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Economic Development Ready Communities August Summary

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From the City of Central Website

LaDRC CENTRAL
August 2011 End of the Month Report

No fewer than a dozen Steering Committee and subcommittee meetings took place in preparation for the Community Assessment.

  • The information is almost complete for the Community Assessment draft, which is being proofed and edited. 

                        The following Sub-committee chairmen have turned in a hard copy and/or emailed their surveys:

                                    David Barrow (Governance & Organizations)

                                    John Green (Quality of Life)

                                    Michael Faulk (Education & Workforce)

                                    Wade Giles (Economic Development)

                                    Kandice Jones (Communications & Marketing) – email expected on 8/25

As of August 24, the following surveys are outstanding:

                                    Jonathan Starns (Community Facilities)

                        Note:    Jonathan Starns has excused himself from the Steering Committee. 

                        Harry Rauls was selected as his replacement in Community Facilities.

  • The vision statement has been written and agreed upon by the Steering Committee.

                  At the August 24 meeting, the following Vision Statement was adopted:

“Central is a caring, multicultural community, with a country atmosphere, for all ages and stages, with an emphasis on education, environment, safety, tolerance, beauty and traditional values.”

  • Members of the team and community “attended” the LED sponsored Strategic Planning Webinar sessions.
  • A Prospect Team has been established and preparations are underway for the Site Selector Visit on September 15th.

                        It was agreed that the following people will be invited to meet with the site selector 10 am, 9-15-11:

Ron Ericson

Jimmy Nunnally

Jason Jackson with Sammy’s

Claude Derbes

Wade Giles

                              Windshield Tour list was established:

                                    Driver-Stephen David (His Acadia as transport) Private sector co-chair

                                    Wade Giles-Economic Development

                                    Marguerite Walter-LED Liaison

                                    Robert Pittman-Site Selector

                                    David Barrow-Chief Administrative Officer for city of Central

Plans were made to prepare an electronic file of information for the Site Selector to review prior to his visit.  The material will include:

  1. A cover page with your community’s logo, a title, your web address and the “lead” team member’s contact information.
  2. LED prepared demographic/economic based
  3. LED Business Intelligence prepared Parish
  4. Prepared Site and/or Building Data Sheets from the LED Site Selection Center
  5. Community-prepared overview (3-4 page brief summary) of the following topics in a similar manner to the Parish Overview including:
  • Access to markets (include transportation and telecommunications)
  • Labor (include a summary of the workforce and education especially related to Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) capabilities and training)
  • Resources (natural resources, manufacturing and any particular services highly associated with the community, utilities including electricity, natural gas, and water – costs, quality, availability and potential for growth)
  • General Business Climate (Economic development organization, leadership development, funding for economic development)
  • Access to capital for financing or low interest loans for small business or new business start-ups
  • Brief overview of quality of life aspects of the community (housing, cultural/recreational opportunities, medical, retail, crime)
  • Steering Committee meetings have been scheduled through November of 2011 and are posted on the LaDRC website.
  • All other pertinent reports and minutes have been uploaded to the LaDRC website to date.