 Logan joined the Mason, Peoria, Woodford and Tazewell economic
development through its CEDS for what is now a five-county region.
The Logan County CEDS was given federal approval last October.
The Lincoln & Logan County Development Partnership led the
extensive development and application processes of the CEDS, which
received federal approval last October. The partnership will
continue to manage this.
Brian Bergen, executive director for the development partnership,
was on hand at the county's board-of-whole meeting Thursday evening
to answer any questions.
Gene Rohlfs wanted to know just what the costs would be,
particularly over a five-year period. He said the amounts previously
stated had varied.
Bergen said that this year the annual application fee would be
$6,200. The fee varies per county and is determined per capita.
He went on to explain that this year the district would also be
working with a consultant, Vital Economy. Part of the consultant's
work involves doing a mapping. There had been no comprehensive
mapping done previously for any of the counties that are already in
that district.
"I think that the work that Vital Economy can do as a consultant,
coming into the county, looking for the assets that we have, adding
it into the CEDS, is a great thing," Bergen said.
That project would be a separate and added cost to the
participating counties. However, "the partnership would work with
that," he said.
"I'm not coming back for CEDS money this year. Whatever the extra
fee that is beyond what you are already paying, we're going to work
that out. We'll try to go through private donations," Bergen said.
"What you're paying is enough. We'll go from there and work it
out ourselves."
Bergen shared his excitement that there is already a project
identified that he thinks could be approved quickly, which would
bring a return on the funds and the effort for the CEDS.
"One of the projects that is already in the CEDS that we're
already looking at is the Fifth Street Road project. Asking for $2.5
million for that project is not a hard ask," he said. "It's an exact
project that would fit EDA immediately. It's something that we could
immediately ask for and apply for."
Fifth Street Road has been a top infrastructure priority for both
the city of Lincoln and for the county for a number of years. The
road's redevelopment opens the gateway for further industrial or
business development to the west of Lincoln, and the county portion
would go as far at the Middletown Blacktop.
The urban stretch of Fifth Street Road, from Lincoln Parkway to
Interstate 55, is set in the city's five-year plan for fiscal 2016.
It includes a bike trail and carries a price tag of $6,242,500.
If federal funds were received for the project, "this would bring
right back into the county money already invested into regional
organization," Bergen pointed out.
But, according to Bergen, the regional participation brings more
to our table.
"The regional organization is not all about asking for money," he
said. "We're working on workforce issues. How do we work together as
a five-county unit to develop a better workforce? Educational issues
are at the top of it."
As a participant, the city of Lincoln would also need to sign the
same resolution to make the annual commitment to the CEDS regional
district.
Bergen also announced the representatives who would take Logan
County's interests to the regional CED's table. He said the
individuals were selected in accordance with a list of criteria
provided by the regional Economic Development Administration. They
are Lincoln College President John Blackburn, who would provide a
good three-way cross section of business, economic development and
higher education; Andi Hake from the Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of
Commerce; as well as himself.
[By JAN YOUNGQUIST]
[to top of second column] |
Lincoln-Logan County Comprehensive Economic Development Plan
Lincoln
& Logan County Development Partnership, NFP
Executive Director Brian Bergen
1555 Fifth St.
Lincoln, IL 62656
217-732-8739
Email:
Brian@lincolnlogan.com
Website:
http://3rdwire.net/LLDP/
Past articles
related to CEDS
Past articles related to Fifth Street
Road
Related
websites
To read the current CEDS document for
the Economic Development Council for Central Illinois,
click here
(PDF).
Here are a couple of excerpts from the opening information on the
Economic Development Council
for Central Illinois CEDS:
The
2012-2017 CEDS Draft for Public Comment
was released in September 2012, one month before Logan County was
approved. Logan County is referenced as a potential participant
with its information added separately.
"Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is the result of
a planning process designed to enhance the economic growth of the
Central Illinois Region. The Central Illinois Economic Development
District (EDD) consists of Mason, Peoria, Tazewell and Woodford
Counties. The purpose of the CEDS is to establish a process that
will help create jobs, foster more stable and diversified economies,
and improve living conditions. It provides a mechanism for
coordinating the efforts of individuals, organizations, local
governments and private industry concerned with economic
development. ...
"EDDs, such as Central Illinois, play
a key role in local economic development. Instead of having to
respond to individual requests from over 2,000 eligible county
economic development organizations around the nation, EDDs assist
the EDA in establishing regional priorities for projects and
investments. These multicounty or other regional planning
organizations are governed by boards comprised of local elected
officials and private sector representatives from cities, towns and
counties."
What is CEDS and what went into the
Logan County CEDS?
CEDS is defined by the Economic
Development Council for Central Illinois as "the result of a local
planning process designed to guide the economic growth of an area."
"A CEDS process will help create jobs,
foster more stable and diversified economies and improve living
conditions. It provides a mechanism for coordinating the efforts of
individuals, organizations, local governments and private industry
concerned with economic development. In order for projects to
qualify for Economic Development Administration assistance under its
public works, economic adjustment and most planning programs, the
project must be consistent with the goals and objectives set out in
the CEDS."
Logan County Regional
Planning Commission FAQ sheet
(Explains interrelatedness of the comprehensive plan, GIS, CEDS and
Greenways Plan)
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