For years now, the city of Columbus has struggled to create and maintain a viable economic development strategy.
Unsatisfied with past retail recruitment efforts by the LINK (their mission is industrial development anyway) and a Birmingham-based consulting firm, the city has allowed the idea of a strategic approach to economic development to mostly lie dormant.
But based on the city council’s Wednesday work session, it appears the city will again look to put together an economic development plan.
With the support of Mayor Stephen Jones, Ward 6 councilman Jason Spears suggested the city appoint an economic development advisory committee, which would work alongside the city finance committee and include up to 10 members from different sectors, advising the city on development opportunities, sector saturation, etc.
The thinking is that by tapping local experts, the city’s strategy would be tailored to our unique needs.
There is much to like about making partners of experts in our own city, but we have two concerns.
This city also has a long, admirable history of people stepping up and offering their expertise and labor in very altruistic ways.
But most of the time, public service doesn’t involve making decisions about possible competitors to your own business. It would only be natural for these people to consider their own businesses when advising the city. Conflicts of interest would abound.
We hope any effort to create a committee would be strictly data-driven and not guided solely by the subjective opinions of professionals.
Secondly, without a point person, committees can quickly become completely ineffectual.
“A committee is a group of people who individually can do nothing, but who, as a group, can meet and decide that nothing can be done,” humorist Fred Allen wryly observed.
We are not quite that cynical, but committees need a get-it-done person. Otherwise, meetings can become a black hole where discussions never turn to action.
A committee of knowledgeable citizens, paired with a clear-eyed, data-first approach, can be an asset. But without someone empowered to organize the work, push through inertia and ensure accountability, we fear the effort will stall before it starts.
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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