Growing pains…

As with anything that represents change and growth, you will have proponents and opposition connected to those opportunities.  That is simply a fact about human nature that cannot be denied. In the business of economic development, it seems most will have an opinion one-way or the other, and some will form their stance often regardless of any facts or data.  If you are a person who likes to focus on the analytical data of a subject before you make a decision, here are some facts we think you should know about.

Over the past three years, 2009 thru 2011, we have tracked every project, including those who were seeking an existing building.

2009 total projects: 58

Those that were seeking an existing building: 26  (45%)

Approximate total square footage of those buildings: 1,134,000 sq. ft.

Approximate capital investments of those projects: $250,000,000.00

Approximate number of jobs to be created: 3500

Approximate amount of payroll of those jobs at $12.00 per hour: $87,235,200.00

———–

Number of 2009 buildings that were 50,000 sq. ft. or less in size: 8

Approximate amount of capital investment of these projects: $8,900,000.00

Number of jobs created with just these buildings: 778

Approximate amount of payroll created with just these projects: $19,968,000.00

——————————————

2010 total projects: 64

Those that were seeking an existing building: 41  (64%)

Approximate total square footage of those buildings: 3,741,000 sq. ft.

Approximate capital investments of those projects: $6,451,800,000.00

Approximate number of jobs to be created: 4,228

Approximate amount of payroll of those jobs at $12.00 per hour: $105, 530,880.00

—————

Number of 2010 buildings that were 50,000 sq. ft. or less in size: 15

Approximate amount of capital investment of these projects: $339,150,000.00

Number of jobs created with these projects: 1444

Approximate amount of payroll created with just these projects: $36,042,240.00

———————————————–

2011 total projects: 59

Those that were seeking an existing building: 29  (49%)

Approximate total square footage of those buildings: 3,941,000 sq. ft.

Approximate capital investments of those projects: $446,000,000.00 +

Approximate number of jobs to be created: 3818

Approximate amount of payroll of those jobs at $12.00 per hour: $95,297,280.00

—————

Number of 2011 buildings that were 50,000 sq. ft. or less in size: 15

Approximate amount of capital investment of these projects: $60,287,000.00 +

Number of jobs created with these projects: 1701

Approximate amount of payroll created with just these projects $42,456,960.00

Why does any of that data matter you may ask…

If you care to focus on a portion of what economic development means, not having adequate product (think in terms of shell buildings) for those interested in your community, equates to a limited amount of success.  It doesn’t mean you can’t be successful, it means you are handicapped or non competitive when your competition in the next town over does have product or a building available.

Some would argue that if someone wants to be here they will build their own building and that will take care of their need. That is certainly a fair argument and is exactly how economic development was predominantly done, in the 1960’s.  Today’s business prospects want to be located in a community much faster, as their competition and global market demands dictate that they perform much quicker.

In case you are wanting more tangible reasons why speculative buildings are critical to the economic prosperity of a community, we think the following bullet points pretty much covers those areas:

• We continue to see a strong number of projects, partially due to our proximity to the Metro area and because of our increased marketing efforts.

• Existing shell or speculative buildings offers the prospect readily available space and a faster start up time, which means they can get their product or service to market faster.  Faster business start up equates to faster creation of payrolls for employees.

• While it isn’t realistic to assume that we could have landed or captured all of the referenced projects, it also isn’t realistic to assume that without some inventory of existing buildings, that we have a reasonable opportunity to attract a new industry project or even help an existing company expand in this area.

• An existing building for any of the projects previously noted DOES NOT exist in Shawnee, with the exception of the TDK buildings on Harrison, which we do not own or control.

• In most cases, vacant retail downtown buildings do not qualify as acceptable existing buildings to any of the prospects that would create higher paying jobs and larger capital investments.

• Site consultants that work with the State Department of Commerce and economic development organizations all around the nation consistently tell us that Oklahoma has no available product (buildings) to offer their clients.

• Having a shell or speculative building doesn’t mean you have to give it away, accept the first offer or settle for less than absolutely the right type of company. It is an attraction tool, not a give away.

• Advantages of the SEDF developing and owning a shell building:
  • We consistently have a product to market the community with and we won’t have to hope a prospect likes us enough to build here.
  • We are able to respond quicker to those seeking available buildings and increase our opportunities in attracting more prospects.
  • Our collective understanding and relevant knowledge of businesses, manufacturers and workforce allows us to help the board “pick and choose” the prospects, with a focus on high paying jobs and diversification of the industry.
  • We already own land that is well suited for this type of building development.

If you’re in disagreement that any of this is a valid idea and that we are just fine the way we are as a community, then no amount of data or facts will ever change your opinion.  If you believe that continued growth and creating prosperity is indeed a direction we should focus on, then having shell or speculative buildings is certainly a tremendous asset to have.  And above all else, the greatest thing is that you have that choice to make.

Important Dates:

February 6^th:  Pott County Junior Livestock Annual Pig Roast & Trophy Auction

Live entertainment

6:30pm at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center

$5 per person/Free for children under 6

February 8^th:  SEDF Board Meeting

February 9-March 12^th:  OBU Women’s Business Development Project

Registration deadline:  February 6^th

For more information go to www.ruralenterprises.com

or call 1-800-658-2823

February 9^th:  Free workshop – Business & Tax Basics

Sponsored by Okemah Chamber of Commerce and REI – Women’s Business Center

9:30am – 11:30am

Location:  Okemah History Center, 407 W. Broadway, Okemah OK

February 14^th:  Valentines Day

Websites You Should Visit:

Oklahoma Job Match: www.okjobmatch.com

Valentines Day Ideas: www.celebrations.com/valentines-day

tburg@sedf.biz   *  scaldwell@sedf.biz   *  www.sedf.biz  *  405-273-7490-office  *  facebook.com/shawneeEDF

A few weeks ago we told you about the Primrose Senior Retirement Community. In case you were wondering, yes they have already started work on the project, at an UNBELIEVABLE pace.  We also told you that our efforts to help them, and yours as well should you choose to participate, is far from being over.

