On the Bachtel column

Well, it's not that I disagree with Doug Bachtel's central argument - that a greater focus on education and job training is essential to long-term economic growth - it's that I just don't get the feeling he's been paying attention.

Here are a few key points about the true nature of Athens-Clarke County from a longtime keeper and observer of local statistics. Athens-Clarke County is the smallest county in Georgia in terms of land area and one of the smallest in the entire country. This fact is critical because it means that regional cooperation is of paramount importance. We simply cannot ignore our neighbors, and to do so is economic stagnation. ...

The next time someone starts harping about local economic development strategies tell them what we really need is comprehensive job and skill training programs. With a skilled, educated workforce, jobs will follow, but without the job training programs simply will never materialize.

On those two points ... the Athens-Clarke County Commission has already, by a unanimous vote, approved a regional partnership with Oconee County. The latter, however, has not brought up the issue for a vote meaning the community Bachtel is imploring to partner with its neighbors has already laid the foundation for doing so.

Secondly, as a stated goal of OneAthens, a variety of job training programs have been launched at Athens Tech, as well as the transformation of a local school into career academy. In addition, the Athens-Clarke County Commission approved the creation of a green jobs training program aimed to equip low-income workers with the skills needed to work in the emerging, new economy.

Again, it's not that the central thesis of Bachtel's column is misguided. It's that had he actually looked around, he would see a community that is actively addressing his concerns.