Mallory: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Land of Steel podcast. I'm Mallory Darby, Vice President of economic development for Mississippi County.
Tammy: And I'm Tammy Winstead, Community Development Director for Mississippi County. Before we get started today, I just wanted to take a quick minute to say thank you guys so much for the support and excitement around this podcast.
The Land of Steel podcast is about telling the story of Mississippi County, our people, our industries, our communities, and the work happening to move us forward. We believe we've already found some creative ways to do that, and we're excited to share those stories with you in the months ahead. But today, we're talking about something that touches almost every part of our community, even if most people don't really realize that.
That is economic development. Mallory, we hear that phrase all the time, but what does economic development really mean?
Mallory: Well, good question, Tammy. At its core, economic development is really about creating opportunities for a [00:01:00] community to grow, and that includes recruiting new businesses, helping existing companies expand, so our existing industries are very important here, preparing land and buildings, improving infrastructure, that's public infrastructure, anything that serves the community Supporting workforce training, which is critical to our existing industry as well, and making sure our community is ready when an opportunity comes along.
Tammy: So it's much more than just announcing a new business is, is coming to town.
Mallory: Absolutely. We're asking questions like, will this create jobs? Will it bring investment? Will it strengthen our tax base? Will it put unused property back to work? Will it help our community grow over time?
Tammy: Okay. Well, before we get too much farther, I wanna know, how did you get started in economic development?
Mallory: Of course you do. I [00:02:00] started this journey right out of college in 2013, uh, at the Golden Triangle Development Link in Mississippi, working under CEO Joe Max Higgins Jr., which I would say is a trailblazer in economic development, especially in the South. The organization represented three counties and was the Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce. We had seven staffers. Wow. At that time, it was all hands on deck while working projects. So I actually got to cut my teeth on a really cool project. It was Yokohama Tire- Oh, wow ... in West Point, Mississippi. And when I say we rolled out the red carpet to land that one, we did. And, um, the l- the deal landed, transforming that community. Wow. Um, they actually lost a really significant employer years before, and so they were able to recapture that workforce, so that was really cool. So from the beginning, I got to see what [00:03:00] happens when people come together around an opportunity You had local leaders, businesses, utilities, educators all bringing something to the table, and I learned pretty quickly that economic development requires partnerships. Mm. Nobody does this work alone. Nobody. So I became passionate about what those partnerships could accomplish for families. Mm. That's what it sort of turned into quickly for me. A good job can mean buying a home and sending your child to college or having choices you didn't have before- Yeah ... changing the trajectory of those families for generations in some situations. So, um, I carried that with me to what was West Memphis. I wanted to move home to do this. Mm-hmm. So, um, that's what I did. Um, and I... When I did, the opportunity wasn't available to work for Mississippi County. I moved home in 2017, [00:04:00] and I went to work for the City of West Memphis, worked under two mayor administrations. We certified a mega site. We landed the first Carvana- Ooh ... uh, distribution facility there. And, um, five years after working for West Memphis, the opportunity became available for me to work at home, so I took that. And, um, doing this work where I'm from makes it personal, and these are our neighbors and our children, and I want them to have opportunities to grow and build a future here.
Tammy: Yeah. Okay, so now I see why you're so invested in Mississippi County, why you're so excited about your work, and it really is a truly fulfilling job to get to change the trajectory of other people's lives, so. Let me give you the version I think a lot of people imagine, and honestly, it's pretty close to kinda what I thought before I got the exposure to this work with you this year. So I thought a company calls you and says, "Hey, Mallory, we wanna [00:05:00] come to Mississippi County." So you go f- out and you show them a few properties, they pick one, and then we announce a new company. That's pretty much how it happens, right?
Mallory: Not even close. A lot of the work starts long before we know who the company even is in a lot of situations.
Tammy: So you don't even know the company's name?
