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Economic development struggling in Livingston Co.
By Tony Sapochetti
tsapochetti@pantagraph.com
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PONTIAC — Livingston County officials received some harsh observations Tuesday on the state of economic development there.

“We are going to be looking at how we can reverse the decline of economic development in Livingston County, because that’s what’s happening,” said David Ochs, administrator for OSF St. James – John W. Albrecht Medical Center.

“The outlook of Livingston County doesn’t look positive,” he told several county and city officials packed in the Pontiac Elks Lodge for an economic forum Tuesday with Ochs and representatives from the Illinois Development Council.

Charity care, uncompensated care and public aid have all doubled within the last three and a half years, he said. Ochs also said that the county will not attract the “brightest and the best” if the current economic climate influences things such as unsafe neighborhoods, a bad infrastructure and an absence of businesses that offer well-paying jobs.

“Livingston County is a wonderful place to live and raise a family, but I think there needs to be a change in a positive way . . . to have sound economic development,” he added.

The county’s unemployment is currently 5.2 percent, said Janet Mathis, chairwoman of the IDC, but there has really been no growth in the economy.

“The rate of companies leaving and the rate of companies coming in actually equals out,” she said.

Mathis and Craig Coil, immediate past chairman for the IDC, recommended the county establish a private-public partnership with a full-time staff to promote economic development.

Another core group, appointed by the Livingston County Board, a group of mayors and a group of primary employers should also establish a core economic group to gather data and make sure it is not necessarily “Pontiac centered,” they suggested.

“I thought it was a good presentation and I can say that this is a major concern for the county,” said Livingston County Board Chairman Bill Flott.

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Reader comments on this story - 4 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

John wrote on Sep 19, 2007 1:32 PM:

" Duh is absolutley right - the people involved in economic development in Livingston County are small town bankers who grew up in their respective small town communiities. Typically dad owned the bank or was previously involved. Most of these small town bankers have NO IDEA what is takes to bring outside businesses to the area. "

Not the brightest wrote on Sep 19, 2007 1:04 PM:

" Many of us still prefer our county the way it currently is. "

Most folks... wrote on Sep 18, 2007 11:47 PM:

" in Pontiac beleive the county ends at their city limits. That everything that comes into the county should be located there. Wonder how it feels to think that well of yourselves when the rest of the county is laughing at you. You could go out to the Cat plant and borrow a bulldozer and you still couldn't ram Pontiac down my throat. "

Duh wrote on Sep 18, 2007 7:23 PM:

" Hate to say it but the people who were at they meeting is not necessarily the best people to lead this effort. How about talking to some people within the community who WORK OUTSIDE OF PONTIAC AND IN AREAS OF BUSINESS THAT INTERACT WITH BUSINESSES ALL OVER THE MIDWEST. I am sorry but the peons at the banks do not have the business savy to attract outside business. Also you have a bunch of small town small thinking people on the county board and city council of Pontiac. A few who will not allow any development unless thay make a buck in the process. "
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