Obama aide tours firms in Flagstaff

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Arizona Republic
October 1, 2009
Ryan Randazzo
http://www.azcentral.com

The new director for the White House Office of Urban Affairs toured a business incubator, wind-power factory and other Flagstaff facilities Thursday, looking for examples of smart development to take back to Washington.

Joining Adolfo Carrion, who was appointed to the newly created post in February, were officials from the Departments of Energy and Housing and Urban Development who were searching for ways the government can better leverage its investments for cities.

"We're looking for solutions that innovative communities have come up with," said Carrion, who reports directly to President Barack Obama. "We are trying to bring back the lessons you offer as a community."

Carrion said the Obama administration wants to coordinate the money the federal government spends on housing, transportation, energy and education to cut wasteful spending and focus on programs that bring true economic and environmental benefits.

"We need to tie it all together with smart planning," he said. "We want to find solutions in communities that have been doing things well without a coordinated federal plan."

After Flagstaff, the officials were off to Seattle, with other stops on the tour including Philadelphia, Kansas City, Chicago and Denver.

In Flagstaff, they toured the Northern Arizona Center for Emerging Technologies, which helps small science and energy companies get off the ground.

The center is a collaboration among Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University and other institutions in the region. Since opening a new facility in November, the 11 startups it houses or assists have created 80 jobs with an average salary of $92,000 a year, Mayor Sara Presler said.

The project was made possible with a $2.5 million federal grant, $3.2 million from the city, more than $30 million in private investment and $18 million in grants to Flagstaff in less than a year, she said.
"To attract $48 million in investments in this economy is pretty good," she added.

Presler clearly beamed at the attention garnered by her city's efforts.

"This is an amazing demonstration from the White House that they want to hear from communities all around the country," Presler said. "While we are a small city in America, we are doing big things for the global community."

The officials also toured Southwest Windpower, a Flagstaff company that employs about 80 people and sells small wind turbines for homes and businesses around the world.

The company's products are used in an Energy Department program that installs turbines at schools to make electricity and teach children about renewable energy.

The Washington officials also got a glimpse of some of the challenges Flagstaff faces when a HUD official asked an employee about affordable housing.

Tom Spencer, a 51-year-old employee in the factory, said that he previously would commute from the Navajo Reservation to his job because he couldn't find affordable housing in Flagstaff but that he eventually found a suitable apartment for himself and the four children he is raising alone.

"There's plenty of housing, but affordable housing is hard to find," he told the officials.

The officials also got a glimpse of some emerging technologies when Carrion asked about using wind power to recharge electric cars.

Southwest Windpower executives discussed a project in which they hope to install turbines on the light poles in parking lots, powering the lights and making electricity available for vehicle charging.

Although Carrion was clearly in friendly, Democratic territory in Flagstaff, he said the Obama administration is looking for ideas from communities regardless of their politics.

"We should be lifting the politics out of these situations," he said. "Good ideas don't necessarily have a party."