But this isn’t a memo that is just about how we can help one company, but more so how we can help ourselves. What, help us?  Can we really do that?  Certainly we can.  And here is how we can do that everyday.

While it may sound silly, cache or even nothing but smoke and mirrors, this community and area is rocking. Take 30 minutes out of your busy lives and drive around for a while. You will see construction on Beard south of Farrall, work on Union, north of MacArthur, and even north and south of 45^th at Union.   Did you notice another new storefront being renovated on Bell Street, just north of Main?

If you slow down a bit you will see new houses being built on 45^th, east of Harrison, along with homes underway in the Timbers, Woodlands and Woodsong sub-divisions, along with houses being constructed all around outside of the city limits.  If you drive on Farrall west of Kickapoo you will see even more construction underway on the north side of the road, just east of Kennedy.  How many of you noticed the work being done at the corner southwest of Leo and MacArthur?

Did you pick up on the land being cleared at MacArthur and Highway 177?  And what is going on with that BIG crane in the air west of town at the Firelake Grand Casino, or all of the building underway at the Hardesty and Gordon Cooper Drive area?  For those of you who are keeping track of such things, surely you noticed the removal of one uninhabited house on north Harrison, which will soon see even more work soon as a new retail area is being developed.

So what does that have to do with you and I helping us?  It’s a simple undisputable thing called “momentum” and our desire to tell anyone who will listen about what is happening in our community.  One doesn’t need to be a rocket scientist or a Pulitzer Prize winner to clearly see the activity that is underway all over our community.

So know that you are armed with this wondrous news, whom do you tell it to?  That is a fairly simple answer. Everybody and anybody who will listen.  When someone asks you “How are things in Shawnee?”  You can easily respond with an entire list of construction projects that are mentioned here and explain to them that this is just the tip of the iceberg.  That’s technical talk for there is more to come.

The best sales people that Shawnee will ever have are those who believe in its future, and realize that they can play a role in helping it grow, by merely sharing the good news about what we can all see being built.   Talk it up, Shawnee, there are plenty of positive things to share….

Sharing knowledge…

There are those among us who would argue that we should not share our collective approaches for economic development, nor consider revising our respective strategies.  Those who think that way believe we are giving up our secrets.  Maybe and maybe not.

From my perspective as we share our knowledge of this profession we are able to learn and apply new ideas. As we explore what others are doing and determine if it fits our own application, we are continuing our own education of the field of economic development, and at the same time refreshing our skills, and hopefully expanding our horizons.

We strongly believe that, as the world changes so should we. We must adapt our methods to meet the needs of those we serve and those who supply us with the wealth in our regions or communities.

Sharing our knowledge also means bringing others into the process that can help us chart our collective future. That means we have to be ready to listen to those who may have been excluded in the process, including the youth of our areas, who truly have a huge stake in our successes.  Without fresh thought and entrepreneurs we are destined to be hesitant to try new ideas or to take any risk.

Lastly, we must not forget to measure ourselves. We should measure everything we do and for those who are opposed to doing so, one could assume they are adverse to change or evaluation.  That which gets measured, gets done; it’s as simple as that.

Important Dates:

February 6^th:  Pott County Junior Livestock Show

13^th Annual Pig Roast/Trophy Auction – Live entertainment

6:30pm at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center

$5 per person/Free for children under 6

February 8^th:  SEDF Board Meeting

February 14^th:  Valentines Day

Websites You Should Visit:

Catalyst Commercial:  www.catalystcommercial.net

Valentines Day Ideas: www.celebrations.com/valentines-day

tburg@sedf.biz   *  scaldwell@sedf.biz   *  www.sedf.biz  *  405-273-7490-office  *  facebook.com/shawneeEDF

Sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees, is how the old saying goes.  Possibly we can’t see something, because we aren’t looking, don’t wish to, or don’t realize how important it is.  Such is the case of sharing what is available related to buildings and available land.  We often don’t know, what we don’t know.

A few weeks ago we were driving the community with some of our top-secret, anonymous buddies, exploring and pondering the phenomenal things going on in our little center of quite a lot. We happened to see an empty building, which they mentioned belonged to one of their customers and that client wanted to lease it or sell it.

That property discover led to a phone conversation with the land owner, a call, email, and photos being sent to a site consultant, that led to a call to a real estate broker, that led to a site visit by a prospect.  Are you following so far?  All of those actions have resulted in a short-term lease being signed by a company who was looking for a location outside of the metro OKC area. And it started by sharing information.

While we aren’t ready to shout from the rooftops that we have another new company in our midst, we are hoping this trail of events will let us share the importance of knowing what we have in the area of buildings and properties.

Right now we have no less than three groups who want to know more about us. They want to know what retail buildings are available in our community. They want to know what parcels of land are available that could be used for retail. Some of them want to know about that, along with the industrial land and buildings that are here.

And why do they want to know all those things, pray tell?  Glad you asked. They want to know so they can help us market the community. They want to know, so when their clients, who come from all over the globe ask about property, land and such in this REGION, they can share what we have in our community.  Free marketing for little old us?  Well duh…YES!!!

Which leads us to a request from all of you.  If you have an empty building, a parcel of land, whether it is suitable for retail, commercial or industrial purposes, okay sure, and residential as well, let us know. Over the past few weeks, months and years we have been gathering a great deal of data on those properties and now its time to update and share what we know.   But we don’t know what we don’t know, unless you share what you know…Got it?

