My 2 cents!
Jobs have always been one of the main concerns in the area and for 35 plus years of running my own business I have seen major changes in the area. I have approached many mayors over the years about being a one horse town and we should attract more business. Well that horse died and took over 800 jobs with it. My suggestions have always been, attract small industrial businesses that give solid jobs and benefits. Being from Chicago I was aware of companies in industrial parks that would have moved to Wisconsin if just asked. One such business was one called 'IDLE TIME'. I was hired when I lived in the Chicago area to photograph their product. Everyone is probably aware of that product, it was the one that had 5 steel balls hanging from a string and when you move one of the outside ones it would bounce back and forth what seemed forever. The owner of the business was being strangled by High taxes, rents and everything a small business goes through when in an area like a suburb of any big city.
I always thought that businesses like those were ripe for moving, and Idle Time did move somewhere around Racine Wisconsin. Our city at the time had the mill so really wasn't aggressive with finding new businesses. I was always under the premise that you lose a lot more when you put your eggs all in one basket. Lots of small businesses was much better because when one, and it does happen, goes out of business it won't impact the area that much.
Getting our local government to think that way though is like shouting at a deaf person, they just smile and do what they want.
Right now they are thinking about a data center, that will only employ about 20 people, but destroy our lifestyle and probably keep other industrial businesses out of the area. The health, environment and cost of a community would be a major influence on bringing new business to the area. My 2cents is they should be marketing and going to industrial parks outside of large cities and attracting lots of small businesses that don't destroy our environment, but that requires that you get off your ass and do something!