EDA's 2009 Plan Update, continued

Whenever I take a look at these EDA strategic plans, especially the 2008 and 2009 versions, I see this emphasis on “ready-to-go-sites,” as in priority A.4 from the 2009 plan: “Continue to work on ready-to-go-sites and identify locations in conjunction with the future land use plan.” The status reported here for this item is: “Rezoning of Project Clover proceeding. Related marketing initiatives moving forward.”

Moving on through the Priority A goals, here is A.6:

Identify the sectors and business types that are most conducive to locating in Page County. Ensure that: 1) the list matches the future land use plan and intergovernmental agreements; and 2) the zoning ordinances support the needs of targeted businesses and industries.

…and its status:

Project Clover is in compliance with draft land use plan. Working with Planning office to implement zoning ordinances that are in compliance with environment of county and clear, concise and manageable from business point of view.

What’s missing? The status report doesn’t include any information about the sectors and business types that are good prospects for locating in Page County. If you look at several other Priority A goals, they mention this business identification issue as well…

• A.5 – Identify companion businesses to those existing in the county and target these kinds of organizations to locate in the county.
• A.8 – Develop and implement a marketing program to attract new businesses. Include information about the HUBZone program.

These goals are assigned to the Department of Economic Development…as are most of the Priority A goals. Few if any are assigned to the EDA, and those seem to focus around Project Clover.

I guess what troubles me about the 2009 plan update is the same thing that I have been saying about the whole strategic planning process in the county since I started looking at it. These plans seem to focus on putting logistics support in place, or on putting big money on the table, before we have a good idea of what we are trying to accomplish. Aside from the continuing emphasis on Project Clover as a panacea to all of Page County’s economic concerns, the hard work on analysis is always left for last, so the easy and glamorous work on “big ideas” gets all the attention.

Working as a consultant, and in A-E firms over the last 15 years or so has taught me a lesson – we call this process requirements gathering – you have to know the environment, the stakeholders and interests, and you have to know the issues, not to mention the strengths and weaknesses of the situation – before you commit to a plan.

You can’t propose an answer before you know what the questions are…that’s what I think has happened with the EDA and the Project Clover approach. That’s why Page County has ventured down the pathway of very speculative real estate deals, as opposed to the brass tacks work of learning what your prospects are and selling into your strengths. I read a book a few years ago – “Hope is Not a Strategy” – this stuff is hard work…just seems like we aren't working hard enough on it for some reason.

Someone else said, "If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there."  Seems like we know where we're going with Page County's EDA - we're going to Project Clover.  As far as what we'll find when we arrive...well that's anyone's guess.

Here's an Amazon link to the book I mentioned: