4.2 Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!

4.2.1 Job Attraction

a.

Through Spirit of Success, continue to provide staff devoted to business attraction

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Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, other chambers of commerce, Reno County, municipalities

Government earmarks, corporate grants, private philanthropy, Economic Opportunity Fund, Growth Fund Account

b.

Implement countywide marketing strategy

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4.2.2 Job Retention and Growth

a.

Provide one additional full-time staff person devoted to business retention and attraction

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Spirit of Success, Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, other chambers of commerce, Reno County, municipalities, HCC, secondary institutions

Government earmarks, corporate grants, private philanthropy, Economic Opportunity Fund, Growth Fund Account

b.

Continue the marketing strategy for business retention and expansion (businesses of all sizes)

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c.

Provide consultative support including referral to assessment, training services, technical support, and collaborations

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d.

Explore and support additional business clusters that have growth potential

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4.2.3 Entrepreneurism

a.

Establish staffing for entrepreneurial advocacy and training

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Quest Center and HCC

Philanthropy, government grants

b.

Create an "outreach" program to assist entrepreneurs in outlying county areas

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Tuition based

c.

Coordinate not-for-profit entrepreneurship programs of Quest Center and HCC

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 Quest Center and HCC

HCC programs, philanthropy

d.

Develop joint marketing materials between Quest Center and HCC

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e.

Accurately track success rate of entrepreneur start-ups

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Philanthropy

HCC Research grant opportunity

4.2.4 Stable Funding Source for Jobs Growth

a.

Fund and staff Spirit of Success to address both job attraction and job retention/expansion.

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Spirit of Success Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, other chambers of commerce

Government earmarks, corporate grants, private philanthropy, Economic Opportunity Fund, Growth Fund Account

b.

Provide funding for support staff (Quest Center, Reno County Growth Coalition)

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Reno County, municipalities

c.

Seek supplemental funding, in addition to the Reno County Growth Fund, from various sources to support employment and community growth and development

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Reno County, Reno County Growth Coalition, Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, Quest Center

4.3 Implementation, Leadership, and Partnerships

4.3.1 Economic Development Advocacy

a.

Create the Reno County Growth Coalition, to promote the vision and the strategies developed through the Blueprint for Growth process

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2020 Vision Task Force as initial convener, Public, private and not for profit entities as described in the Blueprint for Growth text.

b.

Foster a proactive environment for business growth

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People representing interests that include:  planning and public works, citizen advocacy, municipal cooperation, business, job attraction, job retention and expansion, entrepreneurism, and education

Reno County and philanthropic

c.

Update the Reno County Growth Coalition web site on regular basis

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d.

Conduct quarterly coordination meetings with all key Blueprint participants in all vision categories

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e.

Conduct facilitated annual town hall style meeting to inform public on progress

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f.

Advocate for timely infrastructure priorities, public improvements, and private initiatives

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g.

Provide continuous monitoring, benchmarking, and updates

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4.3.2 County Planning

a.

Funding and securing services of a certified county planner

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Reno County, municipalities

Reno County

b.

Develop a Reno County comprehensive plan

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c.

Develop county-wide zoning and subdivision regulations

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Reno County, municipalities

Planning and legal

d.

Consider granting extra-territorial jurisdiction to municipalities

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Reno County, municipalities

e.

Coordinate planning and development issues between county government and municipalities

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f.

Conduct planning education workshops for county and municipal planning commissioners and other elected officials

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Reno County, Reno County Growth Coalition, Kansas APA

Reno County

Attend APA planning workshops

g.

Submit grant proposals to federal, state and philanthropic source for capital improvements

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Reno County

Federal grants, state grants, not-for-profit philanthropy

4.3.3 Municipalities

a.

Continue to conduct facilitated meetings of the Countywide mayors' forum

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Reno County Planning, Reno County Growth Coalition, municipalities

Reno County for planning support

Consider municipal membership dues for self-funding

b.

Establish a regular meeting schedule and discussion/action agenda

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c.

Seek cooperation on projects where efficiencies exist for cooperative efforts

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d.

Report on specific municipal implementation actions

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4.3.4 Cross-County Initiatives

a.

Continue K-96 Corridor process

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K-96 Economic Corridor Study Coalition, private investment

State, County, and municipal grants

b.

Initiate K-61 cross-county planning process

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Counties and municipalities

State, County, and municipal grants

c.

Support Wichita's Mid-Continent Airport as necessary regional business component

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All participants

No significant funding necessary

4.3.5 State and National Political Agenda

a.

Brief state and national elected officials on the 2020 Vision process

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Reno County Growth Coalition, relevant governmental units

Philanthropic (Reno County Growth Coalition), governmental funding for public efforts

b.

Seek government grants or other funding for staffing, planning and technical support, infrastructure, and education that advance the actions of the 2020 Vision process

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c.

Seek state legislation that advances the actions of the Blueprint for Growth plan

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4.3.6 Continuing Vision Process

a.

Hold press conference and create press-briefing materials

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Reno County Growth Coalition

Philanthropic, corporate, and/or government grants

b.

Continue private networking and public presentations to promote Blueprint

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Reno County Growth Coalition and Citizen Advocacy Group

4.4 Lifelong Learning

4.4.1 Effective Education and Training

a.

