It went down like this...

Last week the Arizona Corporation Committee approved Hualapai Valley Solar’s Certificate of Environmental Compatibility (CEC).

Good news -- bad news sort of thing here. I'll start with the bad, the ACC is requiring HVS to only use a water supply of effluent for its water needs. This probably means the project will be put on hold at this point because there is no effluent resources or means of transport of effluent available in the area. The City of Kingman and HVS have been engaging in talks about allowing HVS to use the effluent resources in Kingman, but another problem... it is likely that there isn't enough effluent being produced because the population is not great enough.

Gee, the good news... well the ACC approved the application.

Just as a reminder, the Arizona Corporation Commission is a '4th' branch of government in the state of Arizona. Most folks out in the outer area, the area of Arizona that doesn't make up Maricopa County, watch the ACC put the brakes on economic development in those outer areas. I'm working on getting some information of solar projects similar to the HVS method of energy production in the Maricopa areas just to see if, once again, the ACC screwed the chances for more economic development opportunities in Mohave County.

For now I'll leave you with the press release from HVS.

Arizona Corporation Commission approves Certificate of Environmental Compatibility for Hualapai Valley Solar

Phoenix – The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) voted to approve the Hualapai Valley Solar’s Certificate of Environmental Compatibility (CEC) on Wednesday, October 20th. The CEC, the final State approval required to begin construction, approves the project's power plant, interconnection, and transmission plans. The ACC expressed that there is a shift towards dry cooling in the Southwest USA and that wet cooled power plants are unlikely to get any more approvals. In its decision, the Commission found that the “Project is in the public interest because it aids the state in meeting the need for an adequate, economical, and reliable supply of electric power.”


From the outset, the solar plant was designed to use an evaporative cooling system supplied with reclaimed wastewater. The CEC also allows the company to use hybrid (water and air) cooling technology if sufficient reclaimed wastewater is not available. Hualapai Valley Solar and the city of Kingman are evaluating all possible sources of reclaimed wastewater for use by the project. Since a binding Memorandum of Understanding was signed in December 2009, the city and HVS have been working on a reclaimed water purchase agreement that would supply more than half of the water needs of the project from the city's upgraded Hilltop Wastewater Treatment Plant. The current plant treats approximately 1.5 million gallons per day of wastewater, an amount that is expected to rise over time as residents switch from septic tanks to the city sewer system. The agreement for the output of the Hilltop facility is expected to go before the City Council as early as November.

The Hualapai Valley Solar Project is a proposed 340MW parabolic trough power plant. The plant’s design incorporates 7 to 8 hours of additional output once the sun is down through the storage of heat in molten salt tanks during the day. It is located approximately 28 miles north of Kingman, Arizona, is sited on private land, and has firm transmission located a few miles from the site.

More links

havasunews.com

So why try, right??

Couple of noteworthy quotes from the latest City Council meeting...

"We all would love to see big things happen in Kingman; but the economy - it's not just here, it's everywhere," Deering said. "I don't know this commission, or any commission right now, is going to change the economic outlook of Kingman, other than time itself."

"This town has always had some plans. Otherwise, we wouldn't have had the 17-percent growth during the boom that we had," he said. "It's unfair to say we didn't have a plan. Kingman was developing, it was growing, and things were nice and rosy when the economy was good."

First of all for the most part I like outgoing councilman Deering.  I have nothing personal against the man or the councilman, I just disagree with him at times (like with the two quotes above).

Some months ago I stopped posting economic development activities that other communities are doing during even these trying times (the national economy).  If I searched today for such community efforts, no doubt I'd find plenty to share and it is easy to understand why.  Many local communities clearly understand the need to compete for new business opportunities, i.e. new opportunities for new tax revenues.  But these 'other' communities are not sitting around and waiting out the bad times in the hopes of attracting new opportunities when, or if, things get all rosy on the national economic scene.

I'm currently doing business in another area of the US southwest... a community that banded together a couple of years ago to ensure a better business opportunity within the community.  Has it worked??  Well the results are mixed but to a person that I've talked to in this new area where I'm doing a pretty brisk business, they've all said that without the efforts things would be a total mess right now (in other words, I wouldn't be doing business here).

Really, it is not difficult, just go ahead and search the interwebz for articles on business competition between states right now.  Oh... it's on.  I know of at least three western states that are courting enterprises in California (in comparison Arizona is not really one of those either... for shame).

It is safe to say that if states are competing against each other for new opportunity... local communities are in it to win it as well.

Maybe Mr. Deering made the right call to decide not to run for reelection at this time.  Kingman certainly needs leaders that want to compete for better opportunities for this community.  If Mr. Deering or any other community leader is unwilling to move Kingman forward, hopefully the voters will elect some leaders that are willing to take a shot at increasing employment opportunity, business opportunity, and community improvement.

I've always heard the age old adage that the rising tide will raise all boats... but if the tide doesn't come back for what might be an extended period of time... why not get some folks together and drag the boat out to where the water level is high enough to get on with the sailing??  I want leaders that are willing to do the heavy lifting.

it's a hot and bitter cup we are sipping....

Most of you have heard or read something about the county's latest fiasco, brewing like cowboy coffee on an open fire pit. The issue specific is whether or not the county's assumed oral policy prohibiting the disbursement of brochures and pamphlets by the general public on county property is in violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. It is an oral policy, not written and no one knows who or when they accepted it, since never written it was never officially adopted and is left up to the county officials to act upon based upon their individual interpretations of AZ Statute 11 Art 410 which states:



11-410. Use of county resources or employees to influence elections; prohibition
A. A county shall not use its personnel, equipment, materials, buildings or other resources for the purpose of influencing the outcomes of elections. Notwithstanding this section, a county may distribute informational reports on a proposed bond election as provided in section 35-454. Nothing in this section precludes a county from reporting on official actions of the county board of supervisors.
B. Employees of a county shall not use the authority of their positions to influence the vote or political activities of any subordinate employee.
C. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as denying the civil and political liberties of any employee as guaranteed by the United States and Arizona Constitutions.



The salt added to the grounds of this brew is that a local resident, citizen and taxpayer was prohibited from dispersing his materials made that reflected the voting record of Senator John McCain prior and during the McCain Town Hall held in Kingman, Arizona, November 13, 2009, in the public owned county administration building. Luca Zanna was predominately ignored during the McCain Town Hall as he politely kept his hand raised for over 45 minutes in request to speak. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gOxD39_--g But Luca Zanna is not one to be ignored. He persisted until John McCain himself handed Mr. Zanna his microphone to address him with. Luca Zanna is very dynamic to be sure and can appear to be quite exuberant, but he is also one of the most respectful and sincere people I have known since living here. Impassioned sure, terrorist------NOT. As he and Buster Johnson have related to me, once he was asked to stop passing out his materials and told that he was in violation of the county rules, he politely and respectfully stopped. (Do you hear the striking of the match.)



As most of you know Buster Johnson is the county Board of Supervisor for District 3. What some of you may not know is that Buster Johnson is the Chairman of the Republican Central Committee. It was through his party affiliations and work as Chair that he was able to convince Senator John McCain and his staff that Mohave County should be the site of a scheduled Town Hall event and in doing so brought the event here as a public service opportunity we have been long denied. And it was as the Chair he was approached by one of Senator McCain's security guards paid for by our tax dollars, to tell Mr. Zanna and others to stop passing out their materials, "for security reasons" on the publicly owned property. And yes, he is the same security guard taking pictures of Luca Zanna during the McCain Town Hall in the video. (Just the back log for the campfire.)



In his quest for answers from the county as to just what is this policy, where is it posted, who does it apply to, are you sure it even exists......Mr. Zanna approached several county officials by phone call, email and in person. Yet his emails and questions were unanswered. Even when the county attorney revealed that they had just always fallen back on AZ 11art 410 and everyone had agreed that this is how they would do it, no one could explain or show Mr. Zanna where the county residents had ever participated in this decision. If it isn't written down, then how could they have approved it? If it isn't written down then how does anyone know when someone or party is in compliance or non-compliance? How do you know it is even in compliance with the State Statute itself? Since the county could not or would not answer his probes, he addressed the Board of Supervisors in an open meeting, yet still the same results. (Ignite the kindling now.)



What followed next was a production on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVhy0hlfdfM reflecting how Mr. Zanna was starting to feel about being ignored. And he submitted a couple of letters to the local media. BOS Tom Sockwell felt he was being personally attacked and responded with an article in the Daily Miner of his own, http://kingmandailyminer.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=35736&SectionID=36&SubSectionID=73&S=1 Mr. Zanna started getting attention, the issue was being brought out, still no answers though to some very relevant questions. (We got smoke!)



