Tennessee trip postponed

A planned excursion to Paris, Tenn. next month to explore business opportunities and other matters of mutual interest has been put on hold, the town’s economic development officer said Thursday.
“It probably won’t be going until spring,” noted Geoff Gillon. “But I definitely would like to do it some time.”
Gillon said recent changes at the Civic Centre, primarily the retirement of CAO Bill Naturkach, who was involved in planning the trip, as well as recent budget concerns prompted the town to drop out.
“I guess we’ll have to wait until things settle down and we get a new council,” said Gillon.
He noted five delegates had confirmed to go on the trip in late October, with three or four more showing interest. Organizers were hoping for about 20 people to visit the city that’s in the process of becoming twinned with Fort Frances.
The trek was to be a follow-up to a trip to Paris, Tenn. last year (and a subsequent visit here by Paris Mayor Larry Crawford and city manager Carl Holder back in May).
The purpose of the trip was to give those involved in local commerce and economic development a first-hand look at how business can be done in a community roughly the same size as Fort Frances, with an emphasis on tourism, and some of the same obstacles, such as abandoned buildings and empty lots in need of re-development.
Organizers were hoping to see local community groups, businesses, fundraising organizations, service clubs, First Nations, church groups, tourist operators, and members of the Business Improvement Association step forward.
The trip was slated to be for three or four days, with a mid-week departure and return on Sunday, Oct. 26.
Gillon, Naturkach, and Mayor Glenn Witherspoon visited Paris, Tenn. and another city named Winchester last year.
They toured the two cities’ municipal offices, police departments, and recreation centres, as well as taking in some sights like the Tims Ford State park, the Jack Daniels distillery, and an old jail converted into a museum.
They also discussed economic growth and the value of business incentives to keep small communities alive while down there.
Mayor Crawford and Holder then visited here for a few days in May. They were accompanied during their time here by Gillon, Naturkach, Mayor Witherspoon, Times’ publisher Jim Cumming, and local Chamber of Commerce president Alan Tibbetts.
While here, the pair met with town management as well as reps from the health care, social service, and education fields, the boards of directors of the local Chamber of Commerce and Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association, special interest groups, and major employers in the private sector (such as Abitibi-Consolidated).
(Fort Frances Daily Bulletin)