In the days leading up to Sunday’s “60 Minutes” broadcast, folks in the Golden Triangle were understandably apprehensive.
The national spotlight has been shone on our area before and often the portrayal has been less than flattering.
While the premise of Sunday’s broadcast — the success of the Golden Triangle’s industrial/manufacturing development — seemed to be something very positive, a lot of folks reserved judgment until seeing for themselves.
When the 13 1/2-minute segment was over, the general response was a sigh of relief over how our communities were portrayed followed by the realization, “Hey, that was pretty good!”
It was especially good for Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins. In many respects, the segment was more of a profile of the hard-charging deal-maker than the community, which served as a backdrop for Higgins’ story.
That is probably as it should be, for when you think of economic development in the Golden Triangle over the past 15 years, one name — and one name only — emerges above the rest. Although in truth many people played significant roles: Higgins is synonymous with economic development in the Golden Triangle.
For those unfamiliar with the story — which is most of the nation — it is certain to alter the perception of Mississippi in general and the Golden Triangle in particular. The idea that there is an industrial/manufacturing boom going on in one of the poorest, least-educated states in the country at a time when the nation worries over losing jobs abroad defies the popular narrative.
The segment will no doubt become a promotional piece for Higgins and our economic development efforts.
Yet, even in the afterglow of such favorable publicity, there is no room for complacency.
For all that these new industries have achieved, vexing problems persist.
Our schools struggle and crime is a growing concern. Unemployment rates have not fallen in corresponding numbers with the arrival of these new industries. There is no discernible boom in housing, either.
Where is the domino effect we might hope would come from that boom?
If all that was needed to produce our economic development boom was finding the right leader and giving him the resources to succeed, might that also apply to other areas as well?
What if we had a Joe Max Higgins for education? Or crime? Or unemployment? Or housing?
What if any of those problems fell to someone with the expertise, drive and leadership skills required to make positive gains? What if those problems were championed by someone who could command the respect, confidence and support of our communities?
What if?
And who?
Maybe success in those areas begins with these questions.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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