Columbia, SC (WLTX) - The adage goes "It takes a village to raise a child." In government it can take a city, county and state to help people get jobs.
Economic development is obviously what makes a community grow. If new businesses are coming in, they're hiring new people - just like when existing businesses are expanding.
But before any of that can happen, Midlands leaders say they have to learn to work together, better. It's what they discussed at Wednesday's meeting of Richland County Council, state legislators from Richland County, business community members and Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin.
If working together is what it's all about, they may have learned that the hard way after losing Southwest Airlines to to Greenville and Charleston earlier this year. Columbia Chamber of Commerce President Ike McLeese told the group why. "He said, 'What was your issue with Columbia?' And they said, 'We saw a community that didn't have its act together.' He said, 'What are you talking about?' They said, 'Well, somebody took us to Lexington, then they brought us to Columbia, then they took us somewhere else. When we got to Greenville/Spartanburg, everyone was in the same room," McLeese said of a conversation with Southwest.
Now, they're committed to working together more - changing their meeting involving all officials from yearly to quarterly. "We had the mayor here, we had county council people, county manager and legislative members in the same room talking about economic development," said Sen. Darrell Jackson, chair of the Richland County delegation.
Added Rep. Joan Brady, "If we're going to create more jobs here in Richland County, then we are going to have to work together as a delegation, as a city and as a county."
That means paying more attention to who is appointed to boards, like the one the heads Central Midlands Regional Transportation Authority, or CMRTA. "I think it all goes to economic development. I think we have to appoint member to boards and commissions who can understand, who can work, who can help create a great business climate in Richland county so that we can produce jobs," said Jackson.
And maybe changing the way those appointments are made.
The city, county and state all have three appointments to the CMRTA board. They're all looking at appointing two citizens and only one elected official.
Right now, the state has three elected officials on the board. All of that change is expected by December.