CHARLES CAPPS: Albany focused on job retention, not creating new jobs

Toward the end of the recent column by Wayne Carter (Feb. 17 Albany Herald, “Albany Utilities flubs foster mistrust”), was an apparent defense of the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission (ADEDC).

The fiasco of Albany Utilities’ missteps will soon fade away. However, the impact of economic development decisions are here for the long run. So, while I applaud Mr. Carter for bring this recent success to our attention and I commend the ADEDC for its efforts, it is still far from clear that the ADEDC is fulfilling its mission.

Without more transparency and usable metrics, of which there is little, it is difficult to determine if the ADEDC is fulfilling its mission. How exactly is ADEDC spending its money and what is the return on investment to the taxpayers of Albany/Dougherty County? Where has that information been made clear, except anecdotally?

But one thing is clear — the city and county commissions are not taking economic development seriously. If they were, we would see a real commitment to a vision and a plan backed up by real resources.

Instead, we have an EDC that is playing a rearguard action of job retention, not job creation. For communities like Albany, real economic development is disruptive and expensive. And I’m not sure Albany has the stomach for either.

CHARLES CAPPS

Albany