Admiral Parkway Redevelopment Continues

The success of Columbia's Admiral Parkway Redevelopment Area has been demonstrated in the construction of a bank branch, a pharmacy and the city’s first hotel over the past few years in the redevelopment area without continued provision of tax increment financing incentives. While the pace of new investment has slowed during the recession, the area will remain attractive to future investment as elements of the redevelopment plan continue to be completed.

Since the 33.8-acre parcel retained along Carr Creek for future development as a park remains almost totally undeveloped at this point, and since the parcel’s location almost wholly within the 100-year flood plain of both Carr and Wilson creeks presents some special challenges, the City decided to undertake a master planning process before making any additional improvements on this site. Since future development of the park property will help further the redevelopment plan, TIF funds are being used to underwrite part of the costs of planning, with the remainder coming from the school district.

City staff have also continued analysis of drainage and other hydrological processes in the redevelopment area. Engineering assessment of the Valmeyer Rd. bridge deck, calling for replacement of this aging infrastructure, is being reviewed by Columbia’s City Engineer. A hydrological study of the Wilson & Carr Creek basins came in with a higher than expected price tag and will have to be completed during the next fiscal year.

Under Illinois regulations, the TIF district has seven years remaining. This year, two businesses received their final reimbursements and three more agreements will likely to be satisfied in the coming year. Looking ahead, members of the Joint Review Board (JRB), made up of one representative from each taxing authority affected by the district along with at least one member of the general public, are being asked to approve the following actions:


1. Complete review of Valmeyer Rd. bridge analysis;


2. Pursue state grant for drainage basin hydrologic analysis;


3. Defer decision on bridge replacement until completion of drainage basin hydrologic analysis;


4. Complete Admiral Weinel Blvd. bridge overlay;


5. Prepare 2013-2019 cash flow & expenditure proposal for JRB review.

Columbia Seeks Input From Property Owners in the American Bottom

Anticipating an upturn in the economy, the City of Columbia has begun laying the groundwork for marketing local opportunities for investment.  While the City has provided information to potential investors and used trade shows and other marketing venues to promote Columbia and Monroe County for many years, this year the City will broaden its tactics.

One of these tactics is enhancing the City's website.  Studies show that websites are the point of first contact for attracting most investors and suggest that marketing efforts should focus on this venue, at least initially, to attract new businesses and new development.  The City of Columbia recently updated its website and is continuing to make improvements designed to facilitate inquiries from potential new investors.

Over the next few months, the City will be making changes to its website to make information about areas of Columbia easier to find and inquiries more fruitful.  The City's website will deliver information about each planning district defined in the 20/20 Master Plan, adopted in 2005, and will offer general information about each district along with links to specific properties for sale or for lease.  Using information from the 2005 plan for a base, City officials will begin fostering community discussions in each district, seeking input from property owners and others to help define the current and future character of that district.  Ultimately, these efforts will culminate in a revision of the master plan document.

The first discussion will be held Monday evening, February 27th, beginning at 7:00 p.m., as part of the bimonthly City Council committee meetings.  Invitations will be going out next week to property owners in the I-255 Development District (Columbia's portion of the American Bottom) to seek their participation in an informal discussion about development goals for that area. 

Tell a Neighbor--the Lend Rush is On!

Many of Monroe County's financial institutions and entrepreneurs turned out this morning to hear a briefing from the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) on the Advantage Illinois program.  As with any other financing program, opportunities are limited--and the rush to qualify and submit projects is on!

Advantage Illinois began last October with $29 million allocated to its various programs through the U.S. Treasury as Illinois' share under the Small Business Jobs Act. Accessing the program requires participation from a bank, which must be pre-registered before it can submit projects for review and acceptance. To date, only twenty banks across the state have been registered as lenders and just shy of $18 million in applications have been received.  If DCEO can push applications beyond 80% of allocations in the first twenty months of the program, then another $29 million will become available; ultimately, the program may be authorized to provide $78 million of support to Illinois businesses.

Monroe County banks and small business owners have a competitive advantage right now as one of the very first communities to gain a briefing on the program.  Now, it's up to local banks to register for the program and for local entrepreneurs to submit great projects--pass the word!

For more information about Advantage Illinois and other financing programs available to small businesses in Monroe County, please contact Nora Feuquay at (618) 939-8681 x.309  or Paul Ellis at (618) 281-7144 x.118.

Monroe County to Host Meeting on Financing Initiative for Smaller Firms

Small businesses (especially start-ups) and financial institutions are invited to a presentation regarding how they can work together to increase economic growth in Monroe County utilizing Governor Pat Quinn’s small business financing initiative, Advantage Illinois. The presentation takes place on January 20th from 10:30 a.m. to 12 Noon on the second floor of the Monroe County Courthouse in Waterloo.

