LEBANON, IN “The Friendly City”

LEBANON, INLEBANON, IN“The Friendly City”“The Friendly City”

LEBANON’S STORYLEBANON’S STORY

Small Town Environment (City population – approx. 14,000; County population – approx. 49,000)

Strategically located halfway between Indianapolis and Lafayette along Interstate 65

Home of Lebanon Business Park (fourth largest industrial park in the Indianapolis MSA)

Primary Industry – Distribution & Light Manufacturing

Labor Force – approx. 56,000 County-Wide Unemployment Rate – 3 %

LEBANON’S STORYLEBANON’S STORYCONT.CONT.

Forty-six percent of County labor force commute outside the County for work

Downtown center remains fairly active with businesses, retail and other public services

Overall, typical Midwestern community relying on markets of larger surrounding Metropolitan areas for economic and development opportunities

GROWTH PATTERNSGROWTH PATTERNS

Over the last decade, Boone County has not experienced the same growth and population increase as other surrounding Counties within the Indianapolis MSA

Of all the areas in the Indianapolis MSA, the NW corridor has been the last to develop

Now, especially in the real estate market, all eyes are on Boone County as it is the next phase of development for the Indianapolis Region.

GROWTH PATTERNSGROWTH PATTERNSCONT.CONT.

In the next decade, Boone County’s population is expected to grow over twenty-percent

Community development and strategic planning become even more important in “high-growth” communities such as Lebanon

Change is coming!

PLANNING FOR PLANNING FOR GROWTHGROWTH

FUTURE OF LEBANONFUTURE OF LEBANON

December 2002Lebanon Educational Foundation (LEF) initiates community collaboration and attempts to understand the goals and vision of other organizations in the community to better connect LEF with the community’s initiatives and goals

June 2003Discussion of desire to develop a strategic plan for the Lebanon area. Boone County Chamber of Commerce (BCCOC) indicated desire to head up the effort and focus on developing a strategic planThe organization of a vision and planning committee begins

July 2003BCCOC approved Community Vision Committee (CVC) as a sub-committee of the Chamber.

August 2003Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, agrees to serve as facilitator of group’s process and assist in the development of a strategic plan for the Lebanon Community

September 2003Key community leaders participate in first Economic Development Boot Camp sponsored by Indiana Municipal Power Agency & Hudson Institute

October 2003ED Boot Camp Attendees attend CVC meeting. The groups merge

GREATER LEBANON GREATER LEBANON COMMUNITY VISION COMMUNITY VISION

COMMITTEECOMMITTEE

SUB COMMITTEE OF THE BOONE COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

CURRENT STAKEHOLDERSCURRENT STAKEHOLDERSNAME ORGANIZATION REPRESENTINGBrent Cardin Arc Rehab Services Social ServiceAudra Poe Boone County Chamber of Commerce BusinessBetty Lee Cooper Boone County Commissioner County GovernmentKristie Fessel Boone EDC BusinessMayor Jim Acton City of Lebanon City GovernmentLisa Latz John Community Foundation of Boone County Community InvestmentJerry Tanselle FC Tucker Inc. RealtorsRalph Walker Lebanon Community Schools EducationSonya Shoup Lebanon Educational Foundation EducationMichael Martin Lebanon Utilities City UtilitiesAllen Milburn Lebanon Utilities Service Board City UtilitiesJohn Graft Minute Print It Small BusinessShirley McClaine Modern Cleaners TourismKent Frandsen Parr Richey Obremskey and Morton Boone EDCFather Tony Levi St. Joseph Catholic Church Ministerial AssociationJeff Tribbett State Bank of Lizton Boone EDCRick Elsbury The Farmers Bank Chamber of CommerceDerek Clay The Lebanon Reporter MediaJohn Lasley Union Federal Bank Downtown MerchantsKen Hull Western Boone School Corporation EducationRay Ingham, Ph.D. Witham Health Services Health ServicesPat Isenhower Witham Health Services Health ServicesMarcia KindermanWork One Boone County Employment and TrainingJane Brandenburg Community Member/LEF

OBJECTIVEOBJECTIVE

Develop, implement and coordinate a strategic plan through the collaboration of the public and

private sectors for the purpose of creating a “magnet community” by improving image, economic

and planned development and the overall quality of life.

IMPLEMENTATION AREAIMPLEMENTATION AREA

1. City of Lebanon2. Greater Lebanon Area 3. Boone County

Each phase of the project will impact the entire county.  CVC would like to site

specific accomplishments and successes for the overall project. 

BENCHMARKS and BENCHMARKS and GOALSGOALS

3-6 months survey our customers and establish measurable objectives

6-9 months plan in writing

9-12 monthsimplementation

13 months-futureevaluate, modify, sustain

CUSTOMERS/FOCUS CUSTOMERS/FOCUS GROUPSGROUPS

Current ResidentsWhat do they like about the community?What do they want to change?

Future ResidentsWhat do they want from Lebanon?What would make them move here?

Professional/Technical CompaniesWhat do they want from Lebanon?What would make them move here?

Influencers (Realtors, developers, recruiters, etc. Professionals who have the ability to “influence” someone thinking of moving or relocating a business to Lebanon. )

What are impressions of Lebanon?What do they tell people about community?

DETERMINING FOCUS AREAS & DETERMINING FOCUS AREAS & IMPLEMENTATIONIMPLEMENTATION

Focus group approach is an interviewing process that highlights consensus issues in the community

After finding key focus areas among small informal groups, the process advances to the larger public for buy-in and participation

Once focus areas are validated by public support, CVC stakeholders break into small work groups to concentrate on individual community focus areas (i.e marketing, recruitment, education, etc.)

OUTCOMES    OUTCOMES    

IMPROVE IMAGEIMPROVE IMAGE

Market and brand Lebanon as a “Destination Community”

PLANNED PLANNED DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT

economic, residential, commercialeconomic, residential, commercial

1. Business Attraction and Retention

2. Entice Professionals3. Housing4. Education

QUALITY OF LIFEQUALITY OF LIFE1. Support development of

local recreation and cultural events and attract new ones

2. Protect agricultural tradition

GREATER LEBANON CVC IS GREATER LEBANON CVC IS UNIQUE BECAUSE…UNIQUE BECAUSE…

The CVC approach is a comprehensive plan requiring community participation from all sectors

Grass roots effort rather than utilizing external consultants and specialists

Designed after a local model (Witham Hospital) Larger vision than just downtown revitalization

or targeted development areas Maximizes community resources – both public

and private

QUESTIONS &QUESTIONS &DISCUSSIONDISCUSSION

FOR MORE INFORMATION FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:CONTACT:

Kristie Fessel, Executive Director

Boone County Economic Development Corp.

765-482-5761

kfessel@booneedc.org

or

Audra Poe, Boone County Chamber of Commerce

765-482-1320

director@boonechamber.org