Prosperity Summit Explores Ways To Boost Economy

SWAINTON – Private sector entrepreneurs, municipal and county officials convened June 4 at a “County Prosperity Summit.” Cape May County was among five nationwide selected for the day-long brainstorming session. Its goal was deepening and sustaining economic development activities.
Representatives were there from budding industries that hold potential for jobs and bolstering the seasonal economy. Those include aquaculture (oysters), wineries and breweries, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), also known as drones.
Held at Avalon Links Restaurant, the event was hosted by Washington-based National Association of Counties in partnership with WealthWords and funded by the Ford Foundation.
Brian Namey, NACO spokesman, said this county was the final one visited by the storyteller and facilitator. Other counties were Titus County, Texas, Shasta County, Calif., Scott County, Ky., and Cheatham County, Tenn.
This county joined a pool of 400 that submitted applications to host the summit from the nation’s 3,069 counties, Namey said.
Key factors that landed the summit here, he added included the county’s “strong leadership and its passion for local leadership.” The county has a “capacity for collaboration locally in its approach to achieve results as well as their ability to move forward and be a launchpad to build the local and regional economy,” Namey said in a telephone interview.
He also believes the county has the strength to achieve economic growth. If that would become reality, the declining population trend might reverse as young families would relocate into instead of leaving the county.
WealthWorks, key to the day’s discourse, states on its website “focuses on building lasting wealth for regions. But wealth means much more than money. Building lasting wealth means growing multiple capitals—a strong sense of community, good infrastructure, a well-trained workforce, unspoiled natural beauty, and inclusive and open government.”
Sharing success by exploring best practices was discussed. The term “value chain” was repeatedly used. It means “connecting local assets and production to regional demand to bring fresh money into rural communities.” It is defined as a network of people, businesses, institutions, and non-profits who collaborate to meet market demand for specific products or services, each achieving individual self-interest while together creating greater local wealth.
One of the keys to making a value chain work is ensuring low-income people, firms, and places participate and benefit from the endeavor.
Leslie Schaller, director of programs and business development, with Appalachian Center for Economic Networks, of Athens, Ohio, discussed an example of economy building in that farming region of Appalachia. She cited its food hub network that included farmers, schools, community college, and businesses linked to provide fresh, locally-grown produce to schools, processed by the college’s culinary arts class, and prepared in school kitchens.
Another example was a city that needed a park so that children would have a safe place to go after school, since many parents worked in nearby industries. All stakeholders were brought into the discussion about the need, which city government could not afford to do.
Each segment realized it would benefit the community as well as itself by stepping up and helping. As a result, the park was created without government aid, and with community members taking ownership from inception to operation.
In similar ways, Cape May County’s efforts to assist those new industries could broaden. An example of the county’s economic aid was the recent agreement to purchase a refrigerated truck that oyster cooperative members will use to deliver their Delaware Bay oysters to metropolitan markets.
Another is fostering the drone industry at the county airport by entering agreements with agencies that will be testing those devices over nearby ocean and bay areas. It is anticipated by freeholders that the industry, which holds great economic promise, will be based near the airport, and produce many jobs that have a future and pay well.
Already area farms, some on preserved land, are producing grapes that are being used by local wineries. Farms could possibly grow ingredients for breweries, thus reinvigorating a once-vibrant farming industry.
Also discussed were regulations, such as those that affect the oyster industry, that need changing at the state level in order to advance economic opportunity.
The day ended after ideas and possible solutions to growing the local economy were gathered. The next step will be taking the input and evaluating the responses in order to begin making positive advances to improve the economic base of the county.