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County, SCC appear poised to rejoin EDC
By Justin Goble
After an absence of almost two years, Jackson County and Southwestern Community College may again be part of the Economic Development Commission.
County and SCC representatives showed interest in rejoining the EDC during the economic development task force’s first meeting last Tuesday (Nov. 21).
EDC Co-Chairman and Sylva Mayor Brenda Oliver called for the formation of the task force during an Oct. 10 multi-jurisdictional meeting. She suggested each municipality, along with the county, Western Carolina University and SCC, should submit names of two volunteers for a task force to look at ways to improve local economic development.
Participation from the county and SCC is vital for economic development to be effective, she said during last week’s meeting.
“We’re struggling,” Oliver said. “I feel like we’re doing economic development to some degree, but I think we could do a lot better if the county, municipalities and other entities were involved.”
Commissioners’ Chairman Brian McMahan acknowledged that the county plays a vital role in economic development and needs to at least consider resuming participation in the EDC.
“If you look at economic development commissions throughout the state, the county usually plays a major role,” McMahan said. “Without it, there is a void. I think it’s important for us to look at participating once again.”
SCC President Cecil Groves agreed, saying that the county is at a point where it has plenty of resources to offer incoming businesses.
“The college felt the thing you’re doing now is what needed to be done,” Groves said. “We’re very excited about economic development. I think Jackson County is in a good position. The time is right to look at this.”
Groves said things like broadband Internet access throughout the area would attract many high-tech businesses, which would in turn create new jobs for residents and students coming out of WCU and SCC.
“We have to look at what we want in this county,” Groves said. “Then we just have to get the information out there, and they will come to us. Our competition isn’t from places like Franklin. It’s more from cities like Asheville and Hickory.”
McMahan said the EDC would be remiss if it focused on textile and manufacturing jobs as it had in the past. Instead, EDC members have to focus on new, high-tech businesses while retaining jobs for the people who already live here, he said.
“If we’re building our economic development on textiles and manufacturing, we’re going to fail,” McMahan said. “We’ve sent a lot of those jobs overseas. They’re not coming back, and if we think we’re going to bring them back, then we’re fools.
“But we have to realize there’s a certain segment of our population that won’t get these high-paying jobs,” McMahan said. “Some people have a thing against ‘big box’ stores. But if one of those comes in, creates 400 jobs and offers a paycheck and insurance to someone with a high school education, that’s a good thing.”
Before the county and SCC can officially resume participation, they must approve of the EDC’s restructured bylaws, which include provisions for their participation.
McMahan and Groves agreed to bring the bylaws before their respective boards.
“We’ll take the bylaws and look at them,” McMahan said. “I can’t speak for the new board, but I know there has been a lot of interest in coming back to the table. I can say there have been no negative comments (about the idea).”
County officials withdrew from the EDC in January 2005 as part of a controversial five-part motion that removed then-EDC Chairman Tom McClure from all county-appointed posts but did not end McClure’s role in the EDC. He remains WCU’s representative to that board.
Then-Commissioners’ Chairman Stacy Buchanan said the county suspended its participation due to the way EDC had gone about business.
“I envision a professional hired to do economic development who would brief the board each month,” he said at the time. “This stuff needs to be open and above board.”
County officials sent deputies to McClure’s office to seize EDC records and proceeded with an audit of those records. That audit, conducted by accountant Mitch Crisp, turned up no evidence of wrongdoing.
SCC followed the county’s lead and withdrew from the EDC the following month. While praising the service and commitment of EDC members, SCC President Cecil Groves characterized the EDC upheaval as “an opportunity for members of the Economic Development Commission (to) meet in public session with the county commissioners and other stakeholders to review, discuss and establish a more workable and understandable model for economic development.”
The exit of the county and SCC left representatives from Sylva, Dillsboro, Webster, Forest Hills and WCU on the EDC board.
With that all in the past, McMahan said he was glad the commission is looking to the future instead of focusing on past disputes.
“I’m really glad we’re looking forward,” he said. “From this night forward, I’m not concerned with the past.”
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