Recent News

Updated 4/15/2008

Bright future ahead for Oroville
Importance of cooperation, foresight stressed at OEDCO's State of the City Dinner

By Chris Robbins

What is the state of the city of Oroville? It depends on who you ask. Different people will have different answers. The goals for Oroville, however, remain the same. Everyone wants to see economic development that will create good paying jobs while preserving the quality of life. The challenge is how to accomplish this.

Answering this challenge was the major topic of discussion at the Oroville Economic Development Corporation's State of the City Dinner at the Oroville Southside Community Center on Feb. 28. Approximately 200 business and community leaders gathered to hear about the state of the city and discuss plans for the area's economic future.

According to speakers at the event and conversations among attendees, it's going to take cooperation and the foresight to plan several years in advance. We may be facing tough economic conditions this year, but that's nothing new to Oroville. While other cities have grown and prospered in the past, Oroville has struggled. However, we have come a long way recently. City and business leaders are proud of what Oroville has accomplished and confident of a bright future.

"If we want Oroville to be competitive, we must be a cohesive community," said OEDCO President Bud Tracy. "We do not have the luxury to satisfy individual egos or have turf wars between agencies or sections of the community."

We may not all be on the same page, but at least we're now on the same chapter.

Members of other communities have also noticed the progress Oroville has made and the area's tremendous potential. Weldon Larson of the Hignell Development Group, an OEDCO member and Chico resident, gave the invocation and called Oroville "the crown jewel of the great County of Butte."

During his address, Tracy identified three issues vital to economic growth: zoning and the General Plan, infrastructure and annexation.

"A general plan must take into consideration a balance of land use - residential, commercial and industrial," said Tracy. "We need nice neighborhoods for people to live in, commercial opportunities for convenience and tax base, and industrial and manufacturing for good paying jobs. We must make sure that all zoning and land use designations are compatible to facilitate growth….OEDCO continues to ask the City Council to not reduce industrial land in the new General Plan."

Having the necessary infrastructure in place is vital to attracting new development, said Tracy. "Having available land is an asset to marketing the Oroville area, but if it takes 2-3 years to get the site ready, the site is worthless and opportunity will pass us by."

According to Tracy, it is OEDCO's stance that large-scale annexation is essential for solving the issues of rural vs. urban interests, to have cohesive government bodies and to protect the resources and the environment.

"We must all work together as individuals and agencies so that we become one in achieving a cohesive, united community - one community for the betterment of all of us," said Tracy.

Oroville Mayor Steve Jernigan said the city is doing well and the General Plan is "on target," but acknowledged we are facing tough economic conditions. Numerous projects were completed last year and many more are currently under way. He also expressed optimism for the future and stressed to the importance of cooperation.

Oroville Vice-Mayor Jamie Johansson presented the Sam Norris Award 2008 to Clay Castleberry.

Tracy presented OEDCO's Presidents Award to Rich Sutherland of Taco Bell, Chris Ward of Pacific Coast Producers and Buzz Huntington of Huntington's Sportsman's Store.