Other than a famous line from a great movie, it is also a true and working statement.

If you build a school, students will attend. If you build a coffee house, commuters will altar their morning routine and if you improve the quality of life in a small town, you will grow.

I hear a reoccurring theme in Fort Scott; a resounding, "We need more business and industry!"

Yes, we do. But what do we have to offer those businesses and industry? Some people seem to think we can just go out and grab them. I guarantee they are not going to simply settle in Fort Scott out of the goodness of their hearts to help our town grow. They need incentive as well, and I'm not just talking tax breaks.

Researching other communities through the Fort Scott Community Visioning Outside-In Economic Development action team, businesses and industry looking to relocate or expand look at several things in a community they are considering; housing, schools, churches, healthcare, parks and recreational services and facilities for their children and family and even cemeteries. These are all quality of life issues. If a town were lacking in any of those areas, why would a business relocate several employees and their families? We don't have what they want or need.

I'm not saying that Fort Scott has nothing to offer. We do have many positive aspects of our community. But think of what we can build on.

So I challenge people who are criticizing developments such as the new aquatic center and river development before new streets and new industry to think about it from a C.E.O. of big industry's perspective. Would you move an industry to Fort Scott now or would you be more apt to move to a town that has a new, state-of-the art aquatic center featuring multiple recreational and therapeutic services? Or a town that has developed one of its greatest assets, the Marmaton River, into a recreational area that families can enjoy?

These types of developments are economic development. They are enticers to bring more people and more business to Fort Scott. They will boost our economy. They will enable us to grow.

Another factor that people should think about is that towns the size of Fort Scott may or may not land the big businesses. What we are sure to obtain are smaller, but not insignificant businesses such as the Walgreen's going up on Highway 69. This is a new business creating new jobs. Not to mention the brand new Wal-Mart Supercenter that has created more than a hundred new jobs. We should also look at the individuals who are investing in Fort Scott in other ways, such as Greg Regehr and Pat Carney of FST, LLC., who have purchased and are currently remodeling a downtown building to create new apartments.

There are countless other individuals and organizations who are working to improve quality of life in Fort Scott.

Yet these all seem to be overlooked or dismissed as contributing to our economic development, instead of celebrated as progress.

So I challenge those who are criticizing the people who are in a position to improve economic development to put yourselves in a position to improve it as well. The city and county staffs and organizations, while instrumental, should not carry the full load, nor is it logical or possible for them to do so. The Fort Scott Community Visioning process is a great example of that. Five action teams of citizens are working to benchmark best economic development practices from other communities, revitalize neighborhoods, build an aquatic center, develop the river as an asset, and create and improve youth recreation. One action team has successfully established a downtown park and pavilion as a center for civic life. These are all examples of community driven economic development progress. These are all important aspects to promote to people who are looking at Fort Scott.

There are even easier ways than joining a committee to help. Simple things such as picking up trash, or not littering in the first place, keeping your yard presentable, participating in community events, and a thousand other ways of taking ownership of the community. Trust me, these are all things that potential residents notice.

We all want a better place to live. We all want a good job. We all want a good future for our children and grandchildren. So I ask you, what are you doing to help make Fort Scott a better place for everyone? Fort Scott can prosper. What are you doing to help it?