The theme of needing all sectors of the community to become involved in economic development efforts was the theme heard throughout the evening during an informational meeting regarding the newly-formed North Central Missouri Development Alliance held on Thursday night at the Black Silo Winery.
Members of the NCMDA Board of Directors talked about the mission and goals of the organization, which was formed in response to the city’s decision to no longer fully-fund the community developer’s position. The crowd also heard from Ralph Boots, who will be leaving his job as NCMDA economic development director today, and Phil Tate, who has been contracted to fill the position in the interim until a new director can be hired.
Board member Scott Wilson said the mission of the organization is to “enhance the quality of life in the area through economic development.” He said there are four immediate goals of the group, the first being to provide support and focus on the situation with ConAgra Foods. Secondly, the group plans to use the Ady Report and begin working on suggestions, including community engagement, business attraction, business retention and expansion, support of entrepreneurship, use of resources in the community, including the labor force and education and quality of life. Goal three is to get a new director hired while the fourth goal is to utilize the resources available in the community, both publicly and in the private sector.
“This is not one person’s job,” Wilson said. “It is going to take all of us to do economic development.”
Boots talked about what has already been accomplished thus far, but reminded those present there is still a long way to go.
“When we got the word about ConAgra, we were caught flat-footed,” Boots said. “There were a lot of people out there that didn’t think this could happen. But we took it seriously. We realized we need to be more prepared to affect change when it happens and that’s when we had the Ady Report, thanks to a lot of partners that stepped in. It has given us a road map to move ahead. It’s been an uphill battle, but we wouldn’t be bringing in someone the caliber of Phil Tate if there wasn’t something in the works.”
Boots noted there are several projects currently in the works, but reminded those present that economic development doesn’t happen overnight and it doesn’t happen with just one or two individuals.
“All of us are going to have to step in and do our part,” he said.
Trenton City Councilman Travis Elbert, who is vice president of the NCMDA Board of Directors, talked about how the organization was formed, which began with a conversation between Elbert and Boots based on the Ady Report that suggested the community developer position funded by the city become a privatized effort with several entities being involved. As a result, a nine-member board was formed, bylaws were written and an office has been established on the campus of North Central Missouri College.
Funding to operate the entity has come from several sources, including the Grundy County, the city of Trenton, Trenton Municipal Utilities, the Grundy County Industrial Development Corporation and the Trenton Downtown Improvement Association. Memberships in the organization are also available at levels ranging from $100 to $10,000 and up for individuals, organizations and businesses who are interested in becoming a part of the economic development efforts.
Boots was initially hired to fill the economic development director role but is leaving that position today to take a new job in the Liberty area. Enter Tate, who was approached by board members to take on the economic development duties on an interim basis until a new director could be found.
Tate explained his role with the NCMDA, which he said had two purposes – the first being to continue working on the ConAgra plant closing situation. Tate said that Boots had done “a beautiful job” in working with plant officials to make the transition away from ConAgra and getting another business in that facility. While no specifics were given, Tate noted his job was to “take what has been done and bring it to fruition.”
The second area in which he will be working with the NCMDA is to help the organization find a new economic development director.
“Ralph has done a lot for this community, more than a lot of people realize,” Tate said. “But we have the right people on this board; they want to get things done and they understand the need for the partnerships that it will take to get this done. I believe they will be able to find that person who can come in and take this community forward.”
Tate said it will take leadership from the community to make economic development work and encouraged as many people as possible to become involved in the process.
“We’ve got to have the community leadership and those partnerships, like the city and county, broaden them and take them as far as we can go,” he said. “It’s going to take all of us.”