County should be seen as place to live, work, play

By Emily Banks Wooten
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John Tarver, president and executive director of the Polk County Economic Development Corporation, recently presented a program to the Rotary Club of Livingston regarding results of three countywide surveys conducted last fall – one for residents, one for business owners and one for elected officials and government staff members.

“We received 414 resident surveys, 78 local business surveys and 43 government official/staff surveys, for a total of 535 surveys. Approximately 71.65% of respondents identified natural resources, including forests and waterways, as a significant strength. Eco-tourism is quite big now,” Tarver said. “Alabama-Coushatta Tribe, Naskila Casino and Lake Livingston provide an economic benefit to the county. Transportation and proximity to Houston were also mentioned.

“Small-town charm and character were listed as a noteworthy strength. A number of respondents recognized community involvement and volunteerism as a strength, emphasizing the importance of an engaged and supportive community. The quality of schools and education was a strength in the county, as was access to healthcare,” Tarver said.

“We don’t have weaknesses, but we have challenges. Some of the challenges listed were traffic, homelessness, infrastructure for industrial development, hotels, public transportation, affordability and availability of housing,” Tarver said.

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“Approximately 40% of the business respondents said they plan to expand potentially. That’s very healthy. Approximately 70% believe local growth is critical. They are in favor of shopping locally and supporting small businesses. Challenges they mentioned were infrastructure improvements needed, lack of affordable housing, a skilled workforce, utilities,” Tarver said.

“The elected officials/government staffs see a strength in the strong sense of community, geographical location, quality of life and cultural and historical assets, recent infrastructure improvements and lower taxes,” Tarver said.

My priorities are to continue to work to create new jobs, expand local businesses and bring new businesses to the area. A healthy business community is important. A growth-friendly political climate is important … quality of life enhancements. I’m extremely excited about Lamar College coming in and what they plan to do here. That’s just going to be a tremendous benefit to the county and to the region and to our employers. Hopefully, that will be up and running in the very near future,” Tarver said.

“Community preparedness is important. The county has seen about a 16% growth over the past decade, and I think that will continue. There are approximately 1,500 businesses in the area. For so long, this county has been seen as a place to retire and then more and more, being recreational. For the future, I think we want it to be seen as a place to live, work and play,” Tarver said.