With nearly one third of the Athens’ population living under the poverty level and a steadily increasing unemployment rate, there is no surprise to why City Council continues to put forth efforts to bring in and create jobs in Athens.
While Council Members initially brainstormed attracting new business to come to the area, many feel that expansion and growth of Athens will take a different route through growth of local food initiatives, the arts and university innovations.
Local food projects such as local farming as well as artisanal food production would not only be an attraction for tourism, but also be a reason for families to live in Athens, stimulating the economy, said City Council President Bill Bias.
“Since we are not a large metropolitan area, we need to look smaller in order to grow,” Bias said. “We need to work to our strengths and I think that’s our local food culture.”
Athens unemployment rate increased from 8.6 percent to 9.6 percent in 2010, according to the Jobs and Family Services Annual Report, causing council to start moving towards expanding upon local food to stimulate the economy.
One of the most recent city’s plans to help stimulate the local economy as well as promote healthy, local food options is through The 30 Mile Meal Project.
Thirty Mile Meals is a collaboration of Athens’ AceNet and 130 local farms, restaurants and specialty food providers to help promote buying food that is made within a 30-mile radius of where people live and provide marketable brand recognition for visitors.
Though this project is only a year and a half old, it has already had great results, including the program being the most local in the country, said Director Natalie Woodruff.
“This program has and will continue to create a more sustainable economy that is less dependent on the outside world,” Woodruff said. “Local options give local people opportunities, whether through health or jobs.”
Woodruff also remarked on how this project has sparked local businesses, such as Casa Nueva and Avalanche Pizza, to buy healthier, homegrown ingredients, creating a cycle of support of other businesses creating jobs for local people.
This tie to Athens’ is what At-Large member Chris Knisely feels will help “keep community vital and attract more families to Athens.”
The arts are another prominent Athens’ feature that City Planner Paul Logue believes will attract tourists to the area and have them spend their money at other local businesses.
For the past two years, Logue has been working on a survey called Arts and Economic Perspectives IV with the help of Americans for the Arts to help analyze what percentage of people who live or visit Athens, Franklin and Warren counties are spending their money on the arts such as plays, concerts and museums.
“Lets say that a couple has $50 and come to Athens and gets a hotel, sees a play, then goes out to dinner at a local restaurant, “ Logue said. “That money stays in Athens boosting our economy. We want that.”
The survey has already been handed out and all the data will be collected this December, allowing Council and local artists to figure out which arts programs to invest in and expand upon.
“(Athens) have a strong sense of place,” Logue said. “Which is very appealing to visitors and families.”
Though Knisely talked about different Ohio University programs that are helping create jobs, no new projects are being discussed.
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