Mallory: That's right. Many projects ch- use what we call code names. So they'll come in as Project Vulcan, Project Spark, and you try to kinda guess- ... what it might be based on the project name, but normally you never get that right. When a project comes in, we may know l- how much land they need, how many jobs they may create, how much water or power they need, whether they need rail or interstate access, but we may have no idea what company is behind the project.
Tammy: And the work doesn't even start when the project shows up, does it?
Mallory: No. No, no. No. We first have to know what land and buildings are [00:06:00] available, so that's priority. Um, we have a database that we maintain that keeps up with our existing sites and buildings within the county. Um, so that means, you know, maintaining that database, working with property owners, and sometimes getting options or other forms of site control So we can market the property. Then we gather all the information about the site and put it into that database used by site selectors and our economic development partners at the state.
Tammy: So it's not as simple as finding an empty field or a building and saying, "Okay, we've got land," or, "We've got a building." The real question is whether that land is actually ready to support the kind of investment a company looks like. Is that right?
Mallory: That- that's right, exactly. We need to know who owns it, is it really available? What does it cost? Can water reach it? What about the sewer? What about the power? Wow. That's high on the list right now. We've got lots of power conversations going on. Natural [00:07:00] gas, fiber, is it near an interstate? Transportation is a key indicator of cost on a lot of situations, these projects. Transportation, especially in the manufacturing industry, is a top cost. Mm. And so, you know, being near those logistic assets is really important, so does it have rail access? Are there floodplain or environmental issues? And we do all of that due diligence up front in a lot of situations to remove those, uh, or the timeline to entry. So we're getting, you know, getting a company ready, and that speed to market is very important. Uh, so a piece of land can look perfect, but it's still not work for a certain company.
Tammy: Okay, so let's talk about something I hear in your office all the time: RFI. What in the world does that mean?
Mallory: RFI means request for information. It's often one of the first steps, uh, we take when we're competing for a project, and those [00:08:00] can come with a long list of questions about the site, utilities, workforce, transportation, again, incentives in some situations, and timelines. Uh, uh, typically, those come in from the state economic development office in partnership with our local economic development team. They work with site selectors to identify sites across the state.
Tammy: And sometimes those RFIs can be huge.
Mallory: Very huge, yes. And while we're answering all those questions, we may still only know the company as Project XYZ.
Tammy: So Mississippi County may be answering those questions while several other communities are out there answering the exact same ones?
Mallory: Exactly.
Tammy: That's what really surprised me. You're not answering an RFI because the company already chose Mississippi County. You're actually trying to market Mississippi County to keep them from being eliminated.
Mallory: That's right, yes. In [00:09:00] most cases, we don't even know how many communities we're actually competing with. So maybe we're competing with 20 communities, and a site selection consultant, you know, cuts 10 communities, so that now becomes you're competing with nine other communities. So then they'll cut down to five, and eventually they'll get down to two or three and do site visits. Eventually, one community is selected, and so people usually see the announcement, but what they don't see is all the work that's happening behind the scenes.
Tammy: Yeah, I was completely blown away at the level of projects that come through. So why do things like water and power matter so much in that stage?
Mallory: Yes. Well, first of all, it's one of the top costs, and because every company has different needs. One project may need a huge amount of power. Another may need a lot of water, and the other may need a lot of gas. Um, a distribution company can care most about, uh, you know, [00:10:00] transportation access, so rail, water, highway. So the question isn't just do we have land? The question is can this site actually support the business?
Tammy: Okay, so let's use a real example people can recognize. Jack's recently selected Manila for a new location, and people may see that and just think, "Great, Manila's got a Jack's." But there was a reason that location worked. Walk us through why Manila made sense.