The economy is slow, news is slow. We don't have much going on in Mayberry these days. People are out of work, out of money and don't have much to do but read the paper and the Internet, watch TV and youtube and they have the time to get involved in local affairs. The Daily Miner and other media venues have picked up on Mr. Zanna's plight. Support for his stance is growing. And the fact that the government is responsible for people being out of work and out of money and out of answers and out of patience is making us all irritable. Now there is a recall petition for Mr. Sockwell and a possible complaint to the State Attorney General. (We got flames!)



Ron Walker decided it was time for him to join the name calling, http://kingmandailyminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=36&subsectionID=73&articleID=36024, which like Supervisor Sockwell's retort, just added more heat to the pot just starting to boil. Oh yeah right we were making coffee. The county still needs a written definition of how AZ Stat. 11 Art. 410 will be followed and the written guidelines there of printed out for the public. But who wants to work that out while we all are too busy fueling the fire? (Uh, Ron Walker is the County Manager who is in charge of directing staff to put such definitions and guidelines down on paper to be reviewed and adopted by public approval via the representation there of, our Board of Supervisors.)



Maybe if our county representatives and officials had taken the time they have had writing articles to openly degrade private citizens to sit down with Mr. Zanna and discuss his genuine concerns reasonably over a cup of coffee something would have been resolved by now. Instead we have a media frenzy that makes Mohave County politics shine like the Dukes of Hazzard on steroids. And we are still out of work and out of money and wondering why the developments that could change things for us locally are continuing to locate their projects to the southern counties of the State. What we need is a fresh pot of coffee!

'The Big Dummy' speaks... (no not me)...

No doubt that I read the KDMiner.com pages for the latest -- almost -- daily information about things happening in the Kingman area. It is the only such media outlet that is -- almost -- daily that puts their articles, opinions, etc. online for all to see. The content that is produced by the employees at the Miner is what it is... and since it has no competition, again online, it is the best available. However, to me the 'gold' I find at the KDMiner.com site comes from the content that the readers leave on either articles or opinion pieces.

I found a couple of comments that I wanted to further spotlight here on MOCO and they will appear below. Click here for the link to the letter to editor from Wednesday's edition. Go ahead and read the original letter for complete context where the following two posts are addressing. The title of the letter is 'Smart' people back at it again.

The two responses come from the same person who uses the moniker 'The Big Dummy', and here is the first one... with some of my thoughts along the way...

Posted: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Article comment by: The Big Dummy

Mr.Stultz and other naysayers,

You clearly don’t know much of anything but rumors about the Griffith power plant, power plants in general, electric distribution, or electric markets. Before you try to compare Griffith to any other power project you should know something about which you speak first.

For yours and other’s edification I’ll lay out some accurate information for you.

I love it so far... and it gets so much better.

About 25 people work at the Griffith plant and last time I talked with an acquaintance there all but one called Mohave County home. That’s about the number they said would work there when the project was proposed. Don’t believe it? Check the Miner archives. Unlike a solar plant, every one of Griffith’s workers need to be a skilled power plant technician. A lot of jobs at photovoltaic and concentrating solar plants are window washers that don’t need to know a lot nor do they get paid that well. I expect the core number of skilled plant operators at one of these new solar plants will be about the same as Griffith. In any case, Griffith never promised large numbers of permanent workers so why are you complaining?

So much good stuff here... I love the 'check the Miner archives' thing there -- which of course most folks against new development simply won't do. The part about have skilled technicians... yeppers... important in this kind of investment and endeavor. Having newly relocated higher skilled level employees will not be a bad thing for this community or it's tax base.

If you are still not happy that at least 24 of our own got great paying jobs at Griffith, something you do need to think about is how many local businesses are still in business, benefit, or have increased their staff because of Griffith? It is likely local repair shops like RAM Enterprises, Laron Engineering, Sky Hi crane, United Rental, and others are happy to have places like Griffith around. If more power plants get built in our area these businesses are likely to expand and new businesses start up. Power plants need skilled workers to support them during times of major unscheduled and scheduled repair and upgrades. The point, Mr. Stultz, is that large industries often create even more decent jobs indirectly.

Sounds exactly like economic development to me.

County water records show that since Griffith began operation in 2001 it has averaged under 1000 gpm; or under 1613 acre ft per year. That is well below what they could use. The plant has always paid all the County expenses in maintaining and operating the wells. The plant also checks the aquifer level every month and sends the data to the County and guess what, it’s all at the County Water Department for you to see and believe it or not the Sacramento Aquifer is not being sucked dry by Griffith. I can’t remember if the USGS survey identified localized water level depression in the Griffith well field but if they did, so you and other know, that phenomenon is common and normal around an active well. There are limits to those depressions to protect aquifers against subsidence; and yes Griffith also has to do aquifer subsidence surveys annually in accordance with ADEQ. Maybe Mohave Engineering is another company happy to have Griffith around? In light of this, I have no idea where you get the information to make such a claim about the aquifer.

The water worry warts make 'claims' all the time... yet they never have any proof to back up their claims of dire emergencies lying in wait because some new projects want to move into the area.

The first water contract was that the plant paid for the water they used plus an expensive hi demand charge under certain usage conditions. However, the plant had a large amount of the water system capacity locked up in that contract. Power plants have to secure enough water to run full capacity at any time so they have to lock up that capacity. Due to the plant’s low usage it looked like there was a lot of water available and the county wanted to sell it elsewhere, which Griffith, or any other power plant, wouldn’t allow. The water contract renegotiation was a sweet deal for the County. Whether Griffith runs or not the County gets paid for the full amount of water the plant needs available. The result, the County is making a lot more money off Griffith’s water contract without supplying any more than the usual amount they use. Instead of complaining that Mr. Walker made a bad first contract, why don’t you be glad he acted in the best interest of the County, at least in this case, in realizing the deal needed to be renegotiated?

A simple estimation of the County property taxes on Griffith show that the 10 million dollar investment the County made in infrastructure for the I-40 Industrial Corridor has been, or very nearly, paid for. If I recall, I think the tax assessment on Griffith alone is right around a million dollars per year, so those taxes alone have almost paid for the entire investment. In addition, we now have the prison, Unisouce’s peaker plant, and a block making plant operating out there now. Also, property tax assessments don’t change if a facility isn’t in production for a time. For such a smart guy I can’t believe you’d make such a stupid comment.

Again... economic development.

Unless you have some inside information you can’t honestly say the plant only runs when California needs the power. But even if they did, what do you care? Is it the tired old complaint that they use our water and sell the power to another state? If so, then you’d better start complaining about Mineral Park that’s been using 3000 gpm of your water for decades and selling your copper and other minerals to companies in other states for a profit. And by the way, their mine expansion is set to raise that water consumption to 6000 gpm. What do you feel about Arizona coal that went to Nevada to make power for them? Was that a problem for you? A smart guy like you surely knows that’s how industry works. Natural resources in one area are mined, cut, fished, or whatever and shipped somewhere else for processing, or manufacture, and sometimes to another place for distribution. Are you upset that rock quarries in our area shipping boulders and gravel to Las Vegas? They have to use some of our water for dust abatement so is that okay with you if the product ends up out of state? What about those poor people in Wyoming whose natural gas gets piped down here to Arizona to keep or homes warm? Would it be okay with you if they got upset that their un-renewable natural resources go out of State and they wanted to cut us off? So we take from others but are not willing to give? Is that how it is? How is using a little of our water for local projects that also benefit other States a problem?

And I'm just willing to bet that the original letter writer or any of the many water worry wart types that comment at the KDMiner.com site won't even try to attempt to answer any of the above questions... too bad too... would love to see the spin.

Let me ask you a more pertinent question. First let’s first assume that the Hualapai solar project will run at full capacity, 24/7, for 30 years and we assume the smallest estimated quantity of water in the Hualapai aquifer of 4 million acre feet and we assume no recharge for those 30 years. In this unrealistically high estimate only 3% of the aquifer would be used. You are all so very smart, I assume you’ve already done the calculations. My question is this, knowing how small a portion of the aquifer could be used what is the basis for opposing these plants based on water use?

Simply an incredibly smart and effective way to ask a similar question that I've been asking of the water worry warts... my question simply is 'when??'. Since they won't answer my easy question they won't attempt to answer this one either. The water worry warts HAVE NO DATA TO BACK UP THEIR ASSERTIONS.

