More area layoffs announced

Making cell phone parts and fire alarms is either getting harder or more expensive...or it's just not profitable anymore.

One of the city's major employers, RF Micro Devices, announced 45 more layoffs, this in addition to the 150 announced this past December (see N&R article here).

And today, Tyco Electronics announced an undetermined amount of Triad-area layoffs, from Greensboro to Winston-Salem (see N&R article here).

Tyco owns ADT, the burglar-alarm company and Simplex, the fire alarm company. Many of their alarms are heard in public buildings throughout our area, including many of our schools. Another day, another layoff...another fire alarm silenced. Only this alarm won't be 'reset.'

E.C. :)

Time for GSO to move forward

Last night, your city council made a bold step for the future of the city of Greensboro by ousting its city manager, Mitch Johnson.

And while the issue is being hotly debated among our other local bloggers (Guarino, Spag, Ed Cone, Ben Holder, Tony Wilkins, Ryan Shell, and the N&R itself--from today's article to Allen Johnson), I feel it is the appropriate time for this city to move forward. Last night's vote was a vote to do just that.

Scandal after scandal, lawsuit after lawsuit, crisis after crisis...it doesn't do a city well. For a city whose economy is extremely fragile right now, the distractions were costly and becoming too burdensome.

I applaud those councilmen who voted in the affirmative to remove Mitch. It is unfortunate that Wade, Barber and Rakestraw are being criticized on other forums for their vote last night. In my opinion, they are the ones that have this city's best interest at heart. I'm also elated about the "aye" votes among Councilman Matheny and Groat. It is an election year. Matheny and Groat knew it was political suicide to vote to keep Johnson.

But others on Council, including your Mayor, voted to keep him. T. Dianne Bellamy-Small, Councilman Robbie Perkins and Councilwoman Goldie Wells voted to keep him. Wells isn't running again. She's a lame duck. But TDB-S and Perkins, along with Mayor Johnson practiced political suicide last night. Their futures this fall will now be in your hands. Better punch the right button.

I'm actually a little shocked that some think this is a racial issue. As you know, everything in the Peoples Republic of Guilford County is a racial issue...why should this be different, right? But there is absolutely nothing here that is racial. This city has successfully been run into the ground. It will take a monumental feat for us to dig out of this mess. It will happen. Last night was a step in that direction.

I also think it is time to take a second look at the council/manager form of government. For a municipality like ours, is it effective? In my opinion, I think it is too much government. And I believe it is one of the reasons how we found ourselves in this mess.

And finally, the scandals down at City Hall were a distraction from what needs to be a clear focus on the city's direction, including its primary focus on public safety and its economy. An article in today's N&R touts 1,558 jobs recruited by The Greensboro Economic Development Alliance. Not a lot if you ask me.

N&R:

According to the report, the alliance recruited 1,558 jobs in 2008, and those jobs led to 2,479 secondary jobs.

For the five-year period the group calls the “Forward Greensboro III Campaign,” the group recruited 6,307 jobs which led to another 9,696 secondary jobs. All those jobs create a total annual payroll of $624.5 million, which includes retail and service jobs citywide.

Those new jobs recruited by the alliance are typically better paying at $46,440 than the city per capita income of $27,968.

And that's good. But the service jobs paying $9 and change, a sustainable economy cannot be created on that salary. Ask me...I know.

I'm glad the city decided to move in a different direction last night. This can only be a good thing for the city.

E.C. :)

Higher thinking on creative businesses

The Piedmont Triad Partnership has finally recognized there is a good enough creative talent in this area...enough to warrant a report, which was released to the media last week. NC's top business leaders said last week that creative businesses and the arts employ 29,000 people in the Piedmont Triad and their growth will help the region create more jobs, this from a N&R article last Friday.

At one time, these businesses probably employed more. Remember, there are a lot of unemployed (or underemployed) journalists, PR folks and other creative talent in this area.

But the talent that is here needs to be cultivated so that they can remain here.

Nonetheless, the report is welcome, and I am hopeful it will be set in motion and a plan put into action to create more of these types of jobs in our state, and particularly in this area.

E.C. :)

Perkins is now an economic developer

News & Record reports today that City Councilman Robbie Perkins will now play the part of an economic developer...well, sort of.

I'm setting this up a certain way...follow me, if you will.

N&R:

Despite the loss of two key economic developers last Friday, city and county leaders say the governments won’t skip a beat as they work with companies that want to bring jobs to the area.

And one Greensboro City Council member says those changes are a chance to consider even more aggressive economic development. Robbie Perkins said he’ll begin putting pressure on business leaders today.

Hmmm...okay.

More:

Last week, Rob Bencini, Guilford County’s economic development coordinator, was laid off and Jim Westmoreland, Greensboro’s assistant city manager for economic development, left his job to work for the N.C. Department of Transportation.

You know things are tough when the economic developers are laid off.

More:

At the moment, the flow of corporate inquiries is slow because of the recession, and Perkins says Lynch may need another mission for the moment: That of political activist.

Dan Lynch, president of the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance and Pat Danahy, president and CEO of the Greensboro Partnership, ought to step up pressure on those boards to improve the county, Perkins said.

