The current state of the city and county is dire, but it can bounce back, municipal and county leaders said Monday.

More than 60 people gathered at the Dulin center Monday morning for the first ever State of the City/County address. The event was organized by the The Laurinburg/Scotland County Chamber of Commerce.

Laurinbrug Mayor Matthew Block, City Manager Craig Honeycutt, Scotland County Commissioner Guy McCook and County Manager Kevin Patterson took turns discussing what kind of shape Scotland was in, primarily from an economic standpoint.

"The number one issue Scotland County faces is unemployment," Patterson said.

The county's unemployment rate, which was "15-percent or higher for February", is expected by Patterson to continue its ascent throughout 2009.

"Recovery can hopefully start this fall," said Patterson, who warned that the beginning of recovery will not immediately spell more jobs.

"The last thing businesses do is hire more people ... it's sad to say."

Indicating a silver lining for the businesses, Patterson said that when it is time for rehiring to begin, "those looking for people to rehire ... (are) going to have (their) pick" as many of those currently out of work are well qualified, former multi-year employees.

A recurring problem identified during Monday's presentations was the exodus of Scotland County's young, educated natives who are fleeing to areas offering a better quality of life and greater opportunity.

Block called it a "loss of promising young adults," and identified a number of other current troubles which contributed to what is currently "not a pretty picture" in Laurinburg.

Primary among the solutions proposed by Block to the county's problems was the "development of assets."

Those assets include the Laurinburg-Maxton Airport, St. Andrews Presbyterian College, Scotland Memorial Hospital, "Historic Downtown Laurinburg" and Scotia Village. Helping St. Andrews "survive and grow" and respecting the idea of "having a charming and attractive downtown Laurinburg (as) an important part" of the future of the county were both means indicated by Block as necessary in the effort to secure a better future for the city.

Block also focused on North Carolina's potential to develop a retirement population, thanks to its "good weather and inexpensive land."

"It is important that Laurinburg and Scotland County get their share of that growth," Block said.

In order for that to happen, the city and county must both become competitive destinations for former residents on the hunt for retirement locales, he said.

"We must improve the quality of life."

That improvement, he said, begins with continuing and expanding ongoing beautification efforts, retail recruitment, increasing recreational opportunities and seeing to the issue of high taxes.

The talk of taxes provided a segue to Honeycutt's presentation, which began with a discussion of the city's budget and how taxes are divvied up between the police department, the fire department, animal control, etc.

Leading with the bad news, Honeycutt was emphatic in stating that "growth is flat." For the 1998/99 fiscal year $2.678 million was taken through taxes from a 45 cent tax. In 2008/09 $2.95 million was accumulated from 42 cents. The low tax point between the two came after a revaluation, which equaled a .38 cent tax in 2003/04.

The city's economic struggles of the past five years have made it ready to handle the pits of the current recession, however, Honeycutt said.

"Honestly, we're not doing too bad" with this year's budget. "We've been going through recession the past five years ... and we are already on a conservative budget."

"Been there, done that," he said, indicating that the city is likely in lean enough shape to survive what is to come.

With "careful budgeting" the city's balance is projected to increase, he said.

In addition to the shrewd budgeting, recent successes in city include the formation of a beautification committee, the installation of "$1.2 million worth of fiber to all schools in the county" and the funding and initiation of Crimestoppers of Scotland County.

Also mentioned by Honeycutt was a change to the city's recycling policy, which now allows co-mingled recyclables to be left for collection.

Upcoming victories expected by Honeycutt start with the news that "RCC is finally on its way," referencing the Richmond Community College's Laurinburg Campus, work upon which is being bid out beginning next month.

Taking advantage of the Laurinburg-Maxton Airport resource, another common thread among the morning's presentation, could be helped with planned the hiring of a Washington lobbyist tasked with helping Laurinburg and Maxton obtain more federal dollars.

In the past, Honeycutt said, the city had taken a "shotgun" approach to finding airport related opportunities. Illustrating the focused efforts of the lobbyist organization, Marlowe and Company, Honeycutt said that the city is now taking the "rifle" approach, which may result in an increased success rate.

McCook reminded those assembled that "negative attitudes rarely result in positive outcomes."

McCook, too, pointed to the county's unique resources, adding the proximity of UNC-P to the list, which included the oft-discussed BRAC related growth in Fayetteville, which most are hoping will be apart of the area's resurgence.

Completing the Morgan Recreational Complex in Laurinburg and the improvement of Legion Park facilities were also discussed, along with other ways to incrementally improve quality of life, McCook said.

The Federal Stimulus Package, which will see $6.1 billion dedicated to growth in North Carolina, was also discussed. Patterson outlined how potential slices of that pie would likely be limited only to improving bridges -- "meaning there will be little money for Scotland County."

Food stamp and unemployment benefits will be increased, and the subsidies for health insurance and unemployment are being allowed thanks to package money, Patterson added.

"Unemployment benefits will not be taxable," which will add up to a 20-percent increase in benefits immediately for those receiving unemployment.

Other money available, Patterson said, will be that reserved for energy efficiency grants. Those, the county will "try to capture" and, hopefully, put local people to work in the process.

Potential construction grants, which could lead to jobs, may also be found for an aging center and for the airport. Marlow and Company will help in the effort to procure those grants, Patterson said.

Honeycutt grounded stimulus package expectations in reality, saying that it "may not be the golden bullet."

"We've got to take full advantage of it," though, he said.

An apparent philosophy shift in the recruitment of businesses, borne out of necessity, was among the final items discussed during the meeting.

According to Patterson, the county is now recruiting businesses that will employ 25-80 locals the way they once recruited businesses bringing 800 jobs to the area.