Comments for The Bloomfield Democrat http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs Tue, 02 Jun 2009 22:30:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on What should we do? by James Grob http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=65&cpage=1#comment-13 James Grob Tue, 02 Jun 2009 22:30:36 +0000 http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=65#comment-13 Mayor? I just want that $15. I'm hungry. Mayor? I just want that $15. I’m hungry.

]]> Comment on What should we do? by R.P. McMurphy http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=65&cpage=1#comment-12 R.P. McMurphy Tue, 02 Jun 2009 07:48:34 +0000 http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=65#comment-12 Ditto. Grob for Mayor! Ditto.

Grob for Mayor!

]]> Comment on What should we do? by James Grob http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=65&cpage=1#comment-11 James Grob Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:34:58 +0000 http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=65#comment-11 RE: Gary Spurgeon's Blog, "What should we do?" FIVE THINGS FOR DAVIS COUNTY By JAMES GROB 1. Davis County should have free live music on the square in the evenings every weekend from Memorial Day through Labor Day. All types of music should be featured, from country to hard rock to orchestral to children's music to show tunes, a different act and different genre each weekend. Local musicians should be featured as much as possible, but outside musicians can be brought in when there are no local acts to fill the bill. Different local vendors can be allowed to set up a cart to sell their goods if they so choose. Live music brings people together, if only for a couple hours on a Saturday evening. 2. Davis County should select two or three of the most positive things about the area and launch a massive advertising campaign designed to arouse the interest of both tourists and businesses. Television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and most importantly, Internet advertising should be utilized. Promotion should be tied in with the Honey Creek and Rathbun promotion as well as the Villages of Van Buren County promotion. It needs to be noted that Bloomfield is a perfect half-way point between those two attractions. Of course, Bloomfield needs to find some things attractive about itself worth selling. 3. Davis County should take advantage of the outstanding deer hunting in the area and create packages for hunters to come in for guided hunts in the fall. Deals can be made with local farmers and landowners for access and local business for food, lodging and entertainment for these out-of-state outdoorsmen. At the same time, similar deals can be made with local farmers and landowners to utilize the outstanding fishing at farm ponds in Davis County. "Go farm-pond hopping in Davis County," sell packages to out-of-state fishermen and guide them to ponds all over the county, as well as Lake Fisher and Lake Wapello and rivers and streams in the county. The same kinds of deals can be made for lodging, food and entertainment. There can be different packages for family fishing excursions or for hard-core fishermen excursions, etc. Regardless, give these vistors the royal treatment. 4. Davis County should host a playwriting contest, a poetry contest and an art gallary to display and sell the works of local artists of all kinds. All these things can be tied together to attract artists to the area, and the county should eventually set up an artist's retreat, where artists, poets and writers at all levels are encouraged to come in and reside for a period of time very cheaply, as long they produce work and interact with the community. Educational workshops can also be set up. 5. Davis County should host a huge slow-pitch softball tournament every summer, with a very big purse for the winning team -- make the purse bigger than any similar tournament in the midwest. Make sure it's a two-day tournament, so overnight stay will be encouraged for every team. Treat these vistors like kings and queens, wine and dine them and entertain them. Entry fees can be reduced depending upon how far a team travels to play. RE: Gary Spurgeon’s Blog, “What should we do?”

FIVE THINGS FOR DAVIS COUNTY

By JAMES GROB

1. Davis County should have free live music on the square in the evenings every weekend from Memorial Day through Labor Day. All types of music should be featured, from country to hard rock to orchestral to children’s music to show tunes, a different act and different genre each weekend. Local musicians should be featured as much as possible, but outside musicians can be brought in when there are no local acts to fill the bill. Different local vendors can be allowed to set up a cart to sell their goods if they so choose. Live music brings people together, if only for a couple hours on a Saturday evening.

2. Davis County should select two or three of the most positive things about the area and launch a massive advertising campaign designed to arouse the interest of both tourists and businesses. Television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and most importantly, Internet advertising should be utilized. Promotion should be tied in with the Honey Creek and Rathbun promotion as well as the Villages of Van Buren County promotion. It needs to be noted that Bloomfield is a perfect half-way point between those two attractions. Of course, Bloomfield needs to find some things attractive about itself worth selling.