Another fact about Griffith is that it is a merchant plant. There are merchant plants all over the United States and this time of year they, like Griffith, are sitting idle because it’s not real hot, not real cold, and manufacturing facilities are not running at full capacity. Merchant plants will, however, sometimes run even under these conditions when base load plants go off line for routine or emergency repairs. So even though a merchant plant may not be on line it serves as an important backup to increase the overall reliability of the US electric grid. The location of Griffith and the grid upgrades that they provided to our tristate area have also greatly enhanced the reliability of our local power distribution system – so Mr. Stultz’s power is less likely to go out from a single transmission line failure.

Judging from the unsubstantiated claims and unreasonable comparisons you made, Donald, it looks like you might want to reconsider who the big dummy really is.

All right, maybe 'The Big Dummy' didn't have to go there... but I'm not holding it against him/her. The water worry warts have said much worse about the pro development, pro property rights, and pro free enterprise folks in the Mohave County area.

So 'there appeared a second post in response to three attempts to take 'The Big Dummy' to task... the lame responses fail to impress and the follow up comment from 'The Big Dummy' shows why.

Posted: Saturday, January 30, 2010
Article comment by: The Big Dummy

Thank you for the support Mr. Stokes and Guess Who.

WES, maybe in all your rage you didn’t notice you are arguing with me? How funny. I’m glad you are exercising your rights and are politically involved. It’s more than most do. However, I don’t think you’ll be able to sway too many people to see things your way when your comments are laced with so much hate and anger. Your passion is powerful; make sure it’s always based in truth and not anger. Good luck with your effort!

Everyone else,

Ron Walker is not behind the moniker of the Big Dummy. I’m a Mohave County citizen that because of my educational background, where, and who I work with; I have experience in and access to much of this information first hand. All sources for what I say about taxes and Griffith water use is public record. I’d be a fool to lie when the numbers are available for anyone to see. I tried very hard to present nothing as biased or intentionally un-factual. If you are a lover or a hater of using water then the facts are going to seem biased, but it’s your personal bias. The facts, by definition, cannot be biased.

Whoever 'The Big Dummy' is... I want him or her to know that they are welcome to comment on this blog site anytime... I'd honor the wish to remain anonymous as well. This is great scissor use.

I’ve not read any HVS hydrology report or been to the public meetings. I used numbers published in the Miner and some common sense conservative assumptions and ran my own simple calculations that almost any of you could do as well. According to one of the No Names I guess they match pretty close to what HVS’s people came up with. I think that’s pretty cool! That means those HVS hydrology people aren’t fudging the numbers!

I've done the math as well... it was easy and it is very difficult to argue with.

If it weren’t for my associations and concern for repercussions I’d have used my real name, and I wish I could because I believe it would actually lend credence to my comments. I do hope my thorough commentary helps cut through the misinformed rants so my fellow citizens can make an informed decision about supporting or opposing these projects.

For years I've been trying to get more people to bring forth information that can be used in public... but for whatever reason the folks with a plethora of knowledge in this area just don't nearly as often as needed. I guess they have their reasons... but we are all missing out. Again, I'd let this person posting under the moniker of 'The Big Dummy' to post here at this site.

To Ron Walker; Clearly, some citizens hate your policies very much. I personally think you and the Board could do a better job in getting information to the citizenry, it would help clear up all that distrust so many people have. Think of the positive though, now you know how these folks really feel! I am offering you an apology for un-intentionally causing people to think The Big Dummy post was from you and for bringing such vitriol out against you. I am sorry about that.

Heh.

And finally...

To the Kingman Daily Miner,

Thank you for posting my comments. Could you PLEASE do us all a favor and publish the Griffith tax assessment, summary of the terms of their water contract with the County, and the record of their water usage? Since Griffith was built there has been so much misinformation about that place; some of it your fault. For the sanity of our County, please publish the records! It’s really too much for someone to put in as a letter to the editor. If you can’t pick on just them then how about a nice spreadsheet that shows ten year averages of tax payments, water use and cost, and # of employees of the top 25 property tax paying businesses in the County for the last 10 years? You have my thanks in advance.

Yeah... how 'bout it Miner??

Like I said before, you can find gold in the comments at the KDMiner.com. The above was such an example. Would love to see more folks like this get involved in the discussion.

Unemployment map...

Check this out... it is a map that shows county by county unemployment rates starting back in January 2007. Mohave County is hard to miss on this map... unfortunately.

Updated:

No jobs, but plenty of water...

Truly horrible for the area is the news that appears today at the KDMiner.com website...

Released Tuesday morning, the Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary shows that total employment for the Kingman-Lake Havasu metropolitan area fell 9.3 percent from July 2008 to July 2009, the sharpest year-over-year decline among all 372 metro areas monitored by the BLS. Another Arizona city, Prescott, came second, shedding 8.9 percent of its workforce over the same time period, with Reno, Nev., coming in third at 8.4 percent.

Meanwhile, the shower worked this morning. Plenty enough water to brush the teeth. I managed my normal two glasses of water for drinking. And oh yes the toilet worked just fine.

It is becoming clear, this community must choose to either use the assets it has to attract more industry and commercial opportunities -- and the vast quantity of water in the aquifers is just one of those assets, or accept the fate that this area is dying a painful death.

Econ development efforts from across the country...

I just figured it was that time again for one of these posts. Funny what a quick Google search will reveal whenever I get the whim.

Before I go on, it is my understanding that on the next Kingman City Council agenda there will be some discussion about local economic development plans. Maybe that discussion will end up on a future Google search so that I can include it here at MOCO.

Let's begin...

Part of plan focuses on economic development
By Tina Alvey
Register-Herald Reporter

Published: August 23, 2009 11:35 pm

Greenbrier County’s proposed updated comprehensive plan is an ambitious document, outlining much more than the land use guidelines that comprise the bulk of its predecessors.

A major section of the plan focuses on economic development issues, ranging from business support services to infrastructure such as public water and sewer.

I'm sure if I tried hard enough I could crack some joke about General Plans, but I won't do that at this time. However, economic development plans trump General Plans every day of the week and twice on Thursday's.

I found these next parts the most interesting from this article...

Ellard does support at least one of the economic development strategies touted in the plan — establishing a business incubator in the industrial park at Greenbrier Valley Airport in Maxwelton.

Business incubator you say?? Tell me more.

Incubators are generally run by nonprofit organizations in partnership with local institutions of higher education.

A report issued by the Appalachian Regional Commission found that “Appalachian business incubators ... have proven successful at helping communities start and grow their own businesses.”

According to that report, over the years some 1,300 businesses and 24,500 new jobs have sprung from 85 incubators.

That is called production.

Might not be a bad idea to check these business incubators out a bit. And while this area doesn't seem to have a business incubator, there are other options...

While it doesn’t have an incubator, the GVEDC encourages entrepreneurs to invest in the tri-county area (Greenbrier, Monroe and Pocahontas) through a revolving low-interest loan program.

“It all started with $300,000 in grant money we secured,” Ellard stated. “We charge (loan recipients) 1 to 2 percent over prime, and all of the loans are for less than $50,000.”

Among the loan recipients are a water business in Monroe County that now has a national contract with Kroger, a small factory in Greenbrier County that Ellard says has the potential to eventually employ up to 1,000 people and another small factory in Peterstown that has grown to employ 50 and has a contract with home improvement giant Lowe’s to supply manmade rock.

Wow... a small loan made to a local company could net a return of perhaps a 1,000 jobs. Given the fact that it is a water related business is just delicious irony. Imagine... creating opportunity on rocks and water. I love it.

Household-name company would be big boost
Monday, August 24, 2009

If state lawmakers and top economic development officials can pull it off, the ailing South Carolina economy could soon get a much-needed business boost.

Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Bonneau, said a new business venture being pursued "would be one of the port's largest customers from day one" and, statewide, "larger than the economic benefits we receive from BMW."

Grooms said the company, which he called a household name, would bring warehousing, distribution centers and light manufacturing to the emerging industrial real estate hub, which is expected to generate 17,500 jobs for the state within the next 15 years.

This company, he said, could become the anchor tenant to kick-start that build-out.

"It's a matter of getting them built and getting our first anchor tenant," Grooms said.

The stuff I emphasized above... kinda sounds familiar to some degree.

And see below...

The face behind Project Neptune, while contributing fewer than 200 jobs, could serve as the push to bring other businesses to the area.

