"Fishing and apparel will always be a part ofthe city, but it is really time to think aboutwhat will succeed these industries," said John K.Bullard '69, an IOP fellow and a former mayor ofNew Bedford.
Both Furtado and Rogers point to thestill-strong fish processing industry in NewBedford as a possible spring-board for economicrevitalization.
"Even though we're not landing as much fish aswe used to in our ports, we're continuing toprocess fish and ship fish around the world,"Furtado says. "We're looking to develop our harborso that we can import, export and process fishmore efficiently."
Cooperation with the private sector, a goal ofthe Kalisz administration, may also provepromising, Furtado says.
"In the past, the economic development wasdriven through city hall," Furtado says. "Nowwe'll be working with people who have realizedsuccess themselves.
"They can play a role in networking in theircommunity--they can sell and market the city,"Furtado says. "They can recognize the needs of thework force and the skills they need to work in aparticular industry."
And with a "very loyal and very dedicated workforce," Furtado says economic prosperity is boundto return.
"It's one of the community's greatestresources--the work ethic shared by everyone,"Furtado says.
Still, Rogers says that long-term economicgrowth will only be guaranteed when school reformis enacted.
The current high school dropout rate helps toexplain New Bedford's high unemployment, Rogerssays.
"There's definitely a correlation between thetwo," says Rogers, who has served as a citycouncilor for over 20 years.
Rogers recently introduced a bill to theCouncil that calling for stricter dress anddiscipline codes, improved remedial educationprograms and increased tutoring in New Bedfordschools.
"If bills like this pass, that will make theeconomic restoration even more effective," Rogerssays. "We are definitely on an upswing. I don'tknow many cities who can say that.