Why economic development activities are important…

For some, change is never an easy thing to endure. They fight against it, defend the status quo and their buddies way of life, by arguing that anything that might affect what they see as the “only way” of doing business is the best way.   Sadly that type of isolationist view is woefully antiquated, obscures the real benefits of growth and even creates the cynicism that we are okay, just as we are.

That would be okay, except while they were beating their chests and pontificating their views against change, growth, economic development, motherhood and apple pie, the world changed.  The global economy isn’t going to happen someday, it already has. The world our local manufacturers and major employers face is no longer one that has a few limited boundaries or a few competitors.

For the most part, they now must compete with nations all around the globe on not only a cost basis, but also a quality of product or service, speed to market and the ability to meet their buyers or consumers needs.  Theirs isn’t a world of wait and see, or don’t change, it is highly volatile and demands solutions to their challenges and finding those locations and communities who support their efforts.  Simply saying “it’s a-ok out there” doesn’t make it so.

But there are those who view change as an evil attempt to ruin their life, unless there is something in it for them, and think the issues facing business are somebody else’s problems and that if ignored long enough, will merely go away.  They are right about part of that.  If we ignore the issues facing manufacturers they will go away. They will go away to places they feel welcomed and supported. Where the community they are located in supports their needs and the needs of their employees.

Hence one of the reasons economic development efforts is important.  We think somebody should be on there side. Somebody should care that they are here. Somebody should spend their time and efforts to support their needs, focus on their challenges and champion their causes.  We think our organization should be that somebody.

While it isn’t easy helping our local manufacturers or major employers, or even staying out of their way from time to time, it is a critical step in the economic development process.  Long story short, they need more local advocates and less opponents who view change as the end to a better way of life.

In just one area alone what those opposed to growth fail to comprehend is that Federal and State unfunded mandates will continue to be placed upon the area governments. Those mandates will all cost money. The money to pay for such mandates must then be paid for by the citizens who live in the community.  In reality it is fairly simple math.  Less population means the cost to each resident goes up. The greater the population the lower the average cost to each resident.

So how do we increase the population to help lower the average cost to the citizens who live here?  For us it is by supporting economic development opportunities, not by shrinking them. It is by supporting manufacturers and major employers, and not ignoring them and their employees needs.  It is by attracting more employers, more employees and being proactive in our efforts to grow the local economy.  For us, more is better, and fighting change, by having less, will not solve our problems or make this a better place to be.  Grow or die, you choose.

Important Dates:

January 26^th:  Chili Feast, sponsored by The Lions Club

Lunch 11-1:30pm & Dinner 4-7pm at First Baptist Church

January 28^th: Consignment Auction for the Shawnee FFA

Breakfast at 8:00a.m. – Auction starts at 10:00a.m.

Location:  Southeast corner of Kennedy Street & Kickapoo Spur (old Brackeen dealership)

February 6^th:  Pott County Junior Livestock Show

13^th Annual Pig Roast/Trophy Auction – Live entertainment

6:30pm at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center

$5 per person/Free for children under 6

Websites You Should Visit:

International Economic Development Counsel: www.IEDConline.org

tburg@sedf.biz   *  scaldwell@sedf.biz   *  www.sedf.biz  *  405-273-7490-office  *  facebook.com/shawneeEDF

The facts about our future are undisputable, IF we are willing to look at them. The leadership and positive growth at our local universities is a critical step in the progress of this area. Spend some time with either of them and you will see how fortunate we are that they are making plans for the next 100 years. Not just plans, but BIG plans for growth and educating those who desire to better their lives and that will spill over into the community in the form of employment and the rest of the economic impact that comes from their hard work.

Our close proximity just to the east of one of America’s most recognized strongest growth center’s is another key indicator of where our future is headed. Their prosperity ties to ours and the regional spin off is an undeniable affect that points us in the right upward direction.  Efforts to keep working in a regional and collaborative manner will only help us in the long run.  It would be idiotic not to do so.

Our area manufacturers, many of which are internationally owned, will need more skilled workers tomorrow, next week and the years to come. While it might be easier to be overwhelmed by that challenge, it certainly provides us with an opportunity to make a difference in our own future.  Employment opportunities mean people can make a good living here, they can enjoy a good quality of life here and they can prosper here.  Working at helping these primary job employers to find what they need is a task worthy of us all. This key factor may be the most defining link in our future success or decline.

Our future can also be envisioned when we look at what we think is one of the best assets that the community has to offer…..our homebuilders.  The statistics show us that the number of new home starts is off from last year, but they are still building homes. Homebuilders gamble on the future more than anyone we know. They oftentimes borrow money to buy land, install infrastructure items such as roads, sewer and water lines, simply betting on the future that people will want to live in this community.

Homebuilders are one of the best indicators of a brighter future that we can use to measure against, although some would contend they might be poor poker players.  I like my classification of them being investors in our future better.  But don’t take my word for it. Drive around and look at the number of sub-divisions our community has to offer. I think if you truly take the time to do so it will surprise you. Then ask yourself who lives here and are they just locals or commuters? Do they choose to live here because of the cost and value of the home? Do they see a future in the asset they have invested in here, rather than somewhere else?  Do they recognize that we are a sum of all of our assets, not just a few isolated economic factors that are unconnected?

Certainly the affects of the Tribes in our area have a huge affect on our economy. Many of them are diversifying their economic activities and will only continue to do so in the coming years.  Possibly we can find more ways to find common ground between us, and follow the thoughts of Chief Sitting Bull who once said, “Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children”.  Maybe there is no longer a big need for a “them or us” thought process, but rather more of a “we” mentality.

We have seen some retail growth, just not as much sales tax collections as we would like. A tight economy and the every publicized reports of how bad it is, certainly do little to help us correct that down trend.  But, we are still seeing serious interest in our area. Retailers and real estate brokers contacts are on the upswing in our office with a fairly significant list of contacts that have been coming our way since the mid part of 2011.  With a new retail consultants’ report due in 2012, we don’t believe this will diminish much.

