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Today's Poll!What would it take to get ___ to come to town?
Increasing population, draw factor are keys to attracting businesses, officials say
Above are a few examples of criteria certain businesses set for a potential location to meet before they will consider coming to town. Jefferson City officials say 50,000 population is a key draw, but only if that number resides inside city limits or within nearby incorporated areas.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Jefferson City is moving forward with annexation plans, looking to promote further economic development in the area by boosting population numbers.
At a recent neighborhood meeting on annexation efforts on the western side of the city, City Administrator Nathan Nickolaus said by increasing the city population, there are greater chances of attracting more franchises, businesses and industries to the area.
Many nationwide businesses, restaurants and corporations have certain requirements when choosing new locations, he said, and one of the most common requirements centers around population figures.
Olive Garden, for example, requires a trade area with a minimum of 125,000 people within a 15-minute drive time, and Nickolaus said corporations do not include unincorporated areas in that population count, only neighboring towns.
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Comments
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
How will annexing the two motels increase Jeff City's population?
If numbers of residents matter, then the annexation area should include Rainbow Drive, Gateway West, Old Lohman Road, Westview Heights, etc.which would make more sense, and which I would vote YES.
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
Annex Scott's Station Road and 179 to the Church Farm as well. This would make more sense than just two motels.
What are those doofusses at City Hall thinking?
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
Annex the Monticello Road area on 54 too.
Lots of places just outside the city limits with lots of residents. If they want to increase population on the books, then go after these outlying areas instead of two little motels.
JCsleeper 1 year, 4 months ago
JC Council wants the hotels annexed for the CVB revenue so they can build the Albatros Convention Center - whether the residents like it or not.
Doubt that an Olive Garden will locate in JC, as they won't build one with a drive-thru window.
tonto_goldberg 1 year, 4 months ago
Olive Garden doesn't offer a buffet line either.
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
And no fried spaghetti smothered in gravy...
rodinman 1 year, 4 months ago
The city's leaders, government and business, must do something to slow/stop the exodus of young people. I offer the beginning to be reduce the tax burden, stop forced annexation and city government to become fiscally responsible. Yes, I know, if a frog had wings . . . .
tonto_goldberg 1 year, 4 months ago
rodinman, that's the whole problem. Your proposals are even worse than the city officials' ideas and the Chamber's ideas. Simply stated; we can't attract young people by doing things that old people want.
The tax burden here is already low compared to the places - like Columbia - that attract younger people. The City of Jefferson HAS to annex surrounding areas to escape the landlocked status it inherited from decades of "not here" zoning and building code policies. It's dead here now, so the city has to work with the Chamber and with the state and with local businesses to get some projects moving; so that will take some money. Fiscal responsibility is not the same thing as going backwards. To make the car run, some times you have to buy some gas for it.
spelchek 1 year, 4 months ago
The number one employer in this city officially pays it's employees the lowest in the nation and the rest of industry in this town follows suit. Private industry in this area only need to offer a tad more than the state to get who they want which perpetuates the problem. My worthless opinion would be to start offering a decent/competitive wage to keep "young professionals" in this area. Annexing the same high school educated rednecks who's family member gets them a job to "wurk on komputurs" and get paid the same as a college grad isn't going to solve the problem. That's my two cents.
tonto_goldberg 1 year, 4 months ago
That's exactly right. If we want young professionals, we have to let them make a decent living here. Good luck with that.
The state and a lot of other local employers are able to hire college graduates to "wurk on komputers" at "high school educated redneck" wages because the college graduates have family here or don't want to move away for other reasons. They can't get outsiders to move here, but that doesn't bother most of the locals. I believe too many locals like things the way they are.
spelchek 1 year, 4 months ago
"I believe too many locals like things the way they are." -- Agreed. The listing of franchises above is a bit confusing. The majority of the jobs listed would be part time and minimum wage. Not the "young professional" job listings that I would look for. Seems the carriage is getting put in front of the horse.
JCsleeper 1 year, 4 months ago
Young people leave JC due to lack of career opportunities. Career opportunities are lacking partly as a result of an older mindset.
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
Not only are starting wages really low in this town, most employers do not have clear paths of advancement, nor do they recognize additional education, experience, or reward high performance.
