Several Cowley County manufacturers are desperate for qualified workers but can't find them in Arkansas City, Winfield or other Cowley communities, a local banker said today.

Union State Bank President John Sturd said the topic of workforce recruitment and development was likely to be the focus of a meeting Thursday of a Cowley First coordinating council meeting.

I hope this recruitment will be better for Cowley County residents than the meat packing plant was. When applicants were not qualified,rather than to train them, they recruited from parts unknown and Cowley residents didn't fill the jobs. Did we give the plant tax breaks?????? And for how many years???

The public meeting of the economic development coordinating council will take place at noon at Neives' Mexican Restaurant in Winfield.

"That's one of our big goals for this year," Sturd said of workforce development.

It is at the top of a list of suggested topics for discussion at the meeting, according to a meeting agenda e-mailed to The Traveler. The topics are listed under the heading "Discussion of 2007 Priorities for Cowley First."

The second topic listed is related to the first: enhanced and affordable housing opportunities for growing workforce, Sturd, a new member of the council, noted.

Housing will be a problem as it may be hard for most new employees to find affordable housing on what most of the companies pay in Cowley County. Especially if you aren't experienced in the plastics industry.  

Sturd said manufacturers including Rubbermaid and Kan-Pak are looking for qualified workers to staff expanded operations.

"If every employer could hire the people they're looking for, we'd have 400 new people in Cowley County," he said. "But we don't have housing available. Housing and workforce development go hand-in-hand."

I would be interested in knowing just what the starting wage will be at these places. With minimum wage soon to be nearing $7 it would be interesting to know.

Employers are looking for workers with a skill set they apparently can't find in Cowley County, Sturd said. To help fill this need, Cowley College recently christened a new Center for Technical Excellence in Winfield.

"One of the reasons for the new center is to give (students) the skill set they need to fill these job openings," Sturd said.

Other topics that may be discussed at Thursday's meeting: Completion of U.S. Highway 77 corridor study and implementation of study recommendations; enhancement of the entrepreneurship culture in Cowley County by providing a network of support services to encourage the start-up of new business ventures; promotion of rural development through the expansion of tourism activities; and general oversight and assistance to focus groups to continue implementation of Vision 20/20 and 2006-2010 community development plan.

This is something else I would like to find out more about. This US highway 77 corridor study and their rural development. Has anyone thought about the many lives this will change by zoning property of solid citizens after years of living on these properties? It is in the making, as we live and beathe. Property is going to be zoned commercial with out the say of the land owner. This is yet another topic!!!!! The will be more posted on this subject for sure!!!!!