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Lamar County — Paris Economic Development Plan <br />However, high speed telecommunications capability will become even more important in the <br />future and the area needs to continuously improve and expand its capabilities. <br />Recommendation: Evaluate the present day system and capability and plan to expand it in the <br />future. <br />The Task: Within one year, the community will create a "Telecommunications Task Force" to <br />evaluate the current telecommunications system in the area and devise a plan to create a "21St <br />Century" system in the future. <br />Education: <br />Education and training programs can be a significant catalyst for economic growth. Many of the <br />strongest economies in the United States have used their educational resources to drive the <br />development of their economies. Universities and community colleges serve to prepare and train <br />the workforce. The quality of the local public school system sometimes influences the site <br />selection program when a large number of executives are being asked to move to an area. <br />Education <br />RESEARCHER <br />Community <br />A. Four year and post graduate university <br />1.0 <br />2.1 <br />B. Technical — vocational school <br />2 <br />3.5 <br />C. Community college <br />3.5 <br />4.3 <br />D. Public school system — quality thereof <br />3.5 <br />3.5 <br />Four Year and Post Graduate University: <br />Sometimes the presence of a four year university can be one of the most important tools to cause <br />economic growth for an area. Universities with post graduate programs, especially those in new <br />technology disciplines, can be one of the most important reasons a local economy grows. <br />The words "can be" were used twice in the above paragraph. This is because in seven out of ten <br />university towns the school has not caused economic growth unless there was an increase in <br />enrollment. <br />In most university towns, the school imports to the area a great deal of money. It therefore <br />contributes to the economy. However, most schools do not grow unless the legislature allows <br />them to. Therefore, their impact is "capped" pretty much in line with inflation. <br />In a vast majority of the communities in which a university is located, the university does not <br />have any interest in assisting the region in economic development. As a result, there is little if <br />any economic growth as a result of its presence. <br />Paris Economic Development Corporation Page 28 <br />