“Of course Rob (Bencini) is an economic development professional,” Lynch said. “He was the liaison between GEDA and the county senior management team. ... We need somebody in that role.”

At the moment, the flow of corporate inquiries is slow because of the recession, and Perkins says Lynch may need another mission for the moment: That of political activist.

Lynch and Pat Danahy, president and CEO of the Greensboro Partnership, ought to step up pressure on those boards to improve the county, Perkins said.

That involves building water and sewer lines, schools, and other projects that are more affordable than ever right now.

“You’ve got to get the business community to show some leadership,” Perkins said. “And you’ve got to let them step forward and articulate the vision.”

Perkins, who meets with Danahy regularly, plans to ask him today to lead the business community in a strategic effort to press elected officials to take on the economy.

“They need to create the strategic vision to get this accomplished and then sell it,” Perkins said. “It is strategic visioning and it has an element of risk.

Nobody wants to raise taxes, nobody wants to spend money.”

Contact Richard M. Barron at 373-7371 or richard.barron@news-record.com