BY ELIZABETH REID
Contributing Writer, DBJ
(J.C. Burns)
  J.C. Burns, Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development, talked about his learning tour of the state, specific economic challenges, workforce training issues and alternative programs to spur economic development in the Mississippi Delta to the Delta Business Journal.

Delta Business Journal: It has been said that economic development progress in the Delta has been hindered primarily because of the transportation issue, which was alleviated somewhat by the 1987 Four-Lane Program. What changes would you suggest at the local level? State level? Would you increase emphasis on river transportation? Exports? Rail? How important is the Great River Bridge project for economic development?
J.C. Burns: The 1987 highway program has been a tremendous benefit to economic development efforts, both in the Mississippi Delta and elsewhere in the state. The last report I saw indicated that the program now includes some $4 billion in four-lane work and other improvements for approximately 1,772 miles of state highways. The basic idea was to link every Mississippian to a major four-lane highway within 30 miles or 30 minutes. The program passed because of a common vision shared by legislative leaders and other government officials and, perhaps most importantly, with community leaders at the grassroots level.
  Now, when we turn to economic development in the Delta, we must find that same sort of common vision. All of us, in all aspects of economic and community development, public and private, must talk to each other. That's one of the roles I believe we can facilitate at the state level. Gov. Musgrove says we need to build a consensus on what steps are necessary, and I, as his appointee at DECD, share his view. Obviously, in terms of intermodal transportation, I-69 and the existing highways must also tie in with rail service and ports, which are already very valuable resources. And, I believe better air service can also be developed.
  What we really need is a well-connected, efficient intermodal transportation network. Personally, I'd like to see so much economic activity in the Delta that all of these resources have to be employed just to handle the workload. The reality is that the companies, which move products from and through the Mississippi Delta, are very closely attuned to the bottom line. They demand cost-effective, efficient new solutions and that's what we in the Musgrove Administration are going to offer.
DBJ: An under prepared labor pool has been assisted by recently developed workforce training programs. Community partnership efforts, such as the purchase of the Cutrer Mansion to increase training facilities, have helped, but what else will it take to be more competitive?
Burns: In an age where more electronic and informational tools exist than ever before to help businesses prosper in the future, one fundamental element remains locked in the present. That is true in the Delta, where much of the workforce needs modern training and development. The first word I received from Gov. Musgrove when he took office in January was that economic development is a priority for his administration. Education and workforce development are so closely connected to economic and community development that none can progress without the others. And, none will adequately progress until all of the players in the field of workforce development unite toward the common goal of helping the workforce succeed.
  Now we must embrace new strategies, including how workforce development services are delivered, and the key words are "comprehensive" and "readily accessible." New systems and new allies must work in a coordinated manner to deliver more effective services. Mississippi is initiating systemic reforms to improve workforce development programs. The guiding objective is to organize employment and training programs into a coherent state system focused on achieving results. We want to use resources efficiently and insure that job seekers, workers and employers can easily access needed services. To accomplish this objective, we are examining what is now a patchwork of federal and state programs and taking into account recent federal mandates on workforce development. We know that coordination is vital across the board, and that the support of the education community, the legislature and various executive branch agencies are essential. We also realize that we must fully engage the vast resources of our private sector partners because, they after all, are our most valuable customers and most potent allies. That's what we're going to do.
DBJ: While on your partnership tour through the Delta, what ideas have been pitched that you are considering? Which ones have been ruled out and why?
Burns: There are some recurring themes in this tour, which has been in 13 cities all across the state. As the new man on the job, I felt that I first needed to listen to the comments and opinions from people in private business, education, government and form the communities at large. When the tour ends, we will have touched the hearts and minds of more than 1,000 of this state's most actively involved and energetic leaders. I can tell you that we've heard a lot of very useful information and really nothing has been ruled out. I can also tell you that regionalism is a major, major topic. How do we get cooperation that crosses political boundaries? How do we build stronger public/private partnerships that transcend parochial interests? Workforce development is a huge issue. In the Delta specifically, small business development - and I'm including minority- and women-owned businesses - will be a key element of the strategy.
  The entrepreneurial spirit in Mississippi has never been stronger. We will develop a means of assisting people who have good ideas and a burning desire to go into business for themselves but lack the capital and technical resources to make it happen on their own. I also think we're moving toward identifying several industry segments that Mississippi seems best suited to attract. Very few of the prospects we will bring in are listed on the Fortune 500, but thousands of smaller companies in this country make decisions every day on $500,000 or $1 million or $5 million capital investments. This is a vast pool of new jobs we can attract and in some communities a private capital investment of a million dollars can make a big difference in the quality of life. Another idea we're exploring is to use what some people call "designer incentives" that appeal to a particular type of company in a particular geographic area. One thing I'm finding is that the needs of various areas of Mississippi are different, so it seems logical that our responses to those needs have to different, too. Essentially, you're going to see stronger emphasis on community development, more emphasis on regional team building and closer public/private cooperation as we work through these difficult problems together toward a unified vision.
DBJ: How will you determine a game plan for the Delta and its priorities?
Burns: First, we've listened. Then, we begin to create stronger connections between the public and private sectors, and some of this is already underway. Gov. Musgrove will co-chair, with one of our private sector partners, the Mississippi Partnership for Economic Development, along with Dwight Evans of Mississippi Power. Then, we move toward re-tooling an economic development program whose foundation was built about a dozen years ago before many of the high-tech innovations we enjoy today, like cell phones, personal computers, the Internet, e-commerce. We will compile information from a variety of resources into a strategic plan to guide our efforts. We will work closely with members of the legislature, and we're already having discussions with key chairman and others.
DBJ: The South Delta, in particular, has been primarily an agricultural society with limited manufacturing opportunities, especially because of flood issues. Instead of working hard to attract manufacturers, it has been suggested to boost economic development by another route - focusing on outdoor recreation and other options. What would you suggest?
Burns: The Mississippi Delta is rich in cultural diversity. The backwaters of the Mississippi River offer incredible opportunities in hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation. So, the Delta has a natural appeal to visitors and tourism has to be a very strong element in the Delta's economic development potential. We simply have to build on that appeal. Our research indicates that tourism and recreation in Mississippi had an economic impact of $5.5 billion and provided jobs for more than 89,000 Mississippians. I believe this is a good source of steady employment and income for residents of the Delta, or a more meaningful contribution the Delta can make to the economic stability in Mississippi.
DBJ: What other specific economic development needs should be addressed in the Mississippi Delta?
Burns: The education component can't be overstated. The process that we will follow in workforce development and training will be resolved soon. Transportation issues are on the front burner. On the state level, we're building stronger public/private partnerships and that must also be one at the local level. MDECD offers a very effective program to help with local development called the Competitive Communities Program, and any Delta community, which hasn't taken advantage of it, should do so. Also, I see major contributions to economic development through the Mississippi Main Street Program, which encourages redevelopment and renovation in downtowns, and the Hometown Retirement Community Program, which attracts retirees to Mississippi. I just want to reiterate that we have to reach a consensus on a common vision. We have to adopt a strategic plan that helps the Delta attract the kinds of economic and community development that it is best suited to attract. This is the same basic strategy that will be followed elsewhere in the state.