The Cities | QC Botanical Center & Chamber of Commerce | WQPT

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whethering a tough ecomony could the quad cities fortunes be changing an are you ready to head
to the tropics
you don't have to
they're coming to you
in the cities
january's are known for their bitter temperatures and overcast days but the quad cities botanical
center has a great series that should warm you up
but first
there's an old joe let the light at the end of the tunnel
could be an oncoming train could be said of the nation's economy
one step forward it seems to lead to a another step
so far they've called it a jobless recovery but is that the case in the quad cities
let's find out
joining me now is the chief executive officer
of the quad cities chamber of commerce tara barney
and the president of the organization
Rick Baker thanks for joining me
thrilled to be here jim let's start with that and let's talk about the economy but first
let's look backwards instead of forwards
how tough was it in two thousand nine and two thousand ten when you see the troubles
that they had in nevada and the sunbelt states and you compare that to what we had the quad
cities
we had a tough time
but it was just half as much of it
really are
housing market
our employees
all had to tighten their belts and we saw
lots of impact and lots of challenge but we were not
uh... rolled over like many of of the uh... regions around the country will Rick the
case of we learned our lesson in the eighties i mean let's be honest the quad cities it
almost rock-bottom during that decade in that perhaps we learned a lot less and since then
well i think the outcome of the eighties and
the challenges quad cities faced them the diversification of our economy here
which has paid off for us now
in this most recent economic situation so
if you want to make lemonade out of that lemon i'm i i would say that diversification was
a positive thing for the quad cities where have you seen the diversification 'cause i i know
we have far fewer and ag equipment makers in the quad cities right now
but i'm sure you'd like to see a whole
a lot more manufacturing in this area and diversified manufacturing base will we still
have a very strong above the national average as far as number of percentage of jobs in
our community
that are manufacturing related
and so we still have a very strong a manufacturing base here in the quad cities but we have diverse
vitamins and some financial services and other areas that have helped really helped i think
go through this downturn the last couple of years and help
um... even that out for us as a region I'm sure you want to point out that health care in the quad cities
we've been we've become kind of a mecca for that as well what have we seen enough of a
high-tech jobs that
twenty-first century jobs that we always hear about any kind of skipping the quad cities
annoying elsewhere we've never seen in a will will always want more but i think we're going
their fair share
we um... we've had a lot of opportunities in advance manufacturer image businesses that
have come in
in robotics and we've got a huge robotics clustered in the coincidence that is
so that has allowed into the and the bushel for people but it's it's a
close to that there's actually strength for a reason
and then send this to in some other aspects of its manufacturing
they've played off the history of this region
in them
the ag equipment area that is said
uh... moved away or or gone away we've been able to i think take the streets are manufacturing
work force and bring them
back to life and that can be a good productive opportunities and other areas of manufacturing
but as you know as we were saying is that the jobless recovery
the quad cities above six percent unemployment rates far better than
national average far better then uh... the statewide averages lease in illinois
the cambridge staffing report just came out that senate about sixty four percent
of eastern Iowa businesses planned the higher
in the coming
quarter
sixty four percent
and i should add also that none of the companies that the surveyed were going to cut jobs so
tera tell me about that that sounds like twenty eleven
has some promise for the people who are still looking for work
it does and know most of those companies did that cutting
in the past two years
and so they lean and those those employers that we talked to are hiring back they're
doing it slowly and cautiously but i think the cambridge staffing report is very consistent
that what we're finding in our research
we go out regularly and talk to
uh... businesses uh... committed that i would call the
industry leaders or those businesses that are very central to our economy we need we
can regularly
and other those we've gotten a
uh... very consistent report back about their
as to hire
not neccsariaily in the first quarter but the coming years
and uh... so we know that this is we met with i'm more than half of them have identified
hiring plans very specific plans
for the coming its although i don't think i've discussed that's meaningful optimism
not just picking things out of the sky
are you more optimistic this january than last
old most certainly um...
uh... you know we knew from our employers that
twenty ten was going to be a more challenging year
um... they felt like they had
we were seeing the bottom
and they've made it through
the bottom
uh... but there was a good to be
anything a lot of growth of twenty ten
um... so i i think the news that we're getting from employers who ship does create for much
more optimistic twenty eleven
now about three quarters of the members of the quad cities chamber of commerce are for
small business
uh... owners
you believe that that's the backbone of job creation is that where we're seeing in the
quantity area
uh... traditionally the small business community has been quietly creating jobs edit one jaromir
do there
i'm not something that we in that gets a whole lot of attention right uh... but when you
start adding them up and you look at the reports that come out
uh... for that number folks there are employed in a region and that members continues to
go up every
corder um... that's where the quiet job creation is happening is within those small businesses
and when we're talking about their job creation being quiet
but very loud group is coming the first army and we've you've kind of wrapped up for it
pham but the first army is going to be making a permanent home inequalities later this year
and find no that there's a call for more housing
uh... that was last year by the year before that
isn't just gonna domino from here
sort of the first armies impacts of in this community
uh... felt throughout the region
uh... yes it will domino housing has been a conversation with the haven't for two years
a lot of uh...
