Entrepreneurial drive can overcome population decline

It takes a group effort. I have watched this newspaper for some time and read stories and the comments underneath them. It seems we have people who continue to be opposed to growth. When I read about the possibility of a new brewery, we had people commenting on here who were so ignorant that they had to take a stab at how the prospective proprietor wears his hair in relation to alcoholism (I am fairly certain I did not read that incorrectly). To me, that is opposition to progress. Moreover, we have people complaining about walking trails being built around our town in an attempt to beautify it and to allow people to utilize land in the area. No, I am not talking about the sidewalk to Walmart. When the Kiplinger arena was proposed, (for which the taxpayer paid nothing as I recall) people fought it, asking how much manure "runoff" would result. Seems to me some couldn't see that it would bring diesel pickups from far and wide who fill up at our gas stations, whose drivers need a motel in which to sleep, restaurants in which to eat, and bars in which to have a beer. I commented on a recent story as well about the Calabria subdivision where the county refuses to help the homeowners with the roads. They didn't even ask for improvements, but the county refuses to help. I say the posters under that story who say that available housing in the area will attract people are right. So why isn't the local government doing everything they can to stimulate that area? Can anyone think of anywhere else in this town growing at a similar rate? The posters who have personal issues with the contractor of that subdivision are those that are opposed to growth. These are just a few examples. I support McCook, do you?

The problem is the developer JBH and promoter/realestate office selling most his houses want to take a short cut in developing costs which are the developers cost not the total county taxpayers. It is to bad the new homeowners only now relize they were sold a empty promise of good roads by somebody and now its up to individual home homers and developer to improve roads to county standared not the balance of all county taxpayers to pay Joes Brick Homes bills and cost to develope his privatly owned subdivision and only went outside city limits to avoid additional costs to build houses in the first place.

You focused on one part of what I wrote there fella. Beyond that, I think you proved my point.

It's not just the jobs though. It's the lack of culture. Besides going to the bar or a movie, what is there really to do for a young person?

Also McCook may have all the needed infrastructure, but whose out there promoting it to businesses? Whose out there trying to persuade them to move to McCook?

After Katrina, the State of Mississippi took out a seven page ad in one of the major business magazines that talked about why Mississippi had to offer and asked the question "What can Mississippi do for you?"

Wheres that cheerleading for McCook? Instead speak-e-z is right, you can't try to create a thing in McCook without someone created a big brouhaha over it. The city needs to spend money on upgrades "Oh no you can't spend my money on that it's worked fine for 70 years it'll work for another 1,000"

When your four hours from anything, There's going to be a problem attracting and keeping the young people needed to grow the community and keep it alive. Status quo maybe good enough for old people, but its not for their grandkids and great grandkids.

I'll be honest I moved from McCook to Northwest Indiana and it would take a lot for me to even consider moving back.

In my early twenties (not that long ago) after college, before I met my now husband, I was living in my apartment and going to work. I had only a few friends which were mostly acquaintances because there were not many people my age in the area. I'd gone to a 2 year vo-tech college and everybody else had gone to a universtiy or just move away. Needless to say I was terribly lonely. Then I met Troy, somebody I had something in common with. There still are not many people my age but there are more than there was. I'm not a partier, I don't watch much football, or participate in adult league sports (but I love Tae Kwon Do) but I do try to get out.

Most of the complaints I've heard over the years as to why the citizens don't want better employment opportunities is that it will bring in unsavory characters as well, like when the state was considering the 4 lane interstate connection between I70 & I80. Which would bring lots of traffic through McCook. Tourism (what little we have) and rodeo's just doesn't bring that much traffic but it does help. Sure, we may be half way between Omaha and Denver but people in Omaha have no clue we're out here.

Culture? We do try. We get concerts in the park (not big name but most of them are good) & at the Bierock, plays & musicals, etc. If we could get music that kids listen to then they'd come watch. I personally like the diversity of music that comes through but I'm an eclectic girl.

It would take a lot more than what we have to offer to get people to move here.

