Eureka Times-Standard

Thinking "Big" for Humboldt County
By Gregg Foster

Sunday, July 10, 2005 -

Our doubts are traitors,

And make us lose the good we oft might win

By fearing to attempt.

- William Shakespeare

A couple of weeks ago, during a live radio interview, I was asked, "Do we think big enough in Humboldt County?" I don't recall my specific answer but I believe the gist of it was that doubts in our own abilities often leads to lowered expectations and a fear of attempting new things. Doubt in a positive future can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Here are two stories to illustrate:

Story 1. Last year, I helped the Redding and Arcata-Eureka airports with a grant application to initiate a round-trip flight to Los Angeles Airport. This project was a risk not only for the airports, but for also for Horizon Air. The downside risk was, of course, that the flights would not be used.

This would have resulted in loss of credibility and lots of wasted effort for the airports and a financial loss for Horizon Air, who committed to provide service for one year. While community support was high, there were those that questioned the wisdom of pursuing this project. A number of doubts were raised, from the overall health of the airline industry, to the wisdom of using public dollars to provide an incentive to a private company, to the fear of failure. True, the less risky path would have been to do nothing. After all, we all had gotten used to the airport and the service there, which is pretty darn good for a small regional airport.

Now, one year after the grant was submitted and two months after service was initiated, I'm pleased to tell you that this service has been successful beyond expectations. Enplanements (people boarding aircraft) in May and June were nearly 15 percent greater than the same period last year. Interestingly, even more people got off planes than got on. Horizon Air reports that they consider the route to be successful one and are "very pleased" by the community's response. This is a great example of different communities, public agencies, and the private sector working together to achieve a goal that benefits all.

Story #2. Two years ago my wife, a sixth grade teacher at Winship School, took a group of children down to the Eureka Boardwalk as part of a "reward day" field trip. At the F Street Plaza, she spoke of the various projects that would soon be underway and how much nicer that area would be with these new developments.

One of her students -- an 11-year-old girl -- challenged what she was saying, asserting that such good things do not happen in Eureka. This girl, at such a young age, had already lowered her expectations of what good things can happen here. How sad, not only for her, because she obviously did not believe in a positive future for her community, but also for us adults, who I fear too often communicate this message of doubt to our next generation.

It's unfortunate that on the eve of the start of these projects, a small group of individuals has chosen to try to stop them by suing the Eureka Redevelopment Agency and the projects' developers, citing their belief that there were technical flaws in the process of awarding the contracts for the projects. This suit, filed by members of the board of directors of the Humboldt Taxpayers League, casts into doubt the future of these projects.

While I personally believe that the suit is without merit, I would ask those the support it, "What price victory?" Even if by some stretch it was found that technical errors the process did occur, does that create any greater harm to the community than the potential delay to the revitalization of Eureka's waterfront, a dream thirty years in the making? Is the clinging onto the hope of being proved right worth delaying or denying the opportunity for the citizens of Humboldt County to enjoy the revitalized waterfront? Is the stubborn refusal to admit an error in judgment worth having another group of our children go out into the world knowing that in our community big visions can be brought down by small squabbles?

I don't think so. Please drop the lawsuit.

It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves. -- William Shakespeare

So, do we think big enough in Humboldt County or do we fear to attempt by our traitorous doubts?

Gregg Foster is the Executive Director of the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission (RREDC). He graduated from South Fork High School, where he took World Literature from his mother who is no doubt pleased that he quoted Shakespeare twice in this column. The views expressed here are his and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Board of Directors of RREDC.