Mallory: Okay, sure. Uh, commercial or retailers typically make site location decisions based on rooftops and household incomes. And so what they'll do is they'll drop an, drop a pin on a map and see what the traffic counts are, and, you know, within a three to five-mile radius, see how many rooftops are there, and actually how much cash they have on hand to go and purchase w- a chicken sandwich. Mm-hmm. You know? And [00:11:00] so they're doing all that from a desktop, and they are cutting our communities from a desktop before we get a call in most situations. Wow. But, you know, what Manila stands out is they've got that high volume of traffic, and they've got that influx of residential growth, and it's so concentrated in that one little location that they're able to, you know, see the rooftops and the income from a three to five-mile radius. It's really impactful.
Tammy: That's kinda crazy that so many of these decisions get discussed or get selected from an actual desktop and not from people just roaming around, riding around, and looking for areas. And that's a good reminder that site selection isn't only for huge factories. Retail companies look at traffic, visibility, population. I'm sure they look at spending, nearby employers, access, and whether the market can actually support them and what they're selling.
Mallory: Yes, exactly. Companies are investing their [00:12:00] money, so they wanna know a location has a good chance of succeeding, right? Yeah. I mean, they're doing that before we even know they're looking.
Tammy: That's insane. So if someone listening doesn't own a business and doesn't work in economic development, why should they care about any of this?
Mallory: Because economic development affects everyday life. It affects jobs, housing, restaurants, stores, infrastructure, the local tax base, and whether people can live, work, and build a future here.
Tammy: So when people ask, "Why don't we have more restaurants?" or, "Why can't we get more housing? Why is that building still empty?" or, "Why did that company choose somewhere else?" Those are all economic development questions, right?
Mallory: Exactly.
Tammy: Okay, so we talk a lot about recruiting new businesses, but what about the ones we already have?
Mallory: Keeping and growing [00:13:00] businesses is just as important. Actually, it's probably a large majority of what I do. I would, uh, bet on probably 80% of the work that I do is with our existing industry, whether it's, you know, sorting through their workforce training challenges and addressing gaps in skill sets with our local workforce training institution, Arkansas Northeastern College, or, uh, you know, working with them on any gaps in financing and helping them along that pathway. We also have a state intake process that, you know, they can also qualify for statutory incentives, which are authorized by state law that they can get payroll tax rebates and sales and use tax rebates, and we partner with our state a lot with our existing industry incentive packages.
Tammy: So You know, one of the things I was most [00:14:00] surprised about, it seems like every time you guys are presenting to the quorum court, you're talking about another business expanding. So that's really cool that we continue to grow what's already here and maintain that. That's a very important element. Yes. So who actually handles economic development for Mississippi County?
Mallory: The Great River Economic Development Foundation, or GREDF a lot of people refer to it as, uh, they do business as Mississippi County Economic Development, which I'm vice president of. Uh, we are a non-profit organization that's contracted by Mississippi County to handle the function of economic development work for the county. So our office works with companies that are considering locating in Mississippi County, site selectors, existing industry leaders, landowners, utility partners, and our state partners. Uh, but our office cannot simply commit county money on our own. Uh, we actually have an operational budget, but anything that, uh, above and [00:15:00] beyond our daily operations has a review process.
Tammy: Okay. So people sometimes hear that a project is confidential, and they wonder why. Can you help us understand?
Mallory: Absolutely. Early in the process, companies may be comparing locations or making decisions that could impact their employees or competitors in the market, so they're very conscientious of that. If information gets out too early, a community can lose the project. Hmm. I've actually experienced that. It's not a fun thing. Um, whenever you are working with site selectors, they expect a level of, you know, respecting confidentiality with the project because it's, um, it's important to them and their investors, right? Mm-hmm. So we're treating it like a partnership. So we maintain that level of confidentiality in order to just obviously protect our reputation as a community. Mm-hmm. But confidentiality does not mean we get [00:16:00] to skip public approval. If there is any public money involved, an ordinance is needed, so there's, there's a governing body. There's a process of approval through the proper governing bodies that still have to act on those.
Tammy: So what are those governing bodies? Like, what are your steps to get that approved?