Young Professionals around here don't have a chance unless they are in line to inherit Daddy's business some day.
FarCry 1 year, 4 months ago
Well I see a couple of comments sort of get it. And taxes nor lack of sprawl are what's keeping young people, especially those not from this area, from putting down permanent roots here. As an outsider who started working for the state when it was a more attractive proposition with at least benefits, I can tell you what the locals either don't see or like the way it is, is that JC is flat out one of the most clannish areas anywhere. If you're not an umpteenth generation Osage/Cole County German Catholic native you will always be an outsider looking into the JC area community from the outside no matter how many years you live here. A good example--if you're not part of the local area good ol' boy network good luck getting any honest decent service such as on your car or home. And now the largest employer in JC, the state, is making it less and less attractive to either start or remain a state employee especially with the constant whittling away of benefits and general hostility from the governor, his appointed department heads and assorted henchmen, and this legislature. It's little wonder those of us long-time state employees not native to JC tend to stick together and spend much of our time and $ elsewhere.
eileen10 1 year, 4 months ago
FarCry I couldnt agree with you more. I had joined a church and even there i wasnt accepted because i happen to be a northern norwegian so i left the church. is that pathetic or what. never in my life have i run across so many cold,nose in the air,dont give a rats ass people in my life! am i leaving ? you bet your sweet batootie i am.
JMO 1 year, 4 months ago
eileen, you clearly joined the wrong church. My church is very accepting of everyone in the congregation, regardless of race, social standing or anything else. You should have shopped around until you found one that suited you. That's what we did. We went to several churches until we found one that met out needs.
eileen10 1 year, 4 months ago
im glad to hear what you said. first impressions arent always correct.thank you for responding.
eileen10 1 year, 4 months ago
let me clarify what i said. i grouped all churches into one and felt they were probably all the same. clearly they are not so once again...thank you.
JMO 1 year, 4 months ago
eileen, having never received one, I don't know if the private messages work on this site, but I sent you one. Try clicking your name and then going to "activity". Maybe it's there.
online_editor 1 year, 4 months ago
It should go to the e-mail address provided by the user upon registration (without automatically revealing yours, if I remember correctly).
tonto_goldberg 1 year, 4 months ago
There are a lot of churches here and I have not run into that kind of an attitude in any of the dozen or so churches that I have visited here. Like JMO said, try a different church. Go a little early and visit with the greeters. Meet the pastors.
JMO 1 year, 4 months ago
Unless you are dead-set on one denomination, you do have a lot of choices.
tonto_goldberg 1 year, 4 months ago
You are limited if you are Jewish, Muslim, or Buddhist. Otherwise, we have a lot of choices.
gofish 1 year, 4 months ago
I think a really good start to creating jobs in Jefferson City, and the rest of Missouri, is to round up all of the illegals and deport them. They are stealing jobs away from US citizens. No matter how politically incorrect or unpopular this sounds the rights and privileges granted to US citizens should always come first before an illegal immigrant. A certain Mexican restaurant would do good to start policing itself from hiring illegals.
Gabrielle 1 year, 4 months ago
I am all for legal immigration - so what you say, gofish, makes some sense. Seems obvious and a person might wonder why we are not acting accordingly. I have just one question: As a 'nonofficial' how does one determine if an employee at a reputable business is legal...or illegal? I just haven't figured it out.
tonto_goldberg 1 year, 4 months ago
I think gofish has a problem. That extended family business has grown too big to be relying on illegals.
gofish 1 year, 4 months ago
You get to know the people where you frequent the most. Ask questions.
tonto_goldberg 1 year, 4 months ago
Just two words. "los migra". If they scatter, they are illegal. If not, you are wrong.
whatif 1 year, 4 months ago
FarCry - thank you thank you thank you. You said everything I have wanted to say, well at least to any local anyway. I will go out of my way to do business elsewhere and usually get somebody from out of this area to do any repairs, etc. I need done. Cost more, but its sure is more satisfying taking my business and money out of JC. And its really too bad, as these short sighted native Jeffersonians are too stuck in their own limited thinking to think outside the box. I work with people from other towns around here that would not even consider living here simply because of the people here. Jefferson City has sooo much potential, but unfortunately that won't happen with the present mindset and government. I want to add something before somebody tells me to move elsewhere, I'm only here because my children settled in the area, and I wanted to be close to my children and grandchildren. And no it is not old people that are causing Jeff's problems.
tonto_goldberg 1 year, 4 months ago
I have been treated like a local ever since I came here many years ago with my funny northern accent. Attitude matters; when you need someone to do something for you, don't expect to treat them like dirt and have them like it.
