Macomb City and local leaders are exploring a youth sports complex project for Macomb. I am not advocating for or against the project. I am commenting to support the public discussion and encourage your engagement in the process.
During my tenure as Mayor of Macomb I was often asked by fellow Mayors and staff in Springfield why I spent so much time and attention on University-related issues. My general response was, “WIU supports a lot of jobs and students who come to town for nine months to feed our economy." Pretty simple economics.
I have over 60 years of experience in Macomb and WIU; as a student, small business owner, Mayor and advocate for regional passenger rail service. In 1964 I was a freshman among approximately 3,000 students; when I returned from 3 years in the military in 1970 WIU had grown to nearly 11,000 students. The changes were amazing: new buildings were built or under construction as well as a noticeable change in the Macomb community. Increased student enrollment and increased WIU staff employment stimulated an entrepreneurial growth in the region. There was also the same spirit in the student population.
My business partner David Kielpinski and a number of local investors opened a bar and after a few years, we separated and started new businesses. Macomb was booming! Why was that? Good people, good workforce and good work ethic.
Today, higher education nationwide is experiencing enrollment issues, and in rural settings the challenges have more noticeable community impacts. There are no silver bullets or easy fixes. Local government officials are looking for ways to grow, or at least stabilize, the economies in their communities. That is their responsibility. You elected them to do just that. Community and regional leaders have placed an issue on the table and the public will have a say on it.
There are a few things I feel strongly about.
First, Macomb and WIU are much stronger when there is seamless cooperation and communication between the two entities.
Second, our local leaders cannot rely only on WIU’s growth to support our local economy.
The youth sports complex may or may not be the answer, but relying only on WIU to be the key to future economic stability is also not the answer.
Tom Carper served as mayor of Macomb for 12 years in the 1990s and early 2000s.
The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of TSPR or its license holder, Western Illinois University.
Diverse viewpoints are welcomed and encouraged.
