|
No Meetings Until January!
This week the Chamber of Commerce issued its Economic Vitality Report for St. Helena.
This was done by the Halle Group in Yountville, which specializes in
leadership training, and included opinions from four focus groups of
invited persons and an online survey of members and business license
holders. It's a start, a good indication of what the merchants and the
Chamber are thinking.
Next steps:
1. Review
and update the Economic Sustainability Element in the 2010 General Plan and
its vision for St. Helena which was a consensus of the people. See 2 docs
on economic planning best practices for the
wisdom of this.
2. Work
with a professional economic consulting firm that specializes in small
towns. The pros know! They will bring sophisticated tools and solutions to
local economic issues; they'll identify overlooked economic engines and
ways to merge diverse directions into one solid plan. Unless Hwy 29
disappears, we can never be like Yountville or Calistoga. We need creative
concepts that are indigenous to St. Helena.
3. Broaden
the scope by developing a community-based economic strategic plan, not one
merchant or Chamber based. For example, the Arts and Culture
economic sector easily matches the Tourism and the Wine sectors for return
on investment, yet it is never mentioned. Neither is the Tech industry.
4. Have
a debate about which is better, using transient tourists to build the
economy or doing it with more local residents. Either way, we are going to
get more people but which is better? Here is the economic case for greater residential
density. More residents means local dollars reinvested more times, studies
show 41X; it means greater commitment to the City; it means more people
volunteering and supporting local serving businesses, a larger voter and
tax base and a stronger middle class -- none of these benefits accrue from
tourists.
It
is time for St. Helena's public economic planning to be managed
by City government, not by private interests, the Chamber or the Wine
industry. The fact that this has not happened so far is one of the reasons
we lack consensus. Without consensus, local support is diminished and
progress stalls. See a more detailed Rebuttal to the Report and the Star
Editorial.
Then there is: The price of an ag parcel near you. Choice?
Plan for this or deal with the fallout.
Then forget it all, have a some treats and
Very Merry Holiday!!!
Sandy
/
|