7/31/2019 Franklin County EDC 2012 Challenges & Opportunities
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Franklin County Economic
Development Commission In 2012Challenges & Opportunities
Prepared by Michael Hiles, VP Franklin County EDC Board
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This presentation is personal opinion based on discussions with multiple parties in Franklin County including:
EDC Board Members, past and present Government Officials Citizens & Business Owners Frank Thompson
This presentation does not represent the official position of the Franklin County Economic DevelopmentCommission. It is solely opinion.
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PART I: FCEDC Challenges
County Budget Challenges
Historically Weak Group Cohesion as EDC Board of Directors
No Cohesive Master Plan
Weak "PR" to Community About Efforts
Self-directed Director
Lack of Distributed Information Management About Current
Projects
EDIT Funds Hampering Economic Development Mission
Lack of Support and Representation Regionally
Myopic Focus of Local Groups Pushing Myopic Focus of EDC
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County Budget Challenges
Franklin County has budget issues like all counties
Public services cost more than residential tax base can
support (150-175% of residential)
State constitution caps tax revenue Public service delivery costs arent capped
Must supplement with commercial tax revenue to offset the
continuing erosion of budget
Economic Development is the sole functional means by whichlocal government can directly sponsor and foster business
growth and commercial tax base
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Historically Weak EDC Board of Directors
Self-directed Director and Board at arm's length
Fear of board for accusation of violating Sunshine Laws if
meeting and discussing outside of advertised official session
Passive board Disorganized effort lacking direction and focus
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No Cohesive Master Plan
Lack of defined service offerings of what FCEDC provides and
to who
Lack of defined mid-range and long-range objectives
No systematic approach to establishing and achieving goals Sporadic and biased involvement of outside groups
Weak PR and education to the public about Economic
Development and the efforts of FCEDC
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Weak "PR" to Community About Efforts
Website is not functional as an information distribution tool
Need an "economic development 101" blog and videos to
help promote Economic Development as a whole.
Need an email newsletter subscription to build database Need more proactive "marketing"
Virtually non-existent budget for marketing when organization
is a marketing entity
General education about Economic Development and why it isnecessary, what it does, what is the benefit to all involved
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Self-directed EDC Director
Seen by many in the community as pushing a personalpolitical agenda
Stuck in a tough spot with current situation
Lack of structure creates subjectivity - becomes political
lightning rod Without specific goals and objectives is viewed subjectively
Can't defend criticisms of activity
Board cannot adequately direct his efforts without better
approach Board cannot fairly evaluate his efforts without better
approach
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Lack of Distributed Information
Management About Current Projects
General disorganization and lack of systematic approach to
operations
Need a project management and tracking tool like Basecamp
Lack of a community education plan about EconomicDevelopment and FCEDC efforts
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EDIT Funds Hampering Economic
Development Mission
Efforts to increase and supplement commercial tax revenue
through EDC are hampered
County stuck paying for things that should be shouldered as a
municipal responsibility by unincorporated areas
Franklin County using economic development money to fund
general budget
The Way Things Have Always Been Done
Can't achieve a return on intended use of the investment fromassessment
State legislation gives broad flexibility and power to EDC for
business development
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Lack of Support and Representation
Regionally
Franklin County cannot compete alone as a tiny county
Regionalization efforts are already underway with Purdue
University and other area groups
Franklin County has weak representation
Lack of representation in regional master plan development
will give other counties the voice
Regional plan will sway state and federal spending based on
master plan
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Myopic Focus of Local Groups Pushing
Myopic Focus of EDC
FCEDC is pigeonholed based on lack of understanding and
awareness
Factions even discuss dissolution of EDC
Development brings risk of dilution of power bases
Small community politics as usual
Lack of transparency in much of local government operations
Not invented here syndrome
Personal politics at a personal level
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PART II: FCEDC Opportunities
Strengthen Board of Directors
Develop Local EDC Master Plan
Strengthen PR and Outbound Marketing of EDC Activities
Adopt a Regionalization Focus and Promote Local Involvementin Regionalization Efforts
Secure Full-Time Grant Writer
Develop Strategy to Secure Full EDC Funding
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Strengthen Board of Directors
Require more active involvement from EDC Board
Must participate in projects and activities as board, not just
rely upon Director to be the face and report back
Establish centralized cloud-based project management tool
(Basecamp)
Regularly meet to discuss operating issues and projects
outside of formal meeting
Adopt a stronger, regular communication strategy
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Develop Local EDC Master Plan
Establish succinct definitions of services and systematic
approach to service delivery
Establish specific goals and measurable Key Performance
Indicators to determine success
Create mid-range and long-range vision of community
development goals from with specific, measurable objectives
Educate and inform to prepare community for Economic
Development
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Establish Succinct Definitions of Services &
Systematic Approach to Service Delivery
Identify specific FCEDC clients who do we help and how?
What specific problem are we solving for what specific client?
Document specific value propositions to specific clients
what specific services does the EDC provide
Create marketing strategy for each value proposition
Implement marketing strategy for services
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Establish Specific Goals and Measurable KPIs to
Determine Success
Establish long range objectives and goals for economic
development
Establish incremental goals of FCEDC
Establish service delivery targets for each FCEDC service area
with measurement strategy
Establish PR and internal marketing targets with measurement
strategy
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Strengthen PR & Outbound Marketing of
EDC Activities
Publish full recordings of EDC meetings for full transparency
Develop annual marketing plan and associated budget
Secure EDC budget for marketing activities
Overhaul website to more professional appearance Add EDC blog and regularly publish informative content to
educate
Add email newsletter with subscription
Build internal EDC marketing databases Promote EDC efforts with proactive marketing strategy
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Adopt Regionalization Focus & Promote
Local Involvement in Regionalization
Must adopt regionalization approach to FCEDC activity as
much as possible
Participate in regional EDC initiatives as appropriate
Educate and inform local groups about the need to participate
in regional efforts
Require projects seeking EDC support to have a regional
aspect as appropriate
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Secure Full-Time Grant Writer
Hire or retain full-time grant writer for Franklin County to
research and apply for State, Federal, and private grants.
Leverage grant writer for cross-departmental efforts
Use proceeds of grant to help offset funding of grant writer
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Develop Strategy to Secure Full EDC
Funding
Identify alternatives to current budget appropriation
Assist County in creative solutions to budgetary issues seen
as a function and purpose of economic development
Develop medium and long range strategy to shift Economic
Development funding to EDC based on focused plan
Utilize funding to back capital pool as permitted by state
through bond placement, matching investment, bridge
funding, loan guarantees, etc
Develop business Capital access program used to attract
business entities to expand commercial tax base as offset to
Franklin County Government budget shortfall
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Contact:
Michael Hiles
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