The Advantage Illinois initiative will leverage $78 million in funding from the federal State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) to increase investments and ease the credit crunch for small businesses. The program is meant to encourage institutional lending to small businesses and also provides a mechanism for the state to leverage venture capital for high-growth enterprises.

Advantage Illinois is comprised of the following bank programs: the Capital Access Program (CAP), the Collateral Support Program, and the Participation Loan Program (PLP). The State administers the Invest Illinois Venture Fund (IIVF).

The presentation is open to the public. Sponsors include the Southwest Region Office of Regional Outreach for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, University of Illinois Extension and the Monroe County Economic Development Council.

State Representative Jerry F. Costello II will be in attendance to lend his insights and participate in the discussion.

For more information, contact University of Illinois Extension Community and Economic Development Educator Nora Feuquay at (618) 939-8681 x.309.

Looking Backward, Looking Ahead

The Roman icon for the New Year was Janus, god of beginnings and transitions, gates and doors, endings and time--usually represented as a two-faced god looking ahead to the future and backwards into the past (we derive both January and janitor from Janus).  This post, Janus-like, will review Columbia's progress and potential at the transition point into 2012.

As the recession wanes, Columbia seems to be emerging from the economic downturn in relatively good shape.  The long-awaited transformation of Shoemaker School into the Monroe County Welcome Center was completed this year, part of an expansion of local tourism. There has been some new commercial development (a Dollar General store and a new building for Quality Collision & Towing), more than forty new home starts, little increase in commercial vacancies and an upswing in the number of new businesses opening, including several along Main Street, which is developing a stronger identity through joint promotional efforts.  Sales tax collections are at a five-year high.

Even more important may be the foundation Columbia is preparing for future economic growth.  A county-wide tourism effort focused on the historic Cahokia-Kaskaskia Trail is gathering momentum and producing results.  Locally, Columbia is finally moving ahead with locating and commemorating Piggot's Fort, the largest fortified American settlement in the American Bottoms of the late 18th Century.  City leaders are beginning a marketing effort to retailers and other developers that may begin to pay dividends by matching businesses pursuing expansion plans (like ECF, Inc.) with developable parcels.  City government is also pushing ahead with updated planning and a long-awaited investment strategy for Main Street.  Economic development professionals from both the City's Community & Economic Development Department and the Monroe County Economic Development Council will be renewing efforts to support growth of small entrepreneurs in every way possible--both will be using the newly-developed strategic plan (completed in 2011) as a guide.

Sounds Like a Plan (2012)

In December each year, while others are checking their Christmas lists one final time, the City of Columbia's Community & Economic Development Department (CEDD) compiles another list. The annual Community & Economic Development Strategy guides the City's efforts each year to build a better community and expand economic activity.

The overall goal for CEDD is "[to] expand and enhance City and community revenues and assets so as to steadily increase available resources, broaden service delivery, and improve the quality of life for all citizens."

The Strategy is outcomes-based, establishing goals and then defining activities that will support their achievement. This approach ties CEDD's activities to community goals, guides program development and makes it possible to gauge accomplishments. The Columbia City Council reviewed achievements (as well as shortfalls) of the 2011 strategy earlier this month; last evening, they adopted the strategy proposed for 2012.

Objectives for 2012 are as follows:

1. Encourage new businesses to form and grow in Columbia

a. Work with the Monroe County Economic Development Council (MCEDC) to develop program(s) that will encourage and support local entrepreneurs

2. Retain businesses in the City of Columbia by supporting their long-term success

a. Encourage Columbia’s citizens to support local businesses

 Continue to support MCEDC’s “Think Monroe County First!” campaign

b. Provide direct services to current businesses

 Continue business retention/expansion visits through MCEDC

 Use a multi-agency team approach to address needs of local firms identified through these visits

 Continue to support the Admiral Parkway Redevelopment Area through administration and tax increment financing

c. Support expansion of current businesses through loans and incentives, where appropriate

 Expand the revolving loan program through strategic partnerships

 Assist MCEDC in developing new incentives for business expansion

3. Recruit new businesses to the community

a. Market available sites and buildings for businesses looking to expand and/or relocate

 Expand the marketing campaign to promote Columbia with office & retail users throughout Greater St. Louis

 Engage local & regional partners (i.e., developers, MCEDC, Leadership Council, Regional Chamber & Growth Ass’n.) in this effort

 Expand building & site listings on Location One Information System (LOIS), the primary platform for commercial real estate information

b. Maintain and distribute timely information on Columbia’s demographics, business mix, and economic potential

 Update community profile with the Illinois Department of Community & Economic Opportunity (DCEO)

 Create new community marketing materials, including one or more promotional video(s)

