[Vision2020] Naylor Farms

[Art Deco]

Sunil, Bruce,

This area has all it needs to attract quality high tech and/or light clean industry:

Two universities with their combined available knowledge/technical expertise
All transportation but rail transportation (which most QHT or LCI do not use anyway)
A lovely area to live in (still almost unspoiled, but at risk)
A very desirable environment in which to raise a family
A good mix of well educated/not-well-educated-but-willing-to-work labor pool
Wonderful natural recreational resources for healthy people here and within a few hours drive
Wonderful other cultural/recreational opportunities
Etc., Etc.

The LEDC has made a few accomplishments without doubt.  However, given what they have to sell and offer, in my opinion, they have not measured up or performed to expectations.  Perhaps, it is time to change out some of the board members.  Perhaps it is time to try some different approaches.

>From my experience, two things happen to economic development boards:

1.    Individual greed and good old boy/girl networks tend to narrow down the focus and willingness to consider different approaches/different prospective client types by such a board.

2.    The thinking of the board becomes stagnant either because of lack of turnover or by the method used to select new board members when old ones leave.

Economic development is not easy nor simple.  There is great competition for most desirable potential firms.  Still, given what our area has to offer, I think we can be selective and do much better.

Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
deco at moscow.com


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Sunil Ramalingam 
  To: vision2020 at moscow.com 
  Sent: Thursday, March 03, 2005 5:07 PM
  Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Naylor Farms


  As usual Bruce makes some good points.  I don't want to engage in what Crouch referred to as 'attacks on Vision 2020' in her column (I'm paraphrasing) but her approach to development concerns me.  It seems to be 'embrace all development, and try to ameliorate the possible negative impacts.'

  If we take that approach, we say 'yes' to all development, no matter what.  Look at what Kootenai County is going through now with the refueling depot.  I don't want to be labelled anti-development, and I do want new employers to come to this area.  I like the idea that people will be able to retain me to work for them, and better-paying jobs make that more likely.  But I sure don't want the Burlington refueling depot on top of my drinking water any more than I want Naylor 'Farms' here; if I go along with Crouch, I don't see any way to keep either out.  I think by their nature, some developments are too risky, and you can't get rid of the negatives, or keep them to some manageable level.

  Sunil Ramalingam





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