Messina stopped short of saying the city will go out on its own to recruit and develop business (that’s the job of a regional economic development organization, he noted). However, the thing that cities can do is to create a quality of life and environment that attracts business, he explained.
“What we really want is for a CEO who is out looking at four or five different places, who may want to move his or her company, to come to this place and go, ‘This is beautiful. It’s got great schools, it’s a family place, the region has great colleges and universities, but we’re out here in god’s country in this great, beautiful area.’ I’m hoping that becomes part of the vision we create.”
Looking to the future, Messina said work on the new Discovery Clean Water Alliance will take up much of his time during the next 18 months. The alliance, which involves Ridgefield, Battle Ground, Clark County and the Clark Regional Wastewater District, was formed in March to hold down wastewater rates and to expand sewer access.
The new city manager said he would also like to become involved with regional economic development organizations and other communities, because “so much of economic development really is regional.”
When asked what he wants the business community to know about his vision, Messina was quick to respond.
“Probably the biggest thing I would want a developer or someone who wanted to come in that is thinking about business is that we’re open for business,” he said. “We’re here and we’ll work with you to get it done as fast as we possibly can.”
