Editorial: Less talk, more action needed on development

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July 21, 2010

There has been too much talk and not enough action on economic development in Derry.

And now there's going to be even more.

As the expansion of Route 28 grinds to a virtual standstill, the Town Council has voted to form yet another committee to hash, rehash and hash again the details of economic development plans for the town.

At this rate, generations may pass before anything actually gets done.

If the stakes were not so high, it would be almost comical to listen to Derry leaders' descriptions of what they think they're accomplishing here.

Stuart Arnett, a contracted economic development consultant, told the council, as reported by Julie Huss, that its economic goals for 2010 are moving along and that several visions for a stronger, financially sound Derry were on target.

Councilors decided to form a "big tent" task force, led by Councilor Joel Olbricht, which will recommend actions as goal-setting continues. The task force will include representatives from town organizations like Chamber of Commerce, Town Council, School Board and the Downtown Committee. Other members might including downtown business owners, church leaders, residents and human service providers.

That's a formula for inaction if ever we've seen one.

All this is nothing more than the mumbo-jumbo of people who are good at convening meetings but who accomplish little else.

Councilor Kevin Coyle sees through the nonsense.

"What do we hope to accomplish with economic development?" Coyle asked. "If we can't figure out what that is, we are spinning our wheels."

Coyle notes that the Route 28 project, the primary economic development project in town, has bogged down yet again and that Derry has little yet to show for four years of effort.

"I am extremely disappointed with the TIF and the way it's going" Coyle said. "I was not a big fan to begin with. It's been four years and there are still delays. It's very disappointing."

The roadblock right now is finishing up the land acquisition needed for the road expansion. Coyle worries that the project is again a year behind schedule and construction costs are rising.

Derry's Public Works Director Michael Fowler said all 15 property deals will need to be secured before any work bids can go out.

"There is not really any new news to report on the Route 28 land acquisitions," Fowler said. "We are still awaiting several signatures from owners who have no objections to the friendly acquisition but they have attorneys or real estate management interests in other states that must sign off."

Admittedly, negotiating deals with 15 landowners is not easy work, nor is figuring out the fate of the historic Pinkerton Tavern. But that, not convening "big tent" task forces, ought to be the focus of town leaders.

The goal here is to attract new businesses to Derry and encourage existing enterprises to grow. But businesses can detect a community's lack of focus and steer well clear of it. Businesses don't want to become mired in a community's ingrained inaction.

Here is the cost of Derry's dawdling on economic development: The town's inability to get anything done is doing more to drive away business than lure it in.

Enough talk. Just get it done.

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