A Nasty Swishing Sound

Big news hit Jefferson County this week in the form of a Mega Withdrawal from the proposed Megasite project. Late Thursday afternoon, EDOC released a statement that they would not continue to pursue the Megasite project and the news came as a welcome relief to property owners who live in the proposed footprint. As most Jefferson County residents are aware, the property owners have formed a very active coalition to oppose the site. The news of the withdrawal did not come as a surprise to me, nor did the timing. With budget requests looming on the horizon, it was not in the best interest of the Chamber or Commerce or EDOC to continue chasing this ghost of a project. There was never any firm foundation surrounding the proposed Megasite and, as information came to light, the project began to crumble. Certainly, property owners are both getting the credit and taking considerable heat for the defunct deal, however placing the responsibility for the success of the project solely on the SOFAH group is short sighted and unfair. They did come together in a tight alliance and became well informed about their opponent. They did employ a strong leader in attorney Scott Hurley to lead their charge against the Megasite. And they did make their wishes known to their elected officials through meeting attendance, calls and letters. All of which are simply the components of a well instituted campaign and, agree with their position or not, they deserve kudos for keeping it together during, what had to have been, a time of great stress.

But, I contend that this project had more holes than simply property acquisition. Even if every land owner had signed on the bottom line, the foundation was not in place to make this mega million dollar tax investment a reasonable investment for Jefferson County. Yes, we need jobs but we cannot afford pipe dreams that sandmen from other lands put into our head. I personally talked to people on the State level and we were not going to be the bride, should an auto manufacturer come calling. We weren’t even going to be the maid of honor. No, we were way down the funding line in a government that has put its resources toward small and mid sized businesses and inherited a $117 mega million dollar tax payer drain from the previous administration in the West Tennessee Megasite. Add in the newly empty Megasite in Clarksville and the puzzle pieces just didn’t fit for Jefferson County to get State funding for this project. The costs were too high for the relatively small percentage of property owners in a County with a total population of around 53,000 to shoulder. Now, I don’t expect EDOC or the Chamber to come out and confess that there was no funding from the State or TVA on this project. That would make them look foolish. And I don’t expect them to admit that it was highly questionable that any manufacturer was ever coming on board, even though they were standing in line, holding the flowers for at least two industrial mega marriages that would have to come before them. They would look foolish. So, instead they blame the unwillingness of property owners to offer up their homes for the greater good. And some media organizations will promote it and some people will buy it and that is just the way that well purchased spin works.

Jefferson County needs jobs. Jefferson County needs jobs. Jefferson County needs jobs. Three times while we click our heels and it just might happen. Well, that and someone actually trying to promote business in Jefferson County. I am interested in seeing how much was actually spent in pursuit of the Megasite project-how much of those dollars went outside the County and how many  people inside the County could have been employed for those funds. If we won’t employee our own people, why do we think that anyone else will?  Some will say that the proposed Megasite would have been a homerun for Jefferson County. As any mediocre baseball player will tell you-when you swing for the fence, more often than not, you strike out. The score counts the same crossing home plate one base at a time. And, there is not that nasty swishing sound when you miss.