Mallory: Mississippi County Economic Development has a executive committee that reviews any projects that come through, and once they review and make a recommendation, we take that recommendation forward to our planning and development committee with the, with the county quorum court. So, uh, we review the project through planning and development, and they either, uh, approve or deny the request Um, if approved, then it goes forward to finance. Finance has to fund any- Mm-hmm ... requests that, uh, require appropriation, and that's not always the case. We're not always appropriating funds, but just kind of briefing [00:17:00] our planning and development committee on projects so that they understand what's happening in our community. Uh, but anything that needs, uh, an, an incentive to help offset costs goes through also the finance committee, and then finally the quorum court.
Tammy: Okay. So that, that's a lot of steps, that's a lot of work, and it's very unfortunate to hear that you've had to experience the loss of a project over confidentiality, because many months went into that, site visits and potentially the quorum court process, and to lose it is sad.
Mallory: Yeah, no one wants- It's hard ... to lose over that. Yeah. And that's not the intent. So you just, you just do the best you can, be as transparent as you can without risking the confidentiality of the project.
Tammy: And the confidentiality is more of a respect thing to both the site selector and the company making the decision.
Mallory: Absolutely, because they, you know, they know that they can count on you to protect the project, and so they'll come back.
Tammy: Yeah, I love that. [00:18:00] Yeah. So when you look at Mississippi County today, what has this work helped accomplish here?
Mallory: So Mississippi County has used land, infrastructure, workforce partnerships, state programs, and local investment to grow into one of the country's leading steel producers. Actually, now the number one steel producing county in the nation, which- That's- ... I mean, I'm getting chills just saying that ... that's so cool. But that's really cool. And that didn't happen by accident. It took years of preparation and using the tools available to us.
Tammy: And, you know, when you talk about tools available to us, um, one of those greatest assets, you've spoke about it several times, are, is our ANC- Oh, absolutely and the workforce training that goes on there. Yeah, cool. And what they develop to be responsive. Mm-hmm. I've heard a lot and experienced with you, is going out to ANC and talking about what you're hearing the industry needs, and ANC figures out how they can respond to help that. They actually rank pretty up there. Can you talk to us about that?[00:19:00]
Mallory: Yes. They're pretty much the gold standard for workforce training. They actually just brought home the prestigious Don A. Zimmerman Pinnacle Award for their incredible steelmaking boot camp. I don't know how much you know about that. But they were able to, you know, dig deep with our industry partners and build a steelmaking boot camp that basically fast-tracking students into those high-paying jobs and changing their trajectory.
Tammy: And what an opportunity for an 18-year-old to come out of high school and go straight into something like that. I mean, yes. Yes. And then, yes, that's changing lives, and that is, that shows how responsive they are to our industry needs- Mm-hmm ... and how in tune and in touch they are- Yes ... with our industry. Yes, yes. We- So thank you ... we couldn't do it without them. Yes. Thank you, ANC, for being such great community partners. So one of the things I've heard in the office all the time is you talk about the tools that you use, one of those tools being the ANC workforce and different things. So we already have some of these tools. Why do we [00:20:00] need to keep talking about new ones?
Mallory: Because our needs are changing, Tammy. We've been successful at this job creating thing. We are a manufacturing engine. You know, we are basically building the world with the steel that's pouring out of this community, and w- so we've been successful at creating the jobs, but jobs do not automatically mean population growth. Right. Someone can work in Mississippi County and still live, shop, and spend their money somewhere else. Employers also need workers who can find housing, childcare, healthcare, schools, restaurants, and things to do. That's very important, especially when we're working with, um, industries that are considering investing here. Some of the things that come up are just that, you know, what, what will my workforce do when they're not working? Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. You know, that's very important, and where will they go to [00:21:00] school? Mm-hmm. And, and what if my wife is pregnant, where will she have her baby? You know, and that, you don't think about that being a piece of economic development, but it is, and having those partners- Mm-hmm that we can call on to answer those questions is critical. So relationships is very big. Um, and those things affect whether people choose to live here.