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
Higher taxes are OK, but they need to be used to provide services that the taxpayers want. Raising taxes for a convention center to be named after the former mayor is not what tax payers want.
Columbia has 24/7 bus services. Columbia has a wonderful library. Columbia has great services for people with disabilities.
Jeff City has very limited bus services only during working hours, very little services for persons with disabilities, including a sheltered workshop that treats the disabled like animals and that would fail any OSHA inspection.
Jeff City also has gasoline that is regularly 12-15 cents a gallon higher than Columbia.
The low wages paid by employers are the real killer. How they can expect to raise taxes for a convention center, new high school, pay the city administrator and school superintendant huge bloated salaries-- that is all totally out of touch with reality.
JMO 1 year, 4 months ago
While I agree this town has it's problems, purposely taking your business out of the town you live in is counterproductive at best. I've been here 16 years and I've never had a problem getting my car serviced or my home worked on. Where on earth do you people go that they treat you poorly? When I was a single woman, I went to a local garage - a small business, not a big dealership, and told the mechanic I needed new rotars and brakes. He had me buy the parts myself, because I could get them cheaper at O'Riley than he could from his supplier. When I went to pick it up, he gave me back the new roters so I could return them, because I just needed mine turned. He could have simply kept them and resold them and I would never have known the difference. How honest is that? I've never had anyone do shoddy work either.
If you have problems getting service, you report them to the BBB or you demand it be made right. Or you change to another local provider. You don't just assume the whole town is shady and shop in Columbia. That's nuts!
I'm a nobody. I'm a state employee who moved here for the work. I have plenty of friends with like interests and go to a church that treats me like a member of the family. Are there snobs in JC? Sure. There's snobs everywhere. Grow a thicker skin and look for people who aren't. They're there too!
FarCry 1 year, 4 months ago
-I don't live here. I live between here and Columbia. An assumption on your part.
-The BBB is a joke and I've found the GoBN in JC (and Osage Co.) provide much less professional service than elsewhere in the area and when I spend $ in Columbia I'm keeping it in my county.
-I DO have an adequate circle of friends with similar interests who are primarily transplants as I am and do NOT need a church for such.
-By the tone of your comment I can't get over the suspicion you're really a local on the defensive posing as a transplant who is the one in need of a thicker skin when it comes to anyone criticizing your beloved town.
JMO 1 year, 4 months ago
Well I wasn't actually directing any comments toward you, except perhaps your assertion that people won't treat you honestly if you aren't part of the "good old boy" network. I simply don't believe that's true.
If I didn't live here, I wouldn't give a rat's hiney about spending money here either. But I do and I think supporting the local economy is a good thing.
I've lived here 16 years. If that makes me a local, so be it.
And, for pity's sake....I didn't mention friends or church to say other people didn't have them, just to show that I've not had a problem with people being snobby. If you took it to mean I thought you didn't have friends, who's the thin-skinned one?
spelchek 1 year, 4 months ago
"purposely taking your business out of the town you live in is counterproductive at best" -- Not if the service is better.
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
and/or the price is lower.
My family did all our Christmas Shopping online this year. It was so easy and we saved so much money, and did not have to deal with the rude and unknolegible clerjks in JC stores.
JMO 1 year, 4 months ago
I don't shop exclusively in JC either. But I stick with my statement. If you want a town to grow, purposely refusing to contribute to the ecomony there is counterproductive.
