A quick look around will tell anyone this is the season to plant.
We've had our cold weather and yes, the rain has slowed most farmers down, but the Sun shines a little longer and stronger each day and the green has come on strong. Even city folk can look around and see it is spring and that means it is the time to plant.
The same holds true for economic development.
We've had our share of a COVID-19 chilled job market, but the warmth of a stimulated consumer has the business day shining a little longer and the “green” of local payrolls and a growing economy beginning to show.
We are pleased to hear of all the economic development news in the region and continue to hear rumblings of possible development at empty store fronts and industrial sites.
Businesses continue to see Clarksdale as an opportunity with a solid local economic base and lots of tourism dollars to be pulled from the pockets of those who love the Blues.
Farmers will tell you planting is hard work. There is soil to be tilled, seed to be set and weeds to be fought.
Again, economic development is no different.
Clarksdale and Coahoma County need to always be busy preparing property for their next factory or new business. We need to develop partnerships with our neighboring counties and demand funds from Jackson and Washington to help us prepare our community for new businesses and industry.
Movers and shakers in this community need to regularly sit down with existing industry and business executives and cultivate those relationships, so those managers gladly call on city and county government when it comes time to grow. Statistics show 80-percent of the new jobs in any community come from an existing industry that has decided to expand.
And we all need to work on those “weeds” and the greed that can kill any industrial development project.
Clarksdale and Coahoma County have good people who know how to form partnerships, provide community support, plan, prepare and promote.
It's time to plant!
We will all benefit when the harvest time comes.
