What’s the value of economic development?
It ensures a community thrives and has a future.
It seemed an appropriate message delivered by Clarke Becker, director of the Colorado Rural Workforce Consortium, on Thursday afternoon, the same day when Zuke’s Pet Nutrition announced it intends to join with Texas-based Merrick Pet Care and layoff 24 of the company’s 36 employees – 16 in Durango – and move to northwest Texas.
“Economic change is coming with or without you,” Becker told about a dozen local government, business and economic development leaders at a forum called Economic Development 101 held in the La Plata Electric Association Meeting Room.
He noted the importance of not only attracting new companies, but retaining existing ones.
“They are already here. They are already providing jobs. They are your tax base. They are your community image. They are preserving jobs” he said.
Roger Zalneraitis, executive director of the La Plata Economic Development Alliance, expressed some frustration with the state’s economic development programs.
“The incentive programs we have from the state are never geared to business retention,” he said.
In general, Becker said he was skeptical of economic incentive packages for small communities.
Instead, helping existing businesses through the planning process, making the planning process clear, and having a usable and informative website are all just as valuable.
“Denver can put together an incentive package and have the governor sit in on meetings. Small communities can’t,” Becker said.
Burning some shoe leather also pays off, Becker said, recommending that economic development and government officials talk regularly with business owners in their community.
“How do they feel about the community? What do they need to survive? What challenges do they face? What opportunities do they have?
“You might hear: ‘Boy, unless we get two or three new contracts we don’t know if were going to make payroll.’ You’d never know that if you don’t talk to them,” he said.
parmijo@durangoherald.com