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
And it is unrealistic to expect consumers to pay more for bad service, poorer quality, and lesser selection.
whatif 1 year, 4 months ago
Okay, just to justify what I said....I've lived here before years ago and it was nothing like it is now...at least I didn't experience what I am witnessing now. Also, when I have asked for bids for work to be done on my house, I hired somebody from New Bloomfield because he treated me like I think any professional should treat a person and how I would treat somebody if I were looking to get their business. Also, the church that I am affiliated with was far above what the church here is like, and I have been to many churches of this affiliation in several different states and never had the treatment I received here -- so in that case if I decide to go to church I do occasionally go to Columbia - as it is what I am accustomed to and what they are known for - welcome everybody with open arms. I do occasionally go to churches in Jefferson and there is one that I like, but it still is not what I am used to. As far as getting my car worked on, I am very fortunate to have a very reliable car - and I take good care of it -- but there is a local mechanic's shop I have gone to and will definitely go to again not too far from where I live, and I do trust him. And you better believe I am thick skinned -- but I am also a caring, considerate, and loving person and show respect to all I meet. Oh, one more thing, I do have friends, very good friends, most of whom are not originally from here. Also, I volunteer - so I am trying to give back regardless.
JMO 1 year, 4 months ago
You know, I really didn't mean to insult you, but when you say, "I will go out of my way to do business elsewhere and usually get somebody from out of this area to do any repairs, etc. I need done. Cost more, but its sure is more satisfying taking my business and money out of JC." you pretty much say that you WANT to go out of town and deprive this town of your revenue. Sorry, but if you live here and care at all about the town growing, that's counterproductive.
So you picked a contractor from New Bloomfield...if they had the best bid and you felt they'd do the best job, that's completely understandable and not the same thing as purposely taking your business elsewhere. Apparently, you use a local auto mechanic. When a person moves, it's not easy finding a church they like. I was raised Lutheran. I don't go to any of the local Lutheran churches. Not because I have anything against them, but they just didn't feel like what I was used to and a church should feel like home.
So, perhaps you do actually care about JC to some extent, or at least don't actively want it to go downhill. But, you must see how your original post sounded. And if you do "go out of your way" to make sure people in this town don't get your business, that makes you a part of the problem, not the solution.
whatif 1 year, 4 months ago
Yeah, I guess I was a bit harsh...although I do have to admit when I do go out of town I will stop for gas regardless how low I am just because JC's fuel costs are high. And there were times I took my business out of town because of the poor, lazy, inconsiderate service I received here. I have also ran across business owners whom I would have hired except they did not follow through on their part and if I have to call and remind them -- well that won't happen -- I'll take my business elsewhere. I truly do like Jefferson City as far as the size, and it is truly a beautiful town, and I have met some nice people. I am a happy, positive person and do believe that things here will improve.
JMO 1 year, 4 months ago
I think that's all completely understandable. In fact, there was several years I refused to shop at Lowes for anything other than minor things when other stores were closed because of the awful service I got in their lumber department. We stood around for 1/2 an hour with over $500 worth of stuff on a cart and no one would help us get the last three 2x4's we needed off one of the high shelves. We left it sitting in the isle and drove to Home Depot in Columbia! I made sure they knew it, too. So sure, sometimes refusing to give a business your money is the smart thing to do. When we noticed their customer service had improved, we began giving them more business.
whatif 1 year, 4 months ago
Yeah, I guess I was a bit harsh...although when I do go out of town I will stop for gas regardless how low I am just because JC's fuel costs are high. And there were times I took my business out of town because of the poor service I received here. I have also ran across business owners whom I would have hired except they did not follow through on their part and if I have to call and remind them -- well that won't happen -- I'll take my business elsewhere as it is my understanding that when somebody says they will do something they will do it. I truly do like Jefferson City as far as the size, and it is truly a beautiful town, and I have met some nice people. I am a happy, positive person and do believe that things here will improve.
JCsleeper 1 year, 4 months ago
An additional half cent sales tax for transformation, added to the current 7.725 percent sales tax coupled with area substandard wages may cause prospective businesses to consider locating elsewhere.