Another asset is our medical services and providers this area offers.  Our area represents better medicine to a large population that lives locally and within our regional pull area. We continue to see providers offer more options, better services and focus on making this a healthier place to live.  As our population ages, we don’t see that trend being less of an economic impact in our community.

As newcomers to the community, consider the affects of where our community is headed as we see the City and County reinvest and improve its infrastructure. Those investments will serve us well into the decades that come, which only brighten the horizon from this person’s viewpoint.

One might consider these ideas and thoughts nonsense, hyperbole or pure Pollyannaish views. That is certainly the right of anyone’s opinion. But unless someone has a better perspective on how to chart the future, maybe we should spend more time building up what we have, rather than tearing down or destroying the good things that are possible right here today and tomorrow.

So what does your family’s future look like in this area?  We think it is unlimited and what ever you want it to be.

Important Dates:

January 16^th:  SEDF Office Closed

January 17^th:  Citizen Potawatomi Nation Job Fair

10am-2pm at the CPN Cultural Heritage Center:  1899 S. Gordon Cooper Drive, Shawnee OK

Contact:  Kelly Francen or Holly West at 405-275-3121

Visit Workforce Oklahoma for current job postings.

January 26^th:  Chili Feast, sponsored by The Lions Club

Lunch 11-1:30pm & Dinner 4-7pm at First Baptist Church

January 28^th: Consignment Auction

Breakfast at 8:00a.m. – Auction starts at 10:00a.m.

Location:  Southeast corner of Kennedy Street & Kickapoo Spur (old Brackeen dealership)

The consignment auction is to help raise money for the Shawnee FFA.

February 6^th:  Pott County Junior Livestock Show

13^th Annual Pig Roast/Trophy Auction – Live entertainment

6:30pm at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center

$5 per person/Free for children under 6

Websites You Should Visit:

Oklahoma Department of Commerce:  www.okcommerce.gov

tburg@sedf.biz   *  scaldwell@sedf.biz   *  www.sedf.biz  *  405-273-7490-office  *  facebook.com/shawneeEDF

A year or so ago, it was eluded to, by one prominent area resident, that the Monday Memo was nothing but a bunch of nonsense and not worthy of the effort it took to read it.  That certainly was one person’s opinion and while we respectfully disagree, it is still something that gives us pause to contemplate, regarding our efforts to share some insight into our world of economic development.

Recently the SEDF has been undergoing some staff transitions and we asked our new team member and her spouse, their thoughts on the Monday Memo and what they would like to see covered in one of our weekly offerings.  It is always an honor to learn what fairly new representatives to our community think about, as it relates to Shawnee and the region.

The topics suggested to us were areas that most of us have contemplated ourselves in the past few years, or decades for some.  What they shared with us is that they want to know about the future and how it will affect their family. Will the community continue to grow and prosper, or will it sink into a pattern of paralysis with little to no action?

They want to know how they might be better involved to help play a part in improving the social and economic environment in the community, where their efforts are both welcomed and appreciated.  Specifically, often times they aren’t sure where to start, where they can use their skills to best serve or what needs to be done.  Certainly those are thoughts most of us have had and can relate to.

Sometimes our crystal ball on the future is a bit fuzzy and we have a hard time looking ahead in the next ten minutes, let alone the upcoming years.  But, never one to shrink from a futuristic perspective, we want to offer some thoughts on the questions proposed.  We will save our thoughts on how best to be involved or where to serve for another memo.

Certainly it is only one person’s perspective, but I believe the best is yet to come for this community. While it will not be easy or as fast as some of us would like to see, Shawnee and the immediate region will continue to grow and prosper.  Those opinions aren’t based upon a willy-nilly, warm and fuzzy mentality. There will undoubtedly be challenging obstacles, opposition, differing views and barriers that lie ahead in our future. There always has been those things to contend with and always will be.

Over the next few weeks we will dig deep to share our perspectives about the future of this community, from the things we are seeing and that we are engaged with on a daily basis.

The Academy of Goals…

A couple of months ago one of the SEDF staff members attended the 2011 Oklahoma Academy of Goals, Town Hall.  At this event a collection of business leaders, elected officials and interested parties spent three days and evenings looking at some of the key economic development issues facing the State of Oklahoma.

From those sessions, the Academy was able to develop a list of recommendations for moving the State forward, which were recently presented to the Governor and Legislators.  If you would like to see the final report on this year’s town hall you can visit www.okacademy.org.

While some of this may seem like old news to you, out of the eight key recommendations, we think one of the most key recommendations needs to be highlighted.

RENOVATE EAST-WEST RAIL SYSTEMS

The economic success of Oklahoma continues to be largely based on the twin growth engines of energy and agriculture. The actual production of crude oil, natural gas and petroleum based liquids in the energy sector, and the production of grains, cotton, soybeans and other commodities in the agricultural sector mainly occurs in rural Oklahoma.

A significant cost in getting the commodities to market is transportation. The nearest east-west rail transportation is in Texas and Kansas. There is not one in Oklahoma.

The primary recommendation from the Town Hall in this area is:  “We recommend that Governor Fallin lead the effort to rehabilitate freight rail infrastructure in Oklahoma with emphasis on east-west freight lines.”

While on the surface that may seem like a simple task, dealing with rail companies, making necessary repairs and improvements, finding funding, working with regulatory agencies that have oversight of rail transportation and all the other government hoops, barriers and obstacles, is not an easy maze to traverse.  But it is a task that cannot be overlooked nor ignored.

If our area, region, and state are going to continue its growth, the revitalization of the rail line that serves the southeastern and central part of our state is a critical step forward.  It’s not easy reopening an idle rail line, but the rewards will be outstanding when it is finally operational.  Stay tuned as there is much more to be done and worked on in this area.

