New report outlines economic development opportunities

LAKE COUNTY – After more than a month of holding economic development meetings throughout the county, Lake County Commissioners will be ready to act on the recommendations of a committee report next month.

The Lake County Economic Development Ad-Hoc Committee presented its report to the Lake County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 11. The report described the actions the committee took to understand economic conditions in the county and included residents’ ideas for future economic development. The report also contains the committee’s recommendations.

At the beginning of the year, commissioners requested board Chair Karl Walls to form an economic development ad-hoc committee. The request was approved, and Commissioner Dan Sloan – who chairs the committee – and commissioners Barbara Stenger and Colleen Carrington-Atkins formed the committee.

Throughout 2013, the committee eyed data and heard testimony from specialists as to how the county could attract new businesses and strengthen the existing ones. Specialists from the Michigan

Association of Counties, Michigan State University Extension, United States Department of Agriculture, Michigan Economic Development Corporation and a private-public economic development group were among those who met with the committee.

Starting at the end of September, the committee began holding meetings seeking the community’s input on economic development. The meetings were held in Luther, Irons, Chase and Baldwin and more than 200 people attended the meetings in total.

“The fact that we had as many people turn out at these as we did demonstrates to me that there is a real heartful desire on the part of the people in the county for some changes that will lead to jobs and strengthening our current employers and bringing in new employers,” Sloan said.

Not surprisingly, residents’ ideas differed depending on which location the meeting was held at, Sloan said. In Luther, residents wanted to build and continue their sense of community; Irons residents wanted more senior citizen services; Chase residents wanted to take advantage of Lake County’s existing tourism industry; and Baldwin residents wanted to support the existing businesses.

However, the meetings also brought about similarities. Residents mentioned the need for affordable, high-speed Internet, a business/service directory available in digital and paper formats and a streamlined process for entrepreneurs to start a new business.

As a result, the committee recommended that an on-going economic development committee be formed, made up of a combination of county commissioners and business owners and other stakeholders in the county’s economic development plan.

“We are going to have to pull together, it can’t just be government,” Sloan said. “Government doesn’t create jobs … business creates jobs.”

While Sloan would like to see jobs created immediately, he realizes the process will take some time. If the on-going committee is formed, he envisions it would have subcommittees that would focus on different short-term goals, like grant writing. Eventually, a multi-tiered economic development plan would be made.

“We are going to want people who are going to want to roll up their sleeves and get to work on this,” Sloan said.

In the short-term, Sloan is in the early stages of possibly securing a grant from the USDA Rural Development of up to $100,000 to brand the county as an off-road vehicle destination. Other grant funding that could be pursued includes funds for farmers markets and food distribution.

Although producing and implementing a multi-tiered economic development plan will take time, Sloan is hopeful that four to six jobs could be created next year.

“I think we can generate some jobs next year, but it is going to be a handful. But it will be a start,” he said.

The board of commissioners will consider whether to act on the committee’s recommendations during its Jan. 22 meeting.

For more information about the economic development committee or its recommendations, contact Sloan at (231) 287-2309 or the board of commissioners by contacting the Lake County Clerk’s Office at (231) 745-2725.