The Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas has identified four major points of focus they plan to pursue in the coming months.
The four points include establishing an organizational structure and model, measuring assets and strengths through a SWOT analysis, expanding communications to target internal and external consumers and developing a succession plan. Each of these items developed out of conversations from the RDA’s recent strategic planning retreat from a few weeks back.
RDA President Kent Heerman says each of these points are essential to the organization, especially the topic of communication with internal and external consumers.
Heerman says they are currently in the process of best determining where and how they can best put those resources to use.
As it pertains to a succession plan for the RDA President’s position, Heerman says they have never had a plan in place and it is necessary for a number of reasons including if and when Heerman decides to retire or in the event a President, present or future were either to resign or be relieved of their duties.
In other business, Heerman presented the 2020 real tax abatement policy for Emporia and Lyon County to the board. Heerman says the item is simply an annual house keeping item with little to no changes occurring.
The only real change according to Heerman is to the minimum wage threshold which qualifies a project for a tax abatement. Heerman says in recent years they have indexed the wage threshold to a census bureau number to determine the qualification.
Separately, Heerman also presented a review of state incentives for Kansas manufacturers. One executive session took place, no action was taken.
The RDA will reconvene for their monthly meeting in April.
