Steve Mensing, Editor
♦ This morning Chris Cohen took time off from his hectic work schedule and non-stop campaigning around the county to interview with the Rowan Free Press. Chris is well known in the city and county’s business community and is the owner of Cohen Roofing and Metal Company. A native of Rowan County, he graduated from West Rowan High in 1975 and later attended both Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and North Carolina State University in Raleigh before returning to Rowan to run his family’s business.
Back in 2010 he ran as a Republican for Rowan County Commissioner, but this time out due to his late entry he running as an unaffiliated candidate. “My heart’s always been a Republican,” he said.
Chris’s family history includes his famous uncle J. Newton Cohen, Sr. a former Chairman of the Rowan County Board of Commissioners and for whom the room and building where the county commissioners meet is named.
Steve Mensing: Chris, this is your platform this afternoon. What are the most important issues for you if you make it onto the county commission?
Chris Cohen: There’s many big ticket items in this election. It boggles the mind. Economic development and jobs. What do we do with the West End Plaza now we own it. Tax rates? Infrastructure upgrades, the ongoing conflict between Salisbury and the county. Public education/Central Office. Veteran’s services and senior services. And upgrade RCCC. It’s quite a list.
Steve Mensing: Let’s put the floodlights economic development–that the biggest ticket in the campaign for county commissioner. Today both Rowan County and Salisbury are a rough sell for businesses to show up here because of Salisbury’s poverty, crime, and subpar education statistics. What direction would you move our county?
Chris Cohen: Steve, there was a time several decades ago when Salisbury and its retail was booming downtown. This was a happening place. People used to come to Salisbury from all over. It was a bright spot between Charlotte, Greensboro, and Winston. Salisbury was way ahead Concord and Mooresville in those days. But something happened to change all of that. Salisbury slammed the door on economic growth and Concord and Mooresville open their doors wide. Look around–you can see the result.
Steve Mensing: Ok–what might Rowan County and Salisbury do to reverse its economic slide over the years? There seems to be quite a few economic eggs in Concord and Mooresville nests and virtually zip in ours. Retail leakage through the internet and to cities outside of Rowan is major. At forums you have been touting the better use of the I-85 corridor for both Salisbury and Southern Rowan long neglected in the scheme of things.
Chris Cohen: I’ve been pitching service roads down each side of I-85 and talking up an event’s center by the fairgrounds as projects capable of boosting the local economy. Economic growth in all the county, including Salisbury, is a requirement. Southern Rowan is way underdeveloped. The coming I-85 interchange could open up China Grove, Landis, and Kannapolis (Rowan side) to major economic development.
There’s been some growth in jobs and business investments in Rowan County recently, but the surrounding counties of Iredell, Cabarrus, and even Davie County have outperformed Rowan by a wide mark. Cabarrus and Iredell Counties have actually been outperforming Rowan County for the last 25 years with Davie County becoming more aggressive recently. If you were born or raised in Rowan/ Salisbury like I have, then you can remember when Salisbury was the brightly lit city that attracted people from the surrounding areas of Mocksville, Kannapolis, Mooresville, Albemarle and Lexington. Twenty-five years ago the shops and stores in those cities were largely vacant and resembled the downtown of Salisbury today. To reverse this trend and bring back growth we need to put the accent on:
• Embrace incentives to attract new business opportunities and help existing businesses looking to expand or endure.
• Partner with the county municipalities to create economic development zones with water and sewer permitting, zoning issues, plan review and other pre construction processes.
• Provide EDC (Economic Development Commission) with all available resources to recruit and develop business investment.
• Create a county wide economic plan.
Steve Mensing: Chris, how did Rowan County get into its economic free fall? Salisbury is really hurting. Rowan is way behind the other counties.
Chris Cohen: Think back to when the recession hit in 2007/2008, I predicted a 5-year cycle before the economy would rebound to a similar level of growth. That was spot on for most of the surrounding counties. Yet Salisbury/Rowan a prolonged recession has led to higher taxes, a stagnant business environment and little if any growth. Several years back I described Rowan County/Salisbury as “the hole in the doughnut” to a business associate; he later used that term to describe why his division of United Rentals was underperforming compared to surrounding branches.
Why is Salisbury/Rowan area being outperformed by surrounding counties and their communities? It is definitely a combination of many factors including; poor leadership by elected officials (not the county commissioners only), a highly restrictive county seat, the Salisbury power brokers continuing to stifle growth to retain control and the lack of our school administration and school board to improve our county school system. If things don’t change in Salisbury/Rowan County, that “hole in the doughnut” will develop into one large “SINKHOLE”.
Steve Mensing: I think it’s already arrived at that designation. In fact if I had business, other than dot.coms, I wouldn’t entertain any thoughts about coming to Salisbury. Apparently a lot of business owners and entrapaneurs feel the same way. The area has a major anti-business climate. Salisbury’s statistics in crime, education, and poverty are a deal killer. I’m not going to even mention the favoritism and cronyism here–the excessively high-taxes and arbitrary hoops set up by the powers that be.
We’re talking about Salisbury and Rowan County making a comeback. Right now its not on the economic map. Simply drive to Mooresville, Concord, Huntersville, and Winston–they’re “doing the do”. The contrast is vivid and brutal. What can we do Chris–there’s got to be a way out and up for Salisbury and the County.
Chris Cohen: As a young man working with my father and uncle in Salisbury they had a vision that Charlotte and Greensboro would grow together at exit 76 on I-85. Their vision didn’t come to fruition in their lifetime. Charlotte expanded toward Mooresville up I-77 and Greensboro grew in the Raleigh direction. But, growth is coming up I-85 and for this reason the county needs to invest in I-85 infrastructure (i.e. service roads connecting interchanges, water and sewer upgrades, and by all means a new southern interchange is a necessity). China Grove, Landis and Kannapolis (Rowan side) could be the “next” Huntersville/Cornelius/Davidson.
For years we have talked of expanding our local county airport. Not all businesses need an airport, but the lucrative ones do. It’s time to push this endeavor forward. We need to continue investment at the RCCC North Campus and make this area a focal point on the I- 85 corridor. An educational plaza with small events center like Cabarrus County could attract events. We could partner with the Fair Association to develop a youth softball/baseball facility much like Cherry Point in Rock Hill to improve tourism and fill local restaurants and hotels. Rowan County must invest more and update our infrastructure to attract new business opportunities. If we won’t invest as a community why should a business venture here?. The county must optimize our central location and interstate corridor.
Steve Mensing: How about the feasibility study for a possible county water/sewer utility servicing only east of I-85? Such a utility would be a boost to that area’s ability to grow economically.
Chris Cohen: This infrastructure is vital to improve economic development in Rowan County. I am glad to see an updated study on the agenda. Salisbury has always opposed any countywide development of water and sewer because it makes business investments in county areas more attractive due to lower tax rates. I think a better approach to this venture maybe a countywide “Utility Authority” (water and sewer only.) It may be best to partner with Salisbury/Rowan Utilities (If possible) since their system is only operating at about 50% capacity. All municipalities within the county need to be on board with this venture. Something tells me taxpayers in Salisbury and west of I-85 may oppose a county owned utility servicing only east of I-85. I am glad the study is taking place. This needs the support of the taxpayers by virtue of a bond referendum on the next election.
Steve Mensing: I appreciate you stopping by and making time.
Chris Cohen: I enjoy this Steve. I look forward to this discussion continuing.
Part II will be upcoming within the next week. It will cover the West End Plaza opportunity, ending the conflict between the County and the City, the Central Office and school system challenges and more.