Tammy: And I would honestly think quality of life really does connect back to economic development. Would you say so?
Mallory: It does. It does when there's a real economic need. If workers can't find housing, that becomes an economic issue. Mm-hmm. If parents can't find childcare, that can affect the workforce. If people leave the county to shop or eat, those dollars are being spent somewhere else.
Tammy: And you know, we talk about housing a lot, and I've shared with you over the summer, uh, me and my husband between us randomly got five calls 'cause they knew our kids are grown and flown, and they're like, "Hey, are you selling your house?" I'm [00:22:00] like, "No, there's not a- ... there's not a sign in front of my house." No. But that's how, people actually want to live here. That's right. They're looking for houses, and we have a need for housing.
Mallory: Right. Right. We'll figure that out through our housing study.
Tammy: Yes. Yes, we will. So attracting another restaurant isn't just about having another place to eat. That business actually creates jobs, too. It invests money, it uses our property, and it gives people another place to spend their money right here locally, right?
Mallory: Right, and that spending can also create additional local sales tax revenue.
Tammy: Okay, so you keep talking about this word toolbox all the time. What is an actual toolbox for an economic development?
Mallory: It means different things for different projects. So basically, each project you have to solve for different solutions, so you know, you don't, you might need to use your rail partners as your tool in some situations, your workforce partners as your tool, some situations your chamber partner as your tool. [00:23:00] But sometimes the problem is land, sometimes it's infrastructure, workforce, so those partners are critical. Um, but then you've got the financial gap piece. So the toolbox includes sites, buildings, roads, rail, utilities, workforce programs, grants, and other tools allowed under the state law. Uh, the important question should always be, though, what problem are we solving and what does the public get in return?
Tammy: Okay, so when we talk about housing, childcare, or even bringing an empty property back to life, can we use those same tools we've used for the industry so far?
Mallory: No. Arkansas has very few economic development tools specifically designed around housing, childcare, or small neighborhood redevelopment, anything around quality of life really. Even when a community clearly needs those projects, the toolbox has often been really limited. That's why a big [00:24:00] part of our work is understanding both what our community needs and what resources are available, right? Sometimes it's finding creative funding sources, building partnerships, or advocating for new tools that fit the challenges our communities are facing today. The good news is that we're starting to see more conversations and more momentum around the housing and childcare because people recognize those issues are just as important to economic developments as roads and utilities and industrial sites. If people can't find a place to live or childcare or a good educational institution, just, uh, it becomes harder for a community to grow and compete, and sometimes Mississippi County's competing on a global scale.
Tammy: Right. So is that what brings Issue 3 really into the conversation?
Mallory: Yes. It's a constitutional amendment voters will consider in November, um, that could expand our tools for economic and community development, so those [00:25:00] quality-of-life issues that we seem to face here in- Yes ... rural America, all over the world. Uh, so before anyone decides how they feel about it, we wanna explain what it could make possible.
Tammy: Okay, Mallory, let's start there for someone who's hearing about this for the very first time. What exactly is Issue 3?
Mallory: Issue 3 or Senate Joint Resolution 15 is a proposed change to the Arkansas Constitution that would expand tools lawmakers can authorize for economic development. That includes economic development districts.
Tammy: So what should I picture when you say districts?
Mallory: Well, simply put, it would be an area marked on a map where a community wants to impact change or encourage investment. It could include property that needs improvement before a business or developer could put it to use.
Tammy: And why exactly are communities interested in having that [00:26:00] option?
