By Clay LePard
clepard@cbs4qc.com
Western Illinois communities are making an aggressive push to boost economic development.
At today's economic summit in Galesburg, leaders from all over western Illinois brainstormed about what it would take to lure more business.
By taking the phrase "strength in numbers" to a whole new level, regional leaders identified local opportunities and threats to the community.
City leaders they say the biggest problem they face, like any rural community, is landing new age technology jobs. And Galesburg leaders say with the help of a federal economic development grant, things can get off the ground quickly if they play their cards right.
"This grant is a resource to help to grow, to help to keep business, to help to attract new business to communities that were represented today," says Salvador Garza, Galesburg Mayor.
And in Galesburg, they say the need has never been greater.
"As everyone who has lived here for quite a long time clearly understands, we have incurred tremendous losses from factory closures," Garza adds. "And that's become our number one priority and that is appreciating the existing businesses to a greater level."
The best medicine to dealing with economic problems, they say, doesn't come from anywhere far away.
"Getting young people to realize the real opportunities here," says Blanche Shoup, Director of Workforce Investment Office.
"Its always exciting thinking about going away, there's nothing wrong with that. But coming back, and bringing your family and starting a business here and helping grow the economy."
"We're having to do more with less, but if you can start seeding the brain and the gray matter of these young people to start creating value in these communities, then we can start bringing that wealth back," says Paul Schuytema, Director of Community Development in Monmouth.
Organizers say they're looking into holding more of these kinds of meetings to help further bring communities together.
