HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-0625 Study Session Packet
CITY OF
ASHLAND
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
AGENDA
Monday, June 25, 2007 at 5:15 p.m.
Siskiyou Room, 51 Winburn Way
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. EXPECTATIONS FOR FUTURE WORKING RELATIONSHIP
a. City Council Goals for Economic Development Strategy
b. What work needs to be done:
1. Vision and long-term goals for economic development
2. Strategies, with specific action steps to implement
3. Redefine roles and responsibilities (City, Chamber, SOREDI, State of
Oregon, SOU, RCC, etc.)
III. DISCUSSION OF CURRENT WORKING RELATIONSHIP
a. Economic Development
1. Economic Sustainability Committee
2. Completed Projects
3. Tracking Progress
b. Visitors and Convention Services
1. 'Shoulder season and winter months
2. Diversification of age-base of visitors
3. Relationship to economic development
4. Council plans for discussing a potential Transient Occupancy Tax
increase
5. Events and Festivals
IV. DISCUSSION OF 2007-2008 CONTRACT
a. Include Chamber participation in Economic Development Strategy for FY 2007-2008
and Transient Occupancy Tax discussion
b. Simplify contract
c. Increase VCB activities for shoulder season and for visits of families.
d. Set the stage for measuring progress
e. One year contract, to be revised after completion of Economic Development
Strategy
V. ADJOURNMENT
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in
this meeting, please contact the City Administrator's office at (541) 488-6002 (TTY phone number
1-800-735-2900). Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable
arrangements to ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title I).
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Ashland Chamber of Commerce
Economic Sustainability Committee
"Research, Education, Marketing, Consultation and Support/or Business"
The mission of the Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC) is to develop and
implement strategies for retention, expansion and relocation of Ashland businesses with a
primary emphasis on family wage jobs.
The goals of the (ESC) are to collect data and conduct research on the Ashland economy;
evaluate economic data for trends and needs analysis; conduct trainings, workshops and
conferences for emerging, new and existing businesses; provide information to
government of business needs; create and distribute marketing materials to encourage
business retention, expansion and relocation; and to provide confidential individual and
team consultations and support through the Rapid Response Team to new and existing
businesses.
The ESC will function in the following ways:
The full ESC will meet quarterly and consist of private and public sector members
including the Planning Director and/or City Administrator. The Mayor will assign two
different City Council people each quarter to attend the meetings. Minutes will be taken
and distributed to other Councilors not in attendance. Updates will be given on the
progress and status of research, educational programs and marketing projects.
Opportunity for comments and input will be given at each meeting. No confidentiality
will be required at these meetings.
The ESC Working Group will meet monthly or more as needed and will consist of
business members and the Southern Oregon University School of Business underscoring
our long-standing collaboration on research and educational programs. They will provide
direction, monitor programs, evaluate and conduct research, determine educational
programs, workshops and conferences; create and evaluate marketing programs and
projects; discuss results of confidential Rapid Response Team meetings for needed
follow-up. Confidentiality will be required of the members of this working group. In
addition, they will coordinate with the Business Development Committee on workshop
and conference implementation.
The Rapid Response Team will meet as needed and is on-going. They meet one-on-one
and as a team with new and existing businesses who need information, assistance and
support to help them with retention, expansion and relocation. Staff will provide initial
contact and discussion with inquiry. All meetings are strictly confidential until the
business allows them to become public.
Ashland
Econol11ic Developl11ent Strategy
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What is an Economic Development Strategy?
An economic development strategy for a community should be a vision for the community to
mobilize leadership to create and maintain good jobs at good wages, cultivate a culture based on
entrepreneurship and innovation and responds to the values of the community.
The citizens and businesses of Ashland place great pride in their community. Community values,
such as conservation, creativity and innovation should be reflective of the strategies and businesses
that the community desires in their economic efforts.
An economic development strategy is meant to provide the principles of what the city is working
toward, and developing a coordinated response to how that might occur. By organizing and
targeting efforts, the community can better utilize scarce resources, build on strengths, and put
outside resources to work more effectively.
Emerging Issues
There have been conversations within the community about what the city's economic development
strategy is, or whether there even is one. At the same time, there have been questions about the
appropriate role of the city and others in developing, leading and implementing an economic
development strategy.
