The Clarke County Economic Development Committee plays a vital role in our community. Do you know what the committee does? The Clarke County Tribune will cover several articles explaining this important part of our county.
A conversation with Board of Supervisor President Mickey Long about Economic Development
Editor: Talk about the Board of Supervisor’s goal for economic development in our area?
Long: We strive to strengthen our communities by adding high quality job opportunities for our citizens. We want to provide local opportunities so our people can work at home in their own communities. Currently nearly 2,000 Clarke County people work outside the county. That is 2/3 of our total workforce.
Editor: How do we structure to seek new development in our county?
Long: The Board is directly involved in this effort. We employ Mid Mississippi Economic Development, Mr. Newt Ishee, to be our lead contact with these potential industries. We also appoint local interested citizens to help identify direction and make decisions, along with the Board of Supervisors in Economic Development. This committee is critical to be sure the needs of the whole county are met.
Editor: Give us a look at how the BOS participated in these efforts.
Long: We have participated in a long-range strategic plan to identify our strengths and weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. We strive to stress our strengths while addressing our weaknesses. The opportunities we identify become the direction for our efforts, but we also identify threats to the jobs we have already secured.
We meet regularly with our team to update and develop new plans to improve our success rate, and try to be sure we are realistic in our assessments. The Board also is regional in our vision. For example, a new industry in our surrounding area is still a win for our citizens.
Editor: What happens when a prospective industry is identified?
Long: This usually comes through our partnership with Mid Miss, but sometimes it comes from the Mississippi Development Authority, and occasionally comes directly from a prospective industry. The Supervisors makes itself available to work cooperatively with all concerned. It is one of the most important functions we have as a Board.
The physical enticements are most often our responsibility. For example, access roads into a site or the enhancement of a county owned site is our responsibility.
Editor: When the County is successful how will we know it?
Long: We will eagerly announce this to the media, starting with the Clarke County Tribune. Workforce is extremely important and we will let our citizens know that new opportunities exist.
Editor: Closing thoughts
Long: Economic Development is more like a marathon than a sprint. Quality progress is a planned response. Clarke County is a resilient community of good people, and we will succeed in building opportunity locally.
