By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Sitka Economic Development Association is asking Sitkans to “put their thinking caps on” and pitch their best ideas for kickstarting the local economy.
But SEDA director Garry White says the ideas must be “specific,” “realistic” and “achievable in two years,” among other requirements.
At a Zoom meeting Tuesday, White introduced the Sitka Economic Forum 2020. A handful attended his presentation in Harrigan Centennial Hall in person, and about a dozen took part remotely.
The forum formerly was an annual event, but was discontinued in 2016 due to lack of participation. However, White said in an interview after his presentation Tuesday that the effect of COVID-19 on the local economy has raised interest in reviving the forum.
“Based on discussions at the Economic Resiliency Task Force, there was a need to get it going again, with the uncertainty of the economy and our changing economy,” White told the Sentinel.
“Our economy has been devastated by this pandemic,” he said, citing cancellation of the cruise ship season, the sharp decline in charter fishing, and loss of business by retailers.
But White said he knows there are good ideas out there, even with the limitations imposed by the pandemic.
“The question is, How can we innovate and create an economy for our new future?” he said.
White showed a brief PowerPoint explaining a contest of sorts, giving the public two weeks to come up with ideas to be presented at a program that will be held 2 p.m. Sept. 15 at Harrigan Centennial Hall. Entries can be by video or live presentation.
The rules call for ideas to be specific and realistic - with a two-year timeline - and also be innovative and “related to economic development.”
Afterward the public will have two weeks to vote on the ideas, which will be on the SEDA website. Every participant can vote on up to three ideas, assigning 5 points for their favorite idea, 3 for their next favorite and 1 for their third-most-favorite.
Voting will remain open through Sept. 25 and the results will be announced at a meeting on Sept. 29, when volunteers can sign up for committees to create “action plans.”
At past forums, top priorities have included affordable housing, bulk water export, and transportation improvements.
In 2016, the last year the forum was held, top priorities were development of No Name Mountain, increasing cruise ship traffic, and rebuilding the seaplane base.
While White said that while not all top ideas are developed, “it’s good to investigate all these opportunities. Not all of them will come to fruition but I think if a collaborative group thinks they’re good ideas, there’s value in looking into them.”
White said it’s not enough to just come up with a great idea.
“The goal is for people to champion them and drive them forward,” he said today.
One of those attending the meeting Tuesday was SEDA board member Roger Hames, who has participated in multiple economic forums and on a number of action groups associated with the forum.
“This is a great forum to bring up ideas, whether it’s something an individual wants to do or something that complements something already here,” he said. “It’s a great way for individuals to participate and float their balloons.”
Hames said the focus has generally been about “what’s best for Sitka, what will work for Sitka.”
“It takes a lot of ideas until you can come up with something that’s a winner for an individual, or a new company - or has been overlooked or is a new opportunity,” he said. “This is a bottom-up approach.”
White in his presentation encouraged participants to consider goals of living-wage jobs, expanding the tax base and maintaining Sitka’s quality of life. He also listed some of Sitka’s natural resource assets to consider, as well as infrastructure, and various “selling points” of the community – daily jet service, clean environment, history, culture and the arts.
In general, White said, the idea is to find ways to bring new dollars into the community, and reduce “leakage.” He illustrated his point with a picture of a bucket, with a hole in it.
“You can patch some of the holes but you can’t stop the bucket from leaking as long as goods and services are imported into a community,” he said. “Without new dollars flowing into the bucket, it will drain out.”
But he said a deliberate effort is required, and asked those attending or watching to play a role to support businesses and economic development to bring new dollars in and reduce leakage where possible.
People may submit their videos to garrywhite@gci.net or simply present their ideas in person or by Zoom at the Sept. 15 meeting.
