Improved chances of not screwing up

Back in December 2009 it was noted in this space that we don’t want to screw this up.

The “this” was and continues to be a growing consensus among the citizenry that we might consider more Walk and less Talk with respect to additions and enhancements to our regional economic and quality-of-place development.

It was noted then that we can make big things happen when we come together. As proof, we cited the $200 million expansion of Lake Fort Smith, converting our two-year college to a four-year university, the successful push to save the 188th, the successful push to land the Marshals Museum, and the approval by the political leadership in Crawford and Sebastian counties to allow the creation of a regional intermodal authority.

At great risk of sounding vain, I quote myself: “Economic reality has finally permeated the thickness of our conservative body politic. Many in the area now realize that economic development is about far more than access to big buildings, railroads and waterways, decent schools and cheap labor. We’ve discovered — or at least I’d like to believe it so — that if you sell your community as a cheap place to do business, then you get businesses that only see and treat your community as a cheap place.

“Part of this transition includes the belief that economic development is external AND internal; it’s about including a societal element, which results in a socio-economic development mode that considers the value of life outside the workplace; and, therefore, it’s about creating a community just as eager to welcome and cater to the creative fury of non-conforming entrepreneurial talent as it is eager to pursue the traditional blue-collar job recruitment plan.”

Why do we now reconsider the notion of not screwing this up? Because, as much as I have fought the feeling for the past few weeks, I can’t help but possessing optimism for improved chances of not screwing this up.

Van Buren and Crawford County governments and the Van Buren Chamber of Commerce have had good folks in place for a few years now. This Paul Harvel guy at the Fort Smith chamber has accomplished much more than most folks thought he would in his short time trying to right that ship.

After Nov. 4, we in Fort Smith were delivered by the voters a new mayor and new members of the Fort Smith Board of Directors. However, it remained unclear whether the new blood would be as weak and thin as the old blood.

And then Jan. 4 happened. Not only did Fort Smith gain a new city administrator who won’t have to spend the first year figuring out where the bones are buried and land mines are located, but this “new” board of directors committed a D-E-C-I-S-I-O-N. They just up and decided something important. Yes, I know, odd, right? There was no caterwauling or pussyfooting or dogged determination to drag feet as part of behavior that parents of most spoiled three-year olds recognize.

Beat any damn thing I’ve seen and I’ve been watching this group for many years. Prior to Jan. 4, the only difference between the board and Halley’s Comet was we could be certain the comet would do something every 76 years.

As nice as it was to see bold board movement, it’s just a start. A late start, really. We’ve got some catching up to do. If we don’t encourage and support some of this recent and new leadership now in place, we still have an opportunity to screw this up.

And as a reminder of what’s at stake, please allow me another element of vanity to reiterate what was mentioned in this space in December 2009.
• The macro view is, arguably, we have two basic long-term options. The first option is that in 20 years a majority of the jobs in our regional economy are beholden to the whims of folks in other states or countries. The second option is that in 20 years a majority of the jobs in our regional economy are controlled by people who live, work and play in this region. If you like best the second option, then you understand why we can’t screw this up.

• We have a dynamic and responsive university new enough to not be too weighed down with academic bureaucracy. Also, we’ll need to continue our push for public schools that can be as good as the federal and state public school system rules allow.

• The region is in need of a diverse range of arts and entertainment options. We’re not there yet, but it’s not from lack of trying. We should not allow fear or the professional aginners to dilute our resolve to think big in terms of pushing a quality of place plan. We didn’t back away from the big fights in expanding our water supply, keeping the 188th and landing the Marshals Museum. We are a great people in a great region, and we are capable of great progress. We can’t screw this up.

• We must continue to focus — through supportive/minimal regulation and/or oversight from local governments — on developing a “hip” urban core that appeals to the 20-40 age group who want to live, work and play in or near a downtown environment. Fort Smith, Ozark and Van Buren have much potential in this area.

• High-wage and low-wage jobs all require a dependable water supply, quality road network (I-49), expandable landfill and electronic (broadband, wireless, etc.) connections. Failure in any one of the aforementioned is unacceptable.

• We must do more to build strong connections to business, cultural and government leaders in Little Rock, Northwest Arkansas and Washington. Yellow-dog Democrats and Right-wing Republicans are of no help in correcting our dysfunctional connections.

Only time will tell, but we may now have a cadre of leaders in the region with the vision and desire to not screw this up. We’ve proven we can avoid screwing up when not screwing up is important.

It’s important, still.