BELPRE — About 50 community members attended a special meeting Thursday to hear about a proposed strategic plan for economic development for Belpre.
The plan was developed by Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, which investigated strategies to enhance economic development for the City of Belpre, as requested by the Belpre Area Chamber of Commerce.
Much of the work was conducted by OU students, with support and direction from Voinovich School professors Jason Jolley and Gilbert Michaud as co-principal investigators for the project. The “Economic Development Strategic Plan” was funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the Appalachian New Economy Partnership, a program of the Ohio Department of Higher Education and the State of Ohio, at no cost to the city or chamber.
The study found that Belpre has seen decades-long population stagnation and an overall decline in working age adults and school enrollment. Over one-third of Belpre’s population is 55 or older.
The availability of quality housing is limited, which restricts Belpre’s ability to address this population decline and boost school enrollment by attracting middle-class families, according to the study.
Photo by Wayne Towner About 50 people, including individuals, businesspeople and elected officials, attended Thursday’s Economic Development Community Meeting to hear about an economic development strategic plan developed by the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs at Ohio University in Athens.
Presented Thursday at the Belpre Senior Center by Jolley and Michaud, the plan recommends the implementation of economic development efforts around three focus areas: Community Branding and Placemaking; Industry Cluster Growth; and Restaurants and Retail Development. Concentrated strategic investment and support of these themes may help capitalize on emerging business opportunities, infrastructure improvements, and ways to retain and attract families to the area.
Jolley said the final 40-50 page report will be completed next week and will include all of the supporting data and information which was used to develop the strategic plan. Once it is complete, it will be sent to the BACC where Executive Director Karen Waller said it will be placed on the chamber’s website at belprechamber.com for the public to review.
The recommendations in the plan include: A “Buy Belpre” campaign to encourage community pride and support for local businesses; active recruitment and support of river-oriented recreational businesses; continued support for Belpre In Bloom and other beautification efforts; working with Civitan Park and the Belpre Historical Society on entertainment and tourism programs; develop a list of infrastructure priorities and sites and work on grant funding for such development; and identify local franchise owners of retail stores and restaurants currently not located in the greater Parkersburg market.
The plan included several proposed “action steps”:
* Distribute Buy Belpre window clings to local businesses and residents to enhance the community branding effort.
* Develop Civitan Park with beautification efforts and the promotion of community events. Create a comprehensive website with all programs, events, and opportunities, including local tourist attractions for visitors.
* Work with elected officials, government agencies, local development districts, and others to pursue grant funding to support infrastructure issues associated with the Belpre Medical Campus location for Marietta Memorial Hospital. Meet with hospital executives to determine specific needs for the hospital campus and how to prioritize efforts.
* Work with the Buckeye Hills Regional Council and the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority to assess the feasibility of economic development related incentive programs. Appropriate legal counsel to explore the viability of tax increment financing (TIF) and special improvement districts (SID).
* Characterize and communicate with retail stores and restaurants that would provide goods or services currently underserved in Belpre and begin to facilitate visitation and attraction efforts.
Bob Rauch, chairman of the Economic Development Team working through the Chamber, has been involved in the study and its efforts since the project started earlier this year. He felt the conclusions of the strategic plan helped affirm and support much of the ongoing efforts that have been underway in Belpre.
“We need more community participation, we need all kinds of ideas, we need all kinds of networking,” he said.
“It’s going to be the entire town doing a little bit rather than a few people doing a lot,” Rauch said.
The Parkersburg News and Sentinel | June 23, 2017
