Hardin County Chamber Business Alliance Goals

• Educated Community
  
• Increased Community Wealth and Pride
  
• Collective Leadership across the County as a Positive Network for Unified Purposes
  
• Expanded and Productive Economic Development System "County Wide"
  
• Travel and Tourism as an Economic Benefit and as an Example of Our Quality of Life

Strategic Plan Action Items:

1. Find and Report on “True” facts of Community Status of Workforce Skills and Education
   - B&ET to work on this. Much of this information has already been gathered.
   
2. Examine and “Report” on Possible Partnership with Higher Education
   - John to develop these relationships from an Economic Development prospective.
   
3. Work with Educators to Raise Education Standards With Accountability for Expected Outcomes
    - B&ET and Ron Morrison to develop ideas for approaching this goal.
   
4. Develop a Business Leaders / Educators Plan to Support and Appropriately Fund a Quality Education System.
   - HCCBA to set up set up meetings with key political and governmental representatives to discuss. John Hohn, Paul Craun and Lou Ann Harrold to invite Cliff Hite and others to meet.
   
5. Explore the Competitive Success of HM Hospital as a Possible Model for other Businesses and Organizations.
   - John Hohn to meet with Mark Seckinger to explore this goal.
   
6. Identify all Educational Resources in Hardin County and Add Educational Opportunities in Nearby Locations
   - B&ET to work on this goal. Important to include education that is being conducted by businesses and non educational organizations.
   
7. Education via the Internet – Identify Distance Learning Opportunities
   - The Education Committee of the HCCBA to explore this goal. Paul Craun to initiate.

Increased Community Wealth and Pride

1. Identify Plan to "Develop" Support for Downtown Retail 
2. Develop a Detailed Communication and Public Image Policy  and Advertise in & Outside of the County
3. Create a Plan to Establish a Partnership between Business Owners and Building Owners 
4. Develop a Strategy to Support Necessary Changes While Keeping Our Valued Rural Heritage
5. Develop a Process to Establish a Culture of "Positive Attitudes" Towards Business Retention and Expansion
6. Create an Inventory of "Things" That Contribute to a Improved "Quality of Life" in Hardin County
7. Establish an On-going County Wide Beautification Effort (Fix-Up Clean-Up) Theme

Collective Leadership across the County as a Positive Network for Unified Purposes

1. Develop Job Descriptions for Volunteers, Committee Chairs and HCCBA Support Staff
   - Met on December 27th to review all job descriptions. Descriptions are being refined.
   
2. Communicate "Progress on the HCCBA Vision" to Hardin County Community to Increase Support of the Mission
   - Monthly articles are being placed in the local paper.
   - Different brochures are being evaluated for distribution. 
   
3. Develop a Process to Build Support, Communication and Progress Reports  with Local Officials
   - John will meet monthly with County Officials.
   - Host roundtable and informative gatherings on a regular basis. (First gathering was hosted on December 27th, 2007
   
4. Hire the Right People and Invest in Staff Training to    Have a Competent & Responsive Management Team 
   - Excellent Team in Place.
   - Ongoing Review and Training being conducted.
   
5. Examine how to "Position" HCCBA as a Resource (i.e. Worker Training Source, Grant Writing Assistance, Etc.)
   - Ongoing development of resources being evaluated.
   - Ongoing development of contacts is in progress.
   
6. Create an Extensive Internal "HCCBA" & "County" Communication System Using All Available Processes 
   - While a lower priority this will be developed though the website and other online resources.
   
7. Establish, Complete Makeover and Maintain On-Line Resource
   - New website has been published and evaluations and changes continue to be developed.
   
8. Create a Catalog (Printed & Electronic) of "County Wide" Present/ Future Attractions & Events and their Location
   - This item will be handled through the Tourism Committee
   
9. Leadership Models for Groups like HCCBA - Select and Refine the Model for Use in Our County-Wide Operation
   - HCCBA is building a model of leadership as it grows and strengthens it’s own Leadership resource.  This model along with other resources can then be shared with other groups.

Expanded and Productive Economic Development System "County Wide"

1. Establish a County Wide Development and Land Management Infrastructure with Zoning Implications  (10) Total Transportation Review & Bring Up to Standards Needed for Attracting National/International Prospects
   - John Hohn to contact Tim Mayle regarding expanded use of GIS System
   - Host a Roundtable Discussion to collect insights from the many stakeholders related to this item.
   - Summarize and Distribute Results
   - Develop Action Plan from Results and Feedback.
   
2. Explore Cooperative Methods for Improved Cooperation between Agriculture and Non-Farm Leaders
   - Develop an inventory of all the Agricultural Related Players.
   - Host an Agricultural Summit to collect information about the future direction of Agriculture in the county.
   
3. Develop County Wide Inventory of "For Sale" Properties (8) Maintain Inventory of Available (County Wide) Store Fronts and Business Facilities on the Internet (9) Expand our Economic Development Efforts to National and International Possibilities
   - Underway through ongoing efforts by John Hohn to locate and publicize these types of properties.
   -Enlist support of Realtors including development on contacts with large Realtors who handle National Commercial and Industrial accounts.
   
4. Invest Serious Energy in County Wide Business Retention (5) Establish an Aggressive Communication and Business Recruiting Posture (6) Define Processes and Assistance to Help Small Business in Planning and Financing (SBA, Grants, etc.)
   - John Hohn will develop a long range plan to develop a Retention and Expansion Task Force and related program.  Action on this goal will follow and be predicated on the results of the other action items in this area.
   
5. (7) Borderless Job Possibilities of the Knowledge Industry (County Wide Internet Access and E-Business Friendly)
   - Combine this goal with the “Education via the Internet – Identify Distance Learning Opportunities” goal of the Education Committee. Education Committee to take the lead in this item.

Travel and Tourism as an Economic Benefit and as an Example of Our Quality of Life 

1. Expand Parks and Recreation to Attract Visitors to Hardin County
2. Explore Expansion of Shops & Restaurants/Lodging/Festivals/Agi-Tourism/Bike Tours/Gene Autry Days, Etc. 
3. Expand the Farmer's Market Concept to Attract Customers and Support our Agricultural Businesses
4. Develop a Green (Organic) County Reputation Consistent with our Agricultural Heritage 
5. Identify "Current" Number of Community Events and Expand the Number of Events
6. Create a Catalog (Printed & Electronic) of "County Wide" Present/Future Attractions & Events and Their Location