One has to wonder what it would have taken to pass muster with the countys economic development committee.
In their brief tenure, the committee denied every request for possible funding, no matter its size or scope.
From the get-go, the men all well-established and in their senior years used a bootstrap mentality as their benchmark.
So instead of looking for the merits of an applicants request and whether they could support it, they looked for its faults as an excuse to shoot it down.
That is, we are left to surmise.
Members gave no public justification or explanation as to why they denied each applicants request for funds, only saying they had fallen short of the mark of some contrived ranking system.
To a one, the five applicants were left confused and embarrassed by the charade.
SO IT WAS welcome news Tuesday that Allen County Commissioners disbanded the committee.
It was a bad idea, said Chairman Tom Williams, who first floated it as a way to sift through requests, large and small.
Now, the decision-making will revert to an already established economic development advisory committee that has representatives from the City of Iola, Allen County, Iola Industries and Thrive Allen County. Those currently serving on the committee are Corey Schinstock and Steve French (Iola), Larry Manes and David Lee (Allen County), John Masterson and Jerry Dreher (Iola Industries) and Cole Herder (Thrive). Bill Maness, economic development director for Thrive, and paid by the city, county and Iola Industries to pursue commercial and industrial leads, conducts the meetings.
Yes, they are all men, which detracts from its possibilities. But at least this group better represents the county and for the most part the members are actively engaged in civic affairs, including Herder as Humboldt city administrator, Masterson as president of Allen Community College, Schinstock as Iolas assistant city administrator, French as a recently retired Iola council member, Lee as a member of LaHarpes council, Manes as the driving force behind the Marmaton Market, and Dreher as a farmer/banker.
This kind of participation is key because all in some fashion understand the crucial role gifts and grants play in todays world.
Herder has leveraged hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants, including some from Allen County, to help Humboldt once again become a thriving town. Masterson has done the same for ACC, as has Schinstock and Manes for Iola projects.
But, of course, the committees most important asset is its goal to develop more business opportunities in Allen County, whether public or private, with the limited funds available.
If it means more jobs in the county, theyre on it.
