You can tell the SOAR Summit last Monday was a pretty big deal because nearly every mayor in Pike county was there.
The Shaping Our Appalachian Region meeting was an opportunity to see just how much the elected class listens to the citizens of our area. How much is determined by who you were talking to.
Based on my hours of observation wandering the concourse, if you're talking to a person who wants to play games online then you know broadband is high on the SOAR leadership's priorities. It really is a no brainer since broadband brings misinformation to the masses much quicker and offers endless opportunities to pocket telecom lobbying dollars. And Lord knows we need something to take the place of all those lost coal lobbying dollars.
You will be happy to know there's a 30 year plan to bring YouTube videos to us faster. My grandkids kids will have a much better life thanks to such forward thinking.
If you're talking to a person who wants to understand why those in coal producing regions die of lung cancer, diabetes, heart disease, drug abuse and warts at much higher rates than any other part of the country, well...it didn't appear SOAR leadership noticed. They were so busy not noticing they managed to lose the original standard bearer for the group and replaced her with someone who could convincingly repeat, "that's an interesting question, who needs a Mountain Dew?"
It didn't seem like leadership did much listening to a few with some pull, either, because Obama's proposal to use AML funds to stimulate jobs in eastern Kentucky wasn't breathed. Of course, if the president's for it, Hal isn't going to vote for it. He doesn't want folks working THAT bad. The Secretary of Labor's declaration that the administration is "all in" with eastern Kentuckians means there's clearly something wrong with us. It might be enough to make Hal admit Somerset isn't really in eastern Kentucky at all.
With anything like this, there were varying degrees of satisfaction in the folk who cared enough to be there that weren't paid to be there. Those being paid to hang around seemed pretty content.
After Congressman Rogers and Governor Breshear opened the event out gushing one another over the wonderful success of the SOAR, I wondered why we even needed to be there.
SOAR is an unprecedented success! Eastern Kentucky is fixed, you can all go home, your check's in the mail!
But I'm glad there was more. If we'd stopped there (or I 'd run out screaming like I was inclined to) I wouldn't have learned about fantastic technology programs like Rural Up! and The Holler which puts knowledge and tools in young people's hands to create high tech apps (programs for you older folks). As an old school coder, I'm tickled to death UPike is in the game. Escaping the holler for The Holler sure beats escaping the holler for a concrete jungle in some other place far away. I did that once, too.
The other great thing about SOAR is it makes clear there are a lot of locals who see through the false promises and inconsistencies of leadership, but still want to be part of the solution. That makes me optimistic for our future.
Who knows? Maybe the next SOAR summit will attract EVERY mayor in Pike county!