If there is one topic most Kimball area residents agree upon, it is the need for economic growth and sustainability. People may disagree when it comes to the scope, form and pace of development, but not the necessity.

If there is another topic most of us agree upon, it is that attracting new employers or creating new opportunities is a difficult prospect. Communities of our size must compete with other towns around the country for companies and projects. Many of these cities have thriving centers, affordable housing, advantageous taxation and aggressive, well funded support.

Economic development, in other words, is an all-consuming task. It requires hours, days, months and years of dedicated, full time effort.

Why then does Kimball allow its economic development director to be distracted by a second job?

After accepting the $40,000 plus a year position as Kimball’s economic development director, Larissa Binod continued on as head of Keep Kimball Beautiful, which runs the Kimball Recycle Center. This year, the center has expanded its intake bins. It is in the middle of another time consuming grant-writing push. As part of this, Binod is seeking families to participate in waste and recycling surveys--valuable in the past for attracting government funding for the center.

The recycling center is a well run operation with a solid future. But what of Kimball’s future?

We believe that this community is worth fighting for, but it requires a total commitment from the city’s economic development director, one free of distractions.

It is time for Binod to turn over the reins of Keep Kimball Beautiful and the Kimball Recycle Center to another devoted professional and concentrate on her full time job. Not only will this--hopefully--benefit the Kimball area in the long run, it will provide an income for one more person. As we’ve said before, growth sometimes comes in small steps.

It is time for Kimball to insist on Binod’s full attention or ask that she step down and return solely to recycle center duties.