Thursday night’s Economic Development Forum was remarkably similar in tone and content to the previous four Ward Congresses, though the evening’s discussion veered more toward the city’s economic future.

With a little more than 100 in attendance, many familiar faces from the previous congresses could be spotted in the scattered crowd. Topics covered ranged from the city’s future water needs and encouragement to fully utilize Sam Houston State University as a resource to simple suggestions such as adding more bike lanes and sidewalks around the community.

SHSU President James Gaertner urged Huntsville to use to the fullest one of, what he believes to be, its largest existing assets.

“We don’t need to create new assets in Huntsville to have successful economic development,” Gaertner said. “There are places all over the United States that are trying to get a university in their city ... and we have one that is thriving. Corporations and businesses pick up and leave, but I’ve never seen a university pick up and leave.”

Gaertner continued, reiterating the necessity of jobs for students and the spouses of faculty members.

“We have too many faculty members with spouses who choose to live in The Woodlands because their spouses cannot find employment and too many students who go home on the weekends just to work,” he said.

Jack Wagamon said the kind of economic development city leaders are attempting to jump-start will happen naturally, but only if they take care of what he labeled as the city’s “existing needs.”

“In the four Ward Congresses concerning the proposed Huntsville Comprehensive Plan, the citizens of Huntsville have sent a clear and unmistakable message to their city hall. They want their tax money spent on the needs of the existing city now and not some future city that might or might not exist 20 years from now,” Wagamon said.

Wagamon said tax dollars should be focused on improving streets, increasing fire and police protection and providing more affordable housing before attempting to entice businesses to plant themselves in Huntsville.

Nancy Franklin, however, speaking directly after Wagamon, said economic growth is imperative if any needs, present or future, are to be met.

“All places must continue to grow or they stagnate and die,” Franklin said. “This is all going to cost money whether it is sidewalks or bike trails or whatever it is. It costs money. The larger the pool of money, whether it be businesses or people that move here, the better off we are.”

Tip Strategies President Tom Stellman also presented some of the findings his company had developed after studying Huntsville and Walker County over the past several months, indicating that some of the community’s strengths also played into some of its weaknesses.

For instance, 46.3 percent of Walker County is employed by a government agency, be it TDCJ, the university or the school district. This also proved to be an impediment given the fact that those entities are not paying into the county’s property taxes.

Other strengths and weaknesses Stellman briefly discussed included the location on Interstate 45 but a lack of an industrial or business park; proximity to Houston but significant retail leakage; and the atmosphere of downtown Huntsville but a very limited number of entertainment options.

The city will host a final forum Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center Theater, this one devoted to receiving the input from SHSU students.