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Governor: Wyoming Business council must include private sector

October 16, 2003 /

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Bear Paw Development Corporation is a private non-profit organization created for the purpose of administering programs to help improve regional economic conditions in Hill, Blaine, Liberty, Chouteau and Phillips Counties and the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy's Indian Reservations.

Gov. Dave Freudenthal says the private sector must be included more in Wyoming Business Council discussions, particularly those involving business retention.

Casper Star Tribune

"We need to include the private sector and what’s on their mind," Freudenthal said.

By being more visible with its retention efforts, the council will help businesses by letting them know what services are available and how to use them, the governor said.

"People don’t like to advertise their problems," said Freudenthal, but added having confidence in the discretion of the business council could help them out.

Freudenthal made headlines earlier this month with his criticism of the council, saying after a meeting in Green River that the group lacks zeal, has no decisive mission statement and isn’t focusing on business enough.

Tucker Fagan, the council’s chief executive officer, has since said he took the governor’s comments as a challenge, and Freudenthal said he meant no harm by them.

"I didn’t leave there feeling like there had been either undue praise or undue criticism," he said. "We had an incredibly good discussion with a variety of comments. The meeting was an attempt to talk about what we are doing and what we could do better."

Freudenthal particularly encouraged the council to do more active individual recruitment and give him contacts to help Wyoming businesses.

Freudenthal also discussed how the council targets its efforts to bring coveted manufacturing jobs to Wyoming, something that has become increasingly important as the industry continues to move overseas.

"We need to continue to target them and keep refining because we have limited resources and we have to use them as best we can," he said.

The council saw its economic development funding increase dramatically this year with the Business-Ready Communities Act that dedicates $25 million over three years for community infrastructure needed to support new and expanding businesses.

"I put more programmatic funding at their disposal than it has had in its history," said Freudenthal, who added he intends to seek more funding in upcoming legislative sessions.

http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2003/10/16/news/wyoming/be55f3ff23377fc48978d4e03e5f95f7.txt