Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Econmomic Development for a community

Currently in Hartsville there are several citizen committees working on the required updating of a strategic plan for the city. The State apparently requires the update and the city has implemented the process for updating. Citizens, when they are working for the good of their community, do so with the trust that the people who are in charge and who have the ultimate decision-making authority value the work and the thinking that the citizens are putting forth. Citizen input from the community conversations and other venues along with investments in Hartsville say that our community has a lot going for it. Those working on the update of the plan hope this is one way to find a way to focus on growth and progress and the continuing quest of making this community one of the best in South Carolina, if not the nation.

The Economic Development planning group is going to try defining economic development in a frame that fits within the context of the city or greater Hartsville area. So, if you were defining economic development, what would you be thinking about? In a series of add-ons to a string on hartsvilletoday.com there was an extended discussion about the types of businesses some people would like to see. The one requirement for nearly all those businesses is a population with money to buy the products and services those businesses have to offer. That population with money is one of the things being thought of in terms of economic development. There were a number of other factors that covered a range of issues. Rather than list those, let's have the question remain: When you think of economic development for the greater Hartsville area, what are the ideas that come to mind?

The committee is meeting weekly and this blog (or Hartsvilletoday posting) is way I thought of to develop a little more input from the community. If inclined, I hope you will donate your proverbial "two cents."