The Southeast Alaska Action Initiatives for Key Economic Clusters was the topic of discussion last week at the Nolan Center on Tuesday, Nov. 29 as Wrangell Mayor Jeremy Maxand, Economic Development Director Carol Rushmore and Economic Development committee member Julie Decker presented a number of topics relating to the process and draft plan for Wrangell.
The initiatives under review are part of a study commissioned by the Department of Agriculture, with the Juneau Economic Development Council contracted to do the study. It’s aimed at forming an economic development plan for Southeast Alaska that focuses on ways to strengthen specific industries in the region.
As a member of the Cluster Working Group involved in the two-phase study, Wrangell had input on what the future of economic development for the borough and other communities in Southeast would be.
According to the Phase II report by JEDC, that input came from a number of entities, including, “private sector industries, federal, state and local agencies, university faculty, trade association representatives and other stakeholders committed to addressing industry needs, concerns and opportunities on a partnership basis.”
Four key areas were identified over the past two years; ocean products, forest products, visitor products, and renewable energy clusters.
Maxand said renewable energy could be an important part of Wrangell’s contribution to the regional and local economy due to the significant amount of biomass and waste product in the borough.
“We’re looking at using municipal waste to create bio bricks out of paper, cardboard and wood,” Maxand added. “We want to lower peoples’ fuel costs and lower the load on our hydro power system by providing a way to save money, sending municipal waste out of the borough, and all while creating jobs. We also can convert fish and other wood waste into useable products.”
The process is moving forward at an advanced pace for Wrangell, Maxand added.
“Basically, Wrangell is way ahead of the game,” Maxand said. “Before the cluster process was complete, we had a rough draft of economic development initiatives that we would like to work with USDA to realize. What we want to do in the next step is to continue to refine the plan and narrow down the project with the most impact in the near term. We don’t want to recreate the wheel, but we want to build on what will succeed and what we do well.”
Within each cluster’s working group, a number of factors were considered as affecting economic development. According to the JEDC report, an educated and productive workforce, access to capital, a fruitful regulatory climate, research and development into renewable energy and fisheries, and an infrastructure catering to renewable energy are the key factors to be considered as implementation of the plan becomes a reality.
“Wrangell’s plan is based off the cluster initiative developed by USDA to discuss the four areas we can tap into,” Rushmore said. “We’re not entirely sure what the next step for the USDA is, so we’re being proactive in ways to tap into the process. We’ve identified some short term needs that mesh with each of the four groups and we’re starting our own economic initiatives, with the cluster group process as a guideline.”
Rushmore added that the borough is seeking input from Wrangellites on what the next step should be.
“Right now we have the draft plan and we’re asking the community to comment on it,” Rushmore said, “we’re focusing on short term plans locally because not we’re sure how the USDA process is going to work out.”
Those interested in commenting on the draft plan can find it at http://www.jedc.org. The next meeting regarding the cluster initiative will be held Dec. 13 in Juneau.
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