During the summer of 2018, Franklin County Economic Development and Planning procured a consultant to evaluate the Department’s Smart Works suite of programs and formulate an Economic Development Strategic Plan (EDSP) to guide County economic development policy over the next 5 years. The EDSP establishes a resident-centric framework for economic development, suggesting areas in which EDP might continue its commitment to business engagement and private sector job creation while also accomplishing other strategic objectives of the County. In practice this approach means that the criteria for evaluating whether or not an incentive is warranted is not solely based on the quality of jobs or economic impact, but on the other community benefits that might be gained as a result of the project. The entire plan was based on a foundation of solid data and stakeholder input summarized in a SWOT Analysis.
While the Strategic Plan identified priorities, the Department will be required to develop action-ready programs and policies. The first priority of the Strategic Plan was affordable housing. Staff has developed action-ready recommendations – The Affordable Housing Implimentation Framework - for the consideration by the County Commissioners.