The Webster Progress-Times

Local leaders were urged last week to stay the course and seek broad-based support for Webster County's economic development program.

The comments were made during an in-depth discussion regarding the future of the county's economic development program on Oct. 18 at the Eupora Depot. Eupora Mayor Pete Fortner, president of the Webster County Development Council, organized the luncheon meeting.

Those attending included Fortner; Steve Anderson, executive director of the WCDC; members of the Eupora Board of Aldermen and Webster County Board of Supervisors; state Sen. Gary Jackson of French Camp and state Rep. Dannie Reed of Ackerman; and officials with the Appalachian Regional Commission, Tennessee Valley Authority, Natchez Trace Electric Power Association, Four-County Electric Power Association, North Mississippi Industrial Development Association and Mississippi Development Authority.

Moderators included Tim Weston, TVA's area economic development specialist; Phillip Scharre, TVA's manager of community development; Allegra Brigham, chief executive officer of Four-County Electric Power Association; and Joe Boehms, general manager of Natchez Trace EPA.

Referring to reductions in contributions to the WCDC totaling $30,000 from the city of Eupora and Webster County in this fiscal year's budgets, Wesson said he and the others were not there to say whether those cutbacks were right or wrong but to help the WCDC and local officials determine where they need to go from here.

He did say, however, "We believe local communities that have a strong economic development program are important and also moving in the right direction. ... Economic development is a very competitive business."

Webster County can follow the example of communities that are successful models of economic improvement, he said, adding that communities can will themselves to be successful if they are serious about doing so."

"It's a science more than an art," he said.

With the right leadership and people from the public and private sectors working together, he said a community can look like it wants to be. In addition, he said this takes vision and strategy.

Reviewing the Vision to Action strategic plan developed through volunteer committees of the WCDC, Warren said such plans need to be detail oriented and inspire people to move forward. "You need a strategic plan and to know where you want to go."

The strategic plan shows that much has been accomplished, he said, but stressed that more needs to be done and that the plan should be updated continually.

Scharre said the WCDC needs to determine what has been accomplished and what it wants to accomplish in the next one to three years. He said planning is important in order to be ready to promote economic development. Those involved in the process should review what has been accomplished and determine what needs to be changed annually or semiannually.

"You do it on a continuous basis (to determine if you are) making progress to make Webster County a better place for new jobs," said Scharre.

He also encouraged local officials to continue communications with officials on the state and federal level, and to commit to properly fund a countywide community development program.

Four-County's Brigham recommended that local officials find ongoing financial support to keep the WCDC going and find a way to obtain full support from the county and all of its municipalities. She said Four-County, NTEPA and other agencies such as TVA and NMIDA were available to support the Development Council.

"You've got a lot going (and have) made great strides (but) funding and broad-based support are critical issues," she said.

Scharre had those present share specific ideas of what they would like to see accomplished.

Comments included a focus on value-added natural resources such as manufacturing log products into finished products, retail development, increased broadband availability, increased unity in the county, working with existing industries to retain jobs, a small business incubator, an active executive committee that meets regularly, recruitment of automotive suppliers, a team approach for recruitment, identifying items in the strategic plan and trying to develop them, a focus on quality-of-life issues, working closely with community colleges, technology transfer from Mississippi State University, increasing literacy and decreasing the dropout rate, and filling up empty buildings.

One TVA official present recommend that the community reconsider organizing the Rails to Trails program, which has been pursued locally in the past.

The National Park Service has accepted the WCDC for assistance with this program but the project is on hold because the C&G Railway has not officially abandoned the rail corridor between West Point and Greenwood. The Board of Supervisors in 2003 took under advisement a request from Anderson to pass a resolution to form a recreation district as an initial step toward negotiations.

Rep. Reed commented that if a community works together on a big project, many of the recommendations made would come together.

Eupora Alderman Hank Flowers said the county and its municipalities need to think as one.

"Think 'we,' not 'I'," he said.

Anderson noted that many of the proposals were already included in the Vision to Action plan.

A meeting of the WCDC board of directors that was scheduled for that night at the Courthouse was canceled by Fortner.