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Economic development director outlines goals: Spark Surprise, downtown master plan and workforce initiatives
Summary
Janine, economic development staff, presented the department’s strategic plan linking council priorities — jobs, retail, downtown walkability and talent — to projects including Spark Surprise, an Elm Street master plan, a digital-twin tech park and workforce partnerships with local schools and Ottawa University.
Janine, the city’s economic development lead, presented the department’s strategic plan to the Surprise City Council on Sept. 2, describing goals to grow jobs, strengthen retail amenities, create a walkable downtown and develop local workforce talent.
“We want to grow our employment base,” Janine said, summarizing the department mission to “foster economic growth by facilitating new employment opportunities, workforce development, retail attraction, entrepreneurship, and local business retention.”
Why it matters: Council members said economic development is central to the city’s fiscal future and quality of life. Janine tied day-to-day programs to the council’s strategic plan and emphasized partnerships with regional organizations and local education providers as crucial to closing skills gaps.
Key projects and metrics Janine highlighted five top initiatives: Spark Surprise (a business incubator and service hub), a new Elm Street master plan for downtown, a proposed tech park and “digital twin” tools, continued business attraction and more robust workforce-development programs. She said Spark Surprise’s launch is planned for early next year and that staff are building its curriculum, partnerships and facility readiness.
Staff will track results via standard economic-development metrics: number of business leads and business visits, square footage committed, jobs created, and startup-engagement figures. Janine said the department also maintains a community jobs board and helps organize job fairs and career-technical education events with partners such as DECA and HOSA.
Workforce and partnerships Janine told the council that workforce availability is the leading factor for site selectors and employers: if firms cannot find qualified talent, site discussions often end. She cited partnerships with Ottawa University, Dysart Unified School District and regional organizations as part of a strategy to align training with employer needs.
Council response and next steps Council members praised forward-looking work. Councilmember Melton commended staff for “out of the box” approaches to address skills mismatches and cited cooperation with Ottawa University on engineering programs. Vice Mayor Jack Hastings and other members highlighted recent private investments in the Surprise City Center and named new uses — such as Desert Farms along Greenway Road — as signs of momentum.
Janine asked for continuing council support for creative marketing and partnership-building; councilmembers encouraged staff to proceed and promised further engagement. Janine said the plan will be one of a series of department-level presentations the council will receive through December.
Ending The council thanked the economic development team for the strategic presentation and requested continued updates as projects such as Spark Surprise and the Elm Street master plan progress.
