Economic council meets in Great Falls

Most Montanans are clear about what they want — better paying jobs.

In an effort to help improve the state’s economy, members of Gov. Martz’s Economic Advisory Council were in Great Falls Tuesday
volleying development ideas with Montana’s Chief Business Officer Dave Gibson and members of his staff.

By JO DEE BLACK
Tribune Staff Writer

Improving workers’ skills and bringing more technology into the state’s industry will bring better wages, says Gibson.

Sounds easy enough, but coming up with a plan to make those things happen is anything but simple.

Enter the advisory council.

"This is our board of directors, so to speak," Gibson said. "This is my first stop to bounce ideas off of people, to find out if the work my
office is doing is on the right track."

One area Gibson was seeking advice in is how more of the research conducted at the state’s universities can be drawn into the economy.

Although the universities have people charged with the task, the departments are understaffed and underfunded, Gibson said.

Board members were also asked to share ideas on improving the state’s two-year educational institutions and improving rural economies.

Board member Sharon Quisenberry said it will be important to create comprehensive development plans for small communities.
Quisenberry is the dean of the College of Agriculture at Montana State University-Bozeman.

Past efforts have only come up with partial plans, such as identifying a potential market for a particular good produced in a small town.
But too often the market is gone by the time action is taken, she said.

Other board members are: Will Weaver, former dean of the MSU-Great Falls College of Technology; Scott Mendenhall, executive director
of the Jefferson Local Development Corp. in Whitehall; Turner Askew, president of Turner Askew and Associates in Whitefish; Tom Scott,
president of First Interstate BancSystem in Billings; Jerry Driscoll, executive director of the AFL-CIO and Rep. Dave Kasten, R-Brockway.

The board will meet next on July 18 in Helena at the Capitol. The meetings are open to the public.

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/news/stories/20020619/localnews/56325.html