I note with some approval that Madison is about to gain 125 jobs (maybe 175). Global Polymer Industries is moving its operations to town. One word, Madison: plastics.
The Lake Area Improvement Corporation and the usual Madison suspects are all ready to take credit for adding a quarter of the jobs that the LAIC promised to add in five years six years ago. But (you knew this was coming) Madison's success is Arlington's failure. Global Polymer isn't a new out-of-state recruit. Madison just pulled this company from its northern neighbor.
Current unemployment in Kingsbury County is 3.4%. That's 105 workers not on the job. Global Polymer's move will more than double the unemployment rate in Kingsbury County... unless those workers all commute to Madison or move out of the county. Whatever way the labor force adjusts, Madison celebrates gutting Arlington's economy.
The LAIC's job isn't to help the state or the planet. It's charter obliges it to serve the interests of Madison and Lake County. Luring Global Polymer away from Arlington does that.
But so much for collaborative regional economic development. It will be at least thirty years before anyone from the Arlington Community Development Corporation (hmm, which actually publishes the names and photos of its decision-makers on its front page, unlike Madison's LAIC) sits down at a friendly table with Madison's "every town for itself" developers.
Madison didn't lure this company away Arlington. They were getting out of Dodge as fast as they could. Madison really just beat out Brookings. Arlington city leaders (who may be facing a recall effort?) forced this.
Why did they leave Arlington?
http://www.keloland.com/News/newsdetail6371.cfm/sd-business-considering-leaving-arlington/?id=136313
Ooh! Good link, Matt! It's one thing if we simply pirate jobs from other communities (or other states, in the case of the Toyota lottery). It's a whole 'nother if we simply take advantage of another town's mistakes. Tell us more!
Electric rates were also "critically important" to the company.
http://www.brookingsregister.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=76&story_id=15337
Arlington: .0547 per kwh
Brookings: .033/kwh
Howard: .032/kwh
Rates are better in Madison than in Arlington.
"Luring Global Polymer away from Arlington does that." - what a joke...you don't have to LURE something away when a town basically tells a business "NO, you can't expand, we want you to stay just the way you are. While we keep our ridiculous rates on you."
At first, I wanted to rant about how every time I think you can't get more ridiculous you do...instead I'll just go right ahead and take a few comments directly from Steve's link. After all, it is a Brooking's site so I can't imagine it would try to defend Madison right...
"possibly to Brookings or Madison, after being refused a rezoning request for expansion and city consideration of the company’s electric rates"
"The denial of the company’s request to rezone property it OWNS adjacent to its current plant was the precipitating factor"
"That action by the Arlington City Council in July – prompted by protests from the manufacturer’s neighboring property owners"
"It also prompted an Arlington businesswoman, Coleen Liebsch, to announce that she would begin circulating petitions for the recall of Arlington Mayor Amiel Redfish."
"relocating to a community like Brookings would mean $17,000 to $20,000 a month in electrical savings – as much as a quarter-million dollars a year. With a potential rate increase from its hometown, “Global could be facing an annual penalty of closer to a half-million dollars annually to operate in Arlington.â€
"The real issue is that they overcharge for electric rates and then transfer from the electric fund to the general fund, and then the mayor can spend at his discretion.â€
....So, now that I copied the majority of that article, you might actually read the important pieces...
Now, how in the world can you blame Madison, for Arlington's very apparent abuse and mismanagement of its opportunity. This is what happens in the real world Cory, if you don't appease a business that obviously helps out your community greatly, they will leave.
Yet, you blame Madison for Arlington's downfall. This whole review is unbelievable, and bias because you have this hate for the LAIC "and the Madison Mafia".
You seriously, need to change your URL to rantsofacrazyguy.com because your ability to jump wagon to wagon and always find out some way to blame someone in Madison is ridiculous.
I'm sorry that Arlington dropped the ball and that Madison was there to pick it up and bring the company to Lake County...
I'm sorry that you write a blog that uses the Madison city logo (illegally) and yet a BROOKINGS' website does a better job of talking about the REAL issue...which is Arlington dropping the ball!
Change your site to "some guy that rants about towns in South Dakota, because he has personal problems with some people, because he was ran out of his last town"
Honestly, I'm sorry for being so abrupt, but this one just takes the cake...what is your point here? That Madison should have sat by and let this company go to Brookings?
Arlington lost this company on its own, Madison luckily brought it to Lake County...I'm not saying you should praise the LAIC or anything, but if you seriously cared about this town enough to make a stinking blog about it...you should show it some support when it makes the right moves than blame it for something it had no control of. Arlington was the one that has ran this company out of town.
That mayor should be petitioned against, and if you wanted to rant and rave, you should have pointed your finger at him, because ARLINGTON and their MAYOR are the only ones to blame for that company going ANYWHERE!
It is very exciting for Madison to gain a large employer that has the potential to double in size in the next five years. Madison leaders moved swiftly and kept the lure of Brookings and I-29 at bay and successfully brought Global Polymer to Madison. I am tired of losing to Brookings and glad we finally won a battle.
