St. Joseph takes a hard look at itself

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- As they prepared to cope with the loss of major employer Quaker Oats, St. Joseph economic officials wanted a realistic reading of the city's prospects for attracting business.

The assessment they have now received from a consulting firm contains both heartening and discouraging findings.

St. Joseph has a good health care and schools, a strong labor force, a low cost of doing business and a nationally recognized name because of its history, according to the report from Bay Area Associates, the firm hired by the Chamber of Commerce to perform the study.

And the city's location -- in the middle of the country, on a river and near a major airport -- gives it an advantage over other communities.

But the labor force is limited in size, there's a lack of land suitable for development, and there has been limited investment in infrastructure, the report concluded.

Chamber of Commerce officials commissioned the report after Quaker Oats announced last year it would close its St. Joseph plant this year, putting 600 people out of work.

A recent survey discovered that St. Joseph residents believe a good job pays $16.43 an hour with benefits. The goal of the report is to try to help St. Joseph officials find a way to meet that need.

"If we can raise the income level in the community, we will raise the quality of life," said Patt Lilly, chairman and chief executive officer of the Chamber.

Of all the weaknesses cited by the consultants, the one that most concerns the city's economic development officials is the lack of land. And there's little the Chamber of Commerce can do about that.