MIDWEEK UPDATE Econmic summit gets mixed reviews

POLSON — An economic summit touting the importance of cooperation and trusting relationships among community leaders as a way to boost the area’s economy was boycotted by several Lake County officials this week.

Members of the Lake County Commissioners and Lake County Community Development joined a host of other officials who opted not to attend the Friday meeting held in Polson, because they believe organizers of the event neglected to include or notify them in the planning of the effort aiming to bring a long-term, collaborative economic plan to northwestern Montana.

Missoula Area Economic Development Corporation sponsored the Economic Blueprint for Western Montana summit held at the KwaTaqNuk Resort as a kick-off event for its plan development.

The seminar outlined its hopes to encourage the development of an economic blueprint, a leadership and community initiative based on private sector and governmental relationships throughout a region, which could help give the area a competitive business advantage.

One of Friday’s speakers, President of Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities Inc. Joe Snell, said a blueprint developed in southern Arizona area has allowed businesses, government agencies and other entities a kind of playbook that opens communication and gets ideas for community betterment flowing freely.

Snell was brought in by MAEDC’s private consultant to testify to the benefits of blueprints.

But Lake County Commissioner Chairman Paddy Trussler said his department wasn’t notified of any happenings until July 20, a little more than ten days before the event, when they were sent an e-mail asking them to attend the summit. No input or collaboration was asked of Lake County commissioners on planning, the agenda or talking points of the summit, he said.

On July 22, the commissioners, along with five other groups of county commissioners and several area development agencies, sent a letter to organizers stating their concern over a blueprint that “(inferred) the existence of a collaborative process” that never existed.

The letter states that: “Concerns were expressed to MAEDC about both the need for the project and that such a project, if agreed upon, could not be led by a single local development organization. MAEDC determined, on its own, to proceed with the project. . .

“We have all expended considerable time and effort in local and regional planning processes over the past several years, and continue to update such efforts regularly. We already collaborate within existing regional groups to complete such efforts as the ‘Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies.”

Missoula, Ravalli, Mineral and Sanders county commissioners also signed the letter.

The last paragraph of the letter asked MAEDC to cancel the event. 

“It’s hard to be involved in a particular summit in which you really have no knowledge of, and no knowledge was really solicited of you,” Trussler said.

Governor Brian Schweitzer was scheduled to speak at the event, but canceled on Wednesday when he was alerted of the contention.

Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity head Evan Barrett said the governor responded positively to MAEDC CEO Dick King’s recommendation the governor wait until “more people are around the table” to address the issue personally.

“It’s pretty clear everyone has to reorganize and make sure this comes together on a grassroots level,” Barrett said.

Montana Department of Commerce Director Tony Preite took Schweitzer’s place, stating at the seminar he believes regional, multicounty development groups like that conceptualized in the northwestern Montana blueprint is an important and tested concept that can form trusting relationships to help areas economies grow. 

“You can’t do it alone, the world is too big,” Preite said.

He called the summit “a great start” to collaboration in the area.

Barrett stressed during a phone interview that the governor’s office sees the summit as a beginning, not an end to a blueprint, and said any time a region can pull itself together, it bodes well for the economy in the region.

Trussler said MAEDCs attempt to organize this summit was bizarre, and future attempts to organize entities would need to be adjusted.

“I’m certainly not going to say we wouldn’t be willing to participate and give input . . .but I think we would have to be involved in the talking points and the agenda to be very productive,” he said.