4. Stimulate more commercial activity on Main Street

a. Enhance design consistency and the historic character of this corridor

 Building upon past efforts, develop a comprehensive Main Street revitalization strategy that includes market analysis, targeted improvements and planning for adequate parking & transit services

b. Increase private investment in Main St. properties

 Work with the Main St. Business Association (MSBA) to support business expansion and recruit new businesses into the corridor

5. Develop and market local sites & facilities that will entice visitors and locals to learn more about Columbia’s history and heritage

a. Market Columbia and Monroe County as tourist destinations

 Partner with Columbia’s lodging and conference facilities to support a direct sales position

 Include tourism promotion as an integral part of the strategic marketing campaign

 Effectively market & cooperatively staff the Monroe County Welcome Center

b. Develop community signage that blends aesthetics and commercial promotion in the highest & best manner

 Assist MSBA in securing signage on I-255 for “Historic Main St. Columbia” and installing banners along Main St.

 Review community entrance signage and informational banner use to reduce clutter and improve aesthetics

6. Enhance Columbia’s reputation as one of the most desirable communities in the region through adoption of updated planning

a. Update the City’s Master Plan (recommended every five years)

 Incorporate the Senior Services Assessment and revised Open Space, Bicycle & Greenway Alignment into the Master Plan

b. Cooperate with the City of Waterloo, Monroe County and other partners to develop a Community Planning Area (CPA) sustainability plan

7. Expand resources for parks & recreational uses to make Columbia “a great place to play”

a. Continue to work for expanded use of parks and recreation facilities

 Complete transfer of the Piggot’s Fort commemorative site

 Complete the master plan for the park within the Admiral Trost Development

 Build upon the Open Space, Bicycle & Greenway Alignment Plan to create a city-wide alternative transportation plan

 Create a comprehensive operational program for parks & recreation

b. Expand resources available for parks & recreation services and facilities

 Continue to pursue grants from the Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources and other sources

 Develop a program of grants, planned giving and other mechanisms to help fund long-term improvements

8. Support community activities, celebrate milestones and add to the local quality of life

a. Increase community involvement in and support for local events

 Initiate an ambassadors program to increase volunteer support for events

b. Identify needs and mobilize support for an enhanced quality of life

 Involve other community partners in completing a Community Development Inventory with recommendations for coordinated/common efforts

The Main (Street) Event: Five New Players

Last Thursday, Nora Feuquay from the Monroe County Economic Development Council (MCEDC) and Paul Ellis from the City of Columbia Community & Economic Development Department began retention visits with Main Street merchants.  The purpose of these visits is to build a database of local businesses and get to know them better so as to provide assistance when it's needed--even better, before help is needed.

Columbia's Main Street has developed a new vitality that is reflected in the diversity of these first five merchants visited by the local economic development team:

Evalina's Antique Cafe - After years of success with Winghorse Farms on Triple Lakes Road, Barbara Ratz decided to follow a new dream and open an antique shop at 124 S. Main; she also sells desserts and serves soup and sandwiches amid the antiques, consignment items and locally-made crafts.

Fashion Attic - Lori Prior has transferred her skills as a successful Realtor into a run as owner of a consignment shop at 128 S. Main, where she offers stylish clothing, jewelry, hats, purses, and bags for discriminating customers.

Above & Beyond Design by Marla - After years of working for a corporation, Marla Vogt struck out on her own to design custom kitchens for customers from Waterloo to Chesterfield; she opened her showroom at 128 S. Main after working out of her home and winning customer acclaim.

Chateau La Vin - Another refugee from the corporate world, Bob Freyman opened Chateau La Vin Wine Shop & Tasting Bar at 119 S. Main just a few months ago; his shop offers a respite from shopping where customers can sip wine and watch the traffic go by.

Who Dat's Southern Food - Bourbon St. meets the Midwest at 123 S. Main in Who Dat's, where Creole is king and owner Chris Salvage offers Southern hospitality with the cuisine.

Even though each of these five relatively new firms is unique, they share at least two common characteristics--optimism for the future, and the sense that Columbia's Main Street is where their future fortunes (literal and figurative) will be found.

Sounds Like a Plan (2011)

Each year, the City of Columbia's Community & Economic Development Department presents a strategic plan with goals & objectives for the coming year for approval by the City Council.

