In my terms as president of COROA I have seen and heard from many of you of the hardships experienced as a result of the surge in unemployment rates in Central Oregon. A large percentage of tenants have lost their jobs and in turn are unable to make timely rent payments, or make payment at all.

As we are all very aware, the United States, Oregon, and more specifically Deschutes County, are navigating through a treacherous economic climate in which each day brings new levels of uncertainty and instability. As these realities fill each financial quarter, the compounding evidence demonstrates that Deschutes County is in great need of economic diversification.

While residents and businesses wade through the uncertainties of the current economic climate, it gave rise to the evolution of the grassroots, non-partisan, clear-intentioned Deschutes Economic Alliance. The Alliance’s founders and board are a diverse group of local, private-sector business and community leaders who have joined with a common goal: to aid the other economic development groups in our region to create a diversified and vital local economy and create an infrastructure that will truly sustain living wage jobs.

The Alliance recognizes the extraordinary efforts of existing organizations and hopes to collaborate with the independent guidance of internationally renowned economic experts.

We need to diversify our local economy and reinvent ourselves. Reinvention is not a strange concept to Bend. History has shown after the tumble of the timber mills, Deschutes County is more than capable of forging a new and successful path. We are experiencing an economic climate not unlike the one experienced with the slow of timber production in the 1950’s and the closure of the final timber mill in 1994. We must be innovative and act swiftly to create a local economy that will continue to drive the overall community health of Central Oregon.

The Deschutes Economic Alliance has the opportunity and foresight to contract Delore Zimmerman and his team at the Praxis Strategy Group. Zimmerman’s track record with community strategy and development is unequaled and it is the Alliance’s belief that when brilliant minds such as his and his team’s are willing to work with and help our community, it is our responsibility to support the effort. Zimmerman and the Praxis Strategy Group have created strategies for numerous communities on a global scale, and have proven with each community that a clear and realistic economic strategy can and will have positive effect on local economies.

Please join me in supporting the efforts of the Deschutes Economic Alliance, as we explore a fresh perspective and launch this important endeavor for our community. Let’s create some job opportunities, so we can keep our rental properties occupied.

For more information please visit www.deschutesalliance.org

Sincerely,

Lawnae Hunter