It's In All Our Hands

Happy Mid-Summer All. I have to admit that I've gotten caught up in the politics of life right now. I cannot say I paid a lot of attention until about 8 years ago. So with it being an election year, very little traveling this summer, my attention has been all over the place.

A great deal of the recent politics of Minneapolis and the surround states is setting the tone or pace for South Dakota. I believe with the Governor of Minnesota, even a few years ago we've had interested people \ businesses wanting to leave that state and looking at South Dakota. My community has had inquiries about moving across the border. I was not aware then why so. But through the past couple months, I'm starting to get a better picture. I am not stating this on my page anything to do really with debating or my view versus your view.

What I am sharing here is a very well done video by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. The site is GOED's (Governor's Office of Economic Development) website. The site and the Governor's message is quite clear and addresses what is going on today around the world and South Dakota's position on Covid-19 and how we are addressing it. The biggest message Governor Noem shares is about our state welcoming businesses that want to come here to build their business, live and do business. She addresses it and invites others to take a look at what we have and how we do business.

The reason I'm sharing this here is it pertains to our communities -- rural or otherwise. I have shared asking the question are we going after the business? Are we ready? Are our 'powers that be' have a plan and understand how we can benefit? Do your County Commissioners or municipalities have strategic plans or ways to capitalize? Many times our small communities are not in the running for some businesses, but other times they are.

I've shared so many times that I'm sounding like a broken record, but we need to be PRO-ACTIVE. Many communities are, they have economic development boards, they have paid full or part-time directors and programs. It's fact that those communities that do not are not faring as well. So KUDOS to those communities that have something in place to help with community and economic development. Also when the city government is focused on improvements, and making changes for the 21st century will our communities begin to grow. Thriving is a huge goal for communities.

What do you love about yours?
What do you hate?
Are you willing to run for city or county positions?
If you care about your community, I would encourage you to think about it.

Economic development use to mean "big business".  Part of a community growing or changing involves rethinking that and convincing the "powers that be" that we cannot literally go out and find those "savior" businesses. No big business will save our towns.

The power to control the future is not just up to our towns officials or organizational leaders, but rests with the residents of the community. You know what that means for you. Just maintaining status quo while everything around us is diminishing will not work.
Simply put....

It's in all our hands.
Joan

YouTube - Governor Kristi Noem
SD Governor's Office of Economic Development