Sun Prairie Mayor John Murray and Economic Development Director Neil Stechschulte to Present at League of Wisconsin Municipalities Conference (City of Sun Prairie Office of Economic Development)

Mayor John Murray and Economic Development Director Neil Stechschulte have been invited to participate in a panel discussion on the creation and implementation of economic development plans at 113th Annual Conference of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities on October 19th - 21st.  Joining them on the panel will be Gary Becker, Partner with Vierbicher Associates and Director of the Local Government Institute of Wisconsin.  Panelists will discuss their past efforts, successes, and what they would do differently, as well as whether or not economic development plans should change during a slower economy.

Click here for more information on the 113th Annual Conference of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities.

Council to Focus on Economic Development at Aug. 30th Strategic Planning Session (City of Sun Prairie Office of Economic Development)

Council to Focus on Economic Development at Aug. 30th Strategic Planning Session

The Sun Prairie City Council is using fifth Tuesday's in a month during 2011 to strategically discuss a series of topics. The next session is on August 30th, and the current plan is for the Council to have a discussion on Economic Development in the City. While a formal agenda has not been set, potential topics in no particular order could include but are not limited to:

• Defining economic priorities and related progress indicators
• Evaluating the City's competitive position in attracting new employers
  
• Revisiting target economic sectors
• Reviewing the City's adopted Strategic Business Development Plan
• Prioritizing community areas for new development and redevelopment
• Identifying potential financial resources to invest in targeted public and private projects
• Enhancing business retention efforts
• Discussing branding and marketing strategies
• Evaluating new initiatives to encourage more business start-ups
• City relationship with local business and partners
• Allocating budget and staff resources for 2012
  

Additional details regarding the time and location of the meeting will be posted when finalized.

Have another topic or idea that should be part of the discussion? Send it to nstechschulte[at]cityofsunprairie.com.

Mayoral Priorities Outlined (Sun Prairie Star)

Mayoral Priorities Outlined (Submitted to the Star by Mayor John Murray)

Link to Full Article: http://www.sunprairiestar.com/main.asp?SectionID=5&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=7550

Excerpt from the Article:

"A focused economic development strategy. Sun Prairie is competing against other cities and regions for job growth and retention. I have proposed beefing up our Community Development Authority into a more robust marketing and economic development entity. By working with the Chamber, the Business Improvement District and other business and civic groups, we can retain and grow our local jobs and increase tax base."

Blogger's Note: Obviously excited to have the Mayor list this as a priority. Mayor Murray was the public sector co-chair for the Ad Hoc Committee that developed our current Strategic Business Development Plan in 2008-2009. This plan identified preliminary target sectors in two groups:

Immediate Sectors

• Finance and Insurance
• Information Technology
• Light Manufacturing
• Warehousing & Distribution
• Food & Beverage Processing

Emerging Sectors

• Healthcare
• Biotechnology
• Agricultural Technology
• Renewable Energy
• Continuing Education
• Hospitality & Tourism

My guess is we're going to start with that document and try to focus it even further. Marketing and retaining these sectors will probably be up for discussion with the Council at their upcoming Strategic Planning discussion, as well as what sort of resources the City may need to allocate to this effort. Sounds like a good move to me.

City to Create Strategic Business Development Plan

Last Tuesday evening, the City Council approved the creation of an ad hoc economic development committee to prepare a Strategic Business Development Plan. We are seeking interested and qualified persons to meet monthly from June to October to help guide this effort. Committee members are to be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council.

The official duties of the committee will be:

"The ad hoc economic development committee shall be charged with ensuring that the strategic business development plan 1) provides an overview of current and projected economic conditions, 2) identifies and prioritizes City initiatives relating to economic development for the next five years, and 3) establishes a means of measuring progress of those initiatives."

Anyone interested in being a member of this ad hoc committee can contact Mayor Joe Chase, Alderman John Murray or City Economic Development Coordinator Neil Stechschulte. Interest persons are asked to submit their notice of interest by Friday May 16th. Recommendations for potential members are also encouraged. Interested persons may be asked to submit a short description of their qualifications or background, as well as to explain their interest in serving on the committee.

Please contact Neil Stechschulte at (608) 825-0894 with any questions, or if you require additional information.