Arlington's leaders shot their city in the foot and now it will continue to bleed to death. Towns like Howard and Arlington are really hurting and it is sad to see people have to relocate their families. Let's be clear, this is great for Madison and very bad for Arlington. Add to this news that Howard is closing down Maroney Commons next week. Howard and Arlington are losing population and jobs and I know that this will hurt some families. So let's be somewhat sensitive here please. (Slow down Mr. Eining)
As I have said in the past, Madison must become a regional hub, much like Sioux Falls, Yankton, Watertown, Brookings, and Mitchell. With another large manufacturer coming to town, now is the time to push for Highway 34 to become 4 Lanes to I-29. In an ideal world, we would even find a way to do 4 Lanes up Highway 81. With the job increase and population growth, we will get closer to the numbers needed for a second full service grocery store to move to town. (Think Coborn's). We will also add more people that can support more downtown retail and entertainment.
Madison should have a goal of hitting 10,000 residents by 2020. Aggressively recruit businesses and retail stores. Find ways to increase permanent housing and transitional housing.
Julie Gross is off to a great start!
-Ashley Kenneth Allen
Hey, Steve, what rate do Madison's current industrial customers pay?
Ah, I see Madison posts that information:
Heavy Commercial
Monthly Service Charge: $14.45
Demand Charge: $10.66/KW
Energy Charge: $.04248/KWH
Still bigger savings in Brookings. What other factors sealed the deal?
(And John, "illegally"? Really? I thought the city wanted everyone to use the logo. Quit moaning on your personal vendetta and stick with the issues.)
Dude, it's tres uncool to use someone else's logo for your own purposes. We creative types get uptight when someone uses our idea without compensation.
It's a privately held company with ties to Lake County and Madison. I've heard of many people that have made the trip up Hwy 81 to work in Arlington at the plant there.
Hold on: I thought it was the community's logo. If Madison hassles me about it, and if I threaten to move to another community that charges its residents less for electricity, will Madison back off?
More to the point: Suppose some Global Polymer workers want to move from Arlington to Madison. Will the city cut their electric rates?
You can't just see a logo out there and use it. It's the city's logo, they have full rights to it, and its an intellectual property. Someone made it, someone paid for it.
Back on to the point as you said: You're comparing an individual to a corporation...amazingly far off and again, a great example of you being an internet troll...
Google Troll (Internet) for the definition...I always forget you don't let links through without moderation (which is understandable)
Typically when a community develops a brand, they encourage it's use throughout said community. This is obviously the case with the ubiquitous "South Dakota" script lettering and corresponding "Great Faces" logo.
Not to do so would defeat the purpose of developing it in the first place. The best way to create top of mind awareness of a community via a graphic identity is to make sure as many people see it as often as possible.
Typically, there is a "graphic standards manual" developed along with the identity unit to specify the "dos and don'ts" as far as logo use goes.
That said, Cory probably can additionally claim "fair use rights" having used the image satirically and/or for educational purposes.
Fair use:
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
Excerpt:
"Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Section 107 also sets out four factors to be considered in determining whether or not a particular use is fair.
• The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes
• The nature of the copyrighted work
• The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
• The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work
Thanks for that primer, Bill! I checked the "South Dakota" portion of the logo when it was created: no conflict there.
While I am terribly disappointed in the way Arlington responded - or failed to respond. I am thrilled for the future that lies ahead for Global Polymer, its employees and its customers. Madison won Global because they WANTED them! The development corporation made an impressive presentation and in one press release, Madison showed more pride for Global and their accomplishments than Arlington did in 20 years. Madison residents should be proud of their development corporation AND ALSO realize that one of the locations Global was considering was in Wisconsin. Personally, I would like to say THANK YOU to Madison because at least now some of our residents can commute to work and not leave Arlington! Congratulations Madison! Global Polymer deserves ALL the kudos you can give them and their future is just absolutely phenomenal!! Treat them well - they deserve it!!!!
As far as the future goes? I don't know. The sense of urgency to get someone official in front of Global is gone so I'd have to say it depends on what the community WANTS me to do.
I am in the process of reviewing documents and comparing data regarding the electrical rate schedule and expect to be ready for a public meeting addressing the issue within the next 2 weeks. Anyone who would be interested in attending can email me questions at coleenliebsch@hotmail.com.
Arlington residents have been repeatedly told that the electrical rate schedule is too difficult for a "lay" person to understand. I disagree and I will be more than happy to demonstrate exactly why. It isn't just Global that's paying astronomical electrical rates, it's residential, small commercial, large commercial and industrial. In other words, it's everyone! But to be quite frank, if anything is ever going to change then the Arlington residents need to step up and speak up. If everything's fine then I guess I'd better not ever hear anyone complain about their utility rates again! Next Move? I don't know.
Coleen, thank you for bringing the first Arlington perspective to our discussion here! Will Arlington even provide you (and us) with a summary sheet of local electric rates like the one Madison posts on its website?
Caheidelberger, The information is definitely NOT given out readily in Arlington.