Officials meet to discuss possible alliance

By Shajia Ahmad - Special to The News

LIBERAL - All there is in southwest Kansas is dust and wheat.

That belief, according to several who are looking to form a regional economic partnership, is a common and frustrating misperception by outsiders, and a hindrance to economic development across the region.



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The Southwest Kansas Chambers Of Commerce hosted a retreat-like planning and development meeting Thursday at the Rock Island Depot in Liberal to discuss these challenges and begin working toward what they hope will become the Southwest Kansas Alliance.

Several dozen local and state leaders were in attendance for the two-plus hour planning session, including state senators and representatives from southwest Kansas, city and county commissioners, and other business and community leaders from Garden City, Dodge City, Liberal, Ulysses, Hugoton and Scott City, just to name a few.

Paul Joseph, president of the Garden City Area Chamber of Commerce and additionally the leader of the southwest Kansas chambers group, said that today's global economy dictates that communities work together to compete for economic development.

Joseph said that while the idea to organize a regional economic partnership has been discussed for many years, only in the past year or so did the Southwest Kansas Chambers move forward with this plan, especially important in today's competing global market, he said.

"We, as southwest Kansans, must compete or die. No longer are our competitors other (southwest Kansas) communities. ... other regions in the nation or even Mexico," Joseph said. "In today's new world economy, our competitors are the likes of Pakistan, India, China, Brazil."

Many local leaders in attendance agreed that for much of recent history most southwest Kansas communities - especially the three most populated ones in Finney, Ford and Seward counties - have competed aggressively with each other for economic development and other opportunities that better their own communities.

That competing mind-set, many agreed, needs to change to tackle issues that plague most all southwest Kansas communities, such as stagnant job growth and tourism, declining rural populations, and limited transportation.

Increasing communication between the various localities to promote economic development for all, and to come up with a brand that would help identify southwest Kansas to the rest of the world are some of the ideas leaders gathered Thursday agreed are pertinent to regional economic success.

"From Scott City to Liberal, we're very unique. But we can work as a region and still maintain that identity at a local level," Joseph said.

Another desired success of a regional economic group, many agreed Thursday, was to tackle the "brain drain" issues plaguing many rural areas.

Garden City Mayor John Doll said more high-paying and specialized jobs born from greater economic development is essential to "keeping our kids home."

The Southwest Kansas Chambers of Commerce invited Joe Yager, a sole staff member of REAP of South Central Kansas, a regional economic area partnership consisting of nearly 40 cities and counties in and around Wichita, to facilitate Thursday's convention.

REAP's stated purpose is to guide state and national actions that affect economic development in the region by adopting joint actions among member governments that enhance their regional economy, and chamber leaders said they want to see the idea modeled in southwest Kansas.

Yager told southwest Kansas leaders that by beginning to identify their purpose and prioritizing regional opportunities, the group could begin branding themselves as a region and combat outside misperceptions.

"We want you to recognize the common themes," Yager said Thursday. "You need a decent idea of why you're here and who you are."

State Rep. Reynaldo Mesa, R-Garden City, reminded everyone that commitment, including fiscal commitment, was key to moving forward with an organizational structure that could ultimately benefit economic growth all across the region.

"These things are not just going to happen on their own," Mesa said.

The Southwest Kansas Chambers of Commerce has tentatively set up another Southwest Kansas Alliance meeting for 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 18 in Garden City, according to Rozelle Webb, executive director of Liberal Kansas Chamber of Commerce. A location has not yet been determined.

Webb said she was pleased with the attendance Thursday, and she and other southwest Kansas chamber executives are working to get some of the other outlying and smaller communities in the region involved.

"We'll know pretty well by next meeting or two the (level of) commitment from people," Webb said. "As far as the Southwest Kansas Chambers, we're determined to continue with this because it's so important. We can't drop it for any reason."