Muskogee Development's problem has always been that no one outside of city officials and the board members know what that organization does nor the successess they have had. Scott Robinson, who is the director of the Port of Muskogee and who could also be taking on Muskogee Development's mission is the longest serving Muskogee Development board member at 20 years He's quoted in the Phoenix as saying, “Why has it taken 20 years, and we’re still in the same spot,” he said. “There is a lot of confusion on what Muskogee Development is. It’s hard for the community to grasp.”
I did note with some dismay, that during the city council's discussion of giving economic development to the Port of Muskogee, that no city councilor asked the basic question: What will the Port of Muskogee do differently than Muskogee Development to ensure their success at this venture?
And until that question is answered in specificity, it will remain Muskogee's economic Rubik's cube.
The right person can solve a Rubik's cube in seconds. A $250,000 annual budget can buy Muskogee a decent marketing and PR firm, but it's not enough to build the trained and energetic labor force, the parks, schools, highway, water, sewage, and cultural infrastructure to attract industry. If Muskogee has the labor force and the infrastructure, the PR firm could be the answer. If it doesn't, no mere quarter million will solve the problem.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest problem Greater Muskogee Development (GMD) has is that, as has been observed previously, no one (common folk-wise) in Muskogee know what they do and therefore won't support a tax dedicated to economic development. Your comments are right on and while Muskogee does have infrastructure to support itself, GMD has acknowledged that Muskogee doesn't have the infrastructure in place to attract new industry. The city is working on that but it's a long-term solution.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting, Hugh!