HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2 - Att A - RegionalEconDevPlan-FinalJon Ruiz, City Manager, Eugene
by
Gino Grimaldi, City Manager, Springfield
Jeff Spartz, Lane County Administrator
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHY DO WE CARE? 2
H 2
OW WE GOT HERE
OUR NEXT ECONOMY 4
4
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
5
LAUNCHING US INTO THE NEXT ECONOMY
TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP MEMBERSHIP 9
1
WHY DO WE CARE?
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, is putting a strain on city, county and state budgets and 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 strategy for not only economic
recovery, but also economic prosperity is strong.
HOW WE GOT HERE
The region’s Joint Elected Officials, the City Councils of Eugene, Springfield, and
the Lane County Commissioners, were seeking a way to respond to our
economic crisis. The JEO put forward challenging goals:
“By 2020, create 20,000 net new jobs in the chosen economic
opportunity areas; reduce the local unemployment rate to, or below the
state average; and increase the average wage to or above the state
average.”
The elected officials also put forward a few guiding principles to help focus and
steer strategies towards those that would be most compatible with the assets and
2
values of the region. Resource challenge, science and knowledge based,
globally interdependent, innovation driven.
“Members of our
The JEO formed a technical advisory group (TAG) composed of key business
communities are in
leaders and critical area partners who had a passion for our regional
need. Housing
community, and was requested to develop recommendations on how to move
prices have fallen
our economy forward. This group crafted a set of strategies that the region
and we've seen
should focus on to influence the economic development of the region. The
strategies were then tested and discussed at a Regional Economic Summit
unprecedented
held in November 2009. With over 300 participants, the Summit provided a
levels of
broad community response to where our region needs to go and offered
unemployment.
insights into the initiatives that government leaders need to embark on.
Those with jobs are
not seeing the
PRINCIPLES
growth
The elected officials from our region set a goal for the region to work towards,
opportunities once
as well as a few guiding principles that were used to help focus the strategies
available through
towards those that would be compatible with the assets and values our region
their employers.
boasts.
We need economic
Healthy Living
– Championing businesses and entrepreneurs that promote a
development
healthy, safe, and clean community while enhancing, protecting, and making
policies that
wise use of our natural resources.
address these
concerns and we
Smart Growth –
Encourage a culture of entrepreneurship and re-investment
into our local community.
need to work
together to create
Be Prepared –
Develop the region’s physical, social, educational, and
an economy that
workforce infrastructure to meet the needs of tomorrow.
provides those
Local Independence –
Promote local businesses and entrepreneurs that lead
good jobs now."
our area to a higher level of economic independence and resilience.
Lane County
Regional Identity –
Create a stronger economic personality that celebrates our
Commissioner Pete
region’s attributes and values.
Sorenson
“There are some that will say the goals are too big. That we
won’t be able to both decrease unemployment and increase
median income… There are some that will continue to say we
won’t be able to work together as jurisdictions. I think that what
we have today and as we move forward, is proving that that
isn’t the case. That there is a commitment to doing all of those
kinds of things.”
- Jon Ruiz, City Manager, Eugene
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OUR NEXT ECONOMY
“
A talented
workforce is
the key to our
STRATEGIES FOR THE NEXT ECONOMY
region’s
economic
The TAG recommended a set of high-priority strategies for the region. These
success.
strategies create the vision for how governments, businesses, and community
Building
members can work together to help the Eugene-Springfield metro area achieve
economic sustainability. This set of strategies were tested at the Regional
programs,
Economic Summit and proved to successful in establish a framework for
partnerships
decision-making for community partners within Eugene, Springfield, and Lane
and a regional
County.
culture that
GROWING LOCAL OPPORTUNITIES
values learning
and
Our region should take initiatives that support the growth and development of
entrepreneurial
local businesses that generate quality jobs. We recognize the crucial role
existing area businesses play in sustaining the health of the local economy and
spirit and
in creating job opportunities. Efforts should be directed at supporting the
creativity will
operating needs of local businesses as well as meeting their needs for expansion
and growth.
help us grow,
and attract
CREATIVE ECONOMY
innovative
The Eugene-Springfield metro area needs to work towards providing easier and
talent to our
faster access to resources for start-ups and new ventures. We need to enhance
region.”
and connect facilities, networks, and services within our region to encourage the
creation of new ventures, and the growth and development of small- and
medium-sized enterprises.