[rant/on]

Talking locally about the biofuel and solar plants... I've seen some folks say that the reports of job numbers are low and local folks couldn't even qualify (which is a rather low class jackass blanket statement to make) to work at the proposed plants. My beef is the attitude that "the plant would only create 20 jobs" as in that is the only labor impact that would ever be felt.

Like the above statement that I emphasized... the prospect of 'some' jobs will likely lead to other opportunity for 'more' jobs. It is a constant theme I see in all of my economic development posts that I share on MOCO. If that notion is believed elsewhere, why isn't it believed here??

Dang... I guess that I wish I was more 'enlightened' like the water worry warts and the rest of the anti-growth movement around these here parts.

[rant/off]

Stay with me on this next one, plenty of good stuff...

City and Cornerstone: partners for economic development
08/26/2009
by Max Marbut
Staff Writer

“It’s never about anything but a team approach. We harness all the energy and positive aspects of our private sector and consolidated government. It’s what allows us to compete and win.”

That’s how Jacksonville Economic Development Commission Executive Director Ron Barton described the system that was created more than 12 years ago to streamline and strengthen the City’s economic development strategy. The idea was to consolidate about a dozen different City departments and programs into a single entity with a well-defined mission: to join forces with the business community and achieve results that would be unattainable without a coordinated effort.

The JEDC’s mandated responsibilities include Downtown development and redevelopment, the promotion of Jacksonville’s sports and entertainment and film and television production economies and the development of the 6,000-acre Cecil Commerce Center.

Sounds an awful lot like a public-private partnership to me.

Jerry Mallot, president of Cornerstone, the economic development arm of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, said of the public-private partnership: “What makes it work so well is the defined roles and relationship. We complement each other well. We do the marketing and research and find the deals then JEDC puts the deal together that works for the client.”

Yep... PPP... works well everywhere other than in Kingman apparently. I pray for the day of 'enlightenment' to visit me so I might know why exactly.

The part of the JEDC’s mission that makes most of the headlines involves what Barton called “business recruitment incentive negotiation.” That process involves using tax credit programs approved by the State Legislature to attract companies that are starting up or expanding and convincing them to set up shop at a Jacksonville address. A common incentive is only used to close agreements with what’s designated as a “Qualified Target Industry” (QTI). The biggest requirement for QTI status is the company must promise to create jobs that pay more than the state average salary, an economic advantage that improves Jacksonville’s per capita income. That usually also means capital investment on the company’s part, another source of municipal revenue. Jacksonville provides only 20 percent of the tax credit with the state picking up the balance and incentives are credits for verified performance as opposed to advance payments or credits.

Because of my lack of 'enlightenment' I'm also having a hard time grasping why it is that tax incentives work to attract business opportunity and jobs work pretty much everywhere other than in the Kingman area. Perhaps someone more 'enlightened' will be nice enough to explain why in the comments.

“The programs JEDC does with Cornerstone pay for themselves with economic development. We generate more ad valorem tax revenue than we use in incentives,” said Barton. “All of our programs are tax credits which could be described as discounts on taxes. By definition that’s new money so we’re creating more wealth. The projects we do also create jobs with disposable income. That creates consumers which in turn supports small businesses.”

In terms of the philosophy of using tax incentives to lure new business to Jacksonville, both economic development executives said it comes with the territory.

Oh, it comes with the territory... unless you live in the Kingman area territory. But the story for everywhere else is consistent and similar. Generation of more tax revenue than the cost of the tax incentive... new money is attracted to the area which in turns creates more wealth (and further tax revenues)... job creation (self explanatory)... and therefore new consumers are created which offers local small businesses with more opportunity (and again, more tax revenues).

But again... I am not 'enlightened' so don't just take my word for it.

“Make no mistake, Jacksonville competes every day with other cities in other states. Incentives are part of the game,” said Barton.

“The programs were put in place because we have to be able to compete. It would be great if no states offered tax incentives but that’s not the way it is,” added Mallot. “The State’s tax incentives level the playing field and allow us to be in the game. The projects we’ve been able to do have produced a significant dividend in terms of jobs and capital investment. Developing that tax base has been a terrific boost for the City’s revenues.”

Isn't that terrific??

Remaining competitive while the economy pulls out of the recent recession is also part of the JEDC’s and Cornerstone’s combined mission, said Barton.

“In an economic crisis, the strategy shouldn’t be to get out of the economic development business. We think the strategy should be to redouble our efforts and stay in the winning mode,” he said.

Money quote right there.

This next one will zip right by...

Region XII receives grant for economic development planning

Published: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 2:01 PM CDT

Region XII Council of Governments in Carroll will receive a $64,840 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration.

The grant will be used to help establish an economic development planning framework, process and strategy that supports private capital investment and job creation in the region, which is comprised of Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Greene, Guthrie and Sac counties.

The Economic Development Administration serves as a venture capital resource to meet the economic development needs of distressed communities throughout the United States through the promotion of innovation and competitiveness and preparing regions for growth and success in the global economy.

Can anyone get these EDA folks a bus ticket to Kingman??

Okay, last one for now. A little story about a newly hired economic developer (in some other location not as 'enlightened' as Kingman)...

Williams named as Economic Development Director
By DOUG SMITH

Aug 26, 2009 - 13:18:42 CDT

The city of Farmington is primed and ready for renewed growth in the areas of manufacturing and retail, and all indications are there will be a amply-qualified captain at the helm.

The official announcement came this week as to the hiring of a new economic development director. Walter D. Williams will begin his new duties Sept. 1. The lifetime business leader comes to Farmington from Cleveland, Ohio.

Well compared to Farmington (Iowa), at least Kingman is primed. And I'm pretty sure we are ready. Now all we have to do is get our elected leaders to move towards being able. Support the leaders that will make it so.

The new economic development director will provide business development services to privately-owned businesses considering expansion or other investments in Farmington, as well as work to attract new businesses from outside the area. His office will be in the new Farmington Regional Airport terminal building in the industrial park. The building was designed with an economic development director office in place — putting him in close proximity to both the regional airport and industrial park.

In other words... this gentleman was not hired to hide in a shell I take it.

As for his new duties with Farmington, which begin Sept. 1, Williams made it clear that he will be working to further the initiatives of the mayor, council and administration.

“It’s not my vision,” Williams said, further explaining that he will take the goals of the city leadership and work to make them a reality. “I just have certain skills that will be useful going from Point A to Point B.”

And that is just it... what are the initiatives of the Mayor, Council, and administration here in Kingman?? I mean, I think I know as I've heard the very sort of promising things said in recent times by the Mayor, a few council members, and I always assume that the city administration is open to the idea of growth and expansion. Now let's see some action. This community is ready to support the action. No doubt about it. Support will be there for those leaders that offer action.

“The leadership is phenomenal,” Williams added. “They have pride in what they do and their approach. I want to continue that. (From what I’ve seen) you have everyone reading from the same page. When everyone sings from the same sheet music it makes it that much easier.”

The economic professional said some of the positive things about Farmington’s potential for growth are the availability of land on which to locate new industry and businesses, the close proximity to an interstate, and the infrastructure already in place to accompany development.

Some key words emphasized. I've seen them before and actually right here in Kingman.

“I’d just like to be part of that growth,” he adds.

Reading stuff like this makes me a believer that 'growth' is a good word when we are talking about the community and economic development. Now I realize that still may leave me less than 'enlightened'... but I'll take my chances.

Until next time I get the whim to search some economic activity.

And just how hard did we fight??

You know folks, there's plenty of talk locally about the dire straights of 'our' water resources in this area. Have you cut back on watering your lawn?? (I haven't but I just wanted to see how much you have)

Face it, if you have fallen for the high pitched rhetoric you should be up in arms by the lack of effort the water worry warts have offered to bring much needed help to protect and/or develop water resources. The water worry warts have lobbied against economic development, but didn't bother to lobby the federal government or state government to spend at least some of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act here locally.

This lack of effort, or even caring in the slightest, only furthers my speculation that the water worry warts have little to no concern about 'our' water resources here in Mohave County.

Sure, some of the water worry warts are probably against huge federal spending programs in the same manner that I am, which is why I didn't lobby for any funds. But then again, I don't think there is an impending threat to 'our' water supply. Judging by their actions, they don't either.

Meanwhile in other parts of the country... other parts that don't take too kindly to federal dollars either...

Texas Awarded $160 Million in Recovery Act Funds for Water Projects
Funds will go to the state’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program
July 13, 2009

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded over $160 million to the Texas Water Development Board. This new infusion of money provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will help the state and local governments finance many of the overdue improvements to water projects that are essential to protecting public health and the environment across the state.

