Times-Journal News Editor

Politicians and guests from the Alabama Tombigbee Regional Commission’s 10 counties met Wednesday night in Selma for their annual regional meeting at the Carl C. Morgan Convention Center.

After an hour and half of reception, the members and guests sat down to an impressive catered seafood dinner from Rousseau’s in Mobile. After feasting on fried shrimp, clams and assorted other delicacies it was down to business.

After introductory remarks from ATRC Executive Director John Clyde Riggs, Selma City Council President George Evans and Dallas County Probate Judge John Jones spoke, welcoming the members to the area.

Evans spoke on behalf of the city, city council and Mayor James Perkins Jr. who was out of town and unable to attend.

“I’m very pleased to be here,” Evans said. “I just want to tell you how much we appreciate your choosing Selma every year.”

Jones talked about how much younger the crowd at the meeting gets each year.

“I can’t help but think about the guys and gals that we started out with that are not here that were such a big part of Alabama Tombigbee,” Jones said. “It’s so meaningful to reflect on the people who had such an important role in making Alabama Tombigbee what it is today.

To you young people let me say this, remember that it’s up to you to keep this organization strong.”

After some ATRC official business led by outgoing chairman Rhondel Rhone, Riggs recognized a few members and officials in the crowd.

One of those recognized was Bill Day, the regional director for the Economic Development Administration out of Atlanta.

“Bill Day and EDA have helped build the infrastructure in Southwest Alabama, they have been good friends of ours, funded many projects worth millions of dollars,” Riggs said.

Day presented Riggs with a certificate honoring the ARTC’s upcoming 30th anniversary.

“It’s a real privilege for me to be here. It’s a real honor to work with organizations like yours,” Day said. “This organization was founded in the 1970’s and was commissioned to create jobs in the 10 surrounding counties. We have invested over $40 million in 130 projects in this region that has resulted in thousands of jobs. Just today we had a group that John Clyde brought over to the hotel meeting on another project that’s going to bring thousands of jobs to this region.”

Riggs announced a pair of distinguished service awards, one to former Marion Mayor Ed Daniels, and one to former Demopolis mayor Austin Caldwell.

The guest speaker for the night was Dr. Roy Johnson, Chancellor of Post Secondary Education for the state.

Johnson spoke about improving the skills of area workers to meet the growing demands of an increasingly complicated job market.

“We’ve got to invest in our human resources,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to have the skilled workforce necessary.”

Johnson, who is in charge of Alabama’s two-year colleges, said that work is being done in places like Wallace-State and Southern Union.

“We’ve got to start off by simply raising the bar,” he said. “Good things are beginning to happen around the edges of your community but they haven’t permeated the heart of poverty.

We’ve got to attack it on all fronts by raising the level of education.”

Johnson warned of the downfalls of allowing political boundaries to get in the way of education.

He also had praise for Governor Bob Riley’s Black Belt Commission but said that the commission can only do so much.

“The real solution to these problems has to come from within,” he said “Our leaders must demand the state invest some of its resources in our communities.”