ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK MUST SHOW RESULTS

A new economic and development group is gearing up in Cape Girardeau County. The yet-unnamed organization faces a formidable challenge: Secure new jobs through nationwide and worldwide marketing strategies.

The concept is admirable: There's no question new jobs would boost the local economy. The approach is unique: This partnership brings together entities in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City, and puts aside parochial concerns.

This group's mission is to turn ample tax dollars into new jobs in three short years. The proof, they say, is in the pudding, or in this case, the economic returns. There's been no shortage of industrial development groups here. What there has been is a shortage of new industries.

A number of organizations currently promote the county, including area chambers of commerce, the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority, Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission, Regional Commerce and Growth Association (RCGA) and Southeast Missouri State University.

This organization could pull together all these separate visions and, for the first time, adequately fund the marketing strategy. A $150,000 yearly budget, with a three-year commitment from all parties involved, should be sufficient to run a competitive operation. The city of Cape Girardeau and Cape Girardeau County have each agreed to give $50,000 annually; the Cape Girardeau Chamber will give $25,000 a year; the Jackson Chamber's share is $20,000; and Scott City will allocate $5,000 annually. That's nearly half a million dollars over the next three years a generous commitment by any measure.

It's no secret the competition for new plants is fierce. According to the Cape Chamber, each company that moves into the United States is wooed by nearly 2,000 cities or agencies. Past efforts have been somewhat disappointing. The Cape Girardeau Chamber in May discontinued its economic development director position, saying it could no longer afford the $75,000 yearly budget. No grand dividends were immediately apparent from that money.

This new group will probably face the same assessment. At the end of three years, its success will no doubt be judged by the number of jobs or businesses brought in. If there's little to show, an extension of funding may be hard to approve. That may be unfair. Three years is a relatively short period of time to secure a new industry. But it's fiscal reality.

The selection of the director is critical. This person will direct the ultimate fate of this organization more than anyone else. A seven-member board of directors will oversee operations, but the director will be the one beating the streets. This person's salary makes up a third of the annual budget of the organization. Obviously, the new group is interested in paying for quality, and hopefully that will bear out.

The cooperative nature of this group may be its best attribute ... and its hardest to achieve. This effort is still taking shape and concept alone can't carry it; the details are important. Team work and commitment will hopefully give Cape Girardeau County a competitive edge.