The implications for us in Baldwin with its rapid growth, Baldwin being one of the top three counties for growth in Alabama, are basic economics. People in their 40s are maturing people requiring maturing incomes. "Expectations for income will be expectations for earnings that will support a family!" Jobs in Baldwin will have to be jobs with bigger paychecks. Beginning jobs and "fast-food" jobs are insufficient to support families in our developing maturing population. Bluntly stated, "working people in their 40s are going to require Baldwin's diversification of its jobs base," because the people here will require increased income.
The importance of this area to the financial community is revealed in the kind of purchases already going on in the financial services industry. "Big banks are coming into Baldwin and bidding on the smaller players. United Bank itself is bidding on some of the remnant offices of Am South." Local banks with a "local" focus like United Bank will remain viable in this competitive market because of their local connections.
What about the tourism component of the economic pie? "In 1990 6% of our Baldwin population were 75 years or older. By 2010 the projection is for almost 15% of the population being in that segment of the population." Translation? Younger people come to the beaches as tourists. But they age and they ultimately retire. "There are many retirees coming to Baldwin. Retired people have different desires than those who are younger. As we age we want reward for our labors. People moving to Baldwin want to leave work behind and want acres and country life." A recreation life-style may be a desire, but tourism dollars as we have understood them in the last twenty years will dramatically change as former tourists become country gentry with little desire to get in the traffic race along our Gulf Coast.
They will be able to make those life-style adjustments here north of the Gulf Coast beaches. Think of it this way. "In 1990 there were 37,000 households in Baldwin County with an average income of $27,500. By 2010 there will be 72,000 households here with an income of $44,000." More households and more dollars indicate more wealth and probable different spending priorities. And economic growth! "We are at the point where communities must decide how much growth they will embrace. It is imperative that local communities get involved with their planning commissions. There is ongoing development all around us, so that it is how we position ourselves which will determine where we want to grow."
There has been considerable talk concerning the failure of the infrastructure of the area to support the economic growth happening in South Baldwin. Yet, affordable homes are here and drive times from home to the employment opportunities of the Gulf Coast are under an hour. And they are readily available. An informal Baldwin survey in a recent Sunday paper shows that there are 966 homes available under $150,000, 240 homes available between $150,000 and 250,000, 310 homes available between $250,000 and 350,000, and 621 homes available above $350,000. We see building all over our area, but when we see the availability of homes on the current market, it is apparent that builders have gotten ahead of the growth curve when it comes to home needs.
Max explored these and other ideas and concerns about growth in our area. He fielded a variety of questions, including one related to public safety issues, e.g., "How can there be adequate fire and police protection when our infrastructure is not keeping up with population and building density changes?"
