Those were the days

Check out what ran in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune on Thurday, June 28: North Port is growing rapidly, Census Bureau says
I've always thought it was interesting the dispute about North Port's population. The world uses the Census Bureau as its primary gage. But according to the city of North Port, we'd surpassed 50,000 people in early 2006. A private study by a local developer predicted we were beyond 50,000 people in 2005. That same developer brought us Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Applebees. He also is bringing us another Publix and Walgreens.
One thing is for sure. North Port isn't growing fast now. In fact, I was just teasing the city's building director, Scott Williams, the other day about whether or not cobwebs are growing in his department. I hadn't seen him him a while. He smiled at me and said it was eerie, how quiet everything has been. For the last two years, his department has been averaging 300 or more building permits a month. I recently heard that number is down to 30.
So, what does that mean?
On the positive side, it means North Port isn't on track to get 250,000 people in less than 10 years - predictions the city first came up with when we were traveling at full speed ahead. A sigh of relief can be heard from those who didn't want their small town lifestyle to transform into that of a huge metropolis.
But I would argue the negative side to this is critical. When you are the fastest growing city - in one of the fastest growing regions of the Sunshine State - many people have built their lives around that growth. Cabinet makers, house painters, furniture store owners, blind store owners... You wouldn't believe the amount of businesses there are inside North Port's industrial parks - all serving the building community.
This is especially true in North Port. Because of this city's affordability, many of the cabinet workers, concrete layers and drywall hangers own their homes here. (As opposed to some of the more affluent neighborhoods in this Southwest Florida region like the city of Sarasota or Lakewood Ranch in Manatee County - workers drive in and drive out each day).
But with the slow down... Many of these people are out of work. People are struggling.
And the few jobs that are available are getting sometimes 10 times the number of applicants they would normally get.
Meanwhile, people that are finding work are often taking huge pay cuts. It's simply supply and demand. Employers know they don't have to pay much because an employee is easily replaceable.
I hope building starts again soon. I've heard recently that predictions are saying it won't be until 2009.
When I read the Thursday article, it reminded me: Those truly were the days.