An important decision made at the Feb. 11 meeting of the Moniteau County Regional Economic Development Council (MRED) is to hold a special meeting for strategic planning for the organization.
It was later decided that the Mid-Missouri Regional Planning Commission (MMRPC) will moderate the discussion. The strategic planning meeting will be March 11, in the Community Room at California City Hall, from noon to 5 p.m. Subway sandwiches will be ready to serve promptly at noon, with the Strategic Planning session to begin at 12:30.
MRED Chair Mike Kelley, Tipton, thinks the county is poised for growth. He said the county is starting to get noticed since it is designated as an Enhanced Enterprise Zone and beginning to reach the point of being able to show those interested companies that there is a qualified workforce that could step into any position they have.
Kelley requests that any businesses or interested citizens within the county attend the meeting or send representation.
"I would like to ask each of you between now and then to think about your ideas of where MRED should go in the next five years," Kelley said.
Kelley's suggested topics to spur thoughts include:
• Marketing (social media and traditional)
• Business Incubator - developing homegrown businesses
• Business Attraction - bringing new business to our county
• Business Retention - helping to strengthen the businesses we already have
• Building acquisition - taking building donation and turning them into businesses
• Workforce development - helping develop workplace skills through training
"I look forward to hearing all kind of out-of-the-box ideas to help our county grow," Kelley said.
A marketing campaign is in the plans to bring the organization to the attention of companies looking to relocate or expand. To help with this, plans at this point include moving the website to a host which will allow video, start a monthly newsletter and have a newspaper article at least a couple times a month.
Kelley can be reached at 573-353-7510.