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Show THE ZEPHYR PAGE 8 JULY 1990 economic development what is it? what does it mean for moab? Ken Davey Thera are magical terms In this society, terms that carry so much weight and authority that upon hearing them every listener solemnly nods with respect Freedom. Family values. Economic development Everybody cherishes them. Everybody wants them. Nobody knows what they mean. A few years back, ust before Moab found Itself on cover after cover of outdoor recreation magazines, a businessman expressed Interest In setting up operations here. By everyone's account the man flew Into Canyonlands Airport When he found no one was waiting to greet him, he turned around and went home. "It was ridiculous, says one local business owner. "Here was an opportunity to grab someone, and we cant even pick him up at the airport How many Jobs did we lose? Economic development Is too Important to throw opportunities like that away. "It was a Joke, says one city council member. "A fast buck operator with a sketchy history rolls Into town and expects us to give him the keys to the city. We cant waste our economic development on people trying to take us for all we have. It's too Important The business owner and the city council member describe the same Incident In different ways. They dont agree on the mans character. They dont agree on the citys response. They dont agree on anything. Except that economic development Is Important Members of the Western Association of Land Users and members of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance dont agree on mining. They dont agree on grazing or wilderness or multiple use or chaining or the time of day. The only thing they agree on Is that they each are working for economic development This coming November two county commissioner seats are up for election. You can bet every penny you have, then borrow more from relatives, that when asked to Identify the most Important Issue In the campaign, each one will say economic development And each one will mean It But for all the talk about It, economic development remains a murky topic, Its definition whatever you want It to be. To a motel owner, It Is filling rooms on a November Tuesday evening. For a real estate broker, Its selling more houses at higher prices. For a construction worker, It's getting hired on at the equestrian center arena project For some, economic development Is more shops on Main Street that will sell their paintings. And for still others, the only good economic development Is a dead economic development plan. They dont want more people In town. An economy Is a process. It grows and shrinks and changes. Some people gain and others lose. And to a great extent, It cannot be directed by a plan, no matter how well conceived. With an annual budget of about $300,000, the Grand County Travel Council Is promoting away, cranking out brochures and magazine ads. They Invite travel agents and or writers to town, to extol the virtues of a stay In Canyon Country. In the Is Council well spent contributing to the Board minds of Travel members, that money economic development of Moab. .New restaurants have opened In town, with others on the way. The Super 8 Motel will soon expand by 75 rooms, and motel chain operators have approached dty officials with plans for possble facilities In town. River companies are buying new boats, bicycle tour operations have opened offices. And the tourists keep on coming. Total sales tax collected Is Increasing 14 percent per year. Service and trade employment has Increased by as much as 25 percent The National Park Service Is predicting solid growth In visitation through the rest of this century snd beyond. Both the Bureau of Land Management and the National Forest Service are working on management plans to accommodate Increased recreational use of their lands. Increased tourism means more Jobs, more tax revenues, more economic opportunities. But what has been the economic reality of Increased tourism? For the owners of current businesses catering to visitors, tourism Is paying off like a lucky slot machine. But the overwhelming majority of Moab residents do not own their own businesses. They work for others. A 10 percent Increase In motel occupancy doea not result In a 10 percent pay Increase for maids. Usually, It simply means more rooms to clean for the same hourty wage. Retail and service Jobs Increased to 55 percent of the Moab work force In the third quarter of 1989. According to the Utah Department of Employment Security, those Joba paid 2-d- ay 2-w-eek ARCHES REALTY 690 So. Main 259-569- 3 out of state toll-fr- ee line UNIQUE an average monthly wage of about $716, a 9 percent Income decline from one year earlier. So for the majority of workers In Moab, their pay has gone down during the heaviest growth of tourism. As more tourists come Into the area, the value of the existing businesses goes up, and the cost of starting a new business goes up as well. And those costs are rapidly climbing out of reach for most current city residents. The growth of tourism creates a situation promising strong profit In the future coupled with vastly ascending cash requirements. A vacuum Is created, drawing In outside Investment, which In turn makes It even more difficult for local business ventures. And as Moab gamers more notoriety as a recreational paradise, an entirely new work force Is attracted to the area. Mostly young people with few economic responsibilities, they are willing to work for a tourist season In an area that affords them opportunities for biking and river rafting. Uvlng 2, 3, 5, 8 to a household, they willingly work for lower wages and part-tischedules, Inexorably lowering the economic bargaining position of longtime residents with children to feed, clothe, and educate. The growth Industry In town Is making us poor. me One Man's 1R6AH1 2-c- ar MOAB Mountain! "BiK -- rue world 5Kb The minerals extraction Industries are less and less often held up as an alternative, as even their most diehard advocates recognize the world market Is working against them. While many people felt mining hit rock bottom years ago, the truth Is It still has even further to fall. Mining employment dropped 12 percent In 1989, with the average wage declining almost 6 percent In that time. Oil, uranium, and vanadium production will not disappear completely. The federal and state governments are too committed to allow that And occasional upswings will probably take place, but the general trend will continue to slip. So thats where Moab found Itself during 1989. A boom In tourism was In full swing, providing great opportunity for a limited few, but not that much for the rest of us. And a continued decline In minerals extraction with no reversal In sight So what has become the middle ground Is a new perspective of building a totally different type of economy. Bring In light Industry. Many small manufacturing companies paying good wages, building and assembling dean products In ways. In the autumn of that year, leaders of the Chamber of Commerce gathered for an early morning meeting at the Creekslde Restaurant Joining them were dty and county offldala and some selected Invited guests. The purpose of the meeting was to lay out a perspective for the kind of economic development activities Moab needed. The process started at that meeting resulted, months later, In the hiring of Tom Shdlenberger as economic development coordinator. The Chamber had been allocated $15,000 In dty funds to begin an economic development program. Now they had to figure out a way to spend It First, a discussion began on where Moab stood. Everyone agreed It was becoming more and more of a tourist town, with the attending problems and advantages. It was agreed that what was needed was economic diversity. Clean Industry. Good pay. Go do non-pollut- ing IL Shellenberger went to work. He talked to dty coundl members, the mayor, county commissioners. He spoke with the banks and with real estate agents. He followed up on leads, made phone calls, met with locals and visitors. And not much happened, at lead In OPPORTUNITY - ONLY ONE AVAILABLE!!! Lot 440 in Castle Valley. This land is 5 acres with a commercial grade well, three phase power, paved road and commercial potential. 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