This year's plan, which was approved December 20th, presented the following goals & objectives:

Encourage new businesses to form and grow in Columbia
Work with the Monroe County Economic Development Council (MCEDC) to develop program(s) that will encourage and support local entrepreneurs

Retain businesses in the City of Columbia by supporting their long-term success
Encourage Columbia’s citizens to support local businesses

• Continue to support MCEDC’s “Think Monroe County First!” campaign

Provide direct services to current businesses
Continue business retention/expansion visits through MCEDC

• Use a team approach to address identified needs of local firms
• Continue to administer the Admiral Parkway Redevelopment Area

Support expansion of current businesses through loans and incentives, where appropriate

• Maintain/expand city & county revolving loan programs
• Identify possible new incentives for business expansion

Recruit new businesses to the community
Market available sites and buildings for businesses looking to expand and/or relocate

• Initiate a marketing campaign to promote Columbia with office & retail users throughout Greater St. Louis
• Engage local & regional partners (i.e., Columbia Chamber, MCEDC, Leadership Council, Regional Chamber & Growth Ass’n.) in this effort
• Upgrade the City’s website in support of this effort
• Maintain building & site listings using Location One Information System (LOIS) as the primary platform

Maintain and distribute timely information on Columbia’s demographics, business mix, and economic potential

• Update community profile with the Illinois Department of Community & Economic Opportunity (DCEO)

Stimulate more commercial activity on Main Street
Enhance design consistency and the historic character of this corridor

• Develop a comprehensive Main Street redevelopment strategy that includes market analysis, targeted street/building improvements and planning for adequate parking/transit service

Increase private investment in Main St. properties

• Work with the new Main St. Business Association (MSBA) to support business expansion and recruit new businesses into the corridor

Develop and market local sites & facilities that will entice visitors and locals to learn more about Columbia’s history and heritage

Market Columbia and Monroe County as tourist destinations

• Secure attraction signage from I-255 and IL-3 to Columbia destinations
• Finalize Intergovernmental Agreement & staffing for the Monroe County Welcome Center
• Continue the strategic marketing campaign to increase use of Columbia’s lodging and conference facilities

Develop community signage that blends aesthetics and commercial promotion in the highest & best manner

Assist MSBA in securing signage on I-255 for “Historic Main St. Columbia” and installing banners along Main St.
Review community entrance signage and informational banner use to reduce clutter and improve aesthetics

Enhance Columbia’s reputation as one of the most desirable communities in the region through adoption of updated planning

Review and update the City’s Master Plan (recommended every five years)

• Incorporate the new Main St. redevelopment strategy into the Master Plan
• Incorporate Plan Commission recommendations from the Senior Services Assessment into planning

Expand resources for parks & recreational uses to make Columbia “a great place to play”

Develop a comprehensive plan for use and development of grounds and facilities

• Complete a parks & recreation plan that will be incorporated into the City’s Master Plan
• Continue to pursue grants from the Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources and other sources
• Develop a program of grants, planned giving and other mechanisms to fund long-term improvements

Enhance parks & recreation services and expand public access to facilities

• Continue to review facility use and special event practices to improve service
• Incorporate maintenance & scheduling of American Legion Fields into day-to-day operations

Support community activities, celebrate milestones and add to the local quality of life

Employ strategic analysis and community partnership for all events to reduce costs, build traffic and increase economic returns to the community
Initiate an ambassadors program to increase volunteer support for events

Implementation of these initiatives begins today.

'Team Columbia' Promotes Community With Midwest Retailers, Developers

Three Columbia boosters spent the latter part of last week working to tell the community's story and attract new retail and new development into the city.

The venue was the Chicago Deal Making event, a trade show that assembled more than 2,000 developers, retailers, real estate brokers and city officials for the express purpose of making connections and facilitating new deals.  The annual event is sponsored by the International Council of Shopping Centers, the global trade association of the shopping center industry.

The City of Columbia had a booth at the event this year, staffed by Paul Ellis, Director of Community & Economic Development.  He was supported by Craig Hiser, owner of CMJP Properties (a brokerage based in Columbia), and David Wittenauer, vice president for NAI DESCO (a regional brokerage with an office in Columbia).  While the two brokers have business interests expanding beyond the city limits, all three worked together as "Team Columbia" to identify and, subsequent to the show, follow up with potential new development.

Columbia was only one of several Illinois cities exhibiting at the show, which drew participants from across the Midwest.  From Southwest Illinois, the City of Mascoutah and Village of New Baden also sent representatives who worked the show.

Making Sustainability Sustainable Here

Sustainability has been defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Given the limited amount of natural resources, the current economic crisis and society’s growing concern for good stewardship, cities everywhere must work hard to achieve their potential as environmentally responsible communities.  While many of the nation's larger cities are already pursuing sustainability, it's often harder for smaller cities to do more with less.

