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Farmer City looking for strategic planning help from state
By Steve Hoffman
fcjournal@gmail.com
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FARMER CITY -- A group of Farmer City citizens took a major step in their desire to craft a strategic plan for the town by enlisting help from the state’s Competitive Communities Initiative (CCI) Program.

If accepted into the program, The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will help facilitate the drafting of a local plan, which development officials see as a key to not only attracting business, but attracting the type of business the community desires.

Speaking at a meeting of the strategic planning committee on Sept. 18, Donald Falls of the DCOC explained not only the process to get into the CCI program, but also how important it is to have a plan. He emphasized that completion does not necessarily mean more business will come, but said it gives the town a better chance.

“We can’t promise you we’re going to direct and drag business here,” said Falls. “But if you complete this process, you’re going to be able to help us help you. If we know what you have here and what you’re looking for, we have a better opportunity when we get prospects that contact us to send them to Farmer City.”

The CCI program includes entering information about the town into the state database. That can include land available for development, utilities offered, and a link from a local website to the state database.

DeWitt County Development Corporation executive director Ruth Stauffer confirmed that being linked to the state database is extremely important for development.

“Marion, Illinois told me that they got 90 percent of their leads from a combination of the LOIS (state database) system and the internet. Once we get it entered, developers will be able to link to LOIS from the Farmer City website.”

Stauffer added she is excited about the local effort.

“Our citizens need to be involved and should want the chance to be involved in the planning process,” she commented. “Healthy economic growth and healthy quality of life issues affect everyone who lives and/or works in the county. This is an exciting opportunity to share dreams about our community and find solutions.”

Local businessman Curt Homann, who got the planning process going, is also thrilled with the progress already made.

“We’re about where we should be,” said Homann of the committee that started meeting in June. He added, “I think it will still take about a year in the state program” to get a plan completed.

Falls said community input will be a must, and can be obtained in several ways. The most common are community surveys and facilitated meetings.

What do you want?

The most important part of the process, said Fall, will be getting a consensus on what the town desires in the way of development.

“Tell us what you want and we can help you do it,” he added. “If we don’t know what you have or want, we can’t help you.”

That’s where the CCI process comes in. After being accepted, the city would form a steering committee, hold monthly meetings, and begin gathering information. The five-stage process emphasizes community input in eventually coming up with short, intermediate and long-term development goals and adopting an Action Plan.

“The key is getting local participation and knowledge,” added Falls. “The public needs to be a part of this from the beginning.”

Towns in the program proceed from an Entry Level stage to Development Ready, Prepared Community and Competitive Community phases, eventually becoming a “Graduate Community” that can help assist other communities in compiling town plans.

Falls said he would help the town through the process, sitting in on meetings, but that he would not chair any meetings, instead serving as a facilitator.

Several local residents have been serving on the steering committee. Stauffer and City Manager Trent Smith have also been helping out.

CCI towns

There are a total of 35 towns enrolled in the Competitive Communities Initiative program. Twenty-four of them are listed as ‘graduate’ level communities, six are ‘active’ CCI communities, and five are new to the program. Some of the central Illinois towns participating include Chillicothe, Eureka, Galesburg/Knox County, Pana and St. Joseph.

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Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Herr Lipp wrote on Oct 2, 2008 9:51 PM:

" After reading this article, I'm brain dead. Viva a La Farmer City Hornet Racing! "
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