Richard
TALENT FOR TOMORROW
Lariviere,
University of
We need to appeal to the next generation of “knowledge workers.” We need to
look for initiatives that will help us train, attract, and maintain a competitive
Oregon
workforce that meets emergency industry needs, stimulates business
President, from
development, and highlights the vitality and appeal of our region. Fostering a
his keynote
dynamic partnership between education, industry, and workforce development to
address at the
forecast and meet the training needs of area businesses is crucial for our
region’s citizens and businesses.
Regional
Prosperity
We recognize the importance of a skilled workforce for the prosperity of the
region. By expanding access to academic and occupation training for all Lane
Summit.
County residents, with special focus given to lower-skilled and lower-wage
workers, we can expand the ready workforce in Lane County.
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BASIC NEEDS OF BUSINESS
In order to meet the very basic needs of any business, we need to prepare the
infrastructure, land, and workspace to provide for future growth. Initiatives should
strengthen the coordination between infrastructure, planning and investments,
land use, and economic development goals to create attractive and modern
business locations.
LIVE THE GOOD LIFE
Our area boasts the physical beauty, and natural and recreational amenities that
create a lifestyle that few would contest. We need to promote the region’s quality
of life that attracts people to the area and builds on our dynamic community. Our
region’s economic quality of life benefits from the staying power businesses have
because their employees choose to live and grow in our community.
KEY INDUSTRIES
We can continue to support the development of 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
The region should also focus on developing our innovative culture to support the
emerging opportunities within our local economy, such as:
Health/Wellness
Advanced Manufacturing (technologically rich, innovative manufacturing)
Software
Clean Tech / Renewable Energy
Biomedical
LAUNCHING US INTO THE NEXT ECONOMY
TheRegional Prosperity Summit gathered leaders from business, government
and the community and honed in on the critical initiatives that will launch our
region into the next economy.
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NETWORKS, NETWORKS, AND MORE NETWORKS
“Economic
Networks are needed for several types of information. A stronger network of
recovery and our
financiers will help to bring more innovative ideas to market. As more
entrepreneurs are trying to sell their services and products, a network of very future,
marketers will be useful. As the new businesses begin to grow, a network of
depends on a
mentors are needed to help those new businesses through their growth
strong, healthy
stages. A “Birth to Three” network for entrepreneurs will create an
environment for the entrepreneur where they can get the help they need
education system.
when they needed.
We are proud of
Create a Birth to Three network where entrepreneurs, business
the quality of
owners/managers can go for mentorship in the major areas of
students produced
running a business, such as financial management, marketing,
production, leadership, etc.
in our metro area
and we must
THE HEART OF LANE BUSINESS
continue to
The most common recommendation from the Regional Prosperity Summit
creatively focus
was a one-stop resource center for all things business. An entrepreneur
on developing our
could come to this information hub, both physically and virtually, and receive
future workforce
troubleshooting assistance on financing, marketing, or leadership,
connections to other agencies and department, enrollment into business
right here at
trainings, and an enrollment into an appropriate network for ongoing support.
home.”
This business assistance center acts as the expert in regional resources for
entrepreneurs and business owners of all kind. It is the heart to Lane
County business development.
Create a business assistance center where entrepreneurs, business
Springfield
owners/managers can go, whether virtually or physically, to get
Mayor Sid
information and assistance related to business management and
Leiken
growth within our region.
A LEARNING COMMUNITY
Summit participants expressed the needs to improve the basic and applied
skills of young people in the region as they prepare to enter the labor force.
Active partnerships between the business community and local schools were
suggested with a focus on work experience through internships and
mentorships. This type of business-to-school partnership represents a real
opportunity to provide young workers-to-be with valuable economic life skills.
Improve the basic and applied skills of young people in the region as
they prepare to enter the labor force. This effort must begin with
school readiness for kindergarten, ensure high school graduation,
include vocational/technical training, and internships and
mentorships, and provide paths to higher education.
