New leaders renew hopes in new year
I had a chance Sunday to attend the swearing-in ceremonies of Mayor Dave Wood in Mishawaka and Mayor Pete Buttigieg in South Bend. Standing room only crowds greeted both mayors while residents, business leaders, city staffers and elected officials looked on with optimism as the mayors and city councils took their oaths of office.
High expectations await our mayors. Both seemed ready to answer those expectations and chart a course that will position their communities for future success and prosperity. That has residents in both communities excited about the future and encouraged as both roll up their sleeves and get to work.
Our mayors heard strong messages from their constituents during the campaigns related to economic development and the need for new capital investment and job opportunities here in our community. A sluggish economy and slow job growth have people concerned about our future. Our mayors heard that message, and both have identified economic growth as an item that will be at the top of their agendas.
Today, there are more than 30,000 incorporated towns and cities in the United States. Add to that the number of cities and towns around the world and we get a sense of who our competition is for those new jobs and investment. Most of those communities also have strong desires for growth, capital investment and new job opportunities. It is essential that we position our local communities to be competitive with those other communities.
So what can we expect of our new leaders as it relates to economic development? Our expectations must be realistic and within reach. Though both mayors are very knowledgeable and intelligent, neither can be called upon to be “Superman.”
There is no magic formula and no catalog where you can order a new industrial facility, a new corporate headquarters or a handful of entrepreneurs. Change won’t happen overnight, but rather over a longer period of time. Hard work, a clear vision, and a dedicated team will help us get off to a good start.
Gov. Mitch Daniels and others often remind us that it is not government that creates jobs, but it is government that creates the conditions that make those jobs more or less likely to occur. Site selectors remind us that that the cost of doing business and the ease of doing business in a community are often key factors in a company’s decision-making process. Our mayors will have an opportunity to influence each of these factors.
We will rely on our mayors to be our chief salespeople for our communities. That will include responsibilities typically undertaken by a salesperson, such as ensuring customer satisfaction and managing the quality of product and service delivery.
Our mayors both embrace this role, but recognize that they also need a talented sales team under them, and that includes each and every one of us. Imagine a sales force of 260,000 people in our community instead of two — that could be powerful.
Our mayors gave us a call to action in their remarks, asking that we each embrace the important role we all play, take personal responsibility, volunteer where we can, work together for the best interest of our collective community. Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work?
We are not always going to agree with our mayor, and some of the decisions our mayor or city makes. However, we must remember that it is OK to disagree, but we must not allow our disagreements to harden into anger or to hold our community back, especially at this critical time.
I think Mayor Buttigieg summed it up best when he said, “The role of leadership is to hold fast to those things we want to sustain and preserve, yet recognize what must change and point the way forward.” I think our communities are fortunate to have two very competent and capable leaders in Mayor Wood and Mayor Buttigieg, and we look forward to joining them as they point the way forward.
Jeff Rea is president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of St. Joseph County
