Once upon a time the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development had staff members in regional offices across the state who helped local leaders learn about economic and community development. I particularly remember Gerald Mills teaching in Meridian about the four “Building Blocks of Economic and Community Development.” He and the late Dr. Bill Scaggs, long-time President of Meridian Community College, used that as a foundation for a new Lauderdale 2000 community leadership program in the late 1980s that has evolved into the current Leadership Lauderdale program.
This comes to mind as our most knowledgeable people in Washington vehemently debate what “infrastructure” means.
Dictionary.com defines infrastructure as “the basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organization.”
Hmmm. That sounds a lot like building blocks to me.
Indeed, two of the building blocks taught by MDECD (now MDA) were named infrastructure – physical infrastructure and social infrastructure. The other two were business development and workforce development.
Physical infrastructure included transportation, utility, communications, and waste systems. Social infrastructure included housing, healthcare, and social systems.
Business development included systems that support creation and retention of businesses and jobs. Workforce development included systems of education and workforce training.
All are essential, Mills and his colleagues taught, as did and do the community leadership programs that adopted their teaching tools, for community vitality and prosperity. It was and is important for civic leaders to understand the importance of each and how they work together to build communities. The work of civic leadership was and is to strengthen all building block areas.
Regrettably, this perspective seems lost in Washington. While conservatives and liberals blast each other over what infrastructure means, communities need help in all the building block areas.
It is appropriate for Congress to debate how much money to spend and what to spend it on. It is disingenuous and destructive to make the definition of infrastructure a conservative vs. liberal conflagration.
That said, we know in Mississippi that we have broad and critical infrastructure needs – ancient water and sewer systems, deteriorating roads and bridges, decaying school buildings, limited healthcare, unavailable broadband, inadequate flood control, scarce early childhood development infrastructure, and unimaginable food deserts, to name a few.
Other states have other issues. But for the conservative/liberal yaya, it should not be hard to pass legislation to deal with the nation’s most critical infrastructure issues.
The underlying problem in all this comes from dismissal of MDECD’s thesis at the national level that people and government can work together to build communities. Instead, the preferred thesis now is that confrontation and division best serve America.
Much as Nero “fiddled” in 64 A.D. while Rome burned, our leaders fuddle while our infrastructure corrodes.
Interestingly, it was not long after Rome burned that Paul wrote his letter now known as I Peter. Some scholars say he wrote the letter while in Rome around 67 A.D. In it he wrote these words relevant to our leaders, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve.” (1 Peter 5:2)
Crawford is a syndicated columnist from Jackson.
13 comments:
Funny how the author jumps straight to the federal government. Why don’t we shine a spotlight on MDA. Isn’t economic development what they are supposed to be doing?
“That said, we know in Mississippi that we have broad and critical infrastructure needs – ancient water and sewer systems, deteriorating roads and bridges, decaying school buildings, limited healthcare, unavailable broadband, inadequate flood control, scarce early childhood development infrastructure, and unimaginable food deserts, to name a few.
Other states have other issues. But for the conservative/liberal yaya, it should not be hard to pass legislation to deal with the nation’s most critical infrastructure issues.”
What kind of nonsense is this? Every year the president (regardless if it’s a dem or republican) stands before Congress and vows to tackle infrastructure, poverty, healthcare, education, and so on. Where I live the water and sewer system is great. The people running it in my city are smart and talented. My city has great leadership. Maybe instead of begging DC to help bail out your crappy city maybe the author should try asking the tough question why the water and sewer infrastructure in (insert city) is so bad. Or is that too tough and it’s just easier to beg and blame others?
Once upon a time Bill Crawford was relevant…
Jobs aren't coming to any community (other than to Mound Bayou in the sixties) where those four critical issues are not being addressed. And 'plans to address' them won't cut it.
It's always popular to claim the problem is that jobs aren't coming to the community. That's a symptom, not a problem. The root of the problem is those who sit around whining about the lack of jobs.
mississippi is a state with ample resources and according to our governor a competitive business climate.
we lack young people staying. our population is declining! plain and simple. we will get no traction until we convince our young people to stay, and young people from other states to move here.
what does nashville have that we don't? fried chicken? (hardly). avocado toast (you can get that here..). thrift stores?
or is it a related to other issues: lack of 'cool urban areas', high crime in the urban areas that we do have, lack of basic city services in the one urban area that could attract younger people?
we have to face facts: jackson, yes jackson, the city thereof, is the key to the future of the state. governor reeves needs to appoint a city manager to take over for a while (probably years) and get it fixed. everything from the schools, to the roads, to ending all the pocket-lining and start to turn things around. we didn't get here overnight, and its not going to change in a few months. years.
it has to start somewhere: the state of MS needs an intervention in the capital city!
“ we have to face facts: jackson, yes jackson, the city thereof, is the key to the future of the state.”
July 4, 2021 at 9:36 PM
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Wow. You seem to think Jackson is relevant. It’s not. Maybe 49 years ago? Not today. Not any time soon. If ever!
Somehow, I think that if the so called shovel ready projects show up, and God knows we need them, there will a shit load of shovels just lying around.
5:30 pm
It isn't that hard.
It's the money and the size of population served and the decades of neglect.
Some areas were developed later than others.
9:36 am
Ask those that left...especially those who tried to stay.
And, there's a difference between helping and taking over. Especially, when the greedy and corrupt behavior of those in power here ( be it Dems or GOP or Trumpsters) has been internationally recognized for decades. We always are first in " most corrupt" State.
And, every study will tell you why that is.
It not just the young people, as soon as my wife retires, we are taking her 13th check and headed to Baton Rouge Taxes and Insurance are higher and traffic is horrendous.
There is more to do on a Monday night in downtown BR than a Saturday anywhere in Mississippi.
National Acts play the River Center almost weekly. With two great universities with great Preforming
Arts schools you can catch great stage productions throughout the year. They both field great and entertaining sports teams. Last but not least the Food is just to die for.
Well, neighbor, don't let the screen door hit cha, where the good Lord split cha. You need help packin? How about some moving boxes? The inability to entertain one's self definitely indicates a lack of intelligence. Your departure will probably raise the intelligence quotient of the state 20 points. Bye now.
you lost me at "what does Nashville have that we don't?"
And amen to 12:42. I'm not far behind.
12:45 - I really hate to hear about intelligent folk leaving the state for greener pastures... especially those who think the wife's first 13th check will pay for a moving van. And it'll be six months to a year before she draws the first one, measly as it will be. Hope you're saving up on the side...her first 13th won't move you past Terry.
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