housing opportunities have come to be our commercial brokers and
of our business is going to
asian housing have have been very responsive to the needs of the first army
and that was trying to have those folks will corroborate in small numbers
of the month after the first army though
is the fact that it will bring
uh... more military presence truck community
it will bring a three-star
uh... uh... officer to recommend you still have a three-star general here for the first
time
and that brings many opportunities for
collaboration elevation of the rock on ourselves presence in the
and and federal advocacy world so will be working closely with them which is critically
important for over five years from now or whatever the neck right bracket uh... announcement
is made for the uh... basically a lineup
and closure of the discussions and and let's be honest arsenal island
was so close throwing away if not on the up blocked out
and that is the largest employer in the quantity his allies employment site
and so those businesses
most of which our military or military associate
uh... is allies employment site in the quad cities and we've got
i think the light latest embers eight thousand seven hundred plus people working on that
island so yeah it's a huge
offered to me it's a a huge asset that we need to protect into all the candice support
because in its so deeply throughout the rest of our quincy economy but one would worry
rick is that perhaps you don't want to put all your eggs
on arsenal island like we did with eg equipment makers
you know thirty years ago is that a concern well i think uh... you know anytime you have
a major employer like that you have to be
you don't get to work a little bit harder to make sure that we maintain that presence
but i think something to remember with the the islanders seventy different
uh... tennis on that piece of property we all referred to them
ireland is the arsenals troop
uh... personalization one component of and one piece of the seventy different tendencies
so there's some diversification
even with in
that piece of property and he within the public sector employment that we have in the criterion
entered the chamber has been working on a strategic plan i don't move us forward economically
tallil about that
but certainly within a
talking to stakeholders and citizens and businesses about
uh... what the prices regions thought they should be for the next at five years
of the board has just adopted the baseline of that plan and it talks very much
art encouraging growth in the quantities and by that i don't mean
i guess more jobs for people but a high level of prosperity for this whole weekend making
it more livable community one that is more
uh... airboat to withstand the challenges of of a worldwide economy an
one that actually is
increasing
the amount of productivity that we uh... bring from the prices region to the rest of world
so that is
the essence the plan is all about it cannot development
it's about making this a more more livable region and one that
i can differentiate itself as a region from other regions in the upper midwest because
we've got
challenge and an opportunity to stand out as a
the uh... and high-value location for business and that's what the plan is about
uh... it certainly speaks to
making sure that the new research and drift commerce organization
uh... well positioned to be successful and to be supportive of the business committed
that's an important part of the strategically recovered from that to something that work
is very active in and that is governmental policies we now have legislatures
that are going in the session
uh... illinois has gotten budget problems that have been existing now for the last several
years you have a new republican governor who is looking at perhaps
not funding or accepting federal funding for the f_b_i_ pasture rail system from iowa city
to the point six let's talk about some of those issues but let's broad stroke it first
what do you see is a big change that's gonna be happening now that there's more republican
control in iowa as well as uh... well maybe not more in illinois but still there is a
larger republican presidents there's much more influence in illinois uh... intervention
i think we're gonna find this in both states is a lot more compromise
and a lot more
uh... it'll take a lot more work to get pieces of legislation through because there has to
be sooo much more compromise
in both the states
budgets are issue of illinois much worse of course
uh... and we've been hearing about that for a long time and so i know that uh... from
the chambers perspective in our
priorities getting the stable depicting the state of a
stable financial situation is important to us
without being overly burdensome
but i think the you know first of the new chief of the new quantities chamber we have
more resources took available to us and i mean that in human resources and talent on
our staff to work
within both state capitals uh... as well as locally and that the federal level
and and i think that's one of a
real outcomes of this new mergers being able to pull it a lot
what were individual organizations in the past and really have influence in our state
capitals uh... because we are a dominant
metropolitan
area for both states
um... but we were divided in half an hour influencing them
list and that's
to me i think what something that we should be very excited about is a community of particularly
the business community has
we moved forward and get involved in
on the political environment
this coming
winter then it certainly seems that this will be the first test for your applicable awful
army in springfield and in the morning
especially at a time when and she said we're looking for cuts in the budget which could
also mean cuts in funding for economic development and and and cuts in the arya looks pension
in transportation in infrastructure to have a concern that we may be making some
not so start cuts
well you know that's a good question because i think we do have to be cautious we were
speaking about this just this morning and our and stampeding
alone
um... some cuts you could just shift the cost blow publi
uh... and pushed down to our property taxes
and so i think there are cuts that uh... we have to be very cautious of
and that's why is it chamber of commerce having the resources to be able work more closely
tom had the time to work more closely with our legislators to make them aware of
the uh...