Important Dates:

January 11^th:  SEDF Board Meeting

January 17^th:  Citizen Potawatomi Nation Job Fair

10am-2pm at the CPN Cultural Heritage Center:  1899 S. Gordon Cooper Drive, Shawnee OK

Contact:  Kelly Francen or Holly West at 405-275-3121

Visit Workforce Oklahoma for current job postings.

January 26^th:  Chili Feast, sponsored by The Lions Club

Lunch 11-1:30pm & Dinner 4-7pm at First Baptist Church

January 28^th: Consignment Auction

Breakfast at 8:00a.m. – Auction starts at 10:00a.m.

Location:  Southeast corner of Kennedy Street & Kickapoo Spur (old Brackeen dealership)

The consignment auction is to help raise money for the Shawnee FFA.

To make consignments, contact Ryan Ellis at 580-478-5221, or come to the Agricultural Education Building on the southwest corner of the High School Campus at 1001 N. Kennedy.

You get 90% of the sale price of your item and the Chapter receives 10% of the sale price.

Consignments are due by January 13, 2012.

Websites You Should Visit:

The Oklahoma Academy: www.okacademy.org

A-OK Railroad: www.aokrr.com

tburg@sedf.biz   *  scaldwell@sedf.biz  *  www.sedf.biz   *  405-273-7490-office  *  facebook.com/shawneeEDF

A few weeks ago we told you about the Primrose Senior Retirement Community, our newest best buddy, and how they were going to make a significant investment in our community with their senior community center.  In case you were wondering, yes they have already started work on the project.

But our efforts to help them, and yours as well should you choose to participate, is far from being over.  At this time, specifically what we are working on is how to help them fill up the facility with area residents who may need a service like theirs.  Equally important is to locate those who have already moved out of Shawnee and would like to come back.  That is a long way to say, let’s help them market and fill up the facility.

So, how are we going to accomplish getting the word out about Primrose?  Well, we are going to start right here in this Monday Memo by sharing what they offer to anyone who will listen.  The SEDF staff has already started assembling the names of organizations that we believe the Primrose marketing staff should meet.

Additionally we are offering suggestions to their marketing crew on where they might be able to advertise and reach the highest number of potential residents.  As we explore these areas, we are certain they will be able to share with us what has worked in other locations, they are in 13 other states you know, and how they could best duplicate those efforts here.

As the Primrose project moves forward, we will be helping them find the key staff they need to fill their open employment positions. They know, as do we, that the right employees will make all the difference in the care and comfort of their residents and the ongoing reputation of their organization.  That is a long way to say, they will need quality employees to help them support their goals of providing outstanding service to our area seniors.

Finally, our organization believes and regularly practices what we call After Care. That process is where we stick with a business and help them in whatever area they want or need us to be involved with.  For us it makes perfect business sense to do so, because we think Shawnee is a place where doing business just makes sense.

Put money in your pocket and give at the same time…

So about now you’re staring at all the Christmas bills and wishing you had a little bit more income to help cover the gift-giving spirit that you were wrapped up in a few weeks ago.  Never fear, there is a way you can help others and at the same time help your self.  How perfect is that?

A couple of months ago we told you about the local FFA program.  They had been victim to thieves, who stole everything in the building the program had to work with.  This is a program that is being revived by a two tour of duty Army Veteran.  He is a great guy whose mission is to now help others learn character, mechanical and agricultural skills.  If you can’t tell, we really like this guy and his program a lot.  We know many of you have offered to help and some want to, but don’t know how.

We wanted to share an idea that might be helpful to both you and the program. On January 28^th, 2012, the Shawnee FFA program will hold a consignment auction here in town.   Consignment auctions aren’t anything new, but this is one where you can get 90% of the auction price of your items back in your pocket, with 10% of the sale price going to the FFA program.

This worthwhile event can help you get rid of some unwanted items around the house, farm, shop or business, put some cash back in your pocket and help out the FFA program at the same time. That’s a triple WIN in our book.

If you have any interest in learning more, please contact Ryan Ellis at 580-478-5221 and he will fill you in on the details.  Don’t wait too long as the consignments are due by January 13^th, 2012.

Important Dates:

January 2^nd:  SEDF Office Closed

January 11^th:  SEDF Board Meeting

Consignment Auction – January 28, 2012

Breakfast at 8:00a.m. – Auction starts at 10:00a.m.

Location:  Southeast corner of Kennedy Street & Kickapoo Spur (old Brackeen dealership)

The consignment auction is to help raise money for the Shawnee FFA.

To make consignments, contact Ryan Ellis at 580-478-5221, or come to the Agricultural Education Building on the southwest corner of the High School Campus at 1001 N. Kennedy.

You get 90% of the sale price of your item and the FFA receives 10% of the sale price.

Consignments are due by January 13, 2012.

Websites You Should Visit:

Independent and Assisted Living Retirement Communities: www.primroseretirement.com

Oklahoma FFA: www.okffa.org

tburg@sedf.biz *  scaldwell@sedf.biz *  www.sedf.biz *  405-273-7490—office  *  facebook.com/shawneeEDF

Over here at your economic development organization, we try to stay in touch with what others around the U.S. are saying about economic development, which includes issues that we as a region are also facing.  Recently one of our favorite bloggers wrote an article that we felt needed to be shared, as it touched on many of the same things we have been saying and dealing with, related to workforce development.

The blog is written by Eric Bergeson, who calls himself the County Scribe. You can follow his work or subscribe at http://www.countryscribe.com/blog

THOSE WHO STAY …

Those interested in the survival of small towns often cite one solution: We need to get our young people to stay.  However, according to the authors of the book “Hollowing Out the Middle,” which examines an actual small town in the Midwest, small-town schools prepare and encourage their best students to leave.

