West Alabama-East Mississippi Mayor’s Regional Summit Held in Meridian

MERIDIAN —     There are many references of the Black Belt of the South.

Alabama governor, Robert Bentley, left, listens as Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour talks of regional support during the mayor's summit.

Booker T. Washington, who wrote, in his 1901 autobiography, Up from Slavery, said the term was first used to designate a part of the country, which was distinguished by the color of the soil. The part of the country possessing this thick, dark, and naturally rich soil was the part of the South where the black slaves were most numerous and profitable. Later and especially since the Civil War, the term seems to be used wholly in a political sense — that is, to designate the counties where the black people outnumber the white.

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley says this region of West Alabama is one of the places in which industry and growth needs to take root much like the cotton plants of the past.

Bentley, along with Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, spoke Wednesday morning at the West Alabama-East Mississippi Mayor’s Regional Summit held at the MSU Riley Center in downtown Meridian. Both state leaders say cooperation on the regional level is key to seeing growth in these areas.

“People have talked about doing something in the Black Belt for many years but that is all that has happened, just talk,” Bentley said Wednesday. “Now there is something happening.”

Where in the past, economic development leaders have concentrated on their own towns in order to try and lure in industry and jobs, Barbour says the key now is to promote the region, not just the city or town, in order to convince outside industry to invest in either East Mississippi or West Alabama.

“We have proven the Mississippi worker is more than willing to travel to get and maintain a good job,” Barbour said. “There are a great many examples of workers traveling across the Alabama-Mississippi border in order to work.”

The summit is a part of The Montgomery Institute (TMI) mission, which is to “upbuild the people and places of the East Mississippi and West Alabama region guided by the leadership legacy of G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery.”

Bill Crawford, president of TMI, says the mayors meet quarterly to discuss the issues within their jurisdictions.

“Our goal with this event is to direct a strong focus to our region so that we can continue to move forward,” Crawford said.

About 350 people, including state and local elected officials, economic development leaders and business leaders attended the summit.

While talking about the large industries states try to bring inside their borders, Barbour says state leaders should not forget about the small business and entrepreneurs who drive local economies. He says promoting entrepreneurship is vital to local and state economies especially since Mississippi will soon be losing federal funds like the Community Development Block Grants the state has received since Hurricane Katrina.

“That money is drying up,” Barbour said. “State revenues will be less.”

Both governors said training the workforce through community college education and high school programs will be crucial to convincing industries to come to the Black Belt. Bentley, however, admits there is a vicious cycle in play in which state and local leaders must make a decision where to invest decreasing funds. One dilemma, says Bentley, is whether the money should go to education or improving the infrastructure?

But with both states touting the other, the governors say the region and workers will eventually win out.

“We routinely support Alabama if it looks like we aren’t in the running for something because we could benefit from what they get in terms of industry and jobs,” Barbour said.

Barbour said the economic experts say the country is not in a recession now. He says for those experts to tell that to the local shop owner on Main Street.

“We have to be seen as a much larger work force than in the past if we think on the regional level,” Barbour said. “If we do that, the local shop owner, and everyone else, will see the growth we are constantly trying to achieve.”

By Brian Livingston / blivingston@themeridianstar.com The Meridian Star