SBEC moves in different direction with NHA plans

ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia (SBEC) announced Friday it will no longer seek congressional designation for the proposed Columbia Pacific National Heritage Area (NHA).

SBEC said they were withdrawing the proposal to create a new NHA region due to the Obama administration’s official position to not support any new designations of NHA regions until national policy is established, coupled with budgetary constraints. “We believe it is not the right time to move forward with designation,” said SBEC executive Vice President Mike Dickerson in a written statement.

However, SBEC said it will move forward in another way. The SBEC said it still plans to complete the original feasibility study for a proposed NHA and submit it to the National Park Service for review by the end of the month. The study proposes creating a new model for NHA’s, by investing in local entrepreneurs to preserve heritage.

Dickerson said while the timing may be bad for an NHA designation, the SBEC deeply believes in the economic model proposed by the plan. The SBEC said it will also carry out the investment concept by committing $1,000,000 of its own resources to create a heritage-focused investment fund. The fund is intended to spur economic growth and activity for new jobs in the lower Columbia region.

“We are committed to demonstrating our approach to rural economic development based on heritage,” said Dickerson. “Our resource based future will require non-traditional investments.” He went on to say the investments SBEC envisioned would enable entrepreneurs to retain their livelihoods and develop new innovative products, markets and harvest opportunities.

To that end, the SBEC said it plans to form a group of heritage-related entrepreneurs and community leaders to aid, inform and advise the bank on the development of non-traditional investments in the region.

Dickerson said he hoped the SBEC’s new vision would unite the residents in Clatsop, Pacific, and Wahkiakum Counties around the new goal of a vibrant rural economy, based on traditional economies of a shared past.

Dickerson said one thing everyone agreed on during discussions about a new NHA was the importance of a strong local economy, offering secure futures and satisfying livelihoods, especially for the next generation. “To ensure this, we must get on with the job of seeking opportunities to support entrepreneurs and unite our regional economy,” Dickerson said.

During a briefing on Monday with Wahkiakum County Commissioners, Lower Economic Development Director David Goodroe told commissioners he spoken with Jay Flint from the SBEC. “He said the bank wants to start working with the LCEDC to build stronger local ties with the county as they move forward.”

Goodroe said Flint indicated that by withdrawing the national heritage proposal it would allow the National Parks Service to be more active in the area as well. “The Parks Service had to maintain neutrality during discussion about the NHA,” said Goodroe, “so they couldn’t do anything except sit there.”

Goodroe said that SBEC feels that by developing a relationship with the Parks Service and regional economic development councils the partnerships will lead to the same kinds of economic growth and success it expected from developing a National Heritage Area, without controversy of land use and property rights being involved.