To that end, the City is seeking to improve its energy efficiency, increase recycling and develop a general sustainability plan to direct the "smart growth" of Columbia over the next 20 years through development of a program called Columbia’s Sustainable Total Efficiency Plan (CSTEP), which leaders hope will serve to guide the city’s growth in an energy efficient, environmentally responsible, economically vibrant manner. The City of Columbia proposes to implement this program via a four-pronged approach:

I. Development of a community-wide energy efficiency program reducing emissions coming from existing buildings, ensuring new construction maximizes energy efficiency, and improving transportation options;

II. Retrofitting an office building owned by the City as a demonstration project (which is initially conceived as an efficiency and conservation program but which may eventually include a renewable energy aspect) for other commercial property owners within the city;

III. Establishing a whole-neighborhood building energy retrofit project using a sustainable business model that will identify and help fund cost-effective energy upgrades for a large percentage of the older building stock along Columbia’s Main Street;

IV. Supporting a “challenge” program that will identify ways for homes and offices to recycle more and use less energy, recognize exemplary achievement, and reward cooperative effort towards community goals

The City of Columbia will seek funding through all available regional, state & federal grant and loan programs to help the community and participating homes & businesses evaluate, plan, finance and implement activities that leading to greater sustainability in Columbia & Monroe County.

New Strategy Hopes to Rearrange Regional Pieces Into a Vibrant Whole

A tectonic shift is underway in how the St. Louis region pursues economic development--a strategy that may be a real "game changer" in how region partners work together to build economic vitality.

Steve Johnson, Senior Vice President for the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association previewed an ongoing revision of RCGA's Economic Development Strategic Plan today for members of the Greater St. Louis Economic Development Network.  The Network affiliates more than 100 economic development agencies at the state, county and city levels in both Missouri and Illinois--including the City of Columbia.

Johnson began by itemizing the lessons that RCGA has learned while pursuing previous strategic plans over the past decade:

• The region needs to continue to overcome "knockout factors" like a slow growth rate and relatively low levels of educational attainment;
• When regional partners come together as they are designed to do, the region wins deals;
• The region struggles to compete for general manufacturing jobs, so efforts should focus on attracting those manufacturers that already have direct ties;
• Neither Missouri nor Illinois is competitive with other, neighboring states;
• Lack of access to capital remains a major impediment to business growth and--since neither state is likely to address this challenge--it must become a regional initiative;
• The region needs to address its need for talent as an economic driver;
• The region must work together as a region.

How can Greater St. Louis build upon this environment to be consistently ranked among the top ten of the twenty largest metro areas in terms of economic vitality?  The conversation is still continuing, but Johnson suggested four principles and five priorities that may shape the next strategic plan for the region.

Four Principles:

1. Balance recruitment, retention/expansion, and innovation;
2. Recapture the region's relevance as a center for commerce, transportation and distribution;
3. Achieve a purposeful alignment of supply and demand for talent;
4. Be regional in scope and highly collaborative.

Five Priorities:

1. Support growth in key industry sectors (e.g., financial & information services, medical science & services, advance manufacturing for aerospace & defense);
2. Target marketing & recruitment efforts;
3. Increase the rate of start-up ventures;
4. Better leverage all transportation assets;
5. Address talent as a strategic imperative.

Monroe County Can Build On Its Assets to Create Jobs, Schultz Says

Monroe County has many community assets in which it can take pride--now it's time to capitalize on those assets.  Such was the message delivered this morning by small town economic development guru Jack Schultz to a packed assembly of local business and community leaders.

During the course of his talk, Schultz highlighted Monroe County's "great prospects"--citing the second lowest poverty rate in the State of Illinois, its generally clean and prosperous appearance, and quaint Main Streets in Columbia and Waterloo--against the reality that 9,000 residents (62%) drive out of county every day to work, one of the highest rates anywhere. Creating more businesses and more jobs to keep those commuters closer to home "isn't just an opportunity for business growth and increased tax revenues," Schultz observed, "but it's also an opportunity to get more people involved in Little League, schools and other community activities."

His challenge to those assembled was to take the same kind of vision that drove relocation of the Village of Valmeyer following catastrophic floods in 1993 and to apply that kind of thinking to other economic developoment initiatives.  Schultz's talking points were supported with success stories he has culled from small towns across America from Leavenworth, WA to Lebanon, NH.

Schultz, the award-winning author of Boomtown USA: The 7-1/2 Keys to Big Success in Small Towns, was the keynote speaker for a forum organized by the Monroe County Economic Development Council.  The Council has also formed a LinkedIn group ("Know Jack") to keep up discussion around the strategies Schultz shared today.

Small Town Guru Jack Schultz to Visit Columbia February 8th

Jack Schultz, nationally acclaimed author of Boomtown USA: The 7 ½ Keys to Big Success in Small Towns, will be the keynote speaker at a special forum for the Monroe County Economic Development Council (MCEDC) on Monday, February 8th at The Falls Reception and Conference Center in Columbia.

The forum is sponsored by Midland States Bank. Doors will open at 7:00 a.m. and the event will conclude around 9:00 a.m.

Schultz, founder and CEO of Agracel, Inc., an industrial development firm specializing in rural America, is a top economic development authority on small towns just like those in Monroe County. His book has already inspired many communities to find their own vision.

