The one issue with college towns is their governance. They’re known for being flaky and unable to get things done. Of course that’s a benefit when you’re trying to keep a place the way it has been, but it’s a downside when you’re trying to draw new business, keep it vibrant, and provide jobs for the young people who want to stay. One of the places you mentioned, Bend, is great at that, and has used meet ups organized “Outdoor Worx” to foster starts ups. I’ve worked a lot in Chapel Hill, however, and that place can’t seem to get out of its way when it comes to putting political correctness in front of effective staff action. Similarly, Ashland, home to not only the Shakespeare festival, but Southern Oregon College, has a particularly strong reputation in the state for putting process over outcome. You have to recognize that moving to such a place might involve a certain amount of calcification. As a student, I lived in Palo Alto, Hanover, and Claremont, and then after graduation near Berkeley. All four of these places are a bit precious.
The one issue with college towns is their governance. They’re known for being flaky and unable to get things done. Of course that’s a benefit when you’re trying to keep a place the way it has been, but it’s a downside when you’re trying to draw new business, keep it vibrant, and provide jobs for the young people who want to stay. One of the places you mentioned, Bend, is great at that, and has used meet ups organized “Outdoor Worx” to foster starts ups. I’ve worked a lot in Chapel Hill, however, and that place can’t seem to get out of its way when it comes to putting political correctness in front of effective staff action. Similarly, Ashland, home to not only the Shakespeare festival, but Southern Oregon College, has a particularly strong reputation in the state for putting process over outcome. You have to recognize that moving to such a place might involve a certain amount of calcification. As a student, I lived in Palo Alto, Hanover, and Claremont, and then after graduation near Berkeley. All four of these places are a bit precious.