1. Flint Hills Regional Council www.flinthillsregion.org
Flint Hills Economic Development District Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Hays House, Council Grove
 4:00 p.m. Review
Strategic Action Plan
Goals
Objectives
Strategies
5:00 p.m. Next meeting-October 10, Hays House
Flint Hills Regional Council
Questions / Comments

4. Vison 2018 Vison 2014 A highly educated populace,
working in an evolving, knowledge-based
economy, living in the rich heritage of the
Flint Hills ecosystem.

5. Weaknesses
Declining rural/urban population
Job availability/mismatch skills to job openings
Aging infrastructure/abandoned buildings
State funding/leadership support
Health care/mental health care deficiency
Lack of broadband service in rural areas
Threats
Lack of affordable housing
Lack of labor force
Fluctuation/reduction of military /Ft. Riley
Heavy dependence on govt. employers
Lack of direction/support/funding govt.
Strengths
Educational opportunities
Central location
Quality of life
Tourism/Flint Hills
Ft. Riley
Opportunities
Marketing travel & tourism
Grow our own labor force-k-12,college
Industry growth, animal health corridor
Military relations & supply needs
Incentive to bring medical profession to rural areas

6. Collaboration: governments, regional institutions and organizations
2014- Goals
Collaboration: governments, regional institutions and organizations
Branding: Natural and cultural history of the region
Promote tourism
Sustain businesses, new and existing within the region.
Educate the population well from early childhood through college and beyond.
2018 Goals 1.
Strategic Direction/Action Plan: The strategic direction and action plan should build on findings from the SWOT analysis and incorporate/integrate elements from other regional plans (e.g., land use and transportation, workforce development, etc.) where appropriate as determined by the EDD or community/region engaged in development of the CEDS. The action plan should also identify the stakeholder(s) responsible for implementation, timetables, and opportunities for the integrated use of other state, and federal funds

7. Action Plan
Create Regional Branding
Create a marketing strategy
Identify workforce training needs
Initiate a tallgrass entrepreneurship education curriculum.
Expand transportation options in the region
Streamline the business attraction & retention program.
Create a Welcome Center
Create a site selection tool
Flint Hills High Five
Create a prime site program
Succession Planning
Flint Hills Opportunities Network
Kansas Food Labs
2018 Action Plan
Support the business retention, expansion, and recruitment goals of the member Economic Development Organizations (EDO’s)
Marketing Strategy
• Support the existing Flint Hills Tourism Coalition marketing efforts.
• Support marketing strategies of the member Economic Development Organizations (EDO’s)
Entrepreneurship
• Establish entrepreneurship programs, competitions for Junior & Senior High School students in the Flint Hills region, working collaboratively with KSU, ESU, SBDC, EDO’s, and other partners to implement these programs.
Welcome Center
• Since the free-standing Welcome Center is at exit 313 on I-70 is cost prohibitive, then develop plans to utilize and staff the existing rest areas on I-70 east and west of exit 313.
Use the existing LocationONE buildings, and sites database for business retention, expansion, and recruitment.
Leadership Training
Strategic Direction/Action Plan: The strategic direction and action plan should build on findings from the SWOT analysis and incorporate/integrate elements from other regional plans (e.g., land use and transportation, workforce development, etc.) where appropriate as determined by the EDD or community/region engaged in development of the CEDS. The action plan should also identify the stakeholder(s) responsible for implementation, timetables, and opportunities for the integrated use of other state, and federal funds

8. Action Items/Collaborators
Action Plan 1
Collaborators
Action Plan 2
Collaborators
Action Plan 2
Collaborators
Action Items/Collaborators

9. Flint Hills Regional Council www.flinthillsregion.org
Questions / Comments