“Investing in the economy and the environment is a win-win,” said EPA Acting Regional Administrator Lawrence E. Starfield. “These funds will not only help our economic recovery, but they will help provide safe, clean drinking water for communities throughout Texas.”

The Recovery Act funds will go to the state's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program provides low-interest loans for drinking water systems to finance infrastructure improvements. The program also emphasizes providing funds to small and disadvantaged communities and to programs that encourage pollution prevention as a tool for ensuring safe drinking water. An unprecedented $2 billion dollars will be awarded to fund drinking water infrastructure projects across the country under the Recovery Act in the form of low-interest loans, principal forgiveness and grants. At least 20% of the funds provided under the Recovery Act are to be used for green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency improvements and other environmentally innovative projects.

Aid to protect 'our' water is available, but no one speaks on behalf of the local federal tax paying community. The water availability thingy must not be all that much of a big deal.

About that whole 'explosive growth' thingy...

The population estimates were updated recently at the US Census site (link here to check my math). Keep in mind that while the data is new to those of us that view the data, it is actually already a year old. It is updated back to July 1 of 2008, and as long as my calendar is correct it is now July 9th of 2009.

Of course I made a chart so you don't have to look at the numbers and spreadsheets. If you remember, I ran a similar chart last year in a post about expired listings. There I shared a feeling that the growth rate might actually be in the negative in this years report. Well as you will see it didn't exactly go to the negative, but it did drop once again.

I'm even more inclined to believe that the growth rate will turn negative when the next report comes out next year.

Meanwhile the data shows that the city of Phoenix had a growth rate of 2.16% between 2007 and 2008... and increase from the prior period ending a streak of two years of slight declines.

I think Mr. Bob Marley said it right... "Send us another brother Moses!"

And to borrow what I wrote last year...

Kinda funny looking at the data from 2006 to 2007. That was the same time that a select few in this community started getting all frenzied up that too many people were moving here and throwing out oddities like 'put the brakes on growth'. Wish granted it appears. People listened.

... and perhaps still listening.

Yes... it is economic development news time again

After reading an article in today Kingman Daily Loyd (and watching the latest city council meeting discussion) about the idea of surcharges as a possible elixir to reduce 'impact fees' and bring real economic development to Kingman, I thought I'd take a few minutes to search other communities efforts on economic development. I'll save expanding my thoughts on sales tax surcharges for new commercial developments for another day perhaps other than I'll say the idea is incredibly weak, certainly more expensive, and much more risky compared to other ideas that have been on the table for years now.

So let's see what a couple of our fellow communities are up to these days...

Small city plucks a big plum in Apple

Technology giant will build a $1 billion data center in Maiden, enticed by millions in taxpayer incentives.

MAIDEN Three years ago, Catawba County economic development leaders targeted the data center market by developing a 183-acre business park outside Maiden, just west of U.S. 321.

On Monday, they announced a big catch: Apple's new $1 billion center – the California-based computer company's first on the East coast.

“This opportunity is… fabulous,” Catawba County Economic Development President Scott Millar said at a joint meeting of county commissioners and Maiden town council. “We went after it very hard.”

N.C. Secretary of Commerce Keith Crisco called the project the largest investment in state history. “It's a big deal,” he said. “The ripple effect will be enormous.”

Why not a surcharge??

Impressed though that it took only three years to pull that off. I'm not sure if the powers that be in Kingman have even started a clock on any ambitious plans, or even less ambitious plans above a program encouraging the good folks to shop locally.

For its part, North Carolina kicked in a multimillion-dollar tax break – $46 million over a decade for Apple's pledge to build the data center here and hire 50 fulltime employees.

$46 million for 50 jobs?? Guess that's why they call investments risky... but if the folks who made the decision are right... worth it, unless you prefer living in a turtle shell.

Crisco said the Apple data center represents the target for the next generation of North Carolina's economic development. As North Carolina's economy shifts away from manufacturing, it is the latest in a string of technology-related recruitments, including Google, which received an incentives deal in 2007 totaling about $260 million over 30 years for its data center in Lenoir.

Oh... like an investment into the future of the community. The only thing you hear about the future in Kingman is how there won't be any water, stated as an empirical fact even (those that say that though leave out all kinds of details and just offer rhetoric -- because it's cheap).

Maiden, a town of 3,500 people about 40 miles northwest of Charlotte, is known “as a big football center,” Mayor Bob Smyre said Monday, but now will be known as a computer data center.

All this for a tiny town of 3,500?? Plus; computers, data, a place to crunch and store data... I get the feeling that stuff like that will be around for quite some time. Maybe even outlive 'manufacturing' and the benefits it used to offer communities.

Getting Apple “was a lot of hard work,” he said. “But it was worth it. It's a dream come true.”

Smyre said the partnership between the town and the county “didn't really run into any snags because we were all on the same page.”

County commission chair Kitty Barnes said Catawba County beat out Virginia for the Apple center because “…of the community, the people and this location felt right.

“We're proud of our community,” she said. “And we welcome you with open arms.”

What?? There was competition for this thing?? And the community actually gave enough of a darn to 'work' for it?? That is an art-form that our community hasn't quite woken up to... and why it is being left behind.

In addition to 50 new full-time jobs, the center is expected to bring 250 indirect jobs and Millar said the impact could eventually be 3,000 jobs in related industries. He said salaries for full-time jobs will average about $50,000 a year. Hiring has not begun and will be announced by the EDC.

Wow, what a revelation... a small number of newly created jobs leads to even more jobs?? When you listen to the self anointed most wise elders around Kingman a number like 50 jobs means basically landscaping or janitorial positions, hardly worth the effort. But then again it may be the reason that low paying jobs are the most common in the Kingman area, speaking of the incredibly piss-poor and extremely selfish attitudes that many have here.

If all goes well, Millar said construction of the 500,000-square-foot building could begin in August. The project, which will employ about 750 construction workers, would be completed by late 2010.

I sometimes wonder if there are 700 or so construction workers around these parts that would like to have a job throughout the better part of the next year and a half.

Meeting at the Maiden Recreation Center, county and town officials approved incentives that will grant Apple 69 percent of the revenue stream over a 10-year period. But Millar said the county and town will get $9 million over the same period as a result of the project.

He described the incentives as “prudent and reasonable.”

Wh..wh..wh.. wait a second. The county and town will still net $9 million over the next decade?? Like revenue they wouldn't of had otherwise... damn what a concept. Maybe a new park?? Or an upgrade to infrastructure?? Or a senior citizens center?? Hell, I'd settle for maintained roads.

Prudent and reasonable are terms that many anti-growth and anti-economic development types in Kingman need a dictionary for.

I originally found the normal three to five pretty good articles published within the last couple of days about positive economic development impacts sought out by other communities, but this first one kinda sapped my will to share all of them today. So only one more for today....

Governor: Clean tech offers best job opportunities in current climate

DENVER - Colorado's economy continues to get a boost from so-called "clean technology" companies at a time when other industries are dramatically sagging, according to leading state economic development officials.

The latest evidence was announced on Monday at the State Capitol in the form of a 6,000-acre wind farm to be built just outside Burlington. It will be housed on the state's eastern plains welcoming any drivers coming from Kansas along Interstate 70.

"It's an important area for us," said Don Elliman, Colorado's Economic Development director. "Clean tech today is the place where venture capital is looking and Colorado is a place where they're looking very hard. I don't want to paint it as being the savior to everything because it's not, but can it be a significant piece of our recovery? The answer is yes, it can."

Hey I hear that there are a couple of very expensive clean tech projects being considered in this area. Probably backed by some level of venture capital. How will this community screw it up I wonder??

The wind farm announced Monday by the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and Duke Energy will provide energy for roughly 14,000 households in eastern Colorado and will hire roughly 150 people to construct the facility, so it can be operating by the end of 2010.

Hey, more construction jobs... through the end of next year... how 'bout that??

This comes after two major solar energy companies (Abound and Ascent) announced expansion plans in Colorado earlier this year and the hiring of hundreds of workers.

Elliman says negotiations are ongoing with "five to six" other solar and wind companies for similar-style projects in Colorado in the future.

"We all know how tough an economy this is, but the brightest and most encouraging activity continues to come from the New Energy Economy," Gov. Bill Ritter (D-Colorado) said.

Yet having an interest of bringing in these sorts of encouraging activities practically amounts to a declaration of war from the anti-growthers.

Below is a list from the governor's energy office of some of the recent job growth in this industry in the last year and a half.

