"Watkins pushes new resources for city economy
‘Shovel-ready’ sites a keystone.
By Sara Semelka
Sunday, June 7, 2009
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LAKE OZARK — As the national recession drags on, Columbia city officials are looking for ways to beef up the city’s economy.
At the Columbia City Council retreat yesterday, City Manager Bill Watkins, who was the first president of Columbia’s Regional Economic Development Inc., briefed council members and staff on his economic outlook for the city.
Watkins keyed in on imports and exports.
Exports — goods and services sold to those outside of the city’s economy — are vital, he said.
“A fourth Wal-Mart is not economic development,” he said. “All we’re doing there is moving money around.”
The goal is to bring in new resources, he said. The other side of growing exports is to encourage import-substituting enterprises that keep resources in the region.
Entrepreneurship is an important part of the economic development package, Watkins said, but not all startups are equal.
“Someone who starts up a store to sell widgets when we already have 18 stores that sell widgets is, again, moving money around, not economic development,” he said.
Watkins reviewed implementation strategies created by the community visioning process, which included the creation of five new technology startups by 2010, a goal he acknowledged would be “tough.”
Other goals include the establishment of three shovel-ready sites — something Watkins was more optimistic about.
“There’s the Ewing” Industrial Site, “one out on Range Line being pursued by” the Columbia Area Jobs Foundation, “and we are in discussions on a property within the city limits,” he told the council. “I’m hopeful in the next few weeks we’ll have a closed session to show you what that’s about.”
Fourth Ward Councilman Jerry Wade suggested the city look into a creating a program to certify sites for development, similar to the state’s program.
The Ewing Industrial Site was the first in Missouri to be certified by the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
Bernie Andrews, who will continue to lead REDI until new President Mike Brooks takes over in July, said a city certification program would allow Columbia to market and promote sites as being shovel-ready in terms of city requirements for zoning, utilities and land use.
Watkins noted that large manufacturing relocations are not something to count on.
“There are 10,000 communities for every one announced relocation,” he said. “That’s not saying we shouldn’t pursue it. But relocation will be the exception, not the rule, of your economic development strategy.”
Sixth Ward Councilwoman Barbara Hoppe noted that Watkins’ presentation didn’t touch on “green” jobs very much.
“As we move forward, some will be green jobs,” he said. “But a lot of green jobs are just remakes of the current kinds of jobs. You’ve still got the basic skills. You can put new roofing tiles on the roof, even though they may be solar. ... You need some of the same skills to produce a wind engine” as a traditional engine.
Mayor Darwin Hindman said Columbia needs to focus on its strengths to differentiate itself in the global marketplace.
“What do we have that other places don’t have?” Hindman said. “The glaring No. 1 thing is the University of Missouri. It’s a major research institution. And to a large extent, it’s been untapped.”
http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/200 ... 0607/?news
‘Shovel-ready’ sites a keystone.
By Sara Semelka
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Advertisement
LAKE OZARK — As the national recession drags on, Columbia city officials are looking for ways to beef up the city’s economy.
At the Columbia City Council retreat yesterday, City Manager Bill Watkins, who was the first president of Columbia’s Regional Economic Development Inc., briefed council members and staff on his economic outlook for the city.
Watkins keyed in on imports and exports.
Exports — goods and services sold to those outside of the city’s economy — are vital, he said.
“A fourth Wal-Mart is not economic development,” he said. “All we’re doing there is moving money around.”
The goal is to bring in new resources, he said. The other side of growing exports is to encourage import-substituting enterprises that keep resources in the region.
Entrepreneurship is an important part of the economic development package, Watkins said, but not all startups are equal.
“Someone who starts up a store to sell widgets when we already have 18 stores that sell widgets is, again, moving money around, not economic development,” he said.
Watkins reviewed implementation strategies created by the community visioning process, which included the creation of five new technology startups by 2010, a goal he acknowledged would be “tough.”
Other goals include the establishment of three shovel-ready sites — something Watkins was more optimistic about.
“There’s the Ewing” Industrial Site, “one out on Range Line being pursued by” the Columbia Area Jobs Foundation, “and we are in discussions on a property within the city limits,” he told the council. “I’m hopeful in the next few weeks we’ll have a closed session to show you what that’s about.”
Fourth Ward Councilman Jerry Wade suggested the city look into a creating a program to certify sites for development, similar to the state’s program.
The Ewing Industrial Site was the first in Missouri to be certified by the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
Bernie Andrews, who will continue to lead REDI until new President Mike Brooks takes over in July, said a city certification program would allow Columbia to market and promote sites as being shovel-ready in terms of city requirements for zoning, utilities and land use.
Watkins noted that large manufacturing relocations are not something to count on.
“There are 10,000 communities for every one announced relocation,” he said. “That’s not saying we shouldn’t pursue it. But relocation will be the exception, not the rule, of your economic development strategy.”
Sixth Ward Councilwoman Barbara Hoppe noted that Watkins’ presentation didn’t touch on “green” jobs very much.
“As we move forward, some will be green jobs,” he said. “But a lot of green jobs are just remakes of the current kinds of jobs. You’ve still got the basic skills. You can put new roofing tiles on the roof, even though they may be solar. ... You need some of the same skills to produce a wind engine” as a traditional engine.
Mayor Darwin Hindman said Columbia needs to focus on its strengths to differentiate itself in the global marketplace.
“What do we have that other places don’t have?” Hindman said. “The glaring No. 1 thing is the University of Missouri. It’s a major research institution. And to a large extent, it’s been untapped.”
http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/200 ... 0607/?news