3. Davis County should take advantage of the outstanding deer hunting in the area and create packages for hunters to come in for guided hunts in the fall. Deals can be made with local farmers and landowners for access and local business for food, lodging and entertainment for these out-of-state outdoorsmen. At the same time, similar deals can be made with local farmers and landowners to utilize the outstanding fishing at farm ponds in Davis County. “Go farm-pond hopping in Davis County,” sell packages to out-of-state fishermen and guide them to ponds all over the county, as well as Lake Fisher and Lake Wapello and rivers and streams in the county. The same kinds of deals can be made for lodging, food and entertainment. There can be different packages for family fishing excursions or for hard-core fishermen excursions, etc. Regardless, give these vistors the royal treatment.

4. Davis County should host a playwriting contest, a poetry contest and an art gallary to display and sell the works of local artists of all kinds. All these things can be tied together to attract artists to the area, and the county should eventually set up an artist’s retreat, where artists, poets and writers at all levels are encouraged to come in and reside for a period of time very cheaply, as long they produce work and interact with the community. Educational workshops can also be set up.

5. Davis County should host a huge slow-pitch softball tournament every summer, with a very big purse for the winning team — make the purse bigger than any similar tournament in the midwest. Make sure it’s a two-day tournament, so overnight stay will be encouraged for every team. Treat these vistors like kings and queens, wine and dine them and entertain them. Entry fees can be reduced depending upon how far a team travels to play.

]]> Comment on Give us your ideas by justininbfield http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=56&cpage=1#comment-9 justininbfield Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:33:08 +0000 http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=56#comment-9 I believe that for Bloomfield to prosper, or any community of our size, the population has to be educated about the need for prosperity and what may happen if nothing ever changes. I know this town is filled with wonderful and intelligent citizens but even among them there are some who may not fully understand WHY economic development is important. As we fall into the habit of everyday life, including running our errands locally on the town square, we forget that without economic development there may someday be no town square. Education is the key. What happens to communities who don't strive to recruit business/industry, keep up the appearance of a beautiful downtown, and ultimately attract the next generation of citizens? NOTHING. I believe that for Bloomfield to prosper, or any community of our size, the population has to be educated about the need for prosperity and what may happen if nothing ever changes. I know this town is filled with wonderful and intelligent citizens but even among them there are some who may not fully understand WHY economic development is important. As we fall into the habit of everyday life, including running our errands locally on the town square, we forget that without economic development there may someday be no town square.

Education is the key. What happens to communities who don’t strive to recruit business/industry, keep up the appearance of a beautiful downtown, and ultimately attract the next generation of citizens? NOTHING.

]]> Comment on Give us your ideas by farmer http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=56&cpage=1#comment-8 farmer Wed, 08 Apr 2009 01:01:50 +0000 http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=56#comment-8 We need to import money. How do we do that? We need to take what we have for resouces, make a viable product, export it to those who want it, and import their money. We need to take an in depth look at what we have for resouces. Yes, we have labor, but if you look at American Tank, they imported steel, made tanks with local labor, and exported the tanks out of area. There is labor everywhere. So what do we have for raw resouces that do not need imported? I don't know. Let us look around and find out. We need to import money. How do we do that? We need to take what we have for resouces, make a viable product, export it to those who want it, and import their money. We need to take an in depth look at what we have for resouces. Yes, we have labor, but if you look at American Tank, they imported steel, made tanks with local labor, and exported the tanks out of area. There is labor everywhere. So what do we have for raw resouces that do not need imported? I don’t know. Let us look around and find out.

]]> Comment on Give us your ideas by John D Schroeder http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=56&cpage=1#comment-7 John D Schroeder Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:43:03 +0000 http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=56#comment-7 First, trade at home. Give the local merchant a chance to meet your price or order the item for you. Second, buy it in Iowa. Third, buy American. Fourth, never buy a foreign product, no matter where it is made, and send the wealth created by that economic activity out of our country forever! If we would all do this it would create a tremendous increase in the number of local, state, and American businesses and jobs. Remember, a fundamental of economic science is that the government does not create goods, consumer services, or wealth, that is why no country in the world counts government spending in computing it's "gross national product" a universal measure of it's economic well being. First, trade at home. Give the local merchant a chance to meet your price or order the item for you.
Second, buy it in Iowa.
Third, buy American.
Fourth, never buy a foreign product, no matter where it is made, and send the wealth created by that economic activity out of our country forever!
If we would all do this it would create a tremendous increase in the number of local, state, and American businesses and jobs.
Remember, a fundamental of economic science is that the government does not create goods, consumer services, or wealth, that is why no country in the world counts government spending in computing it’s “gross national product” a universal measure of it’s economic well being.