• Denmark-based Vestas Blades opened its first North American manufacturing plant in Windsor in March 2008. Construction is underway on two additional plants in Brighton (wind blades and nacelles) and a tower manufacturing facility in Pueblo. Vestas' total commitment to Colorado represents a $700 million capital investment and 2,500 new jobs.

• Connecticut-based Hexcel Corp, a producer of carbon fiber and other advanced composite materials and a Vestas supplier, broke ground in early 2009 on a manufacturing facility in Windsor.

• Renewable Energy Systems America Inc. relocated from Texas to Colorado in March 2008. The company designs, builds and operates wind farms.

• Texas-based Dragon Wind will open a plant in Lamar to build wind towers.

• Siemens Energy, the second largest global wind turbine developer, announced Colorado will house its North American Research and Development Center.

• Woodward Governor announced in March 2008 it will add up to 100 employees in Northern Colorado. The company manufactures wind turbine inverters.

• Ascent Solar opened a new world headquarters and manufacturing facility in March 2009 for its flexible thin-film solar module. The company plans to add up to 200 news jobs over the next couple of years.

• AVA Solar, now Abound Solar, opened its manufacturing plant in Longmont in April 2009.

• Abengoa Solar has located its headquarters in Lakewood.

• PrimeStar Solar of Golden received more than $3 million in public-private funding to develop thin-film solar technologies.

• SunEdison's new photovoltaic facility generates power for 1,500 homes in the San Luis Valley and in 2008 was the nation's most productive photovoltaic solar plant. SunEdison opened an operations center in Westminster in 2008, bringing new jobs to the metro area.

• Solar Technology Acceleration Center (SolarTAC) announced it will build the nation's largest public-private partnership for solar-energy development in Aurora.

• ConocoPhillips will open a global research center for alternative fuels in Louisville.

Quite a list with many references of jobs already created or at least with plans to create jobs. Plus add in terms like manufacturing plants, relocation of company headquarters, and research & development center (might be a few good jobs available in those sorts of things). Even a mention of a public-private partnership, a radical concept unfamiliar to many locals -- unfortunately though because that also leads to jobs.

It is clear that in Colorado, and in many of the local communities there, that they have the jump on next generation opportunities for greater economic development. I wonder just how far we are being left behind and hope it won't be too late to get in this game.

There is one more on the Colorado governors list...

• Solix Biofuels, a Colorado State University spinoff company, will open the world's first commercial pilot facility outside of Durango to develop biofuel from algae.

You bet... some in this community are fighting against a similar type of project here. Only going to create 20 jobs. Who needs those??

I've been a bit snarky with some of my comments as they pertain to the locals in this post, yet I feel no need to apologize for any of it. This town is losing badly right now as hundreds and maybe even thousands of other communities are 'working hard' to attract new investment and economic opportunity. While there may not be blood in the streets right now, there certainly are folks leaving the area in search of opportunity elsewhere. Good people. Folks that lived here a long time and invested in our neighborhoods and provided job opportunity.

You see, if the Kingman area was on the ball and doing such things as working together for real solutions to our own economic woes and just secured a smidgen of any of the above... to the city leaders I say -- think of the increased tax revenues... to those that are trying to sell their property -- think of the increased demand for housing... to those that own and operate a business -- think of the new opportunity... to those that allegedly report on the news -- think of the increased ad revenue... I could go on but by now you get the drift.

Now I just need a glass of water... before that is all gone.

Tea time again...

Just as a friendly public service announcement, it is Tea Party time again here in the Kingman area. This event will be held at Centennial Park in Kingman on Saturday July 4th from 4:00pm to 7:00pm. Find more information here at this link.

A couple of days ago in Nashville Tennessee, I guess those folks just couldn't wait for their tea, check out the photo below...

Not bad, certainly a goodly amount of people.

Last time the Tea Party was held in Kingman, the local editor of the local daily wrote a column that basically called Tea Party attendees racists (for lack of a better word). I took him to task on this blog for his transgression here.

Attending the Nashville Tea Party...

and...

(all photos found at Instapundit.com)

... were just some of the great Americans that attended and let their thoughts be known.

And really that is what the Tea Parties are all about. Americans letting the government know they are on notice. This isn't about the skin color of the president. At this point, my criticism is mostly for the republicans in our state legislature and executive office for not cutting enough spending of money they simply don't have at the moment... basically for not being the fiscal conservatives that many say they are. The race thing though, just completely stupid and not even on the map as an important issue for the current times we face.

Yeah, you could say that I'm still kinda pissed off about what the editor wrote back in April... and he still owes great Americans an apology.

One prediction, there won't be any snow flurries on Saturday (like there was on April 15th), so dress accordingly -- I'll be taking photos with the intention of posting them on this blog.

For more reading about the local Tea Party, check out Loyd's blog (yeah, that Loyd) today.

Political example of efforts to induce economic development...

Link right here to a WSJ piece. I'm copying bits of it (more like all of it) below and adding some commentary...

At last, there's a place in America where tax cutting to promote growth and attract jobs is back in fashion. Who would have thought it would be Maine?

This month the Democratic legislature and Governor John Baldacci broke with Obamanomics and enacted a sweeping tax reform that is almost, but not quite, a flat tax.

Dude... what has got into the dem's in Maine?? Sort the way I wonder what has gotten into the republican's here in Arizona... for the wrong and opposite reasons.

The new law junks the state's graduated income tax structure with a top rate of 8.5% and replaces it with a simple 6.5% flat rate tax on almost everyone. Those with earnings above $250,000 will pay a surtax rate of 0.35%, for a 6.85% rate. Maine's tax rate will fall to 20th from seventh highest among the states. To offset the lower rates and a larger family deduction, the plan cuts the state budget by some $300 million to $5.8 billion, closes tax loopholes and expands the 5% state sales tax to services that have been exempt, such as ski lift tickets.

Without even looking into the data, the exchange of reduced income tax for the ability of closing sales tax loopholes is an easy compromise. Throw in a healthy budget cut to boot... again brought to the residents of Maine by the 'left' side of the political aisle.

This is a big income tax cut, especially given that so many other states in the Northeast and East -- Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York -- have been increasing rates. "We're definitely going against the grain here," Mr. Baldacci tells us. "We hope these lower tax rates will encourage and reward work, and that the lower capital gains tax [of 6.85%] brings more investment into the state."

I may be switching my political affiliation, would be easier than moving to Maine (no offense Maine, I just like the western part of the lower 48 better).

These changes alone are hardly going to earn the Pine Tree State the reputation of "pro-business." Neighboring New Hampshire still has no income or sales tax. And last year Maine was ranked as having the third worst business climate for states by the Small Business Survival Committee. Still, no state has improved its economic attractiveness more than Maine has this year.

Political leaders of Arizona should be embarrassed.

Now for the money quote...

One question is how Democrats in Augusta were able to withstand the cries by interest groups of "tax cuts for the rich?" Mr. Baldacci's snappy reply: "Without employers, you don't have employees." He adds: "The best social services program is a job." Wise and timely advice for both Democrats and Republicans as the recession rolls on and budgets get squeezed.

Only a 2x4 upside the head hits harder.

I wish Maine much success and fortune. Obviously I hope that the federal government takes notice, as well as the state of Arizona and most importantly that the elected leaders of Kingman take note of the fundamentals. Face it folks, 'Shop Here!' doesn't pack the same sort of wallop.

Ord, Nebraska is trying...

A small rural town in the mid-west has hired someone for a tall order job, check this out found in the Atlantic...

On a recent cross country road trip, I stopped in Ord, Nebraska, where I interviewed Caleb T. Pollard, a 29 year old man charged with bringing young professionals, businesses, and even tourists to a rural town hours from the Interstate.

TWO HOURS from the Interstate??!! Sounds like a tall order...

The goal is for Ord, population 2,269, to avoid the fate of certain other Midwestern communities: a dearth of young people, a steady population decline, a hollowing of downtown, a flight of the professional and creative classes to the big city.

Feel free to read the rest of the blog, or even following along with the follow ups promised by the author.

The point here is that rather tiny Ord, a place I never heard of (as far as I know not featured in a song about a road cutting through the country), has taken a chance to bring more economic activity to the community. If you do read further on the blog linked you might like or not like the idea that the young man hired by Ord, Nebraska is undertaking to draw interest to a less than 3,000 person community.

Again, the point here is... at least they are trying and getting some covereage for the attempt.

Don't need lights while hiding in a shell...

