WALHALLA — In the coming days, a private consultant group will present a draft of a strategic plan to the Oconee County Economic Development Commission. The document can not come too soon.
As Oconee County looks to the future, and its residents are asked to sound off in the Oconee By Choice 2028 visioning process, one often repeated concern is the need for jobs.
A look at the economic trends and conditions over the past seven years in the county compiled by the Appalachian Council of Governments (ACOG) suggest a souring local economy. Troubling economic indicators include:
— Steadily increasing unemployment rates that have climbed from 3.4 percent in 2000 to 9.0 percent in 2006
— Fluctuating job growth with numbers going up and down each year; for instance, in 1998 more jobs were created (616) than the 450 jobs created in 2004-2006 combined
— Capital investment has been spotty, steadily increasing from $24 million in 2000 to $63.1 million in 2004; but dropping off in 2005 ($44 million) and 2006 ($19.2 million)
— Manufacturing jobs, the backbone of the local economy, have been steadily declining over the past four years; jobs in the sector dropped almost 29 percent from 7,401 in 2003 to 5,630 in 2006
— Nearly 8,000 of Oconee County’s 29,544 workers in 2000 had to commute to other counties in the region for employment; including 4,192 traveling to Pickens, 1,770 to Anderson, and 1,442 to Greenville
In a candid interview with the Daily Journal, Economic Development Commission Director Jim Alexander admits things could and should be better. In fact, asked to grade the EDC’s performance, he characterized it as a low “C.”
“We’re making progress, but we’re not where we need to be,” he said.
Alexander is well familiar with the criticism that’s been hurled at him and the EDC. The group is said to pay too much attention to industry, and not enough at other growing sectors of the economy such as tourism and commercial development.
Although he agrees there is great potential in tourism and commercial development, Alexander bluntly points out he does not have the resources to expand EDC’s scope beyond keeping existing industries from leaving and helping them to grow and expand. Even if the strategic plan should call for paying attention to other sectors, which Alexander says could be the case, he adamantly calls on others in the county to share the load.
“Let’s point at the whole camp, and that’s everybody,” said Alexander. “Our little operation here is just a tiny drop in the whole bucket. We got to get the whole bucket working together.”
The Oconee County Economic Development Commission was created by ordinance in 1995. Many years prior to that, the organization was lumped together as the Oconee County Planning and Development Commission.
In 2005, the ordinance was amended to include nine non-voting Ex-Officio members to join the five voting members selected by the County Council.
Alexander was hired as director in 1999, after serving in a similar capacity in Sumter County.
Through the years, the EDC has remained a small operation. Alexander and his assistant, Thelma Miller, have to compete with every other county in South Carolina on a regional, national and international level for investment opportunities with little resources.
Over the past two years, Alexander has asked the County council for additional staff, but was denied each time.
If changes are to take place, Alexander suggests it must start at the top.
“Who’s got the responsibility for changing the way we do things in this county?” he asked.
Alexander said he hopes the EDC will approve the strategic plan and get it into the County Council’s hands by early November.
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Editor’s note: In Saturday’s edition, the Daily Journal looks at county stakeholders’ strategic-planning input and possible answers to improving the local economy.
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October 5, 2007
6:57 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Just an observation from someone who moved to the area five years ago. The defeat of zoning laws and lack of support for sewer extensions in the last few years have had a direct impact on the issues in this story. Good to see recent possible progress on the sewer.
October 5, 2007
9:59 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Not so, on that shorthanded comment. While EDC employees do work hard in their department, we also have too many "alliances" to count beating the bushes for economic growth. We have councils and alliances, commissions and chambers of commerce, all working toward the "jobs" goal. Job growth is not solely in the hands of EDC. Most important, and most often overlooked, is the free enterprise fact that if a business determines that a profit can be made here, it will move here. Our economic improvement is seen by way too many as a function of government, not American free enterprise. This may ruffle some feathers, but it is not the function of government, in a free enterprise system, to buy jobs with taxpayer money. Back off the government approach, and let the market determine our growth.
October 5, 2007
11:02 a.m.Report inappropriate content
One reason why the county may be losing jobs is because of the huge numbers of illegal aliens who are employed locally in restaurants, motels,landscaping contractors and building construction. These illegals are not being paid the "prevailing wage". Many employers are paying these illegals "under the table". Too, a lot of the money these illegals are making are not kept in our county nor in the United States for they are sending the money back into Mexico and other countries. Many of our local unemployed have had their jobs taken away from them because employers pay illegals less than they would pay legal residents. Do we need more jobs or do we need to return jobs back to our local people who have a right to be here?
October 5, 2007
3:49 p.m.Report inappropriate content
There is no silver bullet for economic development so everybody has to work with what they have and make the best of it. Fortunately, Oconee is one of the best kept secrets in the country and is a treasure of natural resources.It has all the ingredients to have the best quality of life found anywhere.
Progress is being made to create the environment essential for planned growth in the area of economic development. Jim Alexander gets a lot of mileage out of what he has to work with and it is showing. The Oconee Alliance is focusing on the "other side of the coin" with their Executive Director, Jim Gadd, complimenting Jim Alexander's efforts. Together they make a great team that will produce the kind of results that will make Oconee County a great place to live, work and do business. This all takes time.
If Jim Alexander says he needs extra people, then he needs extra people. Is that difficult to understand? As a Consultant the most difficult task I face is explaining to people who "don't get it, that the problem is that they don't get it."
Jim Alexander and Jim Gadd are trying to create that required environment. Jim knows the kind of small high tech business that fits well with the charm of Oconee. With your local industries backing him up, Oconee is a winner in all respects. Cooperate and give them the tools........if you have the right skills then volunteer. Join the Oconee Alliance and be a part of the solution, not part of the problem.
Oh yes, while I'm at it, your Oconee County Airport and Kevin Short and his crew are an asset many counties would kill to have. The airport is not a playground for the rich, it's one of the best economic development tools you will ever have. Check out the traffic sometime, you may be surprised.
Bob Burns
Pendleton, SC