Young Emerging Leaders

Is it dead yet? Poke at it a little, and see if it moves... Michael Tilley wrote in this Sunday's paper, in a twisted way, that Ivy Owen, the new Director of the Fort Chaffee Public Trust, was driving for economic development in a fashion that could transform our region. Michael had the audacity to say "One thing is that these folks with big ideas burn out or get burned out. We HAD a chamber just a few years ago talking crazy stuff about manufacturing not being the way of the future and promising a new kind of leadership in terms of economic development. Thankfully, that didn't last long." Really? Um.. I want to meet this Ivy Owen. Sounds like my kinda leader.

The Fort Chaffee redevlopment does excite me. I've already heard several things already in process for the area. Not just in the manufacturing arena. What really is coming over the coming years for that area can affect all of us. In my opinioin, the proximity of Ft. Chaffee to Van Buren and the I-49 project has potential for "regional partnerships" unlike any other project that I am aware of today. My problem with this is that I've heard nothing about this. Anyone have any input? So what's next?

YELFORTSMITH.ORG is the greatest thing to emerge from the regional drive from a few years ago. My hat's off to the Great Tom Kirkham for running/hosting a clean and viturally flawless site for us all to opine and have our input. Just wish more people utilized it!

I don't feel however, that the YEL organization has captured the "regional" initiative. In what ways has the YEL organization affected Natural Dam? Uniontown? Cedarville? Dripping Springs? Van Buren? Kibler? Yoestown? Mountainburg? Lee Creek? Alma? Mulberry? Hobbtown? Dyer? Bluff Hole? Silver Bridge? Cedar Creek? Millpond? Dora? Mt. Gaylor? Chester?

These are just a few of the towns in the county just north of Fort Smith. Our up and coming State Representative very well may be in diapers at this very moment in one of these towns and his parents know nothing about how YEL's input on these aforementioned projects could have a great impact on his/her future.

What about the University of the Ozarks? Johnson County? Do we really care about Oklahoma? Carl Albert State College?

My point is this: The "region" is too big to be affected by Fort Smith by just labeling them as "part" of THEIR region. As a matter of fact, as I have alluded to in another post, some folks are somewhat 'offended' by this label.

My sollution to this is rather simple. Assign someone w/in the age group specified, to be the representative from their respective part of (Y)OUR region, perhaps divided by county, and give them the voice. I've seen no one so far, other than me shouting "What about Van Buren? What about Van Buren?" take this step. Give each appointee the responsibility to post and/or host something about or in their part of the region. Spread the love. Spread the wealth. Spread the knowledge. I'm going to be too old soon to matter to you whimper snappers. I do agree with the idea that we can shape our future with the YEL initiative, and I hope this stays alive.

Our lower tax rate makes life truely WORTH living in Van Buren. Go Pointers. We're greener than you are. Sorry. I had to.

David Cross- "self appointed advocate for the Greater Crawford County Region"