The Haines Economic Development Corp. board of directors would like to address the news story in the June 21 Chilkat Valley News about our work with the McDowell Group on our baseline economic data study and strategic planning process.
The nature of our open meetings, coupled with the need to allow our board members to give candid, creative feedback during the brainstorming process, resulted in an article that described us as unhappy with the “consultant’s economic reports.” We believe the article failed to represent the true nature and outcome of our meeting and instead pulled out quotes and conversation from our work in progress for an article whose headline and premise does not accurately reflect our feelings.
We are not “unhappy,” as the headline suggested, but rather the board is quite skilled at critical thinking and we were working through a process of honing our ideas during an open and creative process. The article highlighted the main concerns and questions we have at this point in the process, but only in the context of two of our recent meetings without also including the positive points we are excited to include in the final products.
HEDC is committed to working with McDowell Group and appreciate of their efforts and expertise in this challenging process. We are taking the economic strategic planning process very seriously and are confident our efforts with McDowell Group will produce a well thought out and comprehensive plan to support and grow Haines’ economy into the future.
Margaret Friedenauer, executive director,
and the Haines Economic Development Corp. board of directors