The Coos County Commission have assembled an industrial acquisition team to implement an system where the county acquires federal industrial surplus equipment at very low cost and leases the equipment to local businesses. Local business that might otherwise be unable to afford new equipment like lathes, or earth movers, or bucket trucks, tug boats, vehicles or even computers can obtain these items for cost of shipping and transport fees in exchange for hiring workers to use the equipment.

Details are being worked out by the team but Commissioner Parry says this is a “grassroots economic development” effort. Unlike typical econ-dev schemes, this is a low cost effort with little risk and potentially high rewards. Governor Kitzhaber claims that one job on the South Coast has the same benefit to the Oregon economy as five hundred jobs in Portland.

If a local machine shop can produce larger components or meet a faster volume demand it may open up its market potential and provide needed local jobs. This is a worthy local economic development effort and is not dependent upon state and federal permits, foreign investors and regulatory restrictions and does not intrude on oyster beds, private property rights and has no direct impact on the environment. This is a very cool way to stimulate the local economy and allows the private sector to create its own jobs.

Bravo!