RETREAT...If you heard the church bells ringing at 3:00 or so today that was because the PCDA Board of Trustees, (may they get everything they want for Christmas) wrapped up their board retreat about that time. Board retreats allow the Trustees to sit in a room together, legally, and talk about changes to the local economy, opportunities, PCDA programs, how incredibly insightful the Ponca City News and Mayor Nicholson are and so forth. These things are open to the public so that everyone can hear these conversations. Today's retreat focused on Ponca City as a community and the local economy's role in keeping Ponca City a great community. Ridiculously smart comments were made about what needs to happen going forward as Ponca City builds the post-company town economy and grows our very good looking, super talented population. The board did ask the Executive Director, at one point, to stop sucking up, a comment that the Executive Director noted was both timely and brilliant. The retreat emphasized that economic development happens in a gray world. Things are ever changing, demands are different and every community is different. There is no one right way to do this. Every community has a "sell by" date unless it changes and adapts with the changes in the larger world. Today was all about making sure Ponca City is doing just that, at least from an economic development perspective.