impacts that decisions have
uh... and what it looked as possible ships might be
terror one of those areas as passenger rail i mean we've heard so much about it that favorite
state sold
on the creation of this from chicago to the quad cities
hopefully iowa city on to the point
are you just as optimistic as you were before the november elections
uh... well we are certainly we still instance it is that this keep rising for this reason
it is critical for us to make this happen because i think it is
an option for us to be connected with the gateway to the world
chicago and the
the opportunities that it
presents as far as workforce and business uh... allegiance that we can build are huge
and so we are as committed to as we were before november
we have some different work to do
and uh... we need the help of the governor of iowa
understanding the importance for all of this and i was so so it's critical that once it
is
certified city it's critical to the duke and so we've got a
uh... agood partnership round among the chambers of of each of those communities
to help the governor
get the data he needs to make it sound decision and we're confident that decision will help
us out
secure now only the the rail two quad cities because that is
primarily a conversation between the federal government and and the
in state of illinois
but to make sure that also continues along that court because our relationship to iowa
city into the morning candy vastly station and again position the quad cities as a linchpin
in this uh... economic order
regarding your justice up in the senate use a lot of blood swept in tears are going into
this including the purchase of a building in downtown molina and a lot of plans for
marketing this area
well is as chairman jim uh...
illinois has continued to be very
uh... engaged in bringing passenger rail to the quad cities in the head of that's our
first priority of course giving us the quad cities with hits the market that we serve
but it isn't critical to the success in the long term i think uh... for
passenger that particular route that we do continue it on
uh... into iowa city and future into the morning
and then as again you know after weighing tears comments
it just puts us in a very good
could position as a community central in that route
uh... can access to those other metropolitan areas that we are working diligently as you
can a mansion uh... informing
the governor of the new the governor-elect
of ohio about the the investment that the state and the return that they would receive
from an investment
just a few moments left i want to give your best pitch you have the fifteen oh award deadline
fast approaching terrify me a little bit about the
and why it's so i think important for people know about certainly feel more at
is that
is an opportunity to elevate and and uh... uh... highlight women business leaders
there are specially involved in setting standards uh... in
in the profession and mentoring other women professionals coming along
is a warning that the
illinois chamber and women's connection have uh...
have led for many years in the clinton chamber is now on
uh... especially if they're highlighting a connection with the national
uh... as you know ward and we
anchor jg our people to nominate women professionals in this community they got through january
twenty fourth today so i believe the day
and uh... those awards are coming up will be up for saturday march twenty second said
to myself
uh... we would love to have people
connect our website
i'd get all the details about nominating someone they know that would be worthy of the award
and apparently thanks for joining us we appreciate you joining us this at uni
coming up next tiptoe through the tropics only in the cities
has this on the other events of june and july when you go
walking about the first
music with a message
moline high-school sophomore emily majet ahet has written a song about an eight year old
boy dying of cancer she selling the song to help the child's family raise money for cancer
research this is emily sonnets untitled
time now
do
non
welcome out and about project resistant and laura coming up in dublin he became prime
suspect for having their effective cheap effective jane henderson
this classic dramatic series and their experience assassination of a preemptive accounts death
of america's that's that's a good president and the man expert on welfare
also all of the great option items available for that checking out the facts february twenty
eighth at the hotel black market and old room
setting crosses w gala fundraiser that for free
auction items and musical entertained celebrate the return of the faulty though that bald
eagle bay at the jcc expo center with over one hundred displays an information business
there's m profit fifty-eight significant twenty-one brightness watchful playground challenge with
the blacklist and applied to temple centers offering family program to learn more about
princess prices of the prospects for more information on these events and other bapat
w_t_v_t_ dot org
the average temperature this time in years
twenty nine degrees its keys you think about faraway tropics sandy beaches unusual plants
party can't go to the tropics
the quantity botanical centers bring in the tropics do u megan crandall cooper from the
botanical center in rock island joins us right now this month
eyes are offering some treats from the tropics that's what it's called what you decided to
have any idea and perfectly timely
and just because that's where does he really offering actually a decided wineries
bring people and then
make them remember that it will be green against and seminar soundgarden and shifting to come
from the senate
do you find it at the capitol center that this is the time of the year when you do get
more visitors because people are just get some cabin fever and they just want to see
something pretty green right now surprise
you know relapsing becoming so we did that happen fever
itself
uh... you would think that people would come in ten jackson garden since it is a rainforest
here am hyatt get out the national guard and i think that
service
seasonal disorder
problems happening
events that it will will be talking about the price to get us like five dollars for
