Picking up on Friday’s conversation on our comprehensive plan, I noticed one of the more interesting parts of the plan came out on who is driving the conversations around this plan. Most government plans and reports, and this one is no exception, is a group effort. This particular effort is being led by two separate groups. First, is the “leadership group”, which, as expected, is made up of local government bureaucrats. These are the day-to-day professionals that will use this plan to help guide decisions and also provide a sense of “on the ground” support to the consultants developing the plan.
There is also an “advisory group”. A group not of paid bureaucrats, but more of individuals that represent different groups in the community and as the plan is being developed, these individuals help give a little more shape and context to the discussions that should be taking place as this plan is being developed. The advisory group is basically there to answer the question, “Does this make sense for Troy?”
If this plan was being developed fifty years ago, it would not be out of the question to think industrial and commercial leaders would take leadership roles in the creation of this plan. As we look at who took at the “leadership group” and the “advisory group” for this plan, we don’t see organizations like the Troy Development Council or the Troy Chamber of Commerce at the table.
It’s telling because the city wants the citizens to believe that economic development is job one of the community. From proactive economic development, the coffers get filled with tax dollars and the community prospers. But, when organizations (like the Troy Development Council and the Chamber of Commerce) that are devoted to Troy’s economic health, aren’t at the table, it makes me believe that economic development is changing.
And Troy has always placed a premium on economic development, especially on the manufacturing side. Many people might be surprised to know that the entire Hobart operation didn’t start here in Troy. The industrial concern was recruited here from Middletown back in the late 1890s. Local business leaders at the time, pooled money, bought land and gave the land to Hobart when they agree to start out on South Ridge Avenue here in town.
Even in the 1970s and 1980s, Troy was one of the few communities of our size that worked to recruit industrial concerns to our community. International businesses that are here or were here, such as Honda and Panasonic, don’t simply come to Troy because it’s a nice place. Sure, that’s a part of the equation, but groups like the Troy Development Council and the Troy Chamber of Commerce for decades have worked to secure the economic viability of the community.
And, as we look at the comprehensive plan up for debate, can our community really say that industrial and economic development, as we have practiced it for over 120 years, is still a relevant strategy to grow our community?
The answer is a disappointing no.
This plan provides less land for industrial uses than the current plan. This plan only dedicates 1 of it’s 13 critical path strategies to industrial economic development.
What does this mean in a more practical sense? Will Troy continue it’s business attraction trips to Europe and Asia? Will incentive packages continue to be created and offered for manufacturing industries?
Again, it’s not to say that there isn’t value in shifting economic development away from manufacturing to one that is based more on tourism and “creating a food culture with great local restaurants”, like we discussed yesterday.
But, what this does mean is that economic development, as it is envisioned and practiced in our town, will be changing. Time will tell if it is a welcome change.
What Do You Think?
The question I really have for our readers is simple, if Troy is going to change its economic structure to be more based on entertainment and tourism, how do you think that will change our community? Our paid subscribers are welcome to leave their insights and ideas in the comment thread!
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I am wading into water which may be to deep for my limited pool of knowledge here, but I have always been under the impression that the fine quality of life we enjoy here in Troy was spawned by the work of such visionaries as Arthur "Ozzie" Haddad, Tony Char, Tom Cochran and a host of other business, community and government leaders who served on the TCC and TDC during the reinvigoration of Troy's industrial base over the last 5 or so decades. It was their work in bringing new business and industry to Troy which gave rise to the tax base that now permits us to expand our priorities to downtown redevelopment and tourism.
If those, business and industrial, development efforts are now being ignored, and the input of those players are being ignored, in planning for Troy's future, I fear we are looking at a cycle of boom and bust for either business and industrial or tourism and downtown redevelopment efforts in Troy. Both staff and private sector community leaders bring experience and knowledge to the table that are invaluable to continued successful, planned growth to the future Troy. And, forgive me, but I see nothing mutually exclusive about the cooperative and concurrent participation of both in Troy's future city planning.
Maybe it's happening and we just don't hear about it, or this reader doesn't, and I certainly hope it is. But we sure do not hear about the successful exploits of the TCC and the TDC like we used to.