By Harold Brummett

Denmark Star Route

 

The Economic Development Foundation recently hired an economic development director who after getting the lay of the land had the EDF hire someone else to plan. 

Mr. Boyette of Boyette Strategic Advisors said (as reported in the Oxford Eagle) said he is looking forward to working with Oxford. Great. Someone else who forgets where the city limits are. That is like the Mayor talking about Oxford citizens living in Lafayette County. 

EDF Director Miller did say in the article that Mr. Boyette will do the economic impact evaluation and analysis, create economic development and workforce strategies, as well as provide a feasibility study for Lafayette County. What do the lawyer elite and moneymen have planned for us I wonder. 

The city is in the county but the county is not in the city. This means that the city of Oxford has its own mayor and aldermen and while cooperation is indeed desired and happens more often than not, many times the city has shown its independence from the county (re: animal shelter).

The Boyette website says, “A Boyette impact evaluation and analysis considers both the quantifiable economic impact, as well as the social and cultural impacts that are not quantifiable but are many times even more significant. In demonstrating the impact of a specific project or organization over time, Boyette equips leaders with the knowledge to develop accurate and compelling messaging.”

This looks fine in print, but the question is will Boyette look at what is best for County as well as City interests. The culture of the Oxford college student centric entertainment district does not reflect the rural tastes or culture. 

Will Tula, Yocona, Harmontown, Abbeville and other small communities be considered and will the wants and desires of these communities even be in play? Perhaps these communities are satisfied keeping Oxford at bay while still enjoying friends and neighbors with relationships that go back generations. What good is growth to those who are content with what they have?  Will Mr. Boyette ride the county roads and talk to people in those communities or will his experience end at the city limits?

Mr. Boyette  as quoted in The Oxford Eagle, “We will be looking at things like, what will entice or encourage investment in job creation, what is the right type of investment and the right type of job creation for Lafayette County.”  Is he talking more industry where the good paying middle and upper level management positions go to people imported for these jobs?  That is why our kids move away to begin with. The kids of the county residents are more than a reservoir of menial workers and some move away to where they have better opportunities and lower cost of living.    

Does Mr. Boyette know how to plan a steady state that is neither growth nor decline that will benefit all three constituents, County, City and University? This is a tough hat trick. 

Boyette Strategic Advisors has offices in Little Rock Arkansas and Atlanta Georgia. Neither place is a showcase of wholesome, crime free development. Let’s see what our county officials have bought for us with Boyette Strategic Advisors and hope it turns out well.