With a complete review of Emporia’s economic development efforts currently underway, the city’s economic arm is looking to provide needed input to the process.
During the Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas’ monthly board meeting Friday, members discussed the recently begun strategic economic study being conducted by Vision First Advisors. The review was approved by the Emporia City Commission during its May 15 meeting with commissioners noting they are simply trying to gauge how economic development can be improved within the city.
There was some initial concern the city was looking to do away with agencies such as the RDA, however, commissioner Jamie Sauder noted that is not the intent. He says the community needs the RDA moving forward, but he believes it can be evolved and improved.
While speaking with KVOE News Friday, RDA Board Chair Kala Maxfield agreed with Sauder’s comments saying “Change is okay.” That being said, Maxfield notes that change for the sake of change is not necessary adding that the members of the RDA Board, many of whom have extensive knowledge and backgrounds in economic development, simply want to lend their knowledge to the process to ensure its findings benefit all parties involved.
The Vision First Advisors review will continue over the next month with findings set to be presented on a currently unannounced date and time.
In other business Friday, Interim RDA President Jim Witt announced the local area will be featured on an upcoming podcast through the Digest sponsored by Ecostrat. Witt tells KVOE News he will be recording the episode next week with it set to air the following week.
The podcast appearance is related to the area’s recent biomass study overseen by Ecostrat which resulted in a BBB rating for the local area in terms of its viability for biomass projects. Witt says this is a great marketing opportunity for the community as the podcast has tens of thousands of listeners and followers both nationally and internationally.
Witt says he will be highlighting several matters including the area itself, its viability for biomass production and the assets it can offer to future developers.
Separately Friday, the board also held additional conversations on the MakeMyMove program which markets communities to remote or at-home workers. Further discussions on the RDA’s involvement in the project are planned in the coming months.
The RDA Board will next convene in July for its monthly meeting.
