WEEKLY UPDATE      July 20th, 2007

HOT WEEK ...yeah it’s been warm outside but that’s not what we’re talking about. There has been a lot of activity on the economic development front in Ponca City, America this week. So much so that a special meeting of the PCDA board of Trustees will be held next Tuesday, (see below). That doesn’t mean announcements are pending. It does mean, however, that we’ve left the concept phase of several projects and gotten to the specifics, (i.e. serious negotiations) as well as getting near the final decision point on three projects. Trustees will talk about a total of six projects: one high tech, one customer service and four manufacturing companies, and direct the negotiations that will, hopefully, get people to decisions soon. OK IN THE GATEWAY ...the North Central Oklahoma region came together in Billings today, that is those involved with economic development in the region. On the agenda was a discussion about doing the region’s first joint trade show appearance, (selling the region as opposed to individual communities). In addition, the work plan for the year was developed and workforce was discussed. More importantly, the region was able to communicate with one another on programs and progress on economic development issues. Communities in the region really do not compete against one another for business, that’s an outdated concept. The global economy shops regions, not individual communities, and a unified approach is a must. ISN’T THAT SPECIAL? (MEETING) ...as mentioned above, PCDA Trustees will hold a special meeting on Tuesday. “Special” meetings are called when needed, with the right official bells and whistles, to discuss very specific things. In this case, it’s to hold a closed session to talk about six projects. More specifically, PCDA negotiators will tell the Trustees “we said this and they countered with that….whatchathink?” A decision can’t be made ‘cause a decision is not on the agenda. Trustees will provide direction. That direction will go back to the companies involved, we’ll talk, jaw, cajole, preen, etc. Not every little element of negotiations has to come back to the Trustees, (it’s direction, not micromanagement) but the final decision is theirs alone and it must be made in public after it’s been publicly noticed. BLOWING THY OWN HORN ...with the Fall approaching much too fast for kids in school, PCDA is working on a number of different marketing initiatives designed not just to send the come hither look to business, but also to get people foolishly living elsewhere to think about living in Ponca City. This includes a new billboard sign and message, a different look to the website, different lay outs for advertisements and more. As they say in the marketing field, 50% of advertising doesn’t work you just don’t know which half that is. We are, however, setting up websites, 800 phone numbers and doing other things in our outreach, at the direction of the PCDA Trustees, to better measure the success and target marketing resources. UPCOMING.... Tue. July 24th: PCDA Board of Trustees Special Meeting, 4:00 p.m., Chamber Conference Room Thur. Aug. 9th: PCDA Monthly Board meeting, 7:30 a.m., Chamber of Commerce Board Room Ponca City Development Authority 102 S. Fifth Street, Ste. 3, Ponca City, OK 74601 580.765.7070/580.765.0969-fax Or E-Mail - David Myers CEcD - Executive Director Visit Ponca City Development's Latest News Archives © www.goponca.com - Ponca City Development Authority - Ponca City, Oklahoma