The year 2020 presented many challenges for economic development. The COVID-19 pandemic affected the progress of the Link Plan initiatives but most of the Pillar Teams were able to pivot from in-person to virtual meetings and achieve significant milestones. The virtual meeting format became the norm.
Collectively, over 60 volunteers representing large and small businesses, local government and education institutions volunteered 369 hours in 2020 and collectively 1,442 since 2018, not including additional time spent outside the scheduled meeting times. This is a very impressive volunteer effort for the betterment of our community.
The volunteers were able to accomplish four significant initiatives:
- A county-wide brand was developed that will serve to bolster tourism and promote quality-of-life amenities.
- A program was started to beautify the county’s I-75 interchanges by using eligible inmates from the county jail system for labor. The I-75 Beautification Program also includes a lawn maintenance certification opportunity that will provide a path to employment for inmates upon their release.
- A business development hub was initiated that will provide business education resources, mentorship opportunities, funding opportunities and an overall comprehensive strategy for business development for start-ups and grow-ups. A shared workspace is one of the long-term goals.
- One of the Link Plan Priority Development Areas located in Frenchtown Township was finalized resulting in a $100 million investment in the County.
I would like to thank all Link Plan volunteers and the BDC Team who worked tirelessly to sustain the Plan’s forward progress and address the needs of the business community. It was truly a collaborative effort! I am looking forward to 2021 and continuing these exemplary efforts.
We welcome more volunteers! If you are passionate about contributing to the economic growth and overall success of Monroe County and would like to serve on one of pillar teams,
please contact me or one of the
BDC Team via email.