ANDERSON — The groups may have different titles but each has the same mission — economic growth for the area.
“When you have several organizations and all of them basically are working toward one common goal — which is to improve the economy and quality of life — and they all have different abilities strengths and limitations it is usually very successful for them to work together,” said Anderson Economic Development Director Linda Dawson. “The strengths and weaknesses will counterbalance each other when all of the groups are working as one entity toward one mission.”
In the same breath though, Dawson pointed out that it is critical for all of these entities to retain their separate identities especially the division of tax payer funded organizations like the city’s department and privately funded organizations like the Corporation for Economic Development (CED).
“The groups all have different abilities,” she said. “The city is the infrastructure providers and there are incentives they can provide. And the Corporation for Economic Development has the ability to do things outside of the public venue like negotiate deals that we wouldn’t be able to do. They are both very important for economic development, are needed and couldn’t be provided by the same organization.”
For example, Dawson said, the CED can confidentially work with one private corporation enticing them to come to the community but they wouldn’t be able to activate eminent domain to take over land for a needed road. But with a partnership with a governmental agency like the city, that could be accomplished.
CED Director Rob Sparks said it is critical that the economic development agencies work closely together. He regularly communicates with the private and government agencies not only in Madison County but also in the surrounding counties.
“We all communicate and are on the same page together, that is incredibly important,” he said. “We continue to build as a team. We all focus on our specific areas but are working to build a better stronger community together.”
The CED and Madison County Chamber of Commerce are taking the idea of working together one step further. Both have been housed at Anderson’s Flagship Enterprise Center business incubator but recently moved into the same space to share resources and reduce overall operational costs.
“We are working together to develop new leads, grow existing relationships and on marketing ourselves,” Sparks said. “We can not discount all singing the same song and being on the same page. It is essential that we do the work as a team.”
Flagship CEO Chuck Staley said he hopes to see more purposeful joining of organizations in the future.
“It is time for us to think more regionally when we are thinking about economic development,” he said. “And I think we are realizing that no community is an island anymore; we don’t exist by ourselves. Everyone is interconnected.”
Efficiencies are obviously gained by the agencies working closer and closer together, Staley said. He hopes that even more operations are streamlined.
Elwood Economic Development Director Bill Savage said that cooperative effort is in place in Elwood. The city works closely with privately funded Elwood Community Development Corporation as well as the CED and other economic development groups.
“I try to approach our efforts with a wholistic approach,” Savage said. “What’s good for Elwood is good for the county. And the same goes for other communities. If something comes to Anderson it is going to benefit Elwood. We have to all work together.”
Chamber of Commerce President Kyle Morey said it is exciting working with the various agencies.
“We all have the same mission — grow the economy for the region we represent,” he said. “Everyone does that in their own way. The Flagship incubates businesses providing services and tools. The Chamber is a connector of businesses county wide. ... (CED) looks at bringing new dollars in to the market to get businesses to locate here and maintain businesses that are already here.”
Morey went on to talk about how the government-based economic development groups can use specific incentives to help bring businesses in that other agencies wouldn’t be able to provide.
“Working together we have the ability to show the potential of what can happen along the I-69 corridor,” he said. “There are great opportunities coming our way. With these organizations together we can showcase the future of Madison County.”
Contact Abbey Doyle, 640-4805, abbey.doyle@heraldbulletin.com.