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
And the gasoline that costs 12 - 15 cents higher is also a factor. It would be easier to support a 1/2 cent tax increase if the city leaders would put heat on the JC Cartel to knock it off, but they won't and now they want us to pay 12-15 cents more for gasoline and another 1/2 cent sales tax to build a convention center complete with mud tunnel and Wears Creek shopping center.
tonto_goldberg 1 year, 4 months ago
The conservative mantra is that low wages are good for business and any increase in the minimum wage will drive business away. Which is it?
tonto_goldberg 1 year, 4 months ago
JCsleeper is claiming that substandard wages wages may cause prospective businesses to consider locating elsewhere and conservatives usually claim that low wages are good for business. Is JCsleeper not conservative enough? IS that it?
tonto_goldberg 1 year, 4 months ago
This is another area where you can't have it both ways. If locally employed people make low wages, they don't have extra money to spend with local businesses. If local businesses think they can make more money by paying low wages they will have to find customers elsewhere.
Bottom line, everyone will be better when employees can afford the product they make. Henry Ford figured that out in the thirties.
spelchek 1 year, 4 months ago
Name one conservative that says "low wages are good for business." If you think legislators don't have a hidden agenda when they suggest raising the minimum wage you're not following the money close enough.
tonto_goldberg 1 year, 4 months ago
There's the Heritage Foundation, the NFIB, Fox News, Ball State University economist Michael Hicks, and a bunch of others. Like I wrote earlier - it's the conservative and GOP mantra. Then there's this: (three w's a dot and) nationalcenter.org/WCT010207MinimumWage (and a.htm)
countyfactor 1 year, 4 months ago
The transformation tax, is appropriately named, it's going to transform money out of my pocket into a select few peoples pockets. Mainly uptown businesses are the ones that are going to profit. Why are my tax dollars going to fund for profit ventures, that is economic socialism? This is a prime example of who really runs our community the JC chamber of commerce who has the city council bought and paid for. Even this news paper ran all these basically free advertising campaigns to run up this grand scheme. I thought this paper was a conservative publishing, and they run a few anti tax letters but you wait and see two weeks before the election it will be all positive spin and they will come out and urge the voters to support it. There is no accountability from the council to the voters, this board will be made up with no elected officials serving on it, how convenient. It's going to be a chamber bought and paid for board. It's a sham.
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
Good ol' boy elites control everything in this town.
gofish 1 year, 4 months ago
Whether you call it "economic socialism" or corporate welfare, it's the same elitist mentality that's been ruining our state for nearly a decade now. During the boom of the 90's my favorite governor, Carnahan, overspent like crazy handing out tax credits. Post 911 and into the present recession, the MO Legislature and the succeeding governors have perpetuated this flow of money in exchange for campaign donations. If Peter Kinder had his way, the citizens would have built Busch Stadium. As it was, the taxpayers made a generous donation to Ford a few years ago. The public service commission all but gives Ameren UE a blank check every time they ask for a rate increase. MO does not have a track record of spending on economic development that has translated into long term, sustainable job growth. Unless the city can prove that they can DO (not just propose) otherwise with hard numbers I don't see a transformation tax winning voter approval. We need to stop giving money away on projects that offer little to no return on the public investment.
JCsleeper 1 year, 4 months ago
Substandard wages work well for the businesses that pay them. However, it doesn't do a business much good to locate in this area if no one has expendable income to purchase goods and services from them. Disposable income is limited here due to a substandard wage scale set by the 800lb. gorilla. With high fuel prices, health insurance, utilities, taxes and general cost of living, lots of folks don't have much left to spend.
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
I sure would like to see the list of the "hundreds of statewide associations that currently take their meeting business elsewhere due to our current lack of a suitable facility". If the convention center is such a great deal, why doesn't the Chamber publish this list?
Better yet, if the convention center is such a sure thing, why don't the wealthy leaders and the Chamber members get together and finance this thing with their own money?
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
I am all for progress, but this town needs progress that benefits everybody, instead of a few Chamber members and the former mayor who gets the building named after him. How many high-wage jobs will be created by a convention center? (none)
We need the roads fixed, the parks taken better care of, and get these sewer and drainage problems taken care of. Clean up the mess along Wear's creek from Missouri blvd to Central Dairy, the area where the old state health lab, the gravel parking lots, etc. Tear down that ugly JC Distributors building. Tear down St. Mary's Hospital. Get rid of all that old blight and landscape and clean up the whole area. run out the druggies and tear down all the boarded up buildings on the east end. I could support a tax increase for those kinds of things.
