LCDC supports healthier job market
Community involvement is a critical part of any election, and it's refreshing to see so much interest in the upcoming Nov. 5 election. Voters in Coeur d'Alene have a diverse group of candidates to choose from with varying views on a myriad of topics, including urban renewal.
While most of the candidates during a recent forum said they appreciate the concept of urban renewal as an economic development tool to nurture a vibrant community, their philosophies on how this redevelopment strategy should be implemented differs, with one publicly stating she would support the closure of Coeur d'Alene's urban renewal agency, the Lake City Development Corporation (LCDC).
On many levels, this would deliver an economic blow to Coeur d'Alene. Urban renewal provides cities a competitive advantage in seeking out new economic growth opportunities and attracting companies and jobs. If the LCDC were to be dismantled, Coeur d'Alene would lose. The "winners" of new economic growth opportunities would be several other North Idaho communities that offer the use of urban renewal, including Post Falls, Hayden, Spirit Lake and Harrison.
There is one thing on which all Coeur d'Alene City Council candidates agree; Job creation and retention are crucial to the economic health of the community. This continues to be a focus of the LCDC.
Since its inception in 1997, the LCDC has partnered in numerous community development initiatives to help create more than 1,800 permanent jobs, along with many needed jobs in the construction industry.
These numbers continue to grow - and our job creation mission continues.
Last spring, the LCDC formed an ad-hoc jobs committee to renew its focus on how the LCDC helps to create and retain local jobs, with an initial emphasis on the health care industry. We believe there is huge potential to further strengthen our workforce in the health care sector. The LCDC has engaged with North Idaho College, University of Idaho, Lewis Clark State College and Kootenai Health to address this opportunity. Parties on all sides are excited about the possibilities and what can be accomplished through cooperative efforts.
Jon Ness, chief executive officer for Kootenai Health, tells us that KH has added more than 650 new jobs over the past two years. This impressive growth, he says, is expected to continue. Unfortunately, there are currently local educational capacity issues that are impacting students seeking a career path in health care.
With the creation of the LCDC ad-hoc jobs committee, we are bringing together higher education and health care officials to address this issue. This includes strategizing for construction of a mixed-use joint educational facility on the Higher Education Campus that would support numerous educational opportunities, including health care instruction.
Dr. Charles Buck with the University of Idaho is an active participant in these discussions and is excited about the potential. "With the success that Kootenai Health has enjoyed, all signs are pointing to continued growth and this is a great opportunity to put our arms together and see what we can do," Buck tells us.
Job creation and retention will continue to be a focus for the LCDC, just as it has been since the agency was formed 17 years ago. The LCDC's commitment to serve as a catalyst for positive change extends beyond job creation. The LCDC continues to work on initiatives to promote the economic health of the community through redevelopment efforts to spur growth and vibrancy.
If the LCDC's Lake and River redevelopment districts were to be terminated by a new City Council in 2014--as at least one sitting elected official, Dan Gookin, and one candidate, Sharon Hebert, have proposed - several LCDC partnership projects in the works would not occur. These include:
LCDC's Lake District
* No potential LCDC partnership funding to help North Idaho College, University of Idaho and Lewis Clark State College realize the creation of a joint use building on the Higher Education Campus.
* No funding as currently planned for a downtown parking facility on the former Federal Building block at Fourth Street and Lakeside Avenue.
* No potential LCDC partnership funding to help the community revitalize the Four Corners area around Memorial Field.
* No development of a Midtown mix-use workforce housing/retail building.
LCDC's River District
* No potential funding for a North Idaho College community events center.
* No potential funding to help revitalize the Seltice Way street infrastructure.
* No potential funding to assist in redeveloping remaining deteriorated property parcels bordering Seltice Way.
* No potential funding to assist in acquisition of abandoned BNSF railroad right of way for public space.
* No potential funding to assist in the development of a Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization (KMPO) transit center in Riverstone.
The LCDC is proud of its many accomplishments over the past several years, including job creation, and looks forward to being part of our thriving community in the years to come to promote a healthier community and workforce environment.
Tony Berns is executive director of the Lake City Development Corporation.