In The World’s follow-up editorial regarding the SDAT report it notes that despite SCDC’s willingness to take the reins toward implementing recommendations to develop a sustainable local economy that “…SCDC was in no shape organizationally, fiscally or otherwise, to assume that role.” Not mentioned was that the agency made no effort to inform anyone of this or to find an alternative or to seek assistance, choosing instead to quietly shelve the whole thing. At the latest BOC meeting, SCDC board member Fred Jacquot acknowledged that SCDC (South Coast Development Council) hasn’t been the “best public partner” during its thirteen year tenure as the South Coast’s second loudest state recognized economic development agency.
This was the fourth such acknowledgement in as many meetings and if SCDC was an addict these would be stunning acts of contrition and if admission is truly half-the-battle then it might seem it is on its way to recovery. We might even be fooled into thinking that there is a 50% chance that giving SCDC another $75,000 won’t turn into another prolonged weekend bender. While the agency claims to have a fresh raison d’être and found a new niche serving traded sector business it hasn’t been able to articulate exactly what services it plans to deliver that aren’t already adequately handled by existing agencies, commercial realtors and private sector groups like the chamber of commerce. Nor is there any explanation of how its performance can accurately be measured. In an email Commissioner Melissa Cribbins defined the expected role of SCDC thusly:
The purpose of economic development agencies is to provide a point person for an interested business to contact that will be able to help them navigate the area and understand what resources we have to offer, such as the college and workforce training, as well as properties that might work for their needs. Their other primary purpose is to help grow and retain existing businesses. I think this is a more important responsibility than attracting new business, and it extends to small business…
…I think we can best foster and grow our economic development through multiple municipalities and entities pooling their funds, rather than each of us funding an employee to perform this function.
Now, I admit I have a bias regarding economic development agencies like the Port of Coos Bay and SCDC but Cribbins’ explanation is so general that its hard to see how Oregon’s own website and some handy fliers and a competent commercial realtor don’t already supplant the need for a paid “point person”. Further, if existing businesses want assistance with growth strategies there is nothing stopping them from tapping private sector business organizations, after all that is what they are for. It all seems rather specious and spurious, yet Cribbins intends to risk public funds “to give SCDC a chance to prove that they can provide a meaningful and valuable service.”
Despite SCDC’s new claim of transparency and willingness to allow the public into their board meetings a lot of coordinating has been going on outside of the public view between the commission, the Port of Coos Bay and SCDC well in advance of this recent surge of activity to resurrect the agency. Cribbins explains that she met with the consultants hired by SCDC and feels confident her “concerns where heard and addressed.” Unfortunately, the same doesn’t hold true for the rest of the public.
Another aspect I raised is how distasteful it is to see the county consider partnering with “some of the very same people who tried to ramrod an administrator down everyone’s throat and have publicly scoffed at the idea of public transparency”, (I opted not to add that they helped put Captain Yates out of business). Cribbins accused me of conflating SCDC with CCAP (Coos County Alliance for Progress).
“You and I are both aware that CCAP and SCDC are different entities,” she wrote. “And it is disingenuous to state that they are the same.” At no time did I imply they are the same entity however they do share the same leadership which includes Jon Barton and John Knutson and Cribbins’ own false conclusion demonstrates the likelihood of citizens making the same obvious connections she did. Additionally, both Cribbins and John Sweet, a SCDC board member for a decade, accepted campaign contributions from CCAP and co-founders Barton and Knutson are on the executive board of SCDC. Social and political constraints once curbed flagrant and conflicted affiliations prior to quasi judicial proceedings but sadly, not anymore.
Once again acknowledging my own personal bias regarding the merits of this economic development agency, in particular, I am struggling to ascertain why it is so important to such a small group of people that SCDC survive. Even in its grant application to the county, SCDC acknowledges that without full funding, meaning the entire $75,000, it would be best to let it dissolve.
Excepting the makeup of the board of directors, there are other area agencies just like SCDC, so outside of affording the board some perceived political clout, or a seat at the table with the other state agencies what is the REAL motivation for resurrecting SCDC? There is something going on we aren’t being told.
IMO, the reasoning is more about ego. The old guard is losing ground and they don’t like being out of the loop. This way they still get to strut around like important business people
yes, they are the purveyors of centralized control. SCDC allows them to be at the center of everything whereas the best thing for the county would be for them to step aside and let the new decentralized world begin. Control freaks, I guess.
Maybe the teachers are too afraid they will lose their job if they stand up to the system they work under. Its the administrators who are representing the teachers that have come out of the closet for the Jordan Cove LNG plant. These Admins are the ones controlling the teachers, maybe that’s how they get away with supporting this. Who’s going to stand-up against their boss.
The timber dollars are going out of the area by the literal boatload and these boats are taking a big chunk of their potential wages along with a potential source of county tax revenue and mill jobs, but there are laws in place to prevent this crime from being stopped. Knock the bark off and send em raw, that’s the way to satisfy the law requirements and avoid sending all that money into the local community. That’s the way it is and they don’t see it or are they too afraid to say it.
I noticed my last comment is awaiting moderation, and I thought I was being nice.
Find who they are and boycott them all. One business at a time or one person at a time. These people are pros at working the system and they are using it to send us all over the cliff. These people who are in control of our port, our county, our towns and our schools have all joined this new LNG support group called BSOregon, Its the same money renamed. Its from the same people from the same core. You gotta love capitalism, it drives smart people to act dumb and against their own best interests. How can all our school administrators condone more fossil fuel infrastructure when they are suppose to be leading our children towards a better future? Why would they dumb themselves down to rub elbows with this greedy crowd? Why do we keep electing the same people? Its getting late people, we need to elect people who are smart in a different fashion. Smart enough to recognize that we are going nowhere with these LNG people and smart enough to see we are on the wrong path for a sustainable energy future. These greedy bastards could be making more money by going more green and they can’t see it.
Ok maybe this one need moderating.
I think the software singled out your comment for moderation because of the “BS”.
Regarding the schools, it would seem of all groups out there the schools should be the most appalled at the tax forgiveness afforded to the timber industry. If they understood the breadth of the inequity perhaps they would be an ally and support efforts to have Salem correct it.
This group has a core and the core has spread itself through as many control groups as possible. Thats the same core group that Cribbins is working for. Her partner, Sweet is actually one of the backroom sponsors of Cribbins. This is a case of political incest, she is in bed with all these people behind closed doors along with Sweet, then in public she wants you to separate them to their official boundaries to show that they not in collusion. That’s the shell game the public is expected to respect. We’re not suppose to notice the same people spread through all these quasi-government organizations all working for the same goal, but we do. Their attempt to disguise themselves, once again, has now manifested into the new control group calling itself BSOregon, who just resently dotted all of Newmark Avenue from the Walmart parking area and the Sizzler parking lot to 101 with dozens of BS signs. I thank them for putting these signs up. It tells me where not to spend my money.
The e-mail content demonstrates that Cribbins may know which end of a potato to peel for her home brew vodka; but, she aint no business savvy person! It’s not too late for you ladies who wanted to have a female on the board regardless of her qualifications to undo the damage. The primary election is but a few months away. Let’s elect a person who understand business and our greatest resource, the forest.