BENTON CITY - COMING FULL CIRCLE WITH THE CIRCLE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT An Ignite Presentation by Heather Duncan, Benton City Economic Development Council
EXPLAINING WHAT WE DO WHAT IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? Includes business recruitment and retention More than just bricks and sticks Economic development is community development / community development IS economic development, especially in a small community Those in economic development wear many hats
GMA SHORT COURSE ON LOCAL PLANNING The Basic Short Course on Local Planning is a three-hour workshop covering: The legal basis of planning in Washington State, and a review of laws governing planning processes An overview of comprehensive planning and plan implementation under the Growth Management Act An overview of the roles in planning and best practices for public participation All courses are offered at no charge and open to the public.
THE CIRCLE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SAMPLE QUARTERLY ALLOCATION OF EFFORT 2% Infrastructure Support Development 15% 15% Property Development, Recruiting Access to Capital, Technical Assistance 3% 10% 15% Funding Business Climate (Government) Business Development Coalition Building (i.e., Merchants Association) Community Development 5% Tourism 5% Workforce Development 20% 10% Business Climate Quality of Life (Chambers) Business Development Coalition Building (EDCs, business community, SBDC)
INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT Weber Canyon Road improvements City extension of water & sewer lines to south side of the Yakima River Riverfront park and City non-motorized trail Extension of fiber optic cable to provide broadband to vital service providers (schools, health care, first responders, city government) Leveraged larger effort to complete Seattle-to-Boise connections and additional lines to PNNL in Richland Worked with multiple stakeholders to obtain backbone Next step: Wi-fi cloud for last-mile access to underserved, economically challenged community
PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT, RECRUITING Port of Benton has been major development partner 16 acre Benton City Industrial Park BCEDC clients include CJ Plastics and RippedSheets.com Historic downtown brick building incubator space Initial tenants Sew-Me-Pretty and Logar Pharmacy Old fire station incubator space Tenant Branches & Vines and subleasee CBD I-82 property Working with City to market & plan 4 acre pad site Working with state agency for acquisition of 260 acres in Benton City s UGA Ki-Be Market, community crisis to success story A home for displaced business, EFC Equipment
ACCESS TO CAPITAL, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Work with potential and current business owners wanting to purchase, start or expand various business enterprises Assistance includes entrepreneur prequalification, feasibility studies, business plan counseling, site selection, and referral to other resources including SBDC and financers Horizons CaABI and BFABC asset building and fiscal fitness BCEDC Coordinator is member of CREDiT board to review and approve/deny loan applications
FUNDING BUSINESS CLIMATE (GOVERNMENT) Working with state legislators Funding for new library Funding for new food bank building Tri-Cities Legislative Council trips to Olympia Benton Franklin Council of Governments Small Cities Association Issues include relating to the state legislature, infrastructure funding for small communities, sales tax equalization, criminal justice cost, and marketing our small communities to the world Advocate for school and fire funding elections
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COALITION BUILDING (I.E., MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION) Red Mountain Vision Master Plan for Red Mountain AVA SR 224/SR 225 intersection improvements Proposed new Red Mountain I-82 interchange Benton City merchants Informal organization Past efforts to formalize Current revitalization activity Main Street? Community surveys and town hall meetings, visioning process Networking leads to coalitions, i.e., I-82 project
RED MOUNTAIN VISION Red Mountain AVA Master Site Plan Concept for SR 224/SR 225 Intersection improvement
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Benton Franklin Substance Abuse Coalition Awareness, education Local community coalition building Grant applications and grants Human Services Coalition Community Action Connections Horizons program Earth Month and community cleanups Benton City Spring Opener Car & Bike Show Started as community effort for Boys & Girls Club In 9 years, has raised ~$50,000 for youth activities Volunteer Appreciation Banquet
TOURISM Developed map showing wineries, points of interest, recreation opportunities, etc. Yakima Valley Spring Fling organization to promote Valley communities to wine tourists Help plan, promote, and produce community events and festivals 4 th of July Spring Opener Car & Bike Show Benton City Daze Vineyard City Arts Festival WinterFest Visitor & Convention Bureau memberships
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Facilitate community service opportunities for students Referrals to WorkSource programs Future development of community-based nonprofit structured work training program
BUSINESS CLIMATE QUALITY OF LIFE (CHAMBERS) Benton City Chamber of Commerce Luncheons, speakers Ribbon cuttings Working with Chamber to develop email blasts Three Rivers Alliance of Chambers (4 chambers) Building Bridges networking events Business classes Horizons, WSU Extension, Council of Governments
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COALITION BUILDING (EDCS, BUSINESS COMMUNITY, SBDC) Networking, relationship building Elected officials Non-elected staff at County, City, Ports, etc. Chambers of Commerce VCBs TRIDEC Tri-Cities Legislative Council WSU Extension State agencies Nonprofit community support organizations Educators