Small town America seems to be making headlines these days. WE KNOW the pleasures of small town life.
The Oct. 24 issue of the Wall Street Journal highlighted Tribune, Kan., a town of 1,298 poised on the precipice of extinction.
Several things helped turn the tide. Most importantly was probably the Tribunites themselves who took inventory as to what makes a small town attractive. Right off the bat they realized good ideas need harnessing and hired an economic development director for Greeley County.
They also concluded that Tribune’s movie theater was a wide draw, considering the nearest entertainment — Walmart — is 60 miles away. Volunteers keep the theater doors open.
Also in the winning formula are Gov. Brownback’s initiatives to lure outsiders with tax breaks and student loan payoffs.
In the past two years, Tribune has seen a growth of 4 percent. Nineteen citizens have moved to the area because of the financial incentive programs, which pay up to $3,000 a year toward student loans for five years and waive state income taxes for up to five years for those who transfer from out of state.
A whopping 73 counties, including Allen and Woodson, qualify for the Rural Opportunity Zone programs. To participate requires county buy-in. To date, the state has enrolled 600 people in the programs.
As a state, Kansas continues to grow, although minimally. In the 2010 Census, Kansas had a population of 2.85 million, up from 2.68 million in 2000. Urban centers predominately benefited from the growth.
The WSJ article quoted Laszlo Kulcsar, an associate professor at Kansas State University, as seeing rural counties in a downward spiral. Kulcsar warned we should brace for the 2020 Census, which “will be a really rude awakening.”
Long-term, Tribune and its ilk are projected to be half their size in 25 years.
• Estimated travel time to work is five minutes — if the stoplight turns red;
• More often than not a trip to the grocery store includes seeing a familiar face. On the flip side, with that familiarity comes responsibility;
• Though we are rural, a sizeable city is 90 minutes away — the time some city folk spend getting to work each day;
• A rural lifestyle can be more healthy because of its access to the great outdoors, and lack of stress associated with commuting;
• A house or car is none the worse because its doors are not locked — although why tempt fate, and,
• A helping hand is never far away.
All these attributes are fringe benefits when selling Iola, Moran or Humboldt to outsiders.
The meat of the issue to young families is an area’s job market, its schools, medical facilities, recreation facilities and housing opportunities.
Available housing, especially, remains a local challenge.
Allen County has yet to turn the corner on its long-term trend of losing population. Iola’s population has dipped down to 5,698. Just to hold steady entails growth.
Still, the air holds promise. A new coffee shop. A new sidewalk along North State. A new hospital. A very successful community college. A busy recreation program. A beautiful library. And a fine arts center that continues to draw sell-out crowds.
We have the goods. Now to market.
— Susan Lynn
Small town life on national radar; now to bring focus local