In fact, there is great pressure on high-achieving rural students to get out of town and make something of themselves.  “You go make it big,” the small towns seem to say to their academic and sports stars, “and those of us back here in the small town will bask in the glory of your success on the big stage.”

Meanwhile, students who are most likely to stay in the small town aren’t treated with as much respect while in high school. Little is done to train them for the jobs available locally, and some jobs are very good.  By encouraging the achievers to leave to make it big and by ignoring those who are probably going to stay, small towns unnecessarily speed their own decline.

Right now, northwestern Minnesota has jobs going begging (unfilled jobs). Just to the west in North Dakota, thousands of jobs on the oil fields are vacant.  The skills needed for these jobs tend to be in the field of what is called “applied engineering.”  To be hired at a good wage, one doesn’t necessarily need a four year degree. However, a couple of years of training in the field of engineering helps a great deal.

However, seldom do high school kids, particularly those who are likely to stay in the small town anyway, even learn about this possible career path right under their nose.  Instead, the “stayers,” as the book calls the group, feel ignored and shunted aside in favor of their high achieving classmates who get in the paper for everything from sports to speech to music contests.

The “stayers,” those who are going to spend their life in the small town, are made to feel like losers.  And yet the “stayers” are the people we expect to step up and run our towns, run for office, start new businesses and volunteer to do the work.  Now, some organizations are finally reaching out to middle school students to get them to understand career options that will enhance their lives even if they remain in the small town.

Other initiatives help students by allowing them to work with local companies while they are still in high school so they know what is available for them right in their region.  My own experience jibes with the arguments of “Hollowing Out the Middle.”    From the very beginning of school, I was expected to achieve. I guess I did, but it wasn’t that difficult when everybody was doting on you. All you had to do to get your picture in the paper was roll out of bed.

Meanwhile, a large swath of our class was consigned to the non-college path.  They got less attention.  However, just because people weren’t on the college path (often because they were born into the wrong small town caste), didn’t mean they weren’t driven, disciplined and talented.  Several classmates I really admire simply jumped the rails. They fought their classification as “non-college,” bettered themselves through education, became nurses and now ably serve their community.

Others always had native intelligence, even if it wasn’t applied to schoolwork, and found a way to apply it in the difficult field of modern farming.  The ability to build their own machinery, use the commodity markets to hedge their bets, plan their crops to spread their risk approaches genius.  I admire these people because, although they received some vocational education in high school, they weren’t given the attention and approval doled out so liberally to the college-bound crowd.

It is these determined “stayers” who keep our small towns afloat. They are fighters. And, despite the signals they were sent in high school, they are winners.  I am the exception. I jumped the rails in a reverse direction. I was supposed to go out into the big world and make the small town proud.  Instead, I returned because I love the life.  People still wonder what’s wrong with me.

If small towns want to grow and thrive, we have to value those who stay, train them, offer them encouragement and approval.  We can’t send the message that if you stick around the hometown, or return, that you have somehow been defeated.

———————————-

For us at the SEDF, this blog brought home the belief that we need to see a worth in all of those who live, work, stay, leave or return to this community. It isn’t about one decision being better or best, for us it’s about valuing ALL people.

Important Dates:

Christmas at the Depot

Now through December 31^st

Santa Fe Depot Museum – 614 E. Main St. Shawnee, OK

Bring your family and come enjoy the many Christmas trees on display.

Contact:  405-275-8412

December 26^th:  SEDF Office Closed

January 2^nd:  SEDF Office Closed

Consignment Auction – January 28, 2012

Breakfast at 8:00a.m. – Auction starts at 10:00a.m.

Location:  Southeast corner of Kennedy Street & Kickapoo Spur (old Brackeen dealership)

The consignment auction is to help raise money for the Shawnee FFA.

To make consignments, contact Ryan Ellis at 580-478-5221, or come to the Agricultural Education Building on the southwest corner of the High School Campus at 1001 N. Kennedy.

You get 90% of the sale price of your item and the Chapter receives 10% of the sale price.

Consignments are due by January 13, 2012.

Websites You Should Visit:

New Year Resolutions:  http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/New-Years-Resolutions.shtml

tburg@sedf.biz and  scaldwell@sedf.biz www.sedf.biz 405-273-7490—office – facebook.com/shawneeEDF

At certain times you can’t tell who created the momentum, only that it is real and it is still happening.  Such is the case with new projects and activities all over the community.  Over the past 12 months or so, this community/region/area has seen over $59 million dollars worth of new construction being undertaken or completed.  To us at the SEDF that isn’t merely chicken feed.

So, who gets the credit for these marvelous and positive things that are occurring in our area?  Some folks will certainly feel they are the catalyst or the creator of the capital investment, and that could be an accurate statement.  You could also argue the case that success has many fathers.

While it is extremely easy to get caught up in the disease of “I”, it is far more realistic to understand that many people were part of the processes that allowed these good things to transpire.  From the initial desire to grow, to the financial review, actual loan or gathering of funds, to the plan reviews and building process, many people have been involved in this impressive growth spurt.

In looking at this cumulative total of projects, it is easy to see how diverse our local economy is and how resilient we are becoming as it relates to the overall global economic perspective. It also speaks highly of the faith that many have had with investing those funds HERE.  So how did we arrive at this awesome amount of new investment?

We asked the City to help us total the residential and commercial permits they had issued over the past 12 months, plus add their own capital project expenditures.  Included in the total, as it should be, was of course what the Citizen Potawatomi Nation has completed on their properties both south of the river and the work that has been completed west of town. Not to be overlooked, we added the investment being made on the rail line between Shawnee and OKC, plus the work on the BNSF line here in the community.

Is it enough and are we set?  Certainly not, but it is a fairly clear indication that we are headed in the right direction.  Momentum isn’t something that is easily started and if we expect to keep growing we must continue to market our community’s attributes and positive features.  Or we can just do nothing and wish for the best…. Hmm what to do?

