DISCUSSION: WHAT IS TO BECOME OF STARK COUNTY? A BRIGHT FUTURE - A DISMAL FUTURE?

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) has learned that the Stark County Board of Commissioners is planning an economic event in February having to with getting the county into the economic hunt for developing a local industry in alternative energies.

In a conversation with one of the commissioners, a question surfaced: Does Stark County have the leadership infrastructure to make this happen?

If yes, who are the specific Stark Countians who are to staff and spearhead the county initiative.

If no, does Stark County need to go out and hire an economic development czar?

The Report believes that this is a open question. at best.

On the surface, it appears the obvious answer is yes. For after all, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce has created a mechanism which it named Leadership Stark County (LSC) which for all appearances should be supplying Stark County's leadership needs.

The Report, on examining the promotional materials provided by LSC and assessing its mission, its activities, the forums in which its graduates operate, and the structure of the organization; does not believe that LSC is in a position to provide the political leadership Stark County needs to create, develop, nurture and bring to fruition a vibrant alternative energy industry in the context of a highly competitive global economy.

But Leadership Stark County could with some retooling.

LSC needs to, in the context of its Government Leadership Academy, tailor-train interested participants to move into a county economic development structure as citizen-volunteers The Report advocates the county commissioners create. To put a name on it let's call it: Stark Energy-alternative Economic Development (SEED).

Such an effort by the LSC could provide Stark County government economic development efforts with a resource-rich, talent-rich and specifically-purpose-driven group of Stark Countians working voluntarily for the common good.

Absent such an effort, the Stark County Board of Commissioners owe it to Stark Countians to go out and hire the needed person (paid on an incentive basis on reaching specified benchmarks) to get Stark County moving towards becoming a state, national, and indeed an international player in alternative energies.