]]> Comment on Give us your ideas by pkinney1 http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=56&cpage=1#comment-6 pkinney1 Sat, 04 Apr 2009 14:34:45 +0000 http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=56#comment-6 Small town Minnesota is having more or less the same economic issues Bloomfield is going through. Read a story this morning about a woman who is trying to help. Here is a link to the story: http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=583283&catid=2 Another link on this same subject is http://www.the350project.org/home.html Hope this is useful Small town Minnesota is having more or less the same economic issues Bloomfield is going through. Read a story this morning about a woman who is trying to help. Here is a link to the story: http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=583283&catid=2
Another link on this same subject is http://www.the350project.org/home.html

Hope this is useful

]]> Comment on Give us your ideas by jjvon http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=56&cpage=1#comment-5 jjvon Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:44:39 +0000 http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=56#comment-5 I applaud your initiative in stimulating ideas regarding economic development in our county and suspect that you have stumbled upon a very important element which you reported on recently: i.e., no comments. The “no comments” comment is significant especially when you consider developing any modern non industrial business today will require more than just a passing experience using computers and the internet. Considering the mental assets of a community is essential. My assessment of the county’s computer literacy is clearly inadequate but for the purpose of this “comment” I will assume it is minimal. I would propose that Davis County develop an “innovative technology” center the purpose thereof being to develop the mental talent, skills and support requisite to creating new internet based businesses. I applaud your initiative in stimulating ideas regarding economic development in our county and suspect that you have stumbled upon a very important element which you reported on recently: i.e., no comments.

The “no comments” comment is significant especially when you consider developing any modern non industrial business today will require more than just a passing experience using computers and the internet. Considering the mental assets of a community is essential. My assessment of the county’s computer literacy is clearly inadequate but for the purpose of this “comment” I will assume it is minimal.

I would propose that Davis County develop an “innovative technology” center the purpose thereof being to develop the mental talent, skills and support requisite to creating new internet based businesses.

]]> Comment on Thieves among us by outtatowngirl http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=33&cpage=1#comment-4 outtatowngirl Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:39:42 +0000 http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=33#comment-4 I hate to be one to admit to being one of those "thieves" but I was. I just used my parents subscription as I liked to see what's going on in town. However, no longer! I now have my own subscription! I really do value small-town businesses and I want to be as supportive as I can. The Democrat is a FANTASTIC paper and you do an excellent job on reporting what's going on in town. Thanks for the blog "reminder" that you are a business and we shouldn't take it for granted. You provide a service and we need to pay for that service. I hate to be one to admit to being one of those “thieves” but I was. I just used my parents subscription as I liked to see what’s going on in town. However, no longer! I now have my own subscription! I really do value small-town businesses and I want to be as supportive as I can.

The Democrat is a FANTASTIC paper and you do an excellent job on reporting what’s going on in town. Thanks for the blog “reminder” that you are a business and we shouldn’t take it for granted. You provide a service and we need to pay for that service.

]]> Comment on Thieves among us by 2cowpokes http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=33&cpage=1#comment-3 2cowpokes Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:33:29 +0000 http://www.bdemo.net/Blogs/?p=33#comment-3 Sadly, ethics and conscience seem to be traits in ever-declining supply. It is also depressing to hear of the decline and demise of great newspaper traditions – large and small – several this week. As someone who still relies on your weekly publication to keep me informed about the immediate area where I lived for the first two and a half decades of my life, I still find considerable justification in the cost of a subscription, even in these difficult economic times. It angers me to realize that I must subsidize the thieves who take your product without payment. Hang in there and keep up the hard work. How else would I learn immediately of the demise of a school classmate or that of a former neighbor, or the recent reminder of my birth in the “Looking Back” column. Where else, but in the home-town newspaper, can we be reminded that we arrived in the world on a “slow news week”. Sadly, ethics and conscience seem to be traits in ever-declining supply.

It is also depressing to hear of the decline and demise of great newspaper traditions – large and small – several this week. As someone who still relies on your weekly publication to keep me informed about the immediate area where I lived for the first two and a half decades of my life, I still find considerable justification in the cost of a subscription, even in these difficult economic times. It angers me to realize that I must subsidize the thieves who take your product without payment.

Hang in there and keep up the hard work. How else would I learn immediately of the demise of a school classmate or that of a former neighbor, or the recent reminder of my birth in the “Looking Back” column. Where else, but in the home-town newspaper, can we be reminded that we arrived in the world on a “slow news week”.

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