The Economic Development Plan:
On Wednesday, July 23, 2008, the Economic Development Committee held a special meeting to consider final revisions to the plan. The plan was approved by unanimous vote.
Final Report
Action Plans
Appendix Items:
Focus Groups Report
Phone Interview Report
Summit Report
Task Forces Report
Task Force Recommendations:
Following the Summit, the City's Economic Development Committee identified five areas to focus the economic development strategy.
A number of participants from the Summit and other members of the business community volunteered to serve on task forces for each of the strategy areas. From early February to mid April, they developed their recommendations for the economic development strategy.
Recommendations were presented to the Economic Development Committee and the public on April 17.
Workforce Development: Develop and nurture cooperative working networks to secure the resources to build an adaptable and skilled workforce with a positive work ethic and a strong sense of personal responsibility.
Task force team: Julie Hermanson, Michael Pierick, Sandy Sayarath, Tina Rossmiller, and Jim Brooks.
Powerpoint presentation
Recommendation worksheets
Governmental Relations: Develop a cooperative, intergovernmental, straightforward, and clearly defined process to reach out, attract and retain a broad economic base for Evansville.
Task force team: Betsy Ahner, Heidi Carvin, Kelly Gildner, Barb Jacobson, Jim Kopecky, and John Morning.
Recommendation worksheets
Downtown Revitalization: Create a healthy, vibrant and walkable downtown by expanding and attracting employment, shopping and social activities.
Task force team: John Decker, John Gishnock, Tony Wyse, Jean Wyse, Cheryl Fuchs, Amelia Mauer Royko, and Jim McGoey.
Powerpoint presentation
Recommendation worksheets
Marketing: Stop the leak.
Task force team: Don Meggers, Greg Marshall, Bob Kuha, Nicole Huff, Brad Goodspeed, Bud Gayhart, and Roger Berg.
Recommendation worksheets
Entrepreneurial Environment & Networking: Facilitate the interaction of entrepreneurial people, ideas, and resources.
Task force team: Eric Larsen, John Gishnock, Lori Allen, Cindy Hammer, Bill Lathrop, Gene Bass, and Steve Royko.
Powerpoint presentation
Recommendation worksheets
The Economic Development Summit:
One of the goals of Evansville's Smart Growth Plan is the development and implementation of an Economic Development Strategy. The City's Economic Development Committee has been working with the Chamber of Commerce and Whalen & Associates to convene an Economic Development Summit.
Terry Whipple, Executive Director of the Juneau County Economic Development Corporation and founder of the Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club model for rural economic development, will be our keynote speaker. Learn more about Terry and his "Catch the Culture" presentation here.
The Evansville Economic Development Summit is scheduled for Saturday, January 12, 2008. All Evansville area businesses are encouraged to participate. Background information and registration forms are available on this page leading up to the event. Action items and follow-up information will be here after the Summit.
Agenda revised: we will end at 2:30 with plenty of time to cheer on the Packers.
Summit Press Release - Dec 13, 2007
Summit Press Release - Jan 4, 2008
Status Update Letter - Feb 5, 2008
Summit Registration Form - Please register by January 8 (extended deadline), we need to know seating arrangements and number of lunches to order.
Summit Agenda
Attendee Information Packet -
Next Steps -
- Economic Development Committee – Review draft Executive Summary and discuss potential topics to be addressed in the Economic Development Plan. January 22, 2008
- Project Planning Team – finalize topics, form task forces, assign topics to task forces – by January 31, 2008
- Task Forces – meet, discuss key elements of assigned topic, refine goal, determine objectives and action steps – by March 31, 2008
- Economic Development Committee – review and revise task force action plans – by May 31, 2008 - Homework Memo
- Common Council – Consider budget requests related to Economic Development Plan as part of annual budget process – June 30, 2008
Task Forces -
Blank worksheet
Instruction sheet
Task Force Presentations: the task forces will be presenting their recommendations to the Economic Development Committee at 5:30 pm on Thursday, April 17, in the Media Room at the High School, 640 South Fifth Street. Representatives of the Redevelopment Authority, City Council, and Chamber of Commerce will also be in attendance.
Reports:
Focus Group Report - Local business representatives from the Agribusiness, Construction, Manufacturing, Retail, and Service industries met in August to discuss the local business environment and opportunities for the upcoming Summit.
Summit Report - DRAFT report on the Summit (final report not yet approved by committee). Report includes presentation summaries and responses from interactive sessions.
Phone Survey Report - Local businesses were contacted by the UW-Whitewater Small Business Development Center to gain more information on the Evansville business climate.
Evansville Smart Growth Plan - Including Chapter 8 on Economic Development and Chapter 12 on Implementation.
Resource Contacts:
These agencies participated in the Summit or provided resources/information.
Bridgit Larsen
Promotional Director
Evansville Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 51
8 West Main Street
Evansville, WI 53536
www.evansville-wi.com
Terry Whipple
Executive Director
Juneau County Economic Development Corporation
122 Main Street
Camp Douglas, WI 54618
www.juneaucounty.com
Bud Gayhart
Program Director
Small Business Development Center
402 McCutchan Hall
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
Whitewater, WI 53190
www.uww.edu/sbdc
Bob Borremans
Executive Director
Southwest Wisconsin Workforce Development Board
1370 N. Water Street
PO Box 656
Platteville, WI 53818-0656
www.swwdb.org
James Otterstein
Economic Development Manager
Rock County Economic Development Agency
51 S. Main Street
Janesville, WI 53545
www.rockcounty.org
Will Hughes
Administrator, Division of Agricultural Development
Wisconsin Dept. of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection
PO Box 8911
Madison, WI 53708
www.datcp.state.wi.us
Dr. Eric Larson
President
Blackhawk Technical College
PO Box 5009
Janesville, WI 53547
www.blackhawk.edu
Other Resources:
Local/Regional Economic Development
Entrepreneurs
Workforce Development
Downtown Redevelopment