And I bet you thought we forgot…

Yes, once again it is that time of year when we look over our wish list and hope that we get everything we are wanting this Christmas and for the coming year.  Of course it helps if we apply some actual effort toward some of these items as well, as wishing doesn’t always make our dreams come true.

• More skilled employees for our companies who are seeking to hire them.  For well over the past eight months, many of our local manufacturers and other area businesses have been clamoring for more skilled employees. Filling their needs would be a great gift for those needing employment, our companies who need them AND our local economy.  That would literally be a gift that keeps on giving.

• More diverse consumer choices. Most of us believe that our community could use more choices and selections related to purchasing the “stuff ” we feel we need.  We hope that 2012 will be the year where we are able to see how the information we have compiled about who shops here, why they don’t, what’s missing and how we can attract them, all comes together.

• A railroad line reopened. Many of us played with railroad sets as a child and probably never dreamed it would one day be something we wished to see developed on a larger scale.  Thank goodness there are those who grew up to be real railroaders who are keeping that dream alive for Shawnee and Southeastern Oklahoma.  In 2012 we hope to see a bridge back in place across the North Canadian River, which will pave the way for reopening the rest of the line all the way to McAlester and revitalize that economy.

• The rest of world discovers that we are the center of “quite a lot”. Most of us know what our area has to offer.  Here at our place we continue to preach that to anyone and everyone who will listen.  Our desire is that more and more people will come to understand what many already know about the quality of life we share in this region.  Hopefully in learning about this place we call home, they will decide that this is what they are looking for as well.  Just to name a few positives, more people choosing to live here will help us fill the employment stockings of our local companies, help the retailers by purchasing their products and of course keep buying the housing our community offers.

• Strengthen those things that made us strong in the first place. Shawnee is blessed to have a truly diverse economy.  Healthcare, manufacturing, education, entertainment, retailers, housing, tourism venues, financial institutions, proximity to a major metro area, critical transportation infrastructure, agricultural, energy industries and a wide range of other vital components make up the total of what makes us unique and strong. Our wish for 2012 is that we all work together to make those things we already have better, as those are the types of significant economic factors that others all over the world are seeking in locations they wish to live in.

Important Dates:

Christmas at the Depot

Now through December 31^st

Santa Fe Depot Museum – 614 E. Main St. Shawnee, OK

Bring your family and come enjoy the many Christmas trees on display.

Contact:  405-275-8412

December 23^rd & 26^th:  SEDF Office Closed

December 25^th – Christmas

Consignment Auction – January 28, 2012

Breakfast at 8:00a.m. – Auction starts at 10:00a.m.

Location:  Southeast corner of Kennedy Street & Kickapoo Spur (old Brackeen dealership)

The consignment auction is to help raise money for the Shawnee FFA.

To make consignments, contact Ryan Ellis at 580-478-5221, or come to the Agricultural Education Building on the southwest corner of the High School Campus at 1001 N. Kennedy.

You get 90% of the sale price of your item and the Chapter receives 10% of the sale price.

Consignments are due by January 13, 2012.

Websites You Should Visit:

The Twelve Days of Christmas: http://www.12days.com/

tburg@sedf.biz and  scaldwell@sedf.biz www.sedf.biz 405-273-7490—office – facebook.com/shawneeEDF

If you’re not a person who spends time working around manufacturers or industries, you probably don’t think about the railroad much. For those of us in the economic development business, we think about it a lot.  Many of our local employers need this vital link to help them keep their production costs lower and to keep the supply of raw materials delivered to their facilities.  Without a doubt, products delivered by rail allow for lower costs, along with a more reliable and safer transportation method.

Sometime in the mid 80’s, the railroad bridge over the North Canadian River was washed out due to above average rainfall and severe flooding. This chain of events severed a vital infrastructure link between the Southeastern part of Oklahoma and our own central location.  Since that time the same river has been trying to undermine the rail line between Shawnee and OKC.  Thankfully, due to funding from the federal government and the efforts of the short line operator, efforts are being made to rectify those erosion problems.

When the bridge washed out, the big rail provider looked at the income stream that was generated from the industries and communities between Shawnee and McAlester and elected not to spend funds to rebuild the bridge.  While that business decision may have been in the best interest of the big railroad company, it wasn’t in the best interests of those communities between Shawnee and McAlester, or Shawnee itself.   Two methods of transporting raw materials or finished goods are better than one, especially when we are dealing with a meandering river that can sever the rail line in either direction.

The wash out also affected the economic development activities in Seminole, Wewoka, Holdenville, Calvin, Stuart and McAlester.  Businesses who produce products in those areas were forced to revert to transportation methods that weren’t as effective or efficient or provide as good of an economy of scale, as it relates to overall costs.  In some cases the economies of these areas have suffered adversely, which in an already impoverished area, is only adding more barriers and obstacles to their wellbeing.

But now we are starting to see some improvements and we welcome those efforts.  Leadership from the rail line owner, the short line operator and the Citizen Potawatomi Tribe are allowing for a collaborative effort to be undertaken that will help reopen the key link that was severed decades ago.  Equally important are the efforts of our federally elected representatives who have been working behind the scenes to make this bridge repair and reopening a reality.  It has indeed been a collaborative effort, which is still in the making.

Once completed, commerce will once again be moving to those communities that once depended on this critical transportation link and the opportunities for growth will surely follow.

It will take more than just reopening the bridge to get the line back to operational status. There is still work to be done on making sure the rail and roadway crossings are safe, that bridges and rail beds are cleared and fully passable and the miles of track are inspected and improved.

