Sallisaw Mayor Shannon Vann was the guest speaker at the meeting, and talked about the formation of a county coalition that would help promote economic development in the area.
The goal of the county coalition is to provide leadership and support to the larger Bi-State Coalition, which includes Arkansas and Oklahoma and encompasses a seven-county area that includes Sequoyah County, Vann, co-chairman of the Bi-State Coalition, said.
The goal of the Bi-State Coalition is to be up and running by Jan. 1, and Vann said they are looking for leadership in each county. He said the coalition does not want to be centered around one community or one county, but wants to include everyone.
Vann said there is no coordinated effort to open the lines of communication in the area and with Arkansas.
"Whether we like it or not, we rely on Fort Smith," Vann said.
In addition to Sequoyah, the larger coalition includes Crawford, Haskell, LeFlore, Polk, Scott, and Sebastian Counties.
At the summer conference for the strategic planning committee of the Bi-State Coalition, Vann said they developed an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, and threats to the area, and ways in which improvements can be made.
Vann said the region's strengths that promote economic growth include transportation with the updated Fort Smith airport, and higher education and technical education with the University of Arkansas Fort Smith branch and the Carl Albert State College branch in Sallisaw, as well as the vocational education in Oklahoma, which is regarded as one of the best in the nation.
Other strengths include affordable utilities, a positive business climate, and a good infrastructure to support growth.
Vann said weakness that may hinder economic growth includes a lack of structure for communications and cooperation.
He said many elected officials in the area don't call one another and don't share problems because there is no formal organization to allow officials and towns to communicate better.
Other weaknesses include resentment between communities and leaders who want to control projects. Vann said.
In the county, when Therma Tru came to Roland, some people in Sallisaw wanted to know why they didn't come there.
"In the big picture, it doesn't matter. They stayed in the county, and it doesn't matter which city it happened in," Vann said.
Another weakness includes a lack of business interests, and Vann said the larger coalition will be working to establish a relationship with area businesses.
Vann said he thinks the Bi-State Coalition can become a central contact for issues and problems affecting businesses, and can develop their own tourism material to promote regional tourism.
Other opportunities include shifting the new service and technology economy, attracting and recruiting new technology and professionals to the area and providing an educated and a trained workforce.
Threats to economic development include a lack of understanding of regional development and the ability of leaders to look beyond their own communities.
"We don't focus on the bigger picture," Vann said.
He said that the educational level of the work force could also be a threat if it does not meet current and future employer needs. In order to attract industry, Vann said improvements have to be made.
Vann said the large coalition's vision statement is to develop a two-state region with a thriving, growing economy driven by collaborative leaders with a vision and strategy for continued success.
Bringing each city's chamber of commerce together to form a larger organization working together will be the key, Vann said.
Vann said a county coalition would allow relationship building where towns and cities communicate and help solve each other's problems.
He said funding for the larger coalition could be $1 per person in each town, or possibly 25 cents per person to begin. Each town puts forth the money based on their population size, and in unincorporated areas, other towns may have to step in to help, Vann said.
"We're trying to get everyone involved in this," Vann said.
He said just by each county contributing, they could instantly raise $275,000 for the coalition, and hire someone full-time to focus on bringing industry to the area. He said that it would take trust on the part of cities and towns, and Sallisaw is willing to take that step. Vann said the city wants other towns in the county to do the same.
