JOHN F. FLOYD COMMENTARY: Two local governments, two different results
This is kind of like a tale of two cities, but in this case two local governments.
First, we have Etowah County government. Most of its recent news is positive, data driven and focused on results.
The county's major economic focus is on its Little Canoe Creek Mega-Site project, and the state is helping. Gov. Kay Ivey on Jan. 4 announced a rail corridor system for central and southern Alabama called A-USA, consisting of 280 miles of rail tracks that will stretch from Mobile to Gadsden.
The corridor will link the mega-site in Etowah County with similar sites in Shelby, Washington and Mobile counties. Each mega-site encompasses more than 1,000 acres. Norfolk Southern Railway has committed $5.7 million to the project in Etowah County alone.
Ivey has said the rail projects will serve to enhance commerce and economic development in the state.
John C. Driscoll, the Alabama Port Authority director and CEO, John C. Driscoll, said the Norfolk Southern rail improvements will bolster capacity, reliability and market access through the port of Mobile, as Alabama addresses rapid growth in the port’s container intermodal and freight business.
As the state announced this project, Etowah County government has not been idle in preparing the mega-site for future economic development. As reported by Miranda Prescott in The Gadsden Times on Feb. 19, the County Commission has authorized an agreement with Goodwyn Mills, Cawood, LLC for an engineering services project at the mega-site. The project is for plans and specifications for construction of water and sewage facilities.
These are all definitive and appropriate preparations for future occupants of mega-site property. Still, a previous decision regarding the site remains the most significant one made to date: that it would not be a good fit for the animal parts rendering plant proposed by Pilgrim’s Pride. I’m sure many residents of Gadsden and Etowah County would consider that to be a wise and positive decision.
County government is operating smoothly under the leadership of Shane Ellison, chief administration officer, formerly assistant to the mayor of Gadsden. He and the commission are making all the right moves to attract new business to Etowah County.
I believe it is important that the county’s industrial development officials be patient in their search for suitable tenants. The importance of sharing the appropriate search information with local residents also can’t be stressed enough.
Compare that to Gadsden’s city government. As Etowah County basks in substantial progress related to the mega-site, city officials remain frustrated over the loss of the rendering plant.
I believe there should be no retribution toward plant opponents, a group mostly made up of Gadsden residents. However, there have been negative admonitions made by the mayor, such as accusing the opposition of a “con job.” What about city residents who weren't participating members of the actual opposition group, but still vehemently opposed the rendering plant?
While city government’s attention has been monopolized by the rendering plant, it seems like other economic development opportunities have been non-existent. The Northeast Alabama Regional Airport is the only site in the city with development opportunities of any magnitude, and I’ll repeat my call for 2-, 3- and 5-year economic development action plans for the acreage there.
Again, Gadsden and Etowah County can do better, and should set its sights higher, than a rendering plant.
The fire drill with the mayor’s attempt to replace four members of the Gadsden Commercial Development Authority board with members of the City Council is a good example of dysfunctional government. Those replacements were proposed without the knowledge of authority leadership and present board members.
The replacements were subsequently dropped to two, council members Johnny Cannon and Ben Reed. Cannon’s appointment moved him to say, “Now maybe something will happen in Alabama City. Alabama City folks are just as good as East Gadsden folks or anybody in any other part of the city.”
Amen to that. As I’ve discussed, let’s start a “clean up Alabama City” project.
Two local governments, two common constituencies, different results. Could the difference possibly be leadership?
John F. Floyd is a Gadsden native who graduated from Gadsden High School in 1954. He formerly was director of United Kingdom manufacturing, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., vice president of manufacturing and international operations, General Tire & Rubber Co., and director of manufacturing, Chrysler Corp. He can be reached at johnfloyd538@gmail.com. The opinions reflected are his own.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: County's news positive; city remains frustrated