To fully reopen the line it will take time, focus on doing the seemingly impossible and hopefully some support from the federal government in the form of funding options.   At the same time there are also those among us who don’t share the belief that this is a good idea and are working diligently to thwart the work being done.  While we understand their hesitancy to find merit in this project, we respectfully and vehemently disagree with their opposing view.

It isn’t easy reopening a rail line, but the benefits that will be provided to so much of the area, OUR area, will provide benefits for decades to come, just as it did before the big flood.  We hope the next time you look at a rail line you will look at it with a different set of eyes, while seeing the strength of our economy and the opportunity for growth that it provides.  We think it’s awesome.

Rail Factoids…

Did you know that it takes approximately 3200 rail ties per mile and that there are 34 miles of track between Shawnee and OKC?  This year the short line operator will replace 5000 ties at a cost of around $56.00 per tie. That means they are investing at least another $280,000.00 in the line just in rail ties.  If the average rail tie lasts 20 years, it will take them 20 plus years to change them all out.  Whew, that’s a lot of work AND a lot of money.

On average, Pottawatomie County repairs or improves around 300 miles of gravel roadways in the county each year.  For each mile of roadway, it takes 55 semi loads of rock to make those repairs.  Each semi is the equivalent of 150 passenger vehicles in terms of wear and tear on our highways.  The 300 miles of county roadway repairs will be similar to 2,475,000 automobiles, in wear and tear traffic to our state highways.  WOW!

This year alone, 16,500 semi’s will be on our state highways to fix our county roads. I wonder what that number would be for all of the counties around our region that maintain and improve their roadways?

Right now we hope you are trying to tie the need to improve our county roads back to the need to reopen a rail line.  If you figured that out all on your own, you get an A+.    In the Southeastern portion of Oklahoma there are large deposits of rock, which could serve our road repair needs quite well. We wonder how many dollars we could save our county and the taxpayers, if we reopened a railway to allow that commodity to be transported here by rail?   Saving money, reduce wear and tear on our state highways and make it safer?  Looks like a trifecta to us… How could someone be against something that would do this much good?

Important Dates:

December 14th at 9:00am:  SEDF Board Meeting

Christmas at the Depot

Now through December 31^st

Santa Fe Depot Museum – 614 E. Main St. Shawnee, OK

Bring your family and come enjoy the many Christmas trees on display.

Contact:  405-275-8412

Websites You Should Visit:

A-OK Railroad:  http://www.aokrr.com

tburg@sedf.biz and  scaldwell@sedf.biz www.sedf.biz 405-273-7490—office – facebook.com/shawneeEDF – @ShawneeEDF

Over the past few years, yes that’s correct YEARS, the Shawnee Economic Development Foundation has been working with a company from Aberdeen, South Dakota, called Primrose Retirement Communities.  This corporation is located in a dozen states and offers a different type of retirement center to those senior citizens who no longer wish to own or maintain their own property.

While it is hardly a new or revolutionary idea, Shawnee currently doesn’t have this type of senior housing arrangement.  Since this isn’t offered, we lose our senior citizens to other communities along with their transferable income.

No longer will they be in our church pews, grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, doctor’s offices, theaters, retail stores or many others.  While a lot of this is an economic aspect that we lose, we all miss out on having our relatives and friends close by.

Not having them down the block or across town means we don’t have the luxury of being close when they need some assistance or when we need to just spend quality time together.  It’s true we can always drive to another location to see them, but in the reality of our hectic world, it isn’t going to happen as much as if they were within close proximity.

The Primrose project, which is located at the corner of Bryan and Bradley, will offer the community 36 independent living and 40 assisted living apartment homes, along with 4 independent living townhome villas. Residents can select from a wide variety of services, or simply be part of the senior community, if they so desire.

Additionally, Primrose will make a significant capital investment of over $10 million dollars in the community, AND employ between 25 and 30 individuals.  Their development will link perfectly between the housing to the east and the other amenities that are available for our seniors in the immediate area.  At the SEDF we are extremely pleased to have Primrose as one of our newest Shawnee businesses and are thrilled they have stuck with us during this process.

Life long learning…

Over the Veteran’s Day weekend, the SEDF staff participated in a world-renowned program called the OU Economic Development Institute, or OU/EDI for those who have been around the block a time or two. This program, which is connected to the University of Oklahoma, offers those who work in the field of economic development some additional training in a broad based series of educational courses.  Additionally, it offers the more seasoned economic developer an opportunity to learn how to prepare him or herself for taking the International Economic Development Councils, Certified Economic Developer Certification examination.

Professional economic developers from all around the US converge twice a year in various locations to guide the students through a weeklong selection of topics directly related to the profession they have chosen.  While that may seem like a one sided affair, where the instructor talks and the student listens, in reality it is a two sided interaction.

While there are a large number of entry-level students who are just beginning their career in attendance, there are many senior level economic developers also in attendance. They are joining others, as they wish to continue their skills development and enhance the work they do for their respective communities or regions.

Likewise, the instructors are learning as well.  As they interact with the students who are from every state in the nation, and some from foreign countries, they are learning of the challenges others are facing, along with how others are reacting to difficult economic circumstances.

While one might believe that there isn’t much of anything new to learn in the world of how economic development is undertaken, they would be misguided. Our world is always changing, as are the businesses that are engaged in the global economy.

From our perspective, we think it is an extremely valuable use of a weekend, to be on the cutting edge of learning new tools, which we can use to help those who are seeking new ways to be on top of their business.

Important Dates:

Christmas at the Depot

Now through December 31^st

Santa Fe Depot Museum – 614 E. Main St. Shawnee, OK

Bring your family and come enjoy the many Christmas trees on display.

Contact:  405-275-8412

Websites You Should Visit:

Primrose Retirement Community at http://www.primroseretirement.com

tburg@sedf.biz and  scaldwell@sedf.biz www.sedf.biz 405-273-7490—office – facebook.com/shawneeEDF – @ShawneeEDF