Have you Read the Local News about Mike Strotheide, a gentleman from Kalispell suggesting that we do not have enough Motel Space in the area?
I find this a direct attack on the hard working folks of Eureka. First of all what are these people coming to see?
There are not many restaurants, not many attractions, business – such as the boat rental place, seem to fold or go for sale as soon as they start. Taxes, un-employment insurance, workers comp, and all the little taxes on chairs – cash registers and what a business uses to make money EAT up the Local Profits. Why not give grants, or tax breaks to local businesses to Keep them in Business?
The County gives tax breaks to Big Business to encourage them to be here, why not encourage the locals with local business to stay here and stay in business. I guess there is not enough money in that.
Why NOT create an Online Ad campaign to encourage THOSE who NEED hotel space to SUPPORT the hotels and vacation cabins we already have. Bringing in outside money to have a CHAIN Hotel here is a VERY bad idea. But hey, than the locals can work scrubbing the toilets right. The locals built this community and you want to run over them with big business at every turn in the road.
Strotheide apparently suggested contacting chain hotels such as Holiday Inn and Hampton to inquire about selection criteria. This SOLUTION seems to be to bring in a NEW Hotel, what problem does this REALLY solve?
What is the Problem, is it creating jobs? Will a Hotel Chain create Jobs?
Why NOT support the Vacation Accomendation we already have such as the Silverado, the Ksanka Inn, Bowers Cabins, Riverstone Lodge, HCCabins.com, House on Glen Lake, the Rexford RV Park, theMontanaCabin.com and the many scattered vacation rentals in our area.
Why wipe them out with a chain hotel and call it progress or development?
I live near the Riverstone Family Lodge and I know for a FACT that they are not full 90 percent of the time. I use to live near the Bowers Cabins and know that they are not near full capacity. PROMOTE THE EXISTING BUSINESS
AND DO NOT WIPE THEM OUT WITH A CHAIN HOTEL.
The meeting was apparently about “assets and challenges in the Tobacco Valley”, yet they don’t seem to want to build on the assets we already have and that is the PEOPLE who are already in business here, its THEIR tax dollars who support Lincoln County and always have. Yet the solution to the “mystery problem” seems to be to wipe out the local businesses and create jobs where they can Clean Up tourists messes in a Hotel owned by Big Business.
There is to be a supposed follow up meeting to give residents a chance to participate in setting planning priorities. Who Will Go to these Meetings? I have been to Growth Planning meetings, Subdivision meetings and meeting to give the public a chance to Speak. THEY are Never HEARD so why waste a family dinner to go?
You can speak up and say what you really think should be a planning priority, but you better BE Somebody or you won’t be heard. Money and Political pressure will be too much and the volunteer or paid committee members will buckle. They have a life too and want peace, so they follow the path of least resistance. Look at the Lincoln County growth plan issues and what ended up happening.
Look at Tungsten Holdings run over property rights on Sinclair Creek Road. People protest and it happens anyway…. The locals do not have a lot of experience in being HEARD.
Creating Jobs in an Old Business Model with No Internet Marketing Plan and No real long term solutions is a waste of time and can ruin lives and businesses that are already in place. If you are having a “development brain storming” in 2007 and not talking about the Internet, it is only a Cake and Punch Party.
Charlie Wright of the state Department of Commerce apparently said "No houses No jobs.”," referring to a Labor Day speech by Gov. Brian Schweitzer. Wright also apparently suggested a comprehensive growth plan.
WoW what a Great Idea, has Lincoln County not been fighting – kicking and screaming over a growth plan for a year now. That went over well. And nothing was really solved. There is housing here, however, it is Expensive and Climbing. “No houses No Jobs” is kind of the cart before the horse. Families here, for the most part have houses, they have businesses, SUPPORT them, help them keep their houses and businesses and don’t’ work on new housing for new jobs that take away the livelihood of the locals.
Tourism is Not the answer, this is the Lazy fall back for folks who cannot create jobs and revenue in other creative ways. Make the town worth coming to than work on Accommodations. Strengthen what we have
before you run it over with a NEW SOLUTION.
Obviously This is ONLY my opinion, It is My Blog.
Montana Economic Development Association
Eureka Rural Development Partners
Tobacco Valley Community Development Council
