HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 1: Regional Economic Development
JEO
OINT LECTED FFICIALS
AIS
GENDA TEM UMMARY
Regional Economic Development
Meeting Date: September 14, 2009 Agenda Item Number: 1
Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Jon Ruiz, Gino Grimaldi, Jeff Spartz
www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5336
ISSUE STATEMENT
At the June Joint Elected Officials (JEO) meeting, members approved the framework for a
regional economic development plan that will better position our regional economy to take
advantage of economic opportunities that align with our area’s assets and values. The JEO
Economic Development subcommittee (ED Task Force) that was formed to oversee the
development of this plan has worked with the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), a group
composed of key stakeholders in our regional economy, to develop economic development
strategies that will help define the next economy for our region. The ED Task Force
recommends that the JEO approve the economic development strategies outlined below to ensure
continued and timely progress on creating a regional economic development plan.
BACKGROUND
The citizens of the Eugene-Springfield metro area have felt the burden of the financial crisis
more so than in other counties and other states. The decline in local jobs, coupled with an
increased demand for social services, is putting a strain on city, county and state programs. The
Eugene-Springfield metro area unemployment rate in July 2009, was 12.5%, a 6 percentage point
increase over the last year, which is slightly higher than the state unemployment rate of 11.9%.
The decline in the availability of local jobs has put increased pressure on social services. The
number of cases in the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program for our local
district has increased 18.5 percentage points over the past year. The number of applications for
low-income housing in Lane County in 2008, increased 13 percentage points compared to the
previous year. These programs are indicative that the economic crisis has significantly impacted
our local economy and that the need for a regional, long-term plan is present.
At the March Joint Elected Officials (JEO) meeting, members expressed interest in holding a
Regional Economic Summit to coordinate a collaborative response to the current situation and
formed a subcommittee (ED Task Force) for this purpose. At the June JEO meeting, the
framework for the development of a regional economic development plan was approved. The
framework for designing our next economy included the creation of a Technical Advisory Group
(TAG) that is composed of key stakeholders in our regional economy. (Please see attachment A
for the member list of the TAG). The TAG developed a list of strategies and tactics that they feel
the region should strategically focus on to best influence the economic development of our
region.
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The TAG developed the economic development strategies with the following JEO approved
goals and principles as guidance:
Goal:
By 2020, create 20,000 net new jobs in the chosen economic opportunity areas; reduce the
local area unemployment rate to, or below, the state average; and increase the average annual
wage to, or above, the state level.
Principles:
The principles that will guide the development of our next economy were discussed
at length by the ED Task Force.
Healthy Living
– Championing businesses and entrepreneurs that promote a healthy, safe,
and clean community while enhancing, protecting, and making wise use of our natural
resources.
Smart Growth –
Encourage a culture of entrepreneurship and re-investment into our local
community.
Be Prepared –
Develop the region’s physical, social, educational, and workforce
infrastructure to meet the needs of tomorrow.
Local Independence –
Promote local businesses and entrepreneurs that lead our area to a
higher level of economic independence and resilience.
Regional Identity –
Create a stronger economic personality that celebrates our region’s
attributes and values.
The following strategies developed by the TAG establish a vision for how the governments,
businesses, and community members can work together to help the Eugene-Springfield metro
area achieve economic sustainability. They establish a framework for decision-making for
community partners within Eugene, Springfield and Lane County.
1.Business Retention and Expansion
Support the Growth and Development of Existing Area Businesses to Achieve Quality
Job Creation.
We recognize the crucial role existing area businesses play in sustaining the
health of the local economy and in creating job opportunities. Efforts should be directed at
supporting the operating needs of local businesses as well as meeting their needs for
expansion and growth.
Tactic 1:
Coordinate public capital and finance networks within the region to
facilitate business access to needed funding for continued operation and
growth.
Tactic 2:
Develop or strengthen peer-to-peer support networks for businesses of any
type (start-up, existing, large, small, etc.) for communicating regional
information on financing, physical development, locating, hiring,
recruiting, and training.
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Tactic 3:
Assist businesses with site development or expansion through coordinated
multi-agency review of development permits. Develop methods and
policies to streamline the permitting process.
2.Entrepreneurial Infrastructure
Accelerate the Development of Entrepreneurial Infrastructure
. (Defined as those
facilities and services present within our region, which encourage the creation of new
ventures, and the growth and development of small- and medium- sized enterprises).
Tactic 1:
Increase the amount of investment capital in our region by leveraging such
groups as the Willamette Angel Conference (WAC), the Southern Willamette
Angel Network (formerly Lane Venture Forum), the Oregon Entrepreneurs
Network (OEN), and the investor relations programs led by the Eugene Area
Chamber of Commerce.
Tactic 2:
Expand the partnership with University of Oregon and Oregon State
University in bringing new technologies and innovations to market.
Tactic 3:
Improve the region’s deal flow for investors by accelerating start-ups that are
growth-ready, and provide educational opportunities for entrepreneurs to
increase their skills.
3. Workforce Development
A.Train, attract and maintain a competitive workforce to meet the region’s current
and emerging industry needs and stimulate business development.
Foster a dynamic
partnership of education, industry, and workforce development to forecast, assess and
meet the training needs of existing and developing businesses.