Tailor secondary and higher education delivery systems to meet business and community needs

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All County educational institutions, Chambers of Commerce

b.

Investigate potential cost saving measures and information sharing between Reno County school districts

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Reno County Superintendents' Forum

School districts

c.

Create county data book of all K-12 school districts to be used to attract employers and residents

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Reno County Growth Coalition, school districts

Reno County Growth Coalition

Assists with business attraction, as well as allow school district to share information

d.

Develop public relations plan for disseminating information regarding programs offered by Hutchinson Community College/AVS and area vocational schools

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Hutchinson Community College/AVS

Hutchinson Community College/AVS

4.5 Regional Development/Land Use

4.5.1 Infrastructure

a.

Undertake comprehensive assessment of roadway infrastructure.  Establish priorities for remedies through a consolidated CIP

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Reno County, KDOT, municipalities

Reno County Public Works, KDOT, municipal funding for local street issues

b.

Form a cooperative system for sharing information and best practices among municipalities and the County regarding public utilities

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County and municipal public works agencies

Reno County and municipalities

c.

Establish policies to extend infrastructure in a contiguous manner, avoiding "leapfrog" development

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Reno County Planning

Reno County

d.

Support the Hutchinson Municipal Airport

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All participants

No additional funding

4.5.2 Interim Planning Strategies

a.

Promote compact forms of contiguous development in municipalities avoiding "leapfrogging" and sprawl patterns

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Reno County Commission, municipalities

Reno County

b.

Promote development in "nodes" along corridors, etc K-96 and K-61

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K-96 Economic Development Corridor Study Coalition, Reno County Commission, municipal government

Reno County, municipalities

K-96 funding is in place and study is underway, coordinate with adjacent counties and municipalities in adjacent counties

c.

Retain prime farmland and agriculture as a way of life

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Reno County Commission / Planning

Reno County

d.

Retain "view corridors" free from public advertising/billboards, along highways and prime transportation corridors

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Reno County Commission / Planning, State of Kansas

Reno County

4.6 Image and Attitude

4.6.1 Image and Attitude

a.

Establish an active and effective "welcoming" program

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Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber, other area chambers of commerce

b.

Create a thematic PR/marketing campaign to promote Reno County

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Chamber of Commerce , Reno County, municipalities

c

Establish Reno County entrance "gateways"

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Reno County and KDOT

Reno County and KDOT

Potential philanthropy for landscape and sculptural features

d.

Enact signage program at municipality entrances and at key corridor intersections

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KDOT, Reno County, municipalities

KDOT, Reno County, municipalities

Potential philanthropy for landscape and sculptural features

e.

Ensure that growth efforts, and those activities that support positive image and attitude, are publicized.

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Reno County Growth Coalition, The Hutchinson News, radio and TV, and all involved

4.7 Living Choices

4.7.1 Living Choices

a.

Promote development of affordable housing through private means, CDCs, and faith based organizations

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Private developers, Community Development Corporations, Church based housing corporations, Reno County, municipalities

Private Development (private capital plus development incentives where warranted), Not-for-profit development (government grants, philanthropy)

b.

Encourage local government to develop parks and trails and other neighborhood amenities

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Local government, Reno County, school districts

Municipal parks/trails funding, federal trails funding, special assessment district

c.

Develop housing options for seniors

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Private developers, Not-for-profit developers, Health care organizations, local governments

Conventional financing for private development with potential for public incentives and/or tax credits, not-for-profit program grants.

d.

Promote the quality of medical services available in Hutchinson as a method for attracting senior residents to Reno County

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Chamber of Commerce, Reno County, and health care community

Health care contributions to PR/marketing effort

Align with Action 4.7.1.c

e.

Leverage the capacity of a local certified Community Housing Development Organization, coordinating funding and collaboration to generate affordable and accessible housing.

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Interfaith Housing Services, Reno County, municipalities, Hutchinson Correctional Facility

4.8 Enhancing Lifestyle

4.8.1 Activities and Empowerment

a.

Conduct countywide assessment of recreational resources, meeting needs of youth and senior population

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Reno County, municipalities, Recreation Commission

Reno County, municipalities

May align with Reno County planning effort

b.

Develop and maintain countywide "Events Calendar"

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Reno County Economic Growth Coalition, 2020 Vision Tourism Task Force

Chamber of Commerce

c.

Develop youth clearinghouse for summer and part-time employment in cooperation with school districts

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School districts, employers

School district and business partnerships

d.

Develop a youth leadership skills program

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HCC, School districts, and Chamber of Commerce, municipalities, Reno County

HCC, school district, and Chamber of Commerce

e.

Seek people from diverse backgrounds and ethnic groups to serve on public commissions

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County, Municipalities, 2020 Vision Task Force, advocacy groups

No significant funding required

4.8.2 Downtown Hutchinson

a.

Fully implement the comprehensive economic and urban design plan for downtown Hutchinson

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Downtown Hutchinson Advocacy organization, City of Hutchinson

City of Hutchinson, Business Improvement District (BID), investment tax credits for historic preservation, TIF district