The city's Community Development Department undertook an effort to meet state economic
development planning goals by conducting an Economic Opportunities Analysis (EOA). Three major
themes emerged during the public process as foremost elements of a vision for Ashland's future
economy:
Preservation and enhancement of the quality of life
Creation of a diverse and sustainable economy
Improved coordination & processes of civic and government sectors
What would an Economic Development Strategy look like?
An economic development strategy should be a working document that identifies what the
community is trying to accomplish, and who will be working on that strategy. For example, using
one of the themes identified regarding a diverse and sustainable economy, a strategy might be:
Foster the creation of a local, sustainable economy by partnering with other
organizations to watch for opportunities and vulnerabilities, incubate and
coordinate projeds and facilitate dialogue, action and educat'ion within our
community.
· Identify, support and promote the production of more of our essentials in Ashland. In
particular, we can create more:
o Locally grown and packaged food
o Energy (renewable)
· Ensure that valuable agricultural and forest lands in the region are conserved to produce food
and other products for a sustainable economy.
· Support the education of youth and the community to create and maintain knowledge and
skills to help create a sustainable economy.
· Engage business, government and community leaders to initiate planning and policy change.
Lead: (Identify lead entity to coordinate)
When: (Identify when it will be done)
Cost: (Identify any costs to implement)
Involve: (Identify who should be involved)
How: (Identify how it will get done)
Where do we go from here?
If the concept of an Economic Development Strategy makes sense for the city to accomplish, the
City, working in concert with the Chamber and others, should develop a work plan to accomplish this
effort. Public involvement and cooperation of various stakeholders is critical to the success of an
Economic Development Strategy. As such one of the first tasks is to decide on the framework for
working together.
The following is a conceptual task list and timeline to accomplish this effort.
1. Create an Economic Develooment Task Force.
Since the city does not have a standing committee that reviews and adopts economic
development policies and strategies, a broad-based task force representing diverse interests
would provide the balanced review and input necessary for a successful economic
~evelopment strategy. Having the diverse interests will also foster a spirit of cooperation
amongst parties. The Task Force could be charged with:
· Gather public and business input regarding economic development strategies for
Ashland
· Draft and propose an Economic Development Strategy for the city of Ashland
· Develop an interim and long-term implementation strategy, including consideration for
staffing, contracts and other recommendations
2. Determine interim staffina needs.
This effort will entail considerable effort to coordinate, as well as prepare materials for Task
Force and public review. An interim staffing assignment could assist in getting the project
started. The city and/or Task Force might look at supplementing the effort with consultant
services or additional staffing.
3. Review existina economic develooment oroarams within the citv. reaion and state.
One of the first tasks is to understand what has already been accomplished, who is doing
what, and how well is it working? This review would include the city, Chamber, SOREDI,
State of Oregon, SOU, and others.
4. Develoo an economic develooment strateav for the Citv of Ashland.
This would be the heart of the effort and would have to include extensive public involvement.
The Task Force, with assistance of assigned staff or consultants, will need to identify the
approach to preparing the strategy. In order to be an effective project, it is important that
the strategy not only identify what is going to be done, but who will be making sure it gets
done and any resources necessary to carry out the strategy.
s. Imolement the economic develooment strateav for the Citv of Ashland.
The effort does not end with a document that sits on a shelf. The strategies are ongoing
programs and efforts. As such, it is important that some sort of implementation and
monitoring effort be put in place to ensure success. This monitoring effort will also enable
the city to be flexible and responsive to changing circumstances.
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Goal #3
Expand, broaden, and preserve the economic base vvith year-round employment
and fami ly- wage jobs
Priorities/policies/projects (2 years)
a) Establish a City economic development commission, alternative strategies for accomplishing
b) Identify/recommend policy for point-of-contact with City for economic development
c) Identify opportunities for partnership to accomplish economic base expansion, etc.
d) Include significant involvement of citizens and diverse stakeholders in "old" action item # I
i.e. produce a working economic development plan)
From February 10 Meeting:
Administration, with an ad hoc commission, will take on Economic Development Plan in this
Biennium. Implementation is dependant upon recommendations and future Council decision (b,
c, d under Priorities would be part of Commission's charter.)
Page 4 of 12
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