That involves building water and sewer lines, schools, and other projects that are more affordable than ever right now.

“You’ve got to get the business community to show some leadership,” Perkins said. “And you’ve got to let them step forward and articulate the vision.”

So we have three things afoot here.

One, we have a long-time economic developer laid off. And while I don't wish this on anyone, economic development has lagged in this region for a long time.

Two, Robbie Perkins stepping in this role. Why now? Why all of a sudden? Could it be that this is an election year and a ripe deflection of the troubles inside City Hall is in Perkins' best interests? Or could it be that Mr. Perkins is a developer...and that any new development that comes into the county is beneficial for Mr. Perkins?

And three...what does he mean exactly by "getting the business community to show some leadership?" This quote is very cryptic.

This story bear watching...and commenting.

E.C. :)

GSO goes skating

Congratulations to the city for landing the 2011 US Figure Skating Championships.

So start saving up that parking money...maybe now is the right time to discuss privatizing the Coliseum. Because if we start gouging these visitors to this event...upping the price tremendously on hotel rooms, restaurants, parking, rental cars (like we do with the furniture market twice yearly), they'll never come back.

Time to get our house in order.

E.C. :)

The face of the Triad's jobless

(N&R)

Reports point to as many as 2,000 job hunters showing up at this week's job fair at Four Seasons Mall.

Haunting...

E.C. :)

Beltway not shovel-ready

Perhaps if we root out and weed out the corruption at the state DOT, we can actually get roads built in this state. Sadly, one major road project in our area, the Greensboro Urban Loop/Beltway/Painter Blvd./the 840...whatever we're calling that thing these days...is not on the short-list of shovel-ready projects as part of the stimulus.

Ed Cone has some thoughts on this today.

E.C. :)

A new face in the war on the brain-drain

Erin Stratford is the new face in Action Greensboro's war on stopping the brain-drain. In a new video posted on its blog, Springboard, Stratford (in her own words) describes why she returned to her native Greensboro from New York City where she lived for 12 years. She works in nonprofits and philanthropy.

"A young person is welcomed," Stratford says of Greensboro, adding "The city cares about nurturing that population here."
********************************

Contrast that to the typical newcomers experience here, such as Lana Lopez, wife of News & Record reporter Robert Lopez, who briefly and publicly described his wife experience of moving here and settling in since almost this time last year; I profiled Lopez in a brief mention back in January:

My job here has treated me well, my paycheck having grown a little fatter when I made the move. But my wife, Lana, and I still took a financial hit, mainly because I'm the only breadwinner in the house -- well, apartment, as we're still trying to save for a down payment and waiting for the housing market to bottom out.

Lana joined me in Greensboro in March and has been looking for a job since. She's tried applying at schools, government offices, call centers, stores, restaurants and staffing agencies, the last of which I wouldn't recommend for anyone unless they enjoy jumping through hoops for a chance at a mediocre-paying job. She's received a few callbacks, but thus far no wages.

******************************

And then contrast that to my situation where I moved here in early 2000, got laid off after 9/11, moved away in early 2002, moved back in late 2004, and after teaching for a couple of years, suddenly finding myself underemployed.

Not fun.

Here's what I said back in early January:

I work a $9/hour service job...at night. I substitute teach and tutor during the day to supplement my income.

I blog and strategize about local city and county politics and communication projects...in my spare time...for free.

I have a communications/journalism background, previously taught in the public schools, previously worked in Washington and Las Vegas...and I work a $9/hour service job. I work there because my family has to eat. And right now, there are no other professional opportunities in this area. It is sad because I'm here to make a better life for my daughter...to give her the opportunity like I had growing up to be raised in a neighborhood, where she can ride her bike and socialize with her friends from school, etc.

And yet I worry because if she decides to matriculate through school here, she may not have a job waiting for her here; she may do like all of our other young professionals...and leave. It is sad.

This is very typical of many many households across our city, our county, our area...even our state.

*************************

Quality of life will bring our young professionals back, quality of life will keep our college grads here. Jobs is a quality of life issue.

E.C. :)

Vote Max?

Max Benbassat, a Burlington native who moved back to the area from New York City to work in his family business, has formed a campaign committee and announced his intentions to run for City Council (at-large).

Amanda Lehmert profiles him in the Inside Scoop.

Despite the interesting YouTube videos on his website (viewer discretion advised), Benbassat's platform is serious, including working with our schools and what he describes as "fighting for the working class of Greensboro."

He certainly brings an interesting twist to the election season.

E.C. :)

Groat's in, Perkins serves up baloney to Forbes

Mayor Pro Tem and developer Sandra Anderson Groat will run for reelection for one of the at-large seats, the News & Record reported last week.
*************************
This, while City Councilman Robbie Perkins calls a recent Forbes article calling Greensboro an "empty city": baloney.

Greensboro/High Point apparently is now the fourth-emptiest city based on vacancy rates collected from the U.S. Census Bureau for the fourth quarter of 2008 (see Forbes article here).

City Council member Robbie Perkins tells the News & Record, "I think we need to say that they're full of baloney."

That's real professional, Robbie.

Quite easy to discount an article when it possibly...possibly...may be factual.

From the comments posted under the N&R article, many seem to agree.

E.C. :)