PARSONS — An executive steering committee of 16 will be formed to help Kansas’ poorest region find its way to prosperity. The announcement comes on the heels of an economic development summit last month in Iola, put on by southeast Kansas’ four state senators.
During a Southeast Kansas Inc., luncheon here Tuesday, State Sen. Jeff King said the 300 people who attended the summit, including Gov. Sam Brownback, sent a message that whatever has been done to address the economic situation isn’t cutting it. The summit, King said, issued a “mandate” that the region’s ailing economy needs to be aggressively confronted.
“There seemed to be a very good consensus out of the summit that a group needs to be formed and it would decide the long-term structure,” King said.
King said the executive committee’s charge will be two-fold: addressing economic development with an emphasis on curbing the cycle of welfare and poverty in the region; and focusing on lifestyles and healthcare.
“You can use any economic indicator you want. We are the least healthy part of the state by a long shot,” King said. “And that has a dramatic effect on our economy as a whole.”
Because the task of revitalizing a stale economy is a lengthy endeavor, King said those appointed to the committee will be expected to serve two-year terms.
“Literally, we need to talk about this as a five- or 10-year process,” he said. “If people are expecting huge solutions to come in the next six to 12 months, let me tell you right now that is not going to happen.”
State Sen. Dwayne Umbarger agreed, adding that everyone must put aside personal politics and special interests in order for the initiative to be successful.
“Don’t play politics with this,” said the Thayer Republican. “Leave the Republican party and the Democrat party and all the partisanship politics at the door. This is about southeast Kansas people and southeast Kansas jobs and southeast Kansas families.”
Existing organizations, such as SEK Inc., Iola Industries Inc. and Thrive Allen County, will and should continue to function, but the not-yet-formed steering committee will provide “a collaborative forum where they can come together,” King said.
“This initiative is not meant to usurp any other good work that’s going on and it’s not meant to step on anyone’s toes,” he said. “We have great organizations in southeast Kansas doing great things, but they don’t work together well enough.”
The steering committee will identify the strengths of existing organizations and when necessary and proper, tap them for assistance.
“We realize this needs to be a broad-based effort but realize that we need this core executive committee to push it forward,” he said.
King said he and the three legislators expect committee members to be selected in the coming weeks with the first meeting in early January.
“The clock is ticking. We have momentum. We dont want to lose it,” King said of the quick turnaround.
But it’s not just momentum the Independence Republican is after. The Kansas Leadership Center is offering a $1 million grant worth of leadership training resources to a group, area or region with an identified problem that increased leadership can solve. The grant application is due mid-January.
With or without the leadership grant, King said the committee will most likely pursue funding for a part-time executive director to manage the project.
Umbarger said an executive director would be accountable for progress, an important element when pursuing any goal.
Senators announce committee formation