adults and as such i i do think that the botanical centers become kind of this
for gotten to know
this this
beautiful
um... the facility for the quad cities
the fetus
need to remember it exists right along the riverfront
uh... we do try to get our name out there and make people remember that they can come
in not only
just enjoy the tropics but for educational toy is hands
enjoy a greenhouse or actually building a but if i have attached to so did you have
butterflies there in the
estimate was very popular with him
family show and we usually have a caterpillar
uh... incident that happened since train
and are gardeners bringing caterpillars and kids can watch internal christmases and emerges
butterflies
but let's talk about your program right now throughout the month of january so we started
with this continuing your t_v_ universities to the tropics
such as what
well this upcoming sunday and we actually are giving them a culinary feast of the tropics
with recent spaces so they can join things that are made from spices and traffic since
infancy fruits
and things like that our last sunday into a sense of the tropics an
and uh... the sunday after that is more medicine all
when we talk about each one of those and knows that you did bring some of the spices uwi
few everyone you point out those in particular
one because the minister comments by so everyone knows that uh... they've used in cooking adults
place as another one that we actually have an awesome streets though
we point that one out of life as we can actually show them the nixon snuggly since most of
cycle status so these uh... these places don't actually grow in the containers in the jungle
there's actual plan speak find that yes yeah
effect decided that there's a lot of
service that's leading the market
it's thursday ten a grocery store shelf they picked that's where it came from pf this is
kind of a new program to take you back through the process and intended to learn about that
for example um... sending insofar beckett's world often ground up and says actual senate
potter that these several symbols like that
so then they describe the bar graph repeatedly vitreous and then it point rise rules of and
one of the other areas topics that you'd be talking with me newton medicinal quality
uh... of tropical plants and uh... you obviously have al lol
uh... helping you out was sunburns and stuff like that but i assume there's more
maps of the program that you're offering
yes um...
at keeping in cincinnati senators and other and medicinal plants
on it can help with internet reveal uh... stuff and get a bacterial stuff that they
nixon honey men actually helps out people penguins of things
um... aloe commute bannerman's and things like quinine muscle relaxant pain relievers
have been found in the rain forest on even coffee are helpless headaches if you take
it with the cementing
and when you're talking about the rainforest mean that's uh... that's uh... left money
that's being the plaque in-kind in south america
net uh... thousands upon thousands of acres have sorry the spirit of the amazon
it said drop in the bucket when people look at it
logging companies look at it
budgetary changing atmosphere in the middle here we do have some of the coffee beans and
and it let's be honest i mean we see starbucks opening up in a flock
so when we're talking about coffee
that's one of the uh... products from the uh... the tropics that uh... we know very
much of a
yet it's sort of a popular ones because everybody seems to have several cups of the day stuff
it's one of those uh... plans that we use up over and over again and we actually have
a a copy tree so people can actually see the beans themselves
on the copy plant not yeah hold on to that for just a second dot com that because this
really is
this is where our party comes from and you do show this awful when you're at the dependency
yeah we soap
people the coffee beans and i can actually arab
brick patio below the
uh... copy treat you for your copy transient student desperation stuff
people find it they fall down nicefun
before craft fair for coffee down for fun i think it's a component of plant the beans
to see if they can go to and coconuts as well as notices little little hollow as well yet
telling about the the reaction that you're getting so far from the kids
on the kids are pretty excited because they'll last activity that we didn't was that they
made bath starts with a sense
arts and sciences
and uh... i think happened it was just the fun of mixing up things that the other half
is when we took a minute sungard
on you it's even little kids just knowing all the pants and they've realized some some
really bad since monday
uh... some snow like feud
so million people should go to the uh... quantities
botanical center check out the website
figure out that some of the days that you may want to attend
and and this is one of
those things that you've got kids they're cooped up
as well as ideas for quantity area families to perhaps comes by an experiment open their
eyes
something other than the week
mister is excellent
condensed excellence civil suits and skirts and stuff
thank you megan the botanical center is open weekdays throughs
saturdays from ten until four and sundays at noon at until for tickets cost five dollars
for adults there are lower rates for seniors children and very young kids
we have an update on a story that we featured last month here on the city's the salvation
army's red kettle campaign is being extended because the group fell almost a quarter million
dollar short of its goal the bell ringers art manning the cattles anymore but you can
email your donations the salvation army from now until january fourteenth
if you wanna by emily song which we featured earlier head to the website that you see on
the bottom of the street games gift dotnet money from the song written by those moline
sophomore will help fund
cancer research
that with the rap on things for this week make the most of your new year and
thanks for being a part of the city's
all
vin
production funding for the city's is provided by a grant from the door is simply to date
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