Caldwell Bungles Opprotunity for Big Box Retailer

THE GUARDIAN learned tonight a major big box retail store will not locate in Caldwell. The reason given was a sense of not wanting to be the "retail pioneer" in Caldwell nor could they seem to be able to get the current city administration to meet the needs of the retailer with respect to frontage access to the property in question. The City of Nampa signed the deal with the developer this past Friday and they will be locating in Nampa.

The store in question was not named but it is probably the Fred Meyer or Home Depot who will be locating a 175,000 square foot facility where they have found the city fathers easier to do business with in meeting their needs.

Caldwell has once again worked to maintain its reputation as a city that is very difficult to do business. As a personal observation, our fair city lacks a "systems approach" to doing business with the heavy hitters. Caldwell remains a city without a "PLAN". We have marketed our city for the last 30 years as a place with cheap dirt, cheap housing, and cheap labor. This "cheap" marketing plan has finally come home to roost. Caldwell will once again miss a huge opportunity for sales, property tax revenue along with about 200 jobs for the local economy.

Caldwell has the highest unemployement rate in this valley at over 11%. The real rate may be over 20% if you include those who have simply given up looking for work.

No system, no plan and a questionable future are very disturbing to THE GUARDIAN. Political will and citizen interest are also components missing from our city. How far do we have to sink before folks take an active interest in what is going on in Caldwell? Running a city of 40,000 people with an annual budget of $59 million requires more expertise and experience demonstrated by the currrent administration.

City Manageer government will not cure all that is not right with Caldwell but it would be a huge step in the right direction.