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From improving relations between the city of Smithville and businesses to building a community center, Smithville business leaders listed their wants and needs.

According to results from the Clay County Economic Development Council’s 2009 Business Retention survey results, Smithville business owners and managers gave the following written answers to the question, “What specific recommendations do you have for the city of Smithville, Clay County or the Clay County EDC?”

• We need sewer improvements.

• We need our city leaders to be business friendly.

• We need an office supply store.

• We need a city economic development director.

• We need improved relations between the city and existing businesses.

• We need more downtown retail.

• We need more economic development.

• We need more commercial development.

• We need a community center.

• We need a senior center.

W. Christian Sizemore, director of business development with the county development council, read the list during the city of Smithville’s Economic Development Committee meeting Jan. 26. Sizemore and Jim Hampton, executive director of the county development council, presented the survey to the committee. The list of recommendations was the only Smithville-specific details they presented.

“I think everybody here can relate to two or three of those,” Brian Fullmer, a Smithville alderman who leads the city’s development council committee, said.

Committee members asked Sizemore and Hampton what the city could do to retain current businesses and attract new businesses.

Reach out to current businesses to find out their concerns and do what you can to address business concerns, Sizemore said.

Hampton said city leaders need to embrace prospective new businesses. Details such as the city’s Web site are extremely important.

“If they get on your Web site and can’t find land, location and buildings, they are on to the next city,” Hampton said.

Fullmer said the loss of the city’s economic development director has reduced the amount of staff time dedicated to economic development. In late 2008, the Board of Aldermen eliminated the position.

“In the past, when someone wanted to know about Smithville, Jim Clarke could sit down with them on the spot,” Fullmer said of the former economic development director. “Now, it might be, ‘I’m in the middle of something, can you come back tomorrow?’”

Smithville Editor Nancy Hull Rigdon can be reached at 532-4444 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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