Good things happen when people work together

There we were last Friday, in far west Kentucky, Hickman County at Columbus-Belmont State Park, another of Kentucky's great treasures. Sitting in front of a crowd of about 30 people were Kentucky Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock (at podium) and Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner Michael B. Cline (second from left) as well as the I-69 project managers for both states, Ted Merryman from Kentucky and Sam Sarvis from Indiana. They had come at the invitation of the West Kentucky Chamber Regional Chamber Alliance (WKRCA), and many of us were in awe.

I and a few others couldn't help but think back to early 2008 when we'd made our first trip to Frankfort to talk about I-69. Transportation officials there were nice but also a long way from any commitments for the project. Due to a lack of funding, the thought of seeing the 156 miles of I-69 through the Commonwealth making much progress in the near future seemed remote at best. We didn't give up.

Working through the 12 chambers of commerce in Chamber Leadership Initiatives for Northwestern Kentucky (C-LINK) and later the 14 chambers that comprise WKRCA, we continued to beat the drum for I-69. Two years later, Kentucky has an I-69 project manager, 800 people attended an I-69 rally disguised as "West Kentucky Night" during the legislative session, there's $51 million of projects in the state road plan for I-69, and now we await the results of Kentucky's application for a special grants program through the U.S. DOT to upgrade 70 miles of Kentucky parkways to become a big part of I-69.

Last Friday, Secretary Hancock was asked what the chambers should do. "Continue your united front, advocate together," was his only answer. Twenty-six chambers of commerce representing 6,500+ business members are marching to the same beat and getting the attention of those who make the decisions. Good things happen when people work together.

It's all about people

Yesterday, Larry Vick, superintendent of Owensboro Public Schools, gave me a tour of the new $23 million expansion and renovation project at Owensboro High School. It's well done with a 2,500-seat gymnasium and 14,000-square-foot fine arts wing that is probably second to few in Kentucky.

You could see the pride in Larry's face as he explained the details and thought process that was behind every decision. As we walked, he introduced me to several teachers who shared Larry's enthusiasm; it was obvious that they, too, were filled with pride and anticipation about their new surroundings and what it means for students as they return to school today. When I mentioned the teachers' bright eyes, he smiled and said, "It's all about people." Thirty-six years as a school superintendent has taught him that fact.

I thought about the irony of a $23 million facilities upgrade and how that is actually a people investment. It's true. People make the difference in any organization or business. "Get the right people on the bus," "Hire the best you can." Those are all staples of any best-selling leadership book I've ever read. At Owensboro High School, teachers' enthusiasm about their new surroundings will certainly lead to more motivation for learning

Philosophies come and go. I've learned in my career that there's actually few new ideas. What makes systems go or fail are the people behind them. This might seem quaint, but I was reminded yesterday for one hour of how true it still is.

More highway funding woes

As I left a Kentuckians for Better Transportation meeting last week in Frankfort, a fellow board member lamented that "he's never seen transportation in such bad shape in my 40 years in the business." The KBT board had just spent two hours discussing the sad state of affairs that funding our nation's most critical infrastructure--highways--has become.

I blogged about this just three months ago but a fact I heard at the KBT meeting drove it home even further: Over the next year, seven new all-electric vehicles will be introduced for sale in the U.S. Great, most people say. Save the environment and get away from fossil fuels. I won't argue the merits of that, but the growing influx of non-gasoline powered vehicles will soon accelerate the problem of how to continue funding highway construction/maintenance in America. For years, the system has revolved around the federal gas tax. In 2010, however, we have a perfect storm building of crumbling highways and bridges combined with a funding stream that is shrinking and won't be solved without major change.

Major change is not in the picture in D.C. these days. Congress continues to kick a new five-year reauthorization bill down the road because there's not nearly enough revenue to fund it. What's needed is a hike in the federal gas tax, which hasn't occurred in 17 years. Politicians are in no mood to discuss tax increases. Various plans to replace and/or supplement the fuel tax with a "miles traveled" tax system haven't gained serious traction. A major national study that outlined incremental change and would have brought solutions was dismissed by the Bush administration a few years ago and has yet to be resurrected.

Now, the Obama administration is more determined to promote mass transit and other forms of transportation. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood just last week announced new policies would "put non-motorized transportation on equal footing with motorized transportation." I'm all for biking and walking, but someone might want to tell Secretary LaHood that it takes a lot of bicycles to carry the same cargo as a tractor-trailer. After loud complaints by a national trucking group, LaHood backed away from those comments.

It's been nearly three years since the Interstate bridge in Minneapolis collapsed due to age and lack of necessary maintenance. How many bridges need to fail and kill motorists before D.C. gets serious about highway funding?

"Green jobs"

The continued assault by the Obama administration and the EPA on coal-fired power plants in the name of "green" and "saving" the environment should be a wake-up call to every person in the midwest. While everyone can agree on the need for "clean" air, many simply don't understand that it comes with a hefty price.

The fact is that much industry and large business is in Kentucky because of the low-cost electricity pricing associated with coal-fired power plants. I would further argue that low-cost power is Kentucky's only real economic development advantage. Fortunately, coal and its associated low-cost electricity have in many cases trumped Kentucky's non-business friendly labor laws and judicial systems. Keep adding to the costs of producing that electricity, however, and soon industry and its good-paying jobs and benefits will be fleeing the midwest.

When you hear someone talk about "all the green jobs" that will be created in the future, don't be fooled. Sure, there can be job growth in the manufacturing of components and parts needed for wind farms, solar panels and other "green" products but there's absolutely no guarantee those jobs will come to Kentucky. On the other hand, take away the state's low-cost electricity and it's virtually assured that aluminum smelters and other heavy industry will leave the state.

The hefty price for "clean" air in Kentucky is a certain loss of high-paying jobs and not just in coal mines and heavy manufacturing. How many service and retail jobs exist because well-paid manufacturing workers are able to treat their families to a meal at restaurants or to a weekend getaway? While that number is unknown, it's definitely more than will be created by "green jobs" in Kentucky.

Downtown plan fallout fails to materialize in election

Bruce Kunze, John Kazlauskas and David Johnson all voted for the insurance premium tax increase in February of 2009 that will fund Owensboro's downtown improvements. In fact, they were the only three who voted for the increase who were on Tuesday's local ballot. They all survived quite nicely and will be on the November ballot despite opposition from several newcomers.

Kunze stepped up to the judge executive race and easily won the Democrat nomination. Kazlauskas finished third and Johnson fifth in the 12-way battle to choose the top eight candidates for four spots in November. What may be more telling is that those most vocal in their opposition to the downtown plan were soundly defeated. In the GOP primary for judge executive, former city commissioner Al Mattingly trounced his two opponents--both very vocal opponents of the insurance tax increase. Mattingly didn't campaign against the downtown plan. Neither did the two top vote-getters in the city commission race, Pamela Smith-Wright or Roger Stacy.

Surely, there's been many vocal opponents of the tax increase and the downtown plan. Everyone seems to have an opinion, and many of us who supported the plan have wondered if it was simply a loud minority or majority. Tuesday's results would seem to indicate that there are in fact many "quiet" supporters of it.

Downtown Owensboro has a long way to go to be all its supporters envision. Tuesday night, however, those who predicted a "complete sweep" of local government should be disappointed. More appropriately, those who support the downtown plan should be heartened.