Whether now is a good time to create and invest in a county-wide economic development program will be determined by the Mackinac County Planning Commission, which will conduct a feasibility study.

Lacking confidence to go ahead with a plan to invest $100,000 annually to start up and maintain an economic development corporation (EDC), the Mackinac County Board of Commissioners decided unanimously Thursday, April 23, to let the Planning Commission study the issue and report back.

The assignment may be introduced to the Planning Commission at its next meeting Wednesday, May 13, at 2 p.m. at the Mackinac County Airport.

The county board of commissioners has been mulling the idea of reinstating an economic development program here since January. Three goals of such a program would be to set priorities for economic growth, plan infrastructure and other developments in a way that would allow for future growth, and capitalize on opportunities to attract new businesses to the area while retaining existing businesses. Another would be to expand the county's tax base. A director would be needed to run the office.

But with economic challenges facing the county, board chair Dawn Nelson and other county commissioners are hesitant to commit financially to an EDC just yet.

"I'm totally torn," said Mrs. Nelson. "You always want new business, but you certainly want to retain the businesses you have. It's like buying a new car. You get gunshy. I'm in favor of getting an EDC started, but I'm afraid to throw $100,000 and have people say, 'What the heck are you doing?'"

"Until we know what we're doing, we can't hire a director," she added.

"There is a lot of homework we need to do before we go forward on this," said Commissioner Lawrence Leveille. Commissioner Carl Frazier was also hesitant.

"I say let's look at it, but with the economic downturn we're in, I don't exactly see an EDC working," he said. "When we're losing jobs in the whole state, I have a problem with that."

Fellow Commissioner Calvin "Bucky" McPhee said he doesn't think this is the right time to resurrect the EDC.

Mrs. Nelson said the planning commission has the time to research the proposal. It could be assisted by volunteers, said Commissioner Michael Patrick, who noted that business owners in Clark Township have expressed interest in helping.

County Treasurer Nora Massey shared with county commissioners her opinion that businesses and residents should spearhead the drive for an EDC, not county government.

"The driving force to develop an EDC shouldn't come from the county board," she said. "It should be from others, people that come forward and say what they want to see."

Mrs. Nelson said she wonders if citizens realize the commitment it will take to keep an EDC going.

"The rewards for an industrial park, for example, are a long way out," she said. "It would be a three-to-five [year] commitment" before any payback can be expected.

At any rate, she noted, commissioners "simply don't have the time or the contacts to do this ourselves."

Commissioners said they need to find people in the county with good ideas who have the time to make them work.

"The problem is we have a poor county spread out in a massive geography," said Mrs. Nelson, adding that some citizens feel they "don't belong to Mackinac County" because the county is so spread out.

Planning Commissioner Judy Louma does not see the county's size as a negative factor, she sees it as a marketing opportunity.

"We have so much we can build on," she said.

The county has to market a unique identity, she noted, and has to include everyone.

"I think whoever does this, whoever is in charge, they can't leave anybody out," she said.