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ARAC members have Gov. Riley's ear
"This may be the only organization in the state where you've got direct input to the governor on the issues," said Gerald Dial, ARAC executive director. However, Dial made it clear that communities would have to work together and set priorities. The kick-off meeting for the Tombigbee Rural Action Commission was Tuesday afternoon at the Camden School of Arts and Technology. The Tombigbee commission is one of eight regional Rural Action commissions and represents Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Marengo, Monroe, Perry, Sumter, Washington and Wilcox counties. "It's a simple concept," Dial said, "bring people together, identify problems, communicate, and work toward solving those problems….It's you in the community who know your problems….Now it's up to you as concerned citizens to come together (and prioritize) those issues." Communities cannot pull against each other. "The governor and most politicians are going to go where there is unity, where people have come together and said this is (issue) number one. It's somewhat difficult when you've got to put aside your personal interests….but you've got to look at the overall picture. What is best for the region is best for the state." "We want to improve education," said John Harrison, superintendent of the State Banking Department and ARAC co-chair. "We want to make sure that health care is better for everybody. We want to make sure that in economic development we don't miss anything out there." Harrison wants to use the community college system to bolster workforce development in the rural areas. "There's no reason that you should not have access to the type of workforce training that you need," he said. Richard Long, mayor of Jackson, and Larry Fluker, mayor of Evergreen, are regional cochairs. John Clyde Riggs, executive director of the Alabama-Tombigbee Regional Commission, is the deputy co-chair. "Quality of life is so important when investors look to see where their next location (will be)," Mayor Long said. "…Education is a part of it; health care is a part of it….When they (potential industry) start looking at areas, if we have a good quality of life, they will come to Southwest Alabama."
Mayor Long said the new commission has got to be more than just another process of meetings. The new regional commission must take the lessons of the Black Belt Action Commission and improve upon them.
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