Strategic Planning and Marketing Committee

Thursday, June 14th 2013

Purpose

To establish a strategic plan for economic development that will aid existing industry expansion and allow for new industry opportunities

Formulate a marketing plan to carry out the strategic plan

Purpose

Steps involved to establish the strategic plan:

To review existing conditions Formulate a shared vision Develop achievable goals Formulate an action plan Establish “dashboard indicators”

Review of Past/Current Efforts

Expand our long term economic development strategy to promote growth Develop an industrial and business retention and

expansion plan Pursue partnerships with educational institutions to retain

an educated workforce Continue to develop an infrastructure support plans which

will allow growth within and around Washington Continue to foster a pro-development approach to business

development and enhancement Consider a business recognition program Continue public-private partnerships Retain a full-time Economic Development Director for the

city

Review of Past/Current Efforts

Increase the economic vitality of downtown in both attracting and retaining business Investigate feasibility of establishing a

façade improvement program Create architectural design guidelines Promote the use of financial incentives

such as historic tax credits to renovate and revitalize

Promote residential living downtown

Review of Past/Current Efforts

Broaden the city’s economic base by attracting diverse businesses Maintain an inventory of existing businesses and develop

a marketing plan to target undeserved economic development interests

Continue to work closely with the state to indentify key properties for development and the city’s interest in developing those parcels

Create a high-quality marketing plan and distribute it to targeted businesses

Actively pursue development of an office park in the community

Work to establish a small-business incubator to expand the city’s business base

Review of Past/Current Efforts

Review the City’s policy concerning the use of economic development incentives to create economic opportunity Ensure that financial incentives are

linked to specific performance criteria such as the number of jobs or wage rate targets

Work cooperatively with the school district and other taxing jurisdictions regarding the use of tax incentives

Review of Past/Current Efforts

Focus on making the city a destination location in the St. Louis metro area Increase marketing of both tourism and

non-tourism aspects of the Washington area to attract visitors

Develop a unified thematic approach to better identify the Washington Community

Investigate various financing strategies to promote and enhance the tourism market

Review of Workforce Assessment Survey

In 2012, in conjunction with Franklin county and Ameren Missouri, a workforce survey assessment was conducted by growth management services

In 2013 the results were formulated with 22 participating industries, 8 of which were located in Washington, MO

The results covered workforce characteristics such as product quality, productivity, safety, honesty, work ethic, reliability, trainability, attitude, team compatibility, initial skills, educational achievement, availability of job applicants

Status of Work Ready Community Inititative

In January of 2013 Franklin County, through application to the Department of Economic Development was recognized as a Work Ready Community in training

Certified Sites in Heidmann Park

Future Meeting Dates?

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