Strategic Planning and Marketing Committee

1. Thursday, June 14th 2013 Strategic Planning and Marketing Committee

2. 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

3. 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”

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Certified Sites in Heidmann Park

12. Future Meeting Dates? • ????