While a more expansive strategic planning process is part of future plans, local economic development leaders are charting a course for success this year.

Jay County Development Corp.'s board of directors reviewed a plan developed from a brainstorming session at its last meeting, suggested updates and approved advancing the process.

At the organization’s January meeting, executive director Ceann Bales asked board members to jot down ideas answering the question: “What would success look like?” Those ideas were then discussed in small groups and shared with the board as a whole.

From those jotted ideas and ensuing discussions, Bales presented board members with a proposed action plan. The document lays out six pillars:

•Housing development and revitalization

•Business attraction, retention and entrepreneurship

•Workforce development, talent and education

•Community development and quality of life

•Leadership, governance and collaboration

•Marketing, branding and community engagement

Each of those pillars has goals, objectives and strategies connected to it to help the organization move forward. Among them are visible progress on housing projects, increasing business attraction and supporting downtown revitalization.

Board members were asked to review the document and share any feedback.

Feedback from board members included desires to look at ways to help with housing affordability, provide more resources to new businesses and expand the organization’s role in coordinating county projects. Members also expressed concern about funding for major initiatives.

Bales told board members she plans to update the plan based on the feedback received Tuesday.

She mentioned one strategy — formalizing collaboration between the chamber of commerce, economic development and tourism — that was discussed at the previous meeting. She said it will be important to be deliberate about the process of potentially uniting those organizations under one umbrella.

Bales said the JCDC’s board has expressed interest in the option and said the next step will be to bring together members of all three boards to discuss possibilities.

“I think the most important thing for us all to remember is … it’s not about JCDC, it’s not about the chamber, it’s not about tourism. What this conversation is about is what’s best for Jay County. What makes us good stewards of the financial resources that we get … What is the best use of those funds to make the greatest impact in Jay County?”

As an example, she noted that a partnership in the early stages could be a single website that serves all three organizations.

Bales also reported that a local steering committee met recently to discuss reallocating Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) 2.0 funds that were tentatively earmarked for the now-defunct 68-acre housing development project on Portland’s west side. The committee decided the estimated $1.2 million should be used to support a project planned for new apartments on about 10 acres on Dunkirk’s south side.

Bales will present the idea to the regional steering committee for review. It would then go to Indiana Economic Development Corp. for final approval.
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