City officials say economic development efforts are gleaning more local jobs

Nevada Daily Mail

Nevada's city manager, Craig Hubler, is happy. Hard work, determination and tenacity are paying off for the city and its citizens. The economic outlook seems to indicate the next few years will see Nevada's economy expand and in 20 years it is expected that the population will grow by 50 percent.

Manufacturing jobs are up as well as retail positions, in the last year more than 300 new jobs were added to the local economy. Job growth is expected to continue for the next several years and by late 2008 an additional 1,300 jobs should materialize.

Hubler said the city was working with the Buxton Company to prepare local profile data that matches the buying habits and lifestyles of the consumers living in our trade area with the customers of retailers and restaurants which may be looking at locating in Nevada.

"The research we're doing this year will be a platform for programs in 2006, 2007 and 2008," Hubler said. "It's at least two years before a franchise gets going and what we do now will impact businesses for years."

Hubler said that while the area had seen a population decrease in the past 30 years the area was poised to grow by 50 percent in the next 20 years -- but that poses its own problems.

"Since our community has not grown for many years, it has been difficult for developers of new residential subdivisions to obtain conventional financing. Banks need favorable comparables and absorption rates for collateralization of a private developer's street, water, and sewer investments. Right now, that's a challenge," Hubler said "To help our homebuilders get off to a fast start, special assessment financing along with temporary investment incentives are being provided for several new developments that will bring homes sites into the market this year."

The expected growth requires the city to work with businesses and individuals to make sure the growth happens in a controlled manner.

"The thing I worry about with the housing is the timing," Hubler said.

"There has to be a market for new housing to make it worth the developer's effort, you don't want people building housing there's no market for. On the other hand you don't want the market to wait too long before beginning new construction because that will drive up housing prices on existing homes and could cause other problems as well."

One long-awaited program has gained approval to move forward now that the legal obstacles put up by opponents have been overcome.

"Thanks to the Missouri Housing Development Commission and Rosemann & Associates, we are also pleased to have the Ozark building's $6 million housing development move forward in our North Campus area," Hubler said.

"This challenging historic restoration project substantially completes the first phase of Nevada's widely recognized telecommunity project."

The city has in place a capital improvement strategic plan detailing the work the city plans to do to expand the capacity of Nevada's water and sewer systems as well as improvements scheduled for Nevada's municipal airport.

Hubler tempered the good news with some somber facts about Nevada's efforts to do its part to be prepared in case of attack.

"Despite our growth and good fortune, we have not forgotten that our nation's war on terror continues to affect all Americans, and Nevada is no exception," Hubler said.

"Last year we were focused upon the Nevada Forward Regional Response Team's hazardous materials (and biohazards) equipment and training. This year we are moving forward with updated E-911 emergency dispatch equipment, a new rescue/haz-mat vehicle, and expanded mutual aid agreements with our region's many city, county and district emergency service providers and volunteers."

"Our most comprehensive homeland security effort, however, involves Nevada's integrated utility and emergency services database and communications network. It's a system integration challenge that federal, state and local governments around the world are trying to tackle. Nevada's system is a redundant wireless and fiber communications network supported by a state of the art GIS database, server network and records management system."