My Dad used to raise his voice at me when I left the hall light on. No... not quite the Fathers Day tribute for my pops or anything, but it was one of the first things that hit me when I read this...

2 towns turning off street lights to save money

Associated Press - June 20, 2009 10:45 AM ET

RINDGE, N.H. (AP) - Officials in two New Hampshire towns are turning off some street lights to save money.

Pink ribbons on 16 utility poles around Rindge mark the lights that will go dark. In Jaffrey, selectmen last week approved shutting off 70 streetlights as a way to cut back on utility costs. The town also will convert to lower-energy bulbs in the lights that are staying on.

Officials in both towns tell The Keene Sentinel they expect to turn the lights off by early next month.

Jaffrey plans to review the decision in six months to make sure they haven't created any safety hazards.

The other thing that hit me when I read the above is that this is what it probably looks like when the advice of hiding in a shell wins the day.

Might need to drum up an economic development post in the days ahead, where lights (and other services) aren't as threatened.

An article about housing recovery...

Found this one today (but it was published last Friday) and thought it had a few interesting things to comment on.

Read the whole thing here.

Some bits and commentary below...

A nascent recovery
Commentary: Overlooked signs the U.S. housing market is turning

That is the title of the article and before I go on I want to make clear that what I copy below perhaps won't have exact relevance to our local Kingman market, but still I sense there may be some items to look for.

Spurred by markdowns up to 80% from market highs, first-time buyers and investors both American and foreign descended en masse in the last three months on San Francisco's hardest-hit hinterlands as Wall Street and the economic climate improved. They're picking clean the Delta region's banked-owned inventory as soon as properties hit the market and are engaged in unprecedented bidding wars even on short sales.

Obviously the article is taking on what is happening near a location near San Francisco in California. Yet our own inventory of foreclosure properties here in Kingman is being picked as well, maybe not to the point of being picked clean but as I reported on in my Listings Report for May -- foreclosed listings are at the lowest level since I've been reporting on that sort of data.

I'm aware of multiple offers being put in on some foreclosed listings, but haven't heard the same thing about short sales in this area yet (doesn't mean it isn't happening though).

After spending most of the 1990s in the $250,000 range, the median-priced home that was sold in the seven-county San Francisco area rose to a staggering $850,000 by its May 2007 peak. It since fell to a low of $399,000 in February -- a 53% drop in just 21 months -- before posting its first monthly gain in March, albeit a 1% uptick. The median is expected to continue rising at a healthy clip in months ahead since it's now at the level of nine years ago, before the bubble began inflating.

The median priced single family home in Kingman has dropped 53% in pretty much the same time period as reported above.

I'm not as optimistic about the median price rising at a healthy clip in the months ahead though, but would love to be wrong about that.

California's statewide inventory of unsold homes -- based on the number on the market divided by the present monthly sales rate -- stood at a 15.2 months supply in February, 2008. That figure was down to 5.8 months in March, near the historic average.

At one point in Kingman I believe I reported that we may have had darn near close to 20 months of inventory on the market, and now my data says we are down in the eight to nine month range. Meanwhile for the foreclosure market has a little over a months worth of inventory.

The specter of rising foreclosures -- born now of the recession rather than just overleveraged subprime borrowers -- is the wild card in future health of the U.S. housing market and the economy by extension.

Yes.

And in an overlooked report that belies the first-quarter delinquency numbers, defaults on privately insured mortgages -- where borrowers are more than 60 days behind -- fell 3% in April and were down 24% from a record 106,482 in February, the trade group Mortgage Insurance Companies of America reported Friday.

I'm not sure what to make of that, but I hope it is correct and continues.

Most importantly for gauging the strength of the nationwide market is how conditions are improving in the most-depressed regional markets.

With those markets now stabilizing, banks are no longer anxious to dump real-estate owned properties, as houses in their foreclosure portfolios are called, fearing they'll get appreciably less three months from now for their foreclosed properties.

As a result, they'll be more judicious about the pace at which they release foreclosures onto the market. The new goal: To maximize the value of supplies in hand rather than unload it helter-skelter and torpedo the housing market like they did while they were shell-shocked by the devastation they'd wrought.

With the banks themselves now somewhat more stable, they'll also be less likely to want to part with their "toxic assets" knowing the most-scorched, still-serviceable mortgages will be the most valuable on a credit-risk markup once the economy recovers. In fact, the price stabilization in the most-depressed U.S. markets will allow a clearer valuation of the toxic assets we now all hold by virtue of bank bailouts -- a modicum of certainty that will hasten the overall recovery.

And there is the key from the beginning of this slide and the massive influx of foreclosures that led to the conditions we see today. The key being the day would (or will at least) come when banks consider not only competing amongst themselves to sell off their inventory... but also compete again against the traditional seller.

I'm not saying that it is happening right here, right now... it is just a sign worth looking for. With reduced levels of foreclosed inventory clearly visible in our market the sign might just be visible if not now then perhaps soon.

Last bit...

Homeowners in most of America know by their own property's value that the spike in U.S. median home values was driven in considerable measure by soaring prices and volume in major markets, especially in California, Florida, Nevada and Arizona. By virtue of their climates and economic-growth rates, those four states have been on the extremes of the U.S. boom-and-bust housing cycle since the 1950s.

You can't discount how critical an upturn in those states will be, considering they account for 46% of foreclosures nationwide. If foreclosures there are more quickly consumed as they're starting to be now -- fueled in part by foreign buyers who recognize their value -- we'll all reap a return on our bailout money a lot faster.

"The banks are getting smarter and realizing that if they don't sell it in a short sale, they lose more money going the foreclosure route," Barbee said.

Adds Sharga: "The banks will be very particular and thoughtful about how they'll release new foreclosures, because they know now how flooding the market will have a disastrous effect."

Something to keep an eye on anyway.

Still waiting for that other shoe to drop?? Well then, keep an eye on interest rates. Not out of the woods yet, but nonetheless a decent article worth considering.

When bureaucrats attack...

It won't come as a shock when I say government equals bureaucracy, and that bureaucracy equals obstacles for free enterprise and personal responsibility.

Nationally, this country is in dire economic straights and many folks will be facing the prospect of pulling themselves up by their boot straps in hopes of providing goods or services that are worth the exchange of dollars in return. Dollars for things like food and rent for shelter.

Guess who will be standing in the way?? The government.

From this San Francisco Chronicle piece...

He sleeps under a bridge, washes in a public bathroom and was panhandling for booze money 11 months ago, but now Larry Moore is the best-dressed shoeshine man in the city. When he gets up from his cardboard mattress, he puts on a coat and tie. It's a reminder of how he has turned things around.

In fact, until last week it looked like Moore was going to have saved enough money to rent a room and get off the street for the first time in six years. But then, in a breathtakingly clueless move, an official for the Department of Public Works told Moore that he has to fork over the money he saved for his first month's rent to purchase a $491 sidewalk vendor permit.

Read the whole thing, of course, and you will find that Mr. Moore has simply a great attitude about his plight. Others aren't so happy. While Mr. Moore will go on and placate the bureaucrats and find private shelter, the news of this will likely be a microcosm of things to come from governments top down. Too much government control over free enterprise and the pursuit of happiness.

Christine Falvey, spokeswoman for Public Works, said the department's contact with Moore was meant to be "educational."

"We certainly don't want to hamper anyone's ability to make a living," Falvey said. "Our education efforts are actually meant to support that effort by making our streets an enjoyable place for people to visit."

Really?? How about requiring a permit for the homeless that use the public streets in San Francisco as urinals??

Sounds like San Francisco is not all concerned about the homeless problem that is apparent in that city, cause if they were they would be promoting the free enterprise efforts of Mr. Moore, not penalizing them.

Econ development every now and then Thursday returns!!

Back by quasi popular demand is the sometimes reoccurring theme post of economic development highlights being made... sadly... in other locations other than Kingman at the present time. Got five articles to share today, and one is sort of a repeat but it has plenty of information worth sharing.

So let's pump this party already...

City receives Eagle Award for economic development

The City of Centennial has received the 2009 Eagle Award from the Southeast Business Partnership in honor of the city’s commitment to economic development.

Jack O'Boyle, a member of the partnership’s board of directors, presented the award to Mayor Randy Pye at the organization’s annual awards luncheon on May 29.

According to O’Boyle, a former mayor of Lone Tree, Centennial was recognized, in part, because of its commitment to fostering economic growth, not just in Centennial, but along the entire southeast I-25 corridor.