Mallory: So Arkansas already has tools that help attract industrial investment, and we've been great. We've been successful at that here in Mississippi County, and we're proud of that, that this discussion includes more options for development like housing and retail, office space and recreation that support that industrial growth. 48 states in the country offer similar local rebate or tax abatement tools. Although their programs may differ, they are similar that encourage, uh, the same sort of investments that we would like to see here. So for developers who work in those spaces, like retail, commercial development, residential development, discussing these types of partnerships can be a familiar part of putting the project together. So, you know, when they come to the table and they're saying, "Hey, we'd love to consider Mississippi County for a residential development, what tools are in your toolbox to help us along the way?" Um, a lot [00:27:00] of times we simply have to say, "Well, we kind of have our hands tied right now." Mm. Um, so we wanna understand the community needs and whether there's ways we can work together and partner for, on these developments. That's where the idea of the shared success comes in for me. The developer needs a project that works financially, right? And a community needs something that benefits the people who live here. So a well-designed district or agreement can connect those goals with clear responsibilities on both sides.
Tammy: Wow. So every state around us is competing with a similar tool that we don't currently even have. So let's bring that a little closer to home and put it into an example we can actually picture right here in Mississippi County.
Mallory: Okay. So imagine an unused property where someone wants to build homes f- or a few businesses. There's an interest in the location, but it needs maybe roads, drainage, utility [00:28:00] improvements before construction can actually happen The community would ask, "Is this development needed? Do we want it? What's keeping it from happening? And would helping with those improvements produce enough public benefit to justify the cost?"
Tammy: So the starting point is really just understanding the problem.
Mallory: Exactly. If we need housing, we should understand what kind of housing people need, want, and can afford. And if we're looking for retail, we would need to understand whether there are enough customers to support it and what types of retail we'd be looking for. A financial tool can help with a specific barrier. We still need a project that makes sense.
Tammy: So if Issue 3 passes, could someone immediately just go create a district somewhere?
Mallory: No. No, lawmakers still have to adopt the operating rules. A framework has been proposed, but it isn't law. That's the process we're describing today, and it could [00:29:00] change. If Issue 3 passes, we'll be watching for that implementation language so that we can educate our community once again.
Tammy: Okay, so under this proposal, who gets this conversation started?
Mallory: So any of our local municipalities or county government, a local governing body, a qualifying property owner group could propose a district. They would just need a map, a plan, and an assessment of its expected impact.
Tammy: Okay, so then who would say yes or no?
Mallory: The city council, county quorum court, or agreed governing body for cooperating communities would hold a public hearing and vote on an ordinance e- establishing it. Um, that would be dictated by which community the district actually geographically resides in, right? So if we're talking about Blytheville, then that would be the Blytheville City Council. If, if we're talking about using [00:30:00] the sales tax that's generated in Blytheville to work with the district, they would work with city council. If we're using county sales tax, then they would work with the quorum court. So it could be a either- or, or both.
Tammy: Okay. So our economic development office wouldn't just go and draw a boundary and then approve it themselves.
Mallory: Right. I see us as more of a supporting role, helping evaluate the opportunity, bringing partners together, and giving decision-makers information they can use.
Tammy: And then who would manage it once it was established?
Mallory: Under the current proposal, an appointed and locally confirmed board or an established governing body would oversee the district.
Tammy: Okay, so let's go back to that unused property piece. How could that money work?
Mallory: Okay, back to the proposed framework. If you started by looking at that tax revenue associated with the property before the district is [00:31:00] defined, that establishes the baseline, the starting dollar amount used to measure that growth. That would be your baseline. You know, where... If you defined it on a map, where are we at today? How much sales tax or property tax is being generated within that district today? Mm-hmm. That's our baseline. Then as improvements happen, property values and business activity can increase, generating more revenue. That's the anticipation of putting together these districts is, you know, you establish a baseline, you develop the district in hopes to recruit new development. So the idea is that the new investment can generate additional revenue, and a portion of that growth can help pay for improvements that support existing developments and future development goals.
Tammy: Okay, so can you walk us through just a simple example using real numbers so we can actually see how that might actually work here?
Mallory: So just to explain the math, imagine a starting amount of [00:32:00] about 100,000 a year. Later, collections reach 150,000. Well, the difference is the $50,000. That's your growth within the district.
