Of game changers and barbecues

The optimist says the HMA deal bringing around 400 new and good-paying jobs to the Fort Smith area is a sign the region can recover from the more than 12,000 jobs lost in the past eight years.

The pessimist says the HMA deal is a sign the region has a long way to go to recover from the more than 12,000 jobs lost.

They are both correct.

It’s not that the glass is half full or half empty, it’s more about the size of the glass (quality of jobs) and what we do to ensure the level remains closer to the top than the bottom. But you, Kind Reader, already know that.

You probably also know that leadership is the key in securing jobs that, from a regional economic perspective, either drain, maintain or gain.

A local businessman recently suggested there is “no cavalry” coming to save the region. His direct message is that we have to build our own future. His indirect message is that the region is not well served by outside owners – be they manufacturing, financial, medical, communications technology, retail or government – who make decisions at levels that do not include our interests. To wit, Whirlpool. And the 188th.

Unfortunately, our traditional leadership sectors appear unable or unwilling to adapt.

To be fair, the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce is busier than a fire department trying to keep up with a horde of meth-frenzied pyromaniacs scattered through a west Texas drought-stricken thicket. Chamber officials don’t have time to focus on the long-term socio-economic development.

City government has proven more reactive than proactive. We’ve been arguing about rules for dogs and cats, and soon, with this comprehensive planning thing, will be debating important stuff like the appropriate number of shrubs, placing of light poles, distance between curb cuts, and awning colors in historic districts.

Our Sebastian County government appears unable to organize a barbecue.

It’s not all dire. This Clinton School idea proposed by Fort Smith businessman Steve Clark is an example of what could be a game changer. We’ll need a basket of those game changers just to get back to square one.

I’m not willing to bet on more game changers. The regional council managed by the Fort Smith Chamber is focused more on broad areas rather than specific ideas. We need specific game changer ideas. Specific ideas like they had a few years back at the Northwest Arkansas Council. That council wanted to build a new regional airport. They didn’t say, “Hey guys, we should do something to improve our regional transportation assets.” Nope. They said, specifically, “We’re going to By God build an airport. We’re going to build it here. This is what it will cost and here’s our plan for doing it.” Then they did it. They had it diagrammed down to where the bathrooms would be located in the new terminal.

Furthermore, we as a region don’t seem to have the leadership, political will, money or a combination of the aforementioned to implement and successfully maintain an aggressive entrepreneurship program. If a major employer with outside ownership needs a break, we rush to their aid. If an entrepreneur who may be the next major employer needs a break, he or she is largely ignored. Would be willing to bet that a handful of entrepreneurs in the area have created more local jobs than Mitsubishi.

The good news is that if we’re going to be too lazy to get serious about entrepreneurial support, we can ride the coattails of the entrepreneurial programs and new businesses coming out of the University of Arkansas and other public and private institutions in Northwest Arkansas. That region is cranking out entrepreneurs and commercialized concepts that could find a home in the Fort Smith region.

However, that will require visionary leadership – we always get back to leadership, don’t we? –  from the Fort Smith region able and willing to build direct partnerships with the UA and other similar programs around the state and country. And these partnerships should be more than just a meeting between mayors in which we exchange proclamations and good wishes.

It’s my sincere belief the Fort Smith region is a car with a good frame and good wheels and overall solid body, but needs a new engine. There is no problem with installing a new radio (water park) or fancy seat covers (Marshals Museum) in that car, but it ain’t going to get us far down the road without tackling the hard job of engine repair. Our car needs new spark plugs (visionary leaders), a new fuel system (private and public sector policies that facilitate local development and entrepreneurial growth), a high performance cam shaft (clear and consistent communication between leaders, stakeholders and citizens), and a new timing chain (collaborative strategy that connects and maximizes all the necessary elements).

Said all the above to say this: I’m optimistic that chamber and other local officials are working aggressively – as proven with the HMA deal – to stop the bleeding of jobs. I’m a pessimist about efforts to build a long-term regional foundation for socio-economic growth.

Am hoping eventually to be proven half wrong.