“Mayor Pye has demonstrated time and time again that he is a regionalist,” O’Boyle said. “He made it very easy for he and I and Mayor Nancy Sharpe of Greenwood Village to work together with the local businesses in our own best interests, without trying to cut each other off at the knees.”

Centennial, an 8-year-old city and the newest addition to the cities along the I-25 corridor between Hampden and Lincoln avenues, has become increasingly focused on encouraging a favorable business climate, Pye says.

...

Other recent corporate coups in Centennial include Comcast’s new western-states data center and the impending arrival of IKEA, the world’s largest home-furnishings manufacturer and retailer, which is constructing a 400,000-square-foot outlet in the city.

You know, it is rather easy to tell from this article that the city of Centennial is a great place to do business in. Honestly, if that is all I got out of this article... it is way more than enough.

Oh... and watch the term 'data center'... a good sort of business to attempt to attract to this area.

Union City Community & Economic Development Committee Presents "Discover Union City... America's Next Boomtown"

UNION CITY, IN and UNION CITY, OH--(Marketwire - June 4, 2009) - The Union City Community and Economic Development Committee (UCCEDC) will present "Discover Union City... America's Next Boomtown" on Friday, June 19th, 2009. Union City's location on the Indiana-Ohio border gives it the unique ability to leverage business incentives from either state and to draw from the labor pool and quality of life opportunities from both.

...

The scheduled events, however, are what will highlight current initiatives in alternative energy education, business opportunities, and quality of life. Local entrepreneurship, natural resources, a passion for training our youth for the global economy, and our agricultural heritage has made Union City a hotbed for alternative energy development.

A wind turbine groundbreaking at Union City Community High School is planned for 10:30 AM. Union City is the first community in the nation to have wind turbines producing energy for both a school and city. The ceremony will include comments by the private and public partners working on innovative curriculum to educate and train high school students in the alternative energy fields. Students will also speak on how the program has already made a difference in their lives.

Even though that today is a fine day to be a wind turbine here in Kingman... I get the feeling we are falling further behind. Looks like Union City doesn't think the wind turbines are all that ugly to look at.

But imagine that... a city actually out there marketing itself to attract new opportunities.

Mo. gov. signs economic development bill
Mo. gov. signs bill expanding tax breaks for some businesses, restricting others

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A tax break is on the way for thousands of Missouri businesses.

Gov. Jay Nixon signed legislation Thursday eliminating Missouri's corporate franchise tax for most of the businesses that pay it and enlarging the tax incentives available for employers who expand their payrolls or plants.

...

The ultimate cost or benefit of the legislation is somewhat unclear; a legislative oversight office had not completed a financial estimate of the measure by Thursday.

Nixon praised the law as a "decisive action to help businesses create jobs."

"By expanding the number of economic tools at our disposal, we'll make sure the world knows Missouri is open for business, and we'll get our workers back on the job," Nixon said in a prepared statement.

...

The law expands several popular tax credits, including the Quality Jobs program that applies to employers who add jobs with at least average wages and health benefits. The law raises the cap on Quality Jobs tax credits to $80 million from the current $60 million, giving state economic development officials greater flexibility to target businesses.

...

The New Markets program provides tax credits to equity investments in development projects located in areas with significant poverty rates or low incomes. The BUILD program provides aid for companies to pay off bonds used to build their plants.

Supporters are hopeful the package will encourage expansions by several particular companies, including St. Louis-based seed-maker Monsanto Co. and Lee's Summit-based battery-maker Kokam America Inc.

Lot's of other great stuff in that article as well. One you should click on for more detail. What I like most was the governor of a state is willing to take some bits of risk to help employers in his state create more jobs. Honestly it isn't even all that much of an outlandish idea.

So 'show me' Missouri has made it clear that it is open for business... has Kingman?? If so, show me.

Clearwater plans 118-acre industrial park

Clearwater officials are after the big economic development fish, and the bait on their hook is a 118-acre industrial park on the city's east edge just off 135th Street.

The park --"As close to shovel-ready as you can get," said its Wichita broker, Steve Martens -- got its start as a potential home for small existing and expanding Clearwater businesses.

But Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition officials urged the city about four months ago to extend utilities and build a more versatile industrial park.

"Over the years, we've either had smaller companies or people associated with Clearwater ask for a place to build or start a business, but we haven't had a place for them," said Kent Brown, Clearwater's city manager.

Brown said GWEDC officials intervened, asking the city to "retain some flexibility" in the development for a larger industry.

"They told us the parcel's attractive because of the rail option there," he said. "We're on (Watco) short line railway, and we've already had discussions with them on a rail spur or circle, and both are easily doable for an easy connection to the Union Pacific or Burlington Northern."

I wish I could make this stuff up because in a very strange and warped way, I find most of it extremely hilarious. And yet I also want to cry. (serenity now... serenity now... unicorns and rainbows... okay much better now)

Now for this last article, like I said before -- this is a bit of repeat -- but the quotes and the other information is just too juicy not to share...

New Bridge at Forefront of Economic Development in South Texas

MISSION, Texas, June 4 /PRNewswire/ -- People recognize a good investment when they see one, and those people are investing in the South Texas city of Mission, bringing economic development to the area even when other parts of the country are struggling.

The largest recent investment is the Anzalduas International Bridge, a $168-million joint project between the United States and Mexico. The newest and one of the largest international bridges in the United States will open in October and directly connect Mission with Reynosa, Mexico, a city known for its advanced manufacturing and import/export operations.

...

As new jobs continue to funnel in, so are the people. The Mission MSA added more than 150,000 residents since the 2000 Census, and with population projected to double by 2025, the real estate market has begun to expand, showing an increase in both sales and median price of existing homes. Mission has also seen new ventures in the luxury condominium sector with the construction of Vantage Luxury Hotel Condos, whose condos are already sold out, with most purchased by wealthy investors from Mexico.

"There is a tremendous demand for quality housing construction here in South Texas because land prices and construction are still reasonably priced. We're selling units much faster than we can build them," said Fernando Rivera Garcia, CEO of Infinity Global Development Group, LLC.

Well, uh... imagine that. An infrastructure project bringing economic development to the area. And to boot, the infrastructure project isn't even completed yet.

Now for some editorializing (maybe a rant)...

The funny thing here is that I'm getting a strong feeling that the Kingman community is gonna let the city leaders get away with practically doing nothing about economic conditions. I hate to say it like that because I like our current leaders in office (and I love the community). I do think they mean well and all, certainly are friendly, and certainly seem concerned... BUT WHAT ARE THEY DOING ABOUT IT??

What's that you say?? This??

In the words of Hall of Fame tennis player John MacEnroe... YOU CAN NOT BE SERIOUS!!

A couple of months back there was sort of a big deal about a new economic development type of commission formed by the City Council. And pretty much a couple of months back was the last time anyone has mentioned it. Probably why I can't remember the exact name for this body and can't be bothered to even try to look it up. Which helps me segue to the next bit.

So maybe I'm way off base here, perhaps the city leaders are doing something about it. Maybe things are in the works and positive efforts are being made to make the sort of changes that are needed to compete with these five communities mentioned above and the almost certain thousands of other communities are actively competing for new and better prospects for opportunities. So if that is indeed the case, and I owe apologies to the city leaders... WELL THEN WHY THE HELL IS THE DAILY HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER NOT REPORTING ON IT??

I mean it has to be one or the other, has to.

Look here, there is this not-so-new-any-longer invention called the Internet now, a resource that will allow the positive efforts for economic development (I'll simply hope and pray are currently underway) to perhaps reach anyone in the world that can log into the thing. And the odds are decent that 'anyone' could actually mean 'someone' that desires to locate a business or even relocate a business in a business friendly environment (the horror, Martha, the horror).

Two things prove my point; 1) I find articles like these above on the Internet from mainly local media outlets doing the reporting and it takes maybe five minutes worth of searching, and 2) all the negative articles that were written about how some often featured by the media locals wanted to end 'explosive' growth or 'irresponsible' growth (or whatever) were most definitely read by the kind of 'someone' I mentioned in the previous paragraph.

And here we are.

Before the regular that pops in here with the 'love or leave it' attitude... a preemptive shot from me comes first. I know plenty of very hard working and totally capable younger folks (thinking working age when I say younger) that live right here in Kingman. All capable of squeezing blood from a stone, thank you, but why should any of these great fellow citizens be subjected to that when other communities are rolling out the red carpet so their citizens don't have to??

Oh I know, I know... tighten belt... hide in shell.

Amazing here in Kingman that some think it is folly to try for the brass ring.

(Fine, rant over)