Well, that certainly didn't take very long at all - revisited

By Ron Fitzwater

As the economy continues to struggle on a national and international scale, more and more small communities find themselves facing concerns over growth and industry as well as overall employment needs.

Ashe County is no different from those other parts of the country, which are feeling the growing needs of the community with fewer resources to respond with.

The needs are simple: jobs, jobs and jobs.

In an attempt to clarify the economic state of the county, Ashe County economic development coordinator, Dr. Pat Mitchell, sat down to discuss where we are and where we need to go in order to continue to grow.

Q: What is the current state of the county's economy?

Mitchell: "As with other places, we are certainly feeling the effects. In speaking of Ashe County, we have felt it a little bit later than some economies have. One of the things that has kept us from feeling it as much as other communities is that we have a strong second home industry.

However, at the same time, the numbers of building permits and land transfers are significantly down from where they were a year ago."

Q: What about major job losses? What were the final numbers for job losses in the county in 2008?

"Obviously, we have had several lay-offs and though some may wish to, we can't attribute all of those to jobs going off-shore. Leviton has consolidated and the work is going to Leviton facilities in Morganton and El Paso and other places in the country.

"Leviton has been a great corporate partner here for over 40 years and we hate to see those two plants go, but that is part of where the overall economy is right now.

"The numbers that I have heard for Catawissa [lumber company] and the two Leviton plants we are looking at 300 to 320 jobs lost. That is truly significant in a community our size."

Q: What is the one thing that would be the biggest boost for us right now? Is it as simple as just more jobs?

Mitchell: "Yes, jobs are needed. I am currently working daily on recruiting new businesses here. There are some small things that look promising, but I can't talk about them right now because of where we are in the investigation process.

Q: One of the things that the Obama administration suggests will help communities is more emphasis on smaller industries. Is that approach something the county is looking into?

Mitchell: "I think that that is something we need to be looking at.

"We need to have resources available to help these small businesses to get going, and up until now the state hasn't had anything to help. It could be training at the community college, so they can access equipment funds faster, or just simply paying attention to what industries are needed and then look for ways to fill that need with the local workforce.

"I sit on the [Ashe] Chamber [of Commerce] Board, and one of the ideas being looked at is the formation of a small business council to hear from small business owners what they need. It could be anything from marketing to identifying other resources they can tap in to."

Q: What resources are there to entice an industry to come here?

Mitchell: "When I have recruited businesses before, one of the primary things big business will look at here is the quality of the workforce. They will look at the quality of the community college system that will help to train that workforce. I think that is a big benefit to what we have. It's not only Ashe County, but the mountain culture. It truly is different here, and the combination of a potential workforce, the ability to train it and some very good facilities. We also have a very strong quality of life here, and while we are experiencing economic downturns just like everyone else, we have natural beauty, good health services, one of the top school systems and people who care and are involved in the communities. It is a welcoming and open community where it would be easy for a company to become a part of it.

"There are limitations in the areas of public transportation and highway access with NC Highway 221 still a two-lane road. But those don't off-set all the positives.

"I encourage any and all to come."

At their Feb. 2 regular meeting, Ashe County commissioners echoed Mitchell's assessment of the economic situation in the county and the need for jobs. Commissioner Gary Barber said, "I think the myth in the community is that we don't have enough concern as elected representatives for this when it is quite the contrary.

"I have received communications that there are manufacturing plants that want to move here but that the commissioners don't want them. That we would rather have tourism or no jobs and this is just a myth. I know that everybody up here would do just about anything to put these folks back to work, and I think the community should know that," he said.

For more information on the Ashe County Economic Development Commission click to www.ashencedc.com