PORT ANGELES — Will planning sparked by a $24,000 consultant lead to a comprehensive strategy for creating more businesses and jobs in Clallam County?
That’s the hope of 29 government and agency leaders who will take part in the third step of an effort to spur economic development in Clallam County at a four-hour countywide economic development summit on Tuesday.
The meeting organized by the Port Angeles-based Clallam County Economic Development Council will be from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at John Wayne Marina, 2577 W. Sequim Bay Road in Sequim.
The summit — which will consist of a roundtable discussion among the 29 participants — will be led by consultant John White of BergerABAM, who plans to present several “key initiatives.”
Initiatives
These will deal with locating suppliers near industries, financing small businesses, “a new model” for communication — which might include a “strategy sharing blog” — eco-tourism and education.
White, the vice president of the Federal Way-based company, was hired by the city of Port Angeles, Clallam County and Port of Port Angeles, which each pitched in $8,000.
White’s job is to develop an economic development “action plan” that will be considered for adoption this summer by local public entities — such as Clallam County, the Port of Port Angeles and the cities of Port Angeles, Sequim and Forks — and private economic development organizations.
“I am excited because we have been able to cut through some of the conflict that previously existed between some of these agencies and everyone seems to be working together,” City Manager Kent Myers, who will be one of the summit participants, said in an e-mail to the Peninsula Daily News.
“It seems like everyone is on board recognizing the importance of establishing an achievable plan for expanding our economy with some real accountability built into the process.”
First, second steps
The first step in White’s efforts was an April 1 public workshop attended by about 110 people, many of whom talked about a “fear of change” and the absence of a common identity for Clallam County.
The second step was interviews on April 2 with business owners and managers, members of local institutions, and representatives of city, county and tribal governments.
Those interviewed were told their names would not be divulged “so the people could feel they could be candid,” EDC Executive Director Linda Rotmark said last week.
During the third step — Tuesday’s summit — 29 leaders of local governments, the Port of Port Angeles, the Clallam County Public Utility District, public school districts, economic development and tourism agencies, tribes, Olympic Medical Center, First Federal, Battelle Marine Science Laboratory and Green Crow will discuss the county’s economy.
When the meeting concludes, an outline of a plan is expected to have been mapped.
Open to public
The meeting will be open to the public but will offer limited public participation. The public will have 10 minutes to make comments beginning at 4:45 p.m. before the meeting wraps up.
White told Rotmark in a memo that, through his meetings with the public and community leaders, “some interesting themes are emerging.”
He said:
• “The community recognizes it has numerous and highly marketable assets that would make it attractive to new or expanded economic enterprises.
• “There is great pride in the community’s prior economic development ‘wins'” such as the Westport shipyard, Peninsula Plywood, the growth of facilities of both the Jamestown S’Klallam and Lower Elwha Klallam tribes, tourism related to the Twilight books and movies, the work of the Discovery Trail Coalition and the Sequim retail hub.
• “There is foundational strength in your institutions, including Peninsula College and Olympic Medical Center.
• “Most of those we have heard from recognize that the key from here on is to define a stable and renewable base upon which to build job creation.”
Strengths that White heard about included a deep-water port, relatively cheap power, cultural and historical resources, progressive medical facilities, investment in the arts and good air quality.
Weaknesses included a need for better educational opportunities, a lack of rail access, and “the difficulty in initiating new projects due to over-regulation and interference from government.”
________
Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
Managing Editor/News Leah Leach can be reached at 360-417-3531 or leah.leach@peninsuladailynews.com.