The Boomtown USA project took more than three years of research beginning with 15,800 small towns across the country. Schultz narrowed the list down to a group of 397 outstanding small towns he calls "agurbs"--communities that were growing and offering opportunities to their young people while others were turning into ghost towns. His research has been featured in USA Today, Forbes and BusinessWeek (among others), and he has been a guest on numerous radio and television programs including Bloomberg Business Television.

Schultz has taken his message on the road to more than 300 communities in 44 states since 2004. In 2005, Schultz was named Ernst & Young’s Illinois Entrepreneur of the Year and in 2006 he received the Beta Gamma Sigma Medallion for Entrepreneurship.

His company, Agracel, has completed projects in 14 states, owning seven million square feet of industrial space, which has facilitated more than 5,000 jobs. The company owns 15 business parks and a short line railroad.

At the upcoming Monroe County forum, Schultz will talk about the characteristics of towns that are successful as well as the importance of encouraging an entrepreneurial approach in the community. He will also share reasons why it is vital to support local businesses and ideas about how small towns can survive and thrive during hard economic times.

Attendees can register for the event by going to the U of I Extension-Monroe County website, via email or by calling 618-939-3434.

Sounds Like a Plan (2010)

The Columbia City Council last evening approved the Community & Economic Development Department's 2010 Strategic Plan with a unanimous vote--here are the goals and objectives from the plan:

1. Encourage new businesses to form and grow in Columbia--work with the Monroe County Economic Development Council to develop program(s) that will encourage and support local entrepreneurs;
2. Retain businesses in the City of Columbia by supporting their long-term success--encourage Columbia’s citizens to support local businesses; provide direct services to current businesses; and support expansion of current businesses through loans and incentives, where appropriate;
3. Recruit new businesses to the community--maintain and distribute timely information on Columbia’s demographics, business mix, and economic potential; market available sites and buildings for businesses looking to expand and/or locate; and work with regional partners to recruit new offices/headquarters and retailers;
4. Stimulate more commercial activity on Main Street--enhance design consistency and historic character of the corridor; and increase private investment in Main St. properties;
5. Develop and market local tourist facilities that will entice visitors and locals to learn more about Columbia’s history and heritage--market Columbia and Monroe County as a tourist destination;
6. Expand resources for parks & recreational uses to make Columbia “a great place to play”--develop long-term facilities for youth, senior citizens and other community members; and pursue designation as a “Play City USA” and a “Tree City USA”;
7. Develop and implement a long-term strategic plan for municipal buildings--seek the community’s long-term preferred uses for properties; and pursue community goals for the Miller-Fiege Home;
8. Support community activities, celebrate milestones and add to the local quality of life--employ strategic analysis for all events to build traffic and increase economic returns to the community.

To support these goals and objectives, the Strategic Plan proposes the following activities:

* Continue to support “Think Monroe County First!”
* Continue the business retention program through the Monroe County Economic Development Council
* Continue to administer the Admiral Trost Redevelopment Area
* Maintain/expand the Revolving Loan Fund
* Develop City policy for awarding incentives
* Update community profile with the Illinois Department of Community & Economic Opportunity (DCEO)
* Assist in recruiting a full-service restaurant to support local lodging
* Identify and/or help develop new buildings and sites that will be appropriate and ready for new or expanding business operations
* Maintain listings via Location One Information Services (LOIS)
* Broaden Columbia’s visibility within the Greater St. Louis region
* Develop a comprehensive Main Street redevelopment strategy that includes market analysis, targeted street/building improvements and planning for adequate parking/transit service
* Explore use of incentives to support the Main Street strategy
* Secure attraction signage from I-255 and IL-3 to Columbia destinations
* Open the Monroe County Welcome Center
* Initiate a strategic marketing campaign to increase use of lodging and conference facilities
* Identify and evaluate sites for a community center
* Develop a comprehensive program of grants, planned giving and other mechanisms to fund long-term improvements
* Complete a leasing/improvement plan for the Oak Street Building
* Continue to explore highest and best use of other City-owned properties
* Secure National Register status for the Miller-Fiege Home
* Complete transition of the Miller-Fiege Home into a municipal history museum

Wold's 'Twelve Ways of Christmas' for Merchants

Small business expert Barbara Wold offers the following twelve ways to increase sales for merchants as we enter the "home stretch" to Christmas:

