Uphill climb: Pitt economy better positioned than most

Comments from a visiting N.C. Department of Commerce official last week reaffirm Pitt County's position of relative strength in the manufacturing sector with positive potential for economic growth.

While industries and workers in and around the county are feeling the pinch of this economic recession along with the rest of the country, the positive outlook is a welcome building block for the long road to recovery.

“When you come to Greenville, you see a very vibrant town,” said Dale Carroll, deputy secretary for the N.C. Department of Commerce. “This is a very vibrant and diverse economy and we are very optimistic about it for the future.”

Touring three manufacturing plants in Greenville, Carroll pointed to the area's strong work force and its access to higher education.

While many areas of the state and nation are stagnant at best, Greenville and Pitt County continue to grow. Building projects and expanded programs at East Carolina University, Pitt Community College and the area's large medical community are feeding, and being fed by, the relatively stable local economy.

That stability continues to draw more people to Pitt County, where home sales have moved up a little and the unemployment rate is slightly down.

The jobless rate in Pitt County has fallen by 1.2 percent since June, when it peaked at 11.2 percent. And recent reports show the number of homes sold in the county climbed to 942 in the past six months, up from 572 for the previous six-month period.

But along with the positive numbers, it's important to note that at 10 percent, Pitt County's unemployment rate remains slightly higher than the national average. And the volume of home sales, while on the upswing, remains 30 percent lower overall than last year.

Pitt County is indeed blessed to have an economic engine fueled by a diverse mix of contributors that include agriculture, education, health care, business and industry. But we face the same difficult challenges the rest of the nation must overcome in order to climb out of a weak economy.

It's nice that state leaders recognize the positive attributes that make our economic engine a strong one. But the hill before is us a long one, and this community must remain focused on maintaining and nourishing that engine.