Tammy: Okay, so would then the developer get all of that 50,000?
Mallory: Not necessarily. That 50,000 is the growth we're measuring, so we know we've grown $50,000. We'd first have to figure out how much is available for the district to use, because some of that money has to go to the state, and other public needs may have money set aside Then any help the developer receives would depend on the agreement. So again, back to, you know, before we're actually a district, there's an agreement in place that defines what are the responsibilities of the governing body establishing the district. So, and so that agreement would dictate what it pays for and what the developer has to do in return. The money wouldn't automatically go [00:33:00] to them just because revenue increased.
Tammy: So it sounds like a lot of the s- the pressure is on the developer to perform what they say they're gonna do.
Mallory: It does, yeah. You have to share. It's, it's a partnership in my mind, though. I mean, you are sharing risk and you're sharing success as well.
Tammy: Okay, so we would need to know exactly what money is available before making any type of arrangements.
Mallory: Yes. And then we would need to explain what the community is committing, what the developer must deliver, and how long the agreement lasts. So think about that unused property again. We'd wanna understand whether helping with the improvements would lead to homes that people can use, businesses that thrive, and benefits that justify the investment.
Tammy: And what if a project needs major improvements right up front? Could a community borrow money to help pay for that cost?
Mallory: Yes. Issue three would allow a district to borrow through [00:34:00] bonds and pledge district revenues towards paying that debt back. Think about roads or utilities in our example. They may need to be built before the development can actually start generating revenue. Borrowing could help pay for those improvements up front, with the money coming into the district over time used to repay that loan and interest. Before moving forward, we'd want a sound financial plan showing which revenues would back the debt and whether they're expected to cover the payments, though. Future revenue isn't guaranteed. Mm-hmm. So that plan also needs to explain what happens if less money comes in than we expected.
Tammy: Okay, so how does all this connect to the industrial growth that we've already had?
Mallory: A job is a major opportunity, but families are also needing somewhere to live and services that make everyday life work for them. If someone works here but can't find suitable housing or [00:35:00] childcare, that affects their choices on whether they wanna live and invest their futures in Mississippi County. Right. So understanding those needs help us think about how industrial growth can translate into more opportunities throughout our communities.
Tammy: So just because a tool is available doesn't mean every community would use it in the same way. Each community could decide whether it fits its needs and how it should be used, right?
Mallory: Exactly. And our needs may be different from another county's. That's why preparation and participation matter. We need residents, businesses, schools, cities, and the county talking together. Economic development requires partnerships, and people don't have to know all the terminology to contribute.
Tammy: So what do you hope someone takes away from this conversation today?
Mallory: That economic development involves choices about how we create opportunity and use public resources. Issue three is a decision about [00:36:00] additional authority and tools, and people deserve to understand both possibilities and the responsibilities around those tools. Yes. We're here to help explain the proposal so listeners can make their own decision. Whatever the outcome, we still need to understand our community's needs and work together on its future. So we're gonna go ahead and link the legislation, a presentation that we've seen, and contact information for our local legislators in the show notes in hopes that if you do have questions, you reach out to them with your questions and concerns and feedback as this issue moves forward. So, if It passes, before the implementation language is put into place, reach out. If you have any questions, we're here.
Tammy: Mallory, thank you so much for sitting with us today and helping us understand all of these issues surrounding economic development and issue three. If today's conversation helped you better understand, please click the link and follow the Land of Steel podcast and share this episode with someone who could benefit [00:37:00] from hearing it. The more we understand about how growth actually happens, the better prepared we all are to be a part of the conversation about what comes next. And remember, this podcast is just getting started, guys. There are more stories to tell, more voices to hear, and more conversations ahead about the people, projects, and the opportunities moving Mississippi County forward. Until next time, thanks so much for tuning into the Land of Steel, where the strength of our community is forged right here, built for what's next and designed to keep America strong.
