Fred Warchol: Where are all of Atwater’s jobs going?

The life blood of any community is its economic health, and that means the engine that drives it toward prosperity are big-box stores and small mom-and-pop shops.

Here in Atwater economic development is stuck in reverse. Nearly 1,000 jobs have been lost with the closure of numerous local businesses. The AT&T call center packed up a left with nearly 500 good-paying jobs. Then the anchor store Mi Pueblo closed its doors, taking jobs with it. Radio Shack also bailed out. Now, another shopping center will be gutted with the closure of K-Mart.

Atwater politicians where ubiquitous in their campaign promises: more jobs, more businesses. What went wrong?

Their plan seems similar to President Richard Nixon’s plan to end the Vietnam war. He ended it by losing it. Atwater leaders are losing businesses by neglecting them. They need to take a page from councilman Brian Raymond and Sanger Mayor Josh Mitchell. They both get in their cars and solicit businesses across the state. Mayor Mitchell has reduced his city’s unemployment by 50 percent.

It’s time for city hall to start to walk and minimize the talk.

This story was originally published July 16, 2015 at 6:27 PM with the headline "Fred Warchol: Where are all of Atwater’s jobs going?."