1. Have all salespeople read company ads, catalogs and distributed literature before customers come in with questions and inquiries...and check out the ads of the competition--if your competitor has a Facebook page, become a fan so you know what information it is passing on to customers;
2. Establish dress codes for employees and enforce them; employees are the representatives of the business and should project the image you want to convey;
3. Greet everyone who walks through the door with five different greetings so customers don't hear the same greeting over and over when shopping; have employees identify themselves when answering the phone to add a professional touch and provide the caller with a personal connection on the other end of the line;
4. Clean up the cash-wrap area as you go and put everything in its place--customers will be concerned about transaction accuracy  if this area is a mess;
5. Listen, really listen, to customers; if you don't really listen and show customers the wrong merchandise, they will assume you don't have what they are looking for and leave without buying anything;
6. Stock and clean during hours when the store is not open; doing these chores when the store is open is inconsiderate to shoppers and doesn't convey a professional image;
7. Stay in contact with your customer base--contact customers who shop in your store regularly, by email or regular mail, and call your very best customers yourself--and build your database; it's a very busy time of year, but don't forget to capture customers contact info to grow your database;
8. Add at least 30% more store and window display lighting in your store; it will affect the way your store looks and help sell more product…and it can be as easy as replacing light bulbs that have burnt out.
9. Get everyone on board--ensure that everyone in the organization understands what the winning advantage is and what their role is in supporting it--and focus on selling; teach your staff to show just one more item to every customer that they talk to (don’t forget add-on sales at the cash register);
10. Tone in the store--strive for enthusiastic, happy staff all pulling together to achieve this Holidays Seasons' goals with a focus on exceptional customer service;
11. Hands free shopping--offer customers a basket, a bag or cart, and take your customer’s coats and other bags--do whatever it takes to make your customers feel wanted and cared for; creating this type of shopping experience will keep customers in your store longer and will increase sales;
12. Set daily sales targets, and share them with your staff--they should know what is expected of them--but remember that you alone are the driving force in your business; get out on the sales floor more often over the next weeks and watch your sales increase!

2009: Making a List, Checking It Twice

How well did Columbia's Community & Economic Development Department do this past year in achieving its mission to "expand and enhance City and community revenues and assets so as to steadily increase available resources, broaden service delivery, and improve the quality of life for all citizens"?  City Council members will hear a status report tonight--warts and all.

The first departmental goal set for the year was to "encourage new businesses to form and grow in Columbia".  This goal was partly realized through formation of Columbia’s Resourceful Organization of Women Networking (CROWN) this year to assist emerging women-owned enterprises. Other programs to encourage and support local entrepreneurs are under development through the Monroe County Economic Development Council (MCEDC), a public-private partnership in which the City participates. Score: 60%

The City put a high priority on working to "retain businesses in the City of Columbia by supporting their long-term success" and achieved even better results here.  Local business support efforts and consulting were established, and a formal business retention program was developed that will launch in January. City policy regarding incentives has yet to be adopted--the one objective in this category that this year's efforts failed to meet. Score: 80%

Attempts to "recruit new businesses to the community" met targets despite the national recession.  City officials developed and produced—and are distributing—a CD with demographic and economic information, an updated community profile has been posted on DCEO website, commercial property listings have been posted and are being kept current on Location One Information System (LOIS), and staff continues to participate in Southwest Illinois recruitment efforts. Score: 100%

Efforts to "promote more commercial activity on Main Street" have had more mixed results.  Columbia continues designation as an Introductory Main Street community and has submitted an application for designation as a Certified Local Government, but other objectives are pending.  While programs like the one offering Main Street facade grants have helped spur improvements to individual buildings, staff contend that the need for an overall downtown redevelopment plan has hobbled success for the district. Score: 50%

The City moved forward significantly on its objective to "develop and market local tourist facilities that will entice visitors and locals to learn more about Columbia’s history and heritage" in 2009.  The Miller-Fiege Home is now open by appointment while renovation and display work continue with the help of a large private donation. Work is also progressing on the Shoemaker Schoolhouse, which is being restored for use as the Monroe County Welcome Center. A private developer is moving forward with work on restoring a Prohibition-era rum cave at the Old Distillery. Score: 90%

Efforts to "expand resources for parks & recreational uses to make Columbia 'a great place to play'" got off to a great start but fell short of the goal.  Although the City formed the Play Commission, the precursor to a Parks Commission, and was recognized a “Play City USA” for 2009, a comprehensive funding program of what facilities and programs are to be funded still awaits final determination. Score: 75%

The objective to "develop and implement a long-term strategic plan for municipal buildings" was largely achieved.  A leasing and improvement plan for the Oak Street Community Building is nearing completion, while staff have likewise inventoried and reviewed all other City-owned properties. Score: 90%
 
Finally, City efforts to "support community activities, celebrate milestones and add to the local quality of life" exceeded objectives set at the beginning of the year.  While staff and elected officials supported sesquicentennial events and sponsored other local events, they also assisted in the kick-off for the inaugural Art Walk event and launched a new Christmas parade. Score: 100%

Following presentation of the status report to members of the Columbia City Council, the Community & Economic Development Department will compile a new set of goals and objectives for 2010, which will be presented to the City Council for approval at their December 21st meeting.

Making a List, Checking It Twice...

