2010-2012 Strategic Plan

Adopted by the UCDA Board of Trustees

03/17/10

Activity Area: Business Development

Goal: Add new primary wage jobs to the county through existing business and industry expansion, new business and industry locations and new business start-ups.

Objective 1: Proactively assist existing business and industry to maximize growth opportunities in the county.

Responsibility: BRE Taskforce

Action Steps:

• Conduct employer visits using Synchronist on a biennial basis and report aggregate findings to the area.
• Make appropriate headquarter executive contacts either at corporate headquarters or during local visits.
• Monitor existing business needs and issues of concern. By engaging the UCDA Board of Trustees, provide input to local/state governments, workforce providers and other services providers to meet the needs of the companies in the Union County area.
• Package and promote the business retention and expansion program and services to existing businesses.
• Partner with the Creston Chamber of Commerce in Salute to Industry recognition program to include expansion announcements, company profiles and key personnel changes.

Objective 2: Proactively develop programs and projects to develop, sustain and attract workforce in the county.

Responsibility: Workforce Taskforce

Action Steps:

• Assit existing employers in their recruitment efforts for specific skills and postions by communicating the regional skill shed report, managing the High Lakes Career Network database on the UCDA website, and making direct contact with community alumni.
• Engage K-12 and higher education service providers and existing employers to develop programs to meet future workforce needs.
• Partner with the Creston Chamber of Commerce to expand the relocation assistance program, providing location tours and improving employee recruitment packets.

Objective 3: Increase efforts to attract primary wage, targeted new business to Union County.

Responsibility: Business Attraction Taskforce

Action Steps:

• Focus on the types of businesses that match the county assets by conducting a targeted industry analysis through IDM.
• Maximize opportunities to market to targeted industries and pursue project leads provided by IDED, South Central Iowa Area Partnership, utilitie companies, IADG, Board of Trustees and area residents.
• Develop proposals in a timely fashion that maximize programs and incentives that best fit potential new employers.
• Maintain current demographic and industry data utilized inbusiness attraction efforts.
• Participate in regional marketing initiatives.
• Conduct training on location protocol and site visits for UCDA Board of Trustees.

Objective 4: Enhance the availability of viable sites and building in the Union County area.

Responsibility: Industrial Park Taskforce

Action Steps:

• Further develop, in accordance with the site plan, the remaining land in the Creston Industrial Park.
• Research technology infrastructure nees for Creston Industrial Park.

Objective 5: Develop an entrepreneurial framework that provides to existing and potential entrepreneurs in the county the resources of technical assistance, financial planning, networking, facilities locations and training/educational programs.

Responsibility: Entrepreneurial Taskforce

Action Steps:

• Lead efforts to increase capital available for entrepreneurial endeavors in the county and region by identifying resources and creating a structure for a nano loan fund.
• Continue to financially support and make referrels to the Regional Small Business Development Center.
• Promote access to MyEntreNet for an on-line network that has information on grants, loans, expert advice, through blogs, live chat and weekly webinars.
• Organize and hold seminars, entrepreneurial exchange events and networking functions.

Actvity Area: Community Development

Goal: Enhance the quality of Place assets in Union County to sustain and attract a viable workforce for the future.

Objective 1: Increase the available housing opportunities to meet the demand in the county.

Responsibility: Housing Taskforce

Action Steps:

• Improve the housing conditions in CReston by addressing the need for a rental housing ordinance.
• Seek out developers to create multi-family housing options to meet the needs of existing industry.
• Investigate the potential development of a high end sub-division development adjacent to the Crestmoor Golf Course.
• Provide temporary housing options to address the neds of newcomers to the county.

Objective 2: To enhance the quality of place and increase the local entertainment venues, attract a developer to build a multi-plex movie theatre in Creston.

Responsibility: Quality of Place Taskforce

Action Steps:

• Research the market and financial criteria to develop and sustain a multi-plex theatre.
• Collaborate with current movie theatre owners regarding the feasibility of a multi-plex movie theatre project.

Objective 3: Increase the visitor spending in Union County by marketing and facilitating the creation of additional recreation developments.

Responsibility: Quality of Place Taskforce

Action Steps:

• Extend the existing trail sytem to become an attraction of visitors and area residents.
• Market Union County to visitor (tourism) audiences by promoting new Creston/Union County website and exhibiting at select recreation shows.

Objective 4: Develop additional components to the High Lakes Leadership Initiative (HLLI).

Responsibility: HLLI Board of Directors

Action Steps:

• Establish a Regional Young Professionals Organization.
• Consider the development of a youth leadership program and the integration of entrepreneurial curriculum.
• Establish an Endowment Fund to sustain programs of the High Lakes Leadership Initiative.

Objective 5: Support efforts for downtown redevelopment and historic preservation.

Responsibility: Quality of Place and Housing Taskforces

Action Steps:

• Participate in the restablishment of a historic preservation commission.
• Address upper story housing rehabilitation in Uptown Creston.