AFfalcon 1 year, 4 months ago
Since when do these actions provide high wage jobs? They will not because these jobs will likely be bid out to out of town contractors that low ball the bid while paying their workers minimum wage. You know if you truly want to stimulate the economy you stimulate it through hard working legal citizens by paying above average wage. If you have employees making minimums to the point where you need government assistance, how do you expect them to put money into the economy? These same employers that say they can't afford it also have a summer house at the lake of the ozarks and all the boats and accessories to go with it. We have let big business loose to the point of spoiling the nation. I remember when a holiday was about family gatherings and catching up on the year. Virtually every store was closed to allow people to spend time with their families and if you needed things over the holiday you had to plan ahead. Now everything is open and people are forced to work instead of turning the day into a family event all in the name of the all mighty buck. It is what we have made it and the city cannot continue to be as closed to change as it is. Who knows if the convention center will help but you have to start somewhere. We have to open up and the excuse of new businesses bringing a bad element to town and increasing crime, well we have a very good police force and if we grow, maybe hire some more officers and make some jobs.
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
So you really think a handful of minimum wage jobs brought by a convention center (janitors, set-up people, caterers, etc.) are going to help this city become a wealthy Mecca for all to want to live here?
AFfalcon 1 year, 4 months ago
It's not about the people working at the convention center. It's about bringing people to the capital city in large quantities that might spend money at local establishments which might create more business opportunities. To the people that are against this, I think the real resistance is the possibility of outsiders coming into our town and what that might bring. So instead of facing the fear and working on solutions we just say no because we are lazy. It was alright to spend 6 million on a walkway across the river though.
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
Wasn't the bike walkway $11 million?
Like Graceful said, convention Centers are huge revenue losers. No big or wealthy organizations are going to come to sleepy little Jefferson City because there is nothing for them to do here. No Casino, and no convetioneer is going to go to snake infested Adrians Island under a mud tunnel.
Invest your own money on a convention center. I am voting NO for using tax dollars to build or operate one.
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
What's a few million between friends?
JMO 1 year, 4 months ago
This may be off the subject a tad, but it's already being brought up. I want to know why everyone is against the convention center? Not saying I'm for it - I don't have enough information to make a decision yay or nay. I just haven't figured out why all you folks seem to think it's such a horrible idea. I've been to a lot of out of town conventions, including some for state agencies, that could just as easily have been held here if there were any place to hold them. It would seem logical that the state capital is the place to hold lots of events.
JCLifer 1 year, 4 months ago
I'm all for a convention center if if is built and operated by PRIVATE businesses. My tax dollars could be better spent fixing what we got.
yamahamian 1 year, 4 months ago
If private businesses thought it was a doable idea, Hammons would have jumped at the chance to put a convention center right next to his hotel. But he didn't - does that tell folks anything??
I got an idea - maybe we can think up all the possible "conventions" that could be brought to the JC area instead of that ol stink pickle lake of the ozarks and boring college town Columbia...
laker13 1 year, 4 months ago
Who are you intelligent, thoughtful people? I moved here a couple of years ago for a state job (I was desperate for insurance). This is the most intelligent discussion I have seen of the problems of this area. The convention center idea is nothing but hubris. WHY would ANYONE want to book JC for a convention? I have some experience in this business, and can tell you, this is one of the last places in the state I would book. Fine, diverse dining? Nope. Entertainment? Nothing for the convention crowd that I can see. Resort-style accomodations? Nope again. Great shopping. I think not. Activities or cultural attractions, such as museums? Well, there is the Capitol. Good transportation connections? If it is simply a state based convention, o.k. We've got 4-lane highways. And agreed, if Hammons thought a convention center would make money here, he would have done so. If I were a young person, I would get out of here as fast as I could. This area is depressing to me, and I am old. I suspect when the economy turns around, the exodus of educated, younger state employees is going to be huge, and all the state employees that can retire, will do so ASAP. No more hanging onto a job out of desperation. Perhaps if those things happen, the state will have no choice but to begin paying its employees a fair salary to hire and retain decent workers. Or maybe they'll just keep hiring their relatives......
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