INFLUENCING THE FUTURE: IN THE YEAR 2037, WHERE WILL WE BE?

John Mehner is chairman of the board of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

Come with me, if you will, to the year 2037. We are going to attend a huge celebration at the Cape County Park. It seems the greater Cape Girardeau area has done it again! Another Fortune 500 company is coming HERE! Yes - ANAD Corp., a manufacturer of electronic road maps for computer programmable cars will be building a factory to be completed sometime in '39.

ANAD joins several other 21st century industrial giants reaping the benefits of our area. Surely at such a prestigious event, we should be able to locate some community leaders. Wait! Look over there! Isn't that the Mayor of Cape Girardeau, Gene Streets talking to the Cape Chamber of Commerce President Bob Roosterdrix. And there is RCGA President~ Walt Tamewoman talking to County Commissioner Gene Huckstair. Jackson city manager Carl Score is jawing with Scott City Mayor Larry Backhand. Isn't it great ~ they all work together so well!

You see, in the year 2037, this area is in better moral, financial and educational shape than ever. Growth has been steady. Our educational system is tremendous. Crime has been held in check. We should thank Police Chief Boyd Butcher, Superintendent Clarke Neyland and University President Sarlotta Coupe, to name a few. However, our real hero is our new Industrial Recruitment Director Justin Tyme.

Does this sound far-fetched? Impossible? If you answered "YES," then kindly step aside. Area leaders have a different opinion and are working toward just this type of scenario. Representatives from Cape, Jackson, Cape County and Scott City are currently examining the possibility of creating a greater Cape County Industrial Recruit~ment position.

Let's talk industrial recruitment. This is just a portion of total economic development. Many existing organizations are already in the business of economic development: Chambers of Commerce, Cities, the University and the RCGA to name a few. We need them to continue to do their part. They ALL help build infrastructure, work with existing and expanding businesses, and "fine tune" our area. These services are vital to our economic health. But, individually, they haven't the money or the resources to "market" our area full time. As conceived, an Industrial Recruitment Director would fill this gap.

How will it be structured? How will it function? The IR Director will be hired by and answer to a seven person board appointed by funding agencies. This board will be responsible for by-laws, job description, budgeting, choosing a location for the office and generally over-seeing the IR Director. In voting, a simple majority should rule. It is extremely important to this entire project that this board ONLY seat people who have no prior bias to the funding organizations OR the people who lead them. If politics enters this board, ill-will and resentment will be the only outcome. The funding organizations must be BOLD enough to appoint their representatives appropriately.

This will be a three year (minimum) commitment operating with an annual budget of approximately $150,000. The majority of the money should be budgeted for the person/people (salaries) and the marketing (travel/expenses etc..). A heavy emphasis in any other area would limit the potential benefits. Many areas are well ahead of us in this type of effort. However, they do not have the tremendous potential offered by ~ Greater Cape Girardeau. Let's start selling that potential.

This is not a "done deal" as we say. This project is in its infancy. If you have comments, please call ~and give me your input. Being a part of the Vision 2000 group has helped me look past next week or next year. This project has potential. Let's use our "vision" and give this thing a chance.

By the way....if we don't hire Justin Tyme for the job, maybe we can get his sister: A. Boute Tyme.