One of the basic tenets of economic gardening--any well-planned economic development program, in fact--is that growth should arise from nurturing of enterprises already growing in the local environment. Columbia is well-positioned for such growth not just because of its many small firms but because of some of its larger companies, as well.

Inc. Magazine recently released its tally of the 5000 fastest-growing companies; two are in Columbia (Illinois, including Chicago and its suburbs, only has 224): MAVERICK Technologies and Traube Tent Company.

The Inc. 5005000 (as the tally is called) is ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2005 through 2008. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by the first week of 2005, and therefore able to show four full calendar years of sales. Additionally, they have to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent--not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies--as of December 31, 2008. Full-time and part-time employees are included in the head count; independent contractors and temporary employees are excluded.

Other Communities, Other Visions

Local leaders in many parts of the country are finding creative new ways to spur economic activity in their cities and counties:

In California, the City of Santa Clarita began hosting stakeholder meetings for business leaders as the economy turned sour and more businesses began looking for help from government. The mayor's economic development summit helped leaders from the chamber of commerce and the industrial association meet each other. The City’s strategy also included a luncheon for commercial brokers that was held to target rising vacancies and to share resources for attracting new tenants. The meetings were perceived as valuable, offering more ways that the City and the business community could proactively come together to address the downturn, and efforts eventually resulted in the City bringing Advanced Bionics Biomedical Company and its 350 jobs to town.

The City of Lake Forest, Illinois provides local businesses with a checklist of all events in the city so that owners and managers can synchronize their business goals, promotions, marketing and sales with opportunities available in the community. The City's Economic Development Department calls this service "Lake Forest’s Marketing Machine."

In Tennessee, Unicoi County officials are planning a sustainable tourism initiative with its goal to create new businesses that would support tourism. The county will use a $50,000 GEMS of Appalachia Grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission and matching funds from the Joint Economic Development Board and the Conservation Fund to sponsor educational workshops early next year for business owners and entrepreneurs in Unicoi County, the Town of Erwin, and the Town of Unicoi. According to Mayor Greg Lynch, the program is targeted to people "who are close to retirement, maybe wanting to start a bed-and-breakfast, something to sustain them for the rest of their lives, or young people wanting to start up their own guide business, [for example] to be river guides..." The county also is considering culinary tourism focusing on Appalachian Mountain cuisine.

Put the World in Your Palm May 13th

If Facebook were a country, it would be the the eighth largest in the world. Large-scale adoption of social media and the use of other new technology is impacting your small business, whether you choose to participate or not. With the current economic downturn, can you afford not to keep an open mind about the chance to receive more visibility, more referrals, and a new avenue for sales?

Gain a business perspective on new technologies and learn how to leverage one of the most powerful marketing opportunities ever invented—all for free. Technology 101: New Strategies to Market Your Business will be held May 13th from 5:30 to 8:30 pm at the Monroe County YMCA - HTC Center. The Monroe County Economic Development Council, in partnership with HTC - Harrisonville Telephone Company, will be hosting this workshop as part of the Think Monroe County First! campaign.

Whether you are proficient in current technologies or just want an entry level introduction to technology, this workshop is for you! Any business with a physical location in Monroe County is invited to attend with participation limited to two (2) individuals. There is no cost to attend and light refreshments will be served. In order to attend, you must RSVP by May 8th to Nora Feuquay, U of I Extension - Monroe County Community and Economic Development Educator, at 618-939-3434.

Leaders Promote Arts Growth in Area

The non-profit arts industry, with $36.8 billion in annual revenue, is a potent force in economic development nationwide. Communities large and small across the country have integrated the arts into their economic development arsenal to achieve a wide range of economic goals.

Should Columbia choose to follow these examples, some local leaders are emerging to carry the effort forward:

Christina Sterman and other community members have recently come together to found Artistic Expressions, an organization established to "provide an outlet for our youth to express, grow and share artistic talents" in Columbia. Members are redeveloping a house near Metter Park into an arts center and are planning an Opening Celebration on Sunday, May 24th--the same day as Maifest.

The Monroe Actors Stage Company's production of "Nunsense" has been nominated for six awards by the Arts For Life Theatre Recognition Guild, which honors excellence in community musical theatre in the St. Louis metropolitan region. "Nunsense," which was the MASC season opener in September, is among the five shows nominated for Best Musical, Small Ensemble, for 2008. Director Lynn Venhaus has been nominated for Best Director, and performers Tammy Duensing (Sister Robert Anne) and Liz Sawyer (Sister Mary Amnesia) are up for recognition for Best Actress in a Comedic Role. For technical achievement, the set design team of Venhaus, Sawyer and John Campbell are nominated, as is Tim Foederer for Best Lighting Design.

With artistic talent like this in the community, Columbia has a good foundation for growth in the arts.