Tactic 1:
Partner with local educational systems to enhance and align services to
prepare local residents with work readiness skills, including basic math and
literacy skills, necessary for success in all occupations.
Tactic 2:
Convene industry-interests panels to design and evaluate curricula to ensure
that local training programs meet industry needs.
Tactic 3:
Continue to build a culture that values learning, an entrepreneurial spirit,
acceptance and diversity, and creativity to continue to attract entrepreneurial
and innovative talent to our region.
Increase the ready workforce in Lane County by expanding access to academic and
B.
occupational training for all Lane County residents, particularly lower-skilled and
lower-wage workers.
We recognize the importance of a skilled workforce for the
prosperity of the region.
Tactic 1:
Connect basic skills training programs (e.g. G.E.D. preparation and English
as a Second Language) to post-secondary certificate or degree programs.
Tactic 2:
Partner with industry and education to encourage investment in training
opportunities for young people, such as internships and work experience
opportunities.
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Tactic 3:
Support the local recognition of Career Readiness Certificates, a state-wide
testing and credentialing initiative to enhance workforce readiness.
4.Land and Physical Infrastructure
Prepare for the Land and Physical Infrastructure, in a timely fashion, that is necessary
to support Business Development and Stimulate Quality Job Creation.
Strengthenthe
coordinationbetween infrastructure, planning and investments, land use, and economic
development goals.
Tactic 1:
Inventory and evaluate underdeveloped space in an effort to assist business
re-locations in a timely fashion.
Tactic 2:
Integrate opportunistic economic development goals into land use and supply
analyses and policies.
Tactic 3:
Promote and build on the Region’s transportation, distribution and logistics
advantages.
Tactic 4:
Continue to work with property and business owners to expand, upgrade and
construct state-of-the-art facilities.
Tactic 5:
Streamline the regulatory processes to assist with site selection and
development.
5.Economic Identity
Promote awareness and advocacy for the region’s economic quality of life that
continues to support and attract the investment and innovative and entrepreneurial
talent and builds on our dynamic and diverse economic community.
Tactic 1:
Partner with local business and economic development organizations to
develop and implement an on-going public relations campaign that will
promote the region's economic identity and successes, both internally and
externally.
Tactic 2:
Promote the region's strong willingness and ability to mentor and coach
entrepreneurs and businesses, and recognize the successes that grow from
within this network.
Tactic 3:
Promote and celebrate the region’s creative people who find success
elsewhere and find bridges for them to contribute back to our community.
Tactic 4:
Promote the region’s natural and cultural resources to enhance the cultural
tourism within the region.
6.Targeted Industries
A.Continue to support the development of our wealth generating sectors that have
built a strong economic foundation for our community and have complemented our
region’s quality of life, such as:
?
Transportation/Manufacturing
?
Wood Manufacturing
?
Health Care
?
Construction
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B.Support development and growth in successful and emerging opportunity areas
within the local economy:
?
Health/Wellness
?
Advanced Manufacturing (technologically rich, innovative manufacturing)
?
Software
?
CleanTech/Renewable Energy
?
Biomedical
?
University of Oregon / Research & DevelopmentInstitutions
Tactic 1:
Identify strategies to address unique site and logistical needs of existing and
emerging industries.
Tactic 2:
Develop associations or networks among targeted cluster businesses for
innovative networking, information-sharing and to provide opportunities for
business growth.
Tactic 3:
Pursue opportunities to expand and recruit businesses, ideas, and
entrepreneurs into our region that can enhance our existing businesses and
community.
The next step in the development of our regional economic development plan is the holding of an
Economic Summit. The goal for the Economic Summit is to gather input on the tactics, or action
items, for each approved economic development strategy, that will provide a framework for
decision-making for our community partners. Following the Economic Summit, elected officials
and others will a) review the input and refine the regional plan or b) ratify the regional plan and
initiate implementation to build our next economy.
JEO OPTIONS
Option 1: Approve the economic development strategies as described in the AIS and have the
ED Task Force and Technical Advisory Group hold an Economic Summit in October.
Option 2: Modify the economic development strategies and have the ED Task Force and
Technical Advisory Group hold an Economic Summit in October.
Options 3: Decline approving any of the economic development strategies and provide new
direction for the ED Task Force.
JEO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TASK FORCE’S RECOMMENDATION
The ED Task Force recommends option one, which will approve the economic development
strategies that create the outline of a regional economic development plan to design our area’s
next economy and have the ED Task Force and Technical Advisory Group hold an Economic
Summit in October.
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SUGGESTED MOTION
Move to 1) approve the economic development strategies presented in the AIS and 2) direct the
Joint Elected Officials’ Economic Development Task Force and staff to hold an Economic
Summit in October.
ATTACHMENTS
A.Technical Advisory Group Member List
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Staff Contact: Jon Ruiz
Telephone: 682-5336
Staff E-Mail: jon.r.ruiz@ci.eugene.or.us
Staff Contact: Gino Grimaldi
Telephone: 726-3700
Staff E-Mail: ggrimaldi@ci.springfield.or.us
Staff Contact: Jeff Spartz
Telephone: 682-4207
Staff E-Mail: jeff.spartz@co.lane.or.us
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