McCook has become a bit of a retirement community. While that may be a positive feature for some, it is not conducive to economic growth. The retired and pre-retired don't spend, and they certainly do not support start up business.

Life is what you make it. Has anyone ever had a conversation with someone who waits to be entertained, as to someone who seeks out life's adventures. Those who sit a beg to be entertained are the most absolute boring people to meet. So excuse me when I laugh when people there's nothing to do.

Unfortunately Chunky, seeking out life's adventures tends to take you away from McCook.

Amy's right there are things in McCook such as the concert in the park. However, its not geared toward young people.

The chamber helped get band in McCook a couple years ago that was well known to high school and college aged kids. From what I understand it fared pretty well. I know a couple people that tried get them to help with another one and the chamber would not.

Then again, when its a fight just to put in a sidewalk to walmart, renovate a building for a new use or tear down a building because of "memories". Does that really promote a business friendly environment?

The worlds achanging and unless the powers that be start promoting McCook both to employers and to entertainers, its going to leave McCook behind. or maybe the population decline really is whats best for upcoming retirement community.

McCook's economics is solely based on agriculture. Whether you are selling automobiles or diapers, we are entirely dependent on whether or not the farmers are making money. Whether profits are determined by crop prices or subsidies, they make our economy go. So yes, we are in a box.

Not everyone is suited to be successful here, just as not everyone will be successful in a large city. I do believe it boils down to quality of life. Ours is a slower pace, we find ways to entertain ourselves, we make due with what we have. In the cities, yes, the opportunities to find entertainment are greater, and sometimes the entertainment finds them. Their stress levels are higher, they tend to become unhealthy at an earlier age, and thus they spend a higher percentage of their income on medicines.

With McCook's population aging, progress here is becoming a long slow walk down memory lane. There is an opposition to change, whether it's infrastructure, buildings, housing, and commerce. There are small communities outside McCook where many have started and maintained successful small businesses. Many of us have learned, start with the farmers first, then sell your services to those who directly support the farmers, and so on and so forth.

The opportunities are here, we just have to jump on them.

Yet we continue to have the Jlake's who have a personal beef with one of the few people in this area bringing new tax revenue! Good on the "younger generation" who have purchased The Coppermill and opened Movie House. Good on the city for sticking to their guns and updating their facilities and knocking down worn-out, money-pitting old ones. I consider myself as conservative as they come, but honestly my friends, if we want to stand a chance of raising that number on our census signs, we need to get with the game. My next post would have been about the wonderful things that our city DOES have, including the Bieroc, great food, and even better people. Jlake, if you start building something (a new business of ANY kind except another Mexican restaurant on Norris Ave) I will support you the same way. I don't know the proprietor of "JBH" as you put it, but I can refer you to the links I posted under the roads discussion with regard to new construction in our area. Love him or hate him, he's bringing people to the area by providing NEW housing. I can refer you to a news story on this very website saying people have turned down jobs in McCook because of a lack of "new housing". Do we want that? Jlake, you can trust that the virtuous man will always prevail. If the proprietor of "JBH" is not a virtuous man, then sucks to his ***-mar.

CPB

Is it healthy to put all of our eggs into agriculture? It's extremely important to any economy and I have a theory that any recession starts with a drought.

I don't ever expect McCook to have the job opportunities of a bigger city or the culture of a bigger city.

McCook also has many wonderful things going for it. However, McCook also has a declining population since the 80's and as you have said is becoming a bit of a retirement community. McCook won't survive with those. The last census showed a 7.9% decrease alone.

Status Quo isn't working for McCook.

It's the 21st Century, and with McCook's broadband internet, there's many businesses that could fit into McCook's centrally located location, sell nation/worldwide via the internet and make a fine living. But no one's promoting that. No one is out there cold calling businesses and seeing if there looking to expand and explaining why McCook would be a good place.

Yahoo was looking to start a new call center (I think), Omaha called them and within 24 hours had a website explaining the benefits of Omaha. Where's McCooks digital cover letter and resume?

There's a product to sell, but whose selling it?