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A FOCUSED REGION
“Our region is
Our regional values need to drive the creation of our regional economic identity.
blessed with
Marketing a regional identity will increase our area’s ability to maintain a
tremendous
sustainable competitive advantage in a global marketplace. Our identity
assets and a
influences the regional behavior in the marketplace and describes our
community’s values to businesses and talent around the world. A regional
wealth of
identity will help us align our strategies, our resources, our partnerships, and our
local
assets for economic success.
ingenuity,
Create a regional economic identity, capitalizing on assets that will
and this
identify our region as a significant economic center.
Summit is an
NEW PARTNERS
opportunity
for us to work
New investment coming to the region will be an important complement to the
growth of local business in providing for the region’s future economic health. A
together to
sustained effort to reach out to prospective investment, respond to their
best
questions and needs, and successfully recruit new businesses to the area is an
capitalize on
important part of a sound economic development strategy. Many of these efforts
are already in place. The region also has an important partnership with the State
those assets
of Oregon to address national and international markets.
and develop
Develop and sustain a business expansion, attraction and retention
creative
program with emphasis on traded-sector companies. Sustain and
strategies
expand the economic recruitment efforts in place for the region. The
partnership with the State of Oregon should also be further fostered and
and actions
developed. The regional identity (addressed in the previous initiative)
to move our
will be used to refine and focus the efforts.
economy
forward.”
URBAN VITALITY
The distinctiveness of a region and a community is an important asset in
Eugene
retaining talent and businesses, as well as attracting new talent and investment.
The region has always been fortunate to have many such “place-based” assets
Mayor Kitty
in its outdoor recreational amenities and great variety of natural features. The
Piercy, from
emergence of the creative economy has created new interest in urban
downtowns as entertainment and cultural centers. Both Eugene and Springfield,
her opening
as well as many of the smaller communities in the region, recognize the
remarks at
importance of supporting and enhancing vitality in their downtowns. Building
theRegional
downtowns as places to live, work and play will support the retention and
expansion of the existing business community and be a significant asset to
Prosperity
attract new investment.
Summit.
The Cities of Eugene and Springfield should continue and enhance their
efforts to promote downtown vitality through development and
redevelopment. Other Cities in the region should also look for
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opportunities to enhance core commercial and downtown areas as part
of their economic development strategies.
Inventory and assess adequacy of industrial land availability in support of
expansion, attraction and retention in conjunction with comprehensive
land assessment process.
A REGION WORKING TOGETHER
One common thread of feedback from the Regional Prosperity Summit was the
positive direction that our government leaders are taking by pulling our
communities together to act as one economic region. Moving forward as one
region, not several, will create a positive inertia that will move us forward into the
next economy faster than if we work alone. Our next economy will be stronger
and more resilient by moving forward together.
Create a Regional Prosperity Council that acts as the guiding coalition
for the implementation of the regional strategy; initiates and presides
over an on-going conversation on topics such as demographic shifts,
applications of emerging technologies and best practices in supporting
the strategy.
“Collectively, we move towards that which we
believe to be true. If we believe we will be able
to reap prosperity in this region, decrease
unemployment, increase median income, we
are encouraged and hopeful that we will move
in that direction. ”
Jon Ruiz, City Manager, Eugene
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TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP MEMBERS:
Dave Hauser, Eugene Chamber of Commerce
Caroline Cummings, Eugene Chamber of Commerce
Dan Egan, Springfield Chamber of Commerce
Natasha Boska, Springfield Chamber of Commerce
Jack Roberts, Lane Metro Partnership
Tim Duy, University of Oregon
Shawn WinklerRios, EDev
Sue Kesey, Springfield Creamery
Nancy Bigley, Outback Steakhouse
Ann Marie Mehlum, Summit Bank
Chuck Forster, Lane Workforce Partnership
Robin Onaclea, Lane Workforce Partnership
Leroy Marney, President Lane,Coos,Curry,Douglas Counties, Oregon State Building Trades Council
Jon Ruiz, City Manager, Eugene
Gino Grimaldi, City Manager, Springfield
Jeff Spartz, Lane County Administrator
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