From our weekly issue dated June 30, 2010
In an effort to gather resources and inspiration from which to develop and direct future financial success in rural Oregon, the Rural Economic Project paid a visit to Illinois Valley.
On Wednesday, June 23, a segment of Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB)“s Think Out Loud radio program was taped at Wild River Brewing & Pizza Co. in Cave Junction featuring local voices sharing stories of success and struggle in S.W. Oregon.
As described on its Website, the Rural Economic Project is a partnership between Rural Development Initiatives, Sustainable Northwest, the Oregon Consortium/Workforce Alliance, WorkSource Oregon and OBP. The project “showcases the stories of successful entrepreneurs, people trying to make ends meet, and communities working to build stable, vital economies in Oregon“s rural towns.“
The Cave Junction stop was third in a series of live programs produced by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in support of the Rural Economy Project. Radio co-hosts Emily Harris and Dave Miller spoke with members of the business community, development specialists and the audience.
During the first segment, a distinction was drawn between the resource dependent rural industries of the past with a promising, high-tech future — a theme revisited during the show. Among panelists during this segment was Jennifer Phillippi, co-owner of Rough & Ready Lumber Co. in Cave Junction. She spoke of memories of growing up in a timber family. While nostalgic, Phillippi stressed that her company has met changing market needs head-on.
Rough & Ready, she said, has focused on high-quality, value-added products; has invested in bio-mass co-generation; and has achieved FSC Green certification.
“We saw an opportunity to change with the times. That“s what the businesses here do,“ said Phillippi.
Even so, the future is uncertain for the lumber industry, she said, because of the restricted availability of timber on land owned by the federal government.
Phillippi“s counterpart on the panel was Damon Crockett, a Wilderville resident whose firm manufactures motor controls for electronic vehicles. Crockett asserted that his business is globally competitive and that his products are in increasing demand.
“You“re looking at electric vehicles being the primary form of transportation in the future,“ he said. Crockett also credits his dedicated crew of some 20 employees and especially the service provided by Federal Express and United Parcel Service.
Miller read from a letter from Cave Junction businessman Greg Walter expressing concern that, post- “timber debate,“ the community had not come together to market itself as a desirable place to visit.
Why, Walter wondered, didn“t the community simply embrace expansion of Oregon Caves National Monument, 20 miles east of Cave Junction, as a practical means of capturing “the visiting public.“
Harris sought a voice in opposition with a show of hands. She settled on valley resident Jim Nolan.
“The problem in dealing with the environmental concerns and meeting them halfway is that usually means meeting them somewhere between their side of the pendulum swing and middle and the bottom,“ he said.
This principle applied to timber and other resources, Nolan said. He noted, “Soon there“s no access.“
“And in the meantime we sit here in an economic abyss in a sea of wealth, and it sickens me.“
Phillippi stated that a balance needs to be struck to build a vibrant economy
“Some 95 percent of the Siskiyou National Forest is set aside and not accessible for timber harvest,“ she said. (It“s) off limits. There has to be a point of balance.
“There have been some nice opportunities to come together on projects of forest health. I think as the different factions start working together we can start working on bringing out logs that will pay for forest health.
“We“re still a bit distrustful of one another,“ said Phillippi, “and its hard to talk about bringing a log out to help pay for forest health projects “ Once the federal stimulus funding is gone, we will have to pay for it.“
In the next segment, Ron Fox, executive director of Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc. (SOREDI) underscored the FedEx and UPS factor in the success of rural economies.
“FedEx and UPS,“ Fox said, “have leveled the world of commerce by picking up and being able to deliver those products.“ He conceded, though, that it is unlikely that either shipping firm would be delivering lumber soon.
Fox spoke to the necessity of supporting healthy traded-sector industries that create wealth and bring it back to the community.
The role of seniors and retirees play in shaping the rural economy is pretty significant, said Pat Jenkins, a registered nurse, who offers many nursing-care services and advocacy for seniors.
A significant segment of the population in S.W. Oregon is older than 65, Jenkins said. The “aged population“ creates a demand for medical services, making nursing one of the most in-demand professions in the region.
“I can“t do any more than I“m doing, I physically can“t.“ she declared.
Limited property for expansion and a lack of educated workforce were factors leading to the flight of Fire Mountain Gems from Illinois Valley.
“The thing that is limiting ecommerce in Southern Oregon is the inability to hire people with the necessary skills,“ said co-owner Stewart Freedman.
“We can get plenty of workers and they“re wonderful people,“ he explained, “but we cannot get the skills we need ... technical and managerial skills. (Some) 60 percent of these people we hire we have to bring in from outside Josephine County.“
Harris asked audience members to remark on what they would preserve about rural areas.
“One of the positive things about this place is that it“s rural,“ said Simon Hare, a county commission candidate. “It“s not on the beaten path, but at the same time it has to be sustainable to keep jobs here and enable people to develop in the future.“
Said Phillippi, “There is a kind of person in rural Oregon, that is so valuable, that kind of honest, genuine person, is so valuable that we have to protect it, and the whole state of Oregon is better off with that example.
“I don“t want that to change,“ she stated.
An appreciation of “rural“ skills was expressed, but Freedman emphasized the need for technical proficiency.
“Life is not just work and plunking away on the computer,“ Freedman said. “I fully appreciate (rural) skills.
“But you need modern skills as well you need a balance ... things will be on the Internet. More and more of commerce is going that way.
“You should be ready ... and understand this new form of marketing, and then, if you want to go home and can your own pears, God bless you,“ Freedman proclaimed.
We want to hear from you!
Add your thoughts with the link below.
Comments returning soon!
Advertisement:
