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City staff report progress on Invest Bend strategic work; ECC asked to review draft plan
Summary
Staff described the Invest Bend economic development outreach and said a draft strategic plan is expected in September with council review in December; the plan will inform future growth and the comprehensive plan, staff said.
City staff and committee representatives updated the committee on the Invest Bend economic development strategic process and invited committee input on the forthcoming draft plan.
Mark Buckley (chair and ECC representative to the process) described a series of focus-group meetings convened by city staff and outside consultants to develop a strategic economic development plan for Bend. Staff said the draft plan should be ready in September for committee review, with anticipated council consideration in December.
Staff said the process has included focus groups with private-sector and nonprofit stakeholders, and the city has prepared background reports — a state of housing, state of the economy and industry-cluster analyses — to inform strategy. The city recently hired a new economic development lead, Katie Brooks, formerly of the Bend Chamber of Commerce, staff said.
Why it matters: The strategic plan is intended to codify a vision for growth that balances economic development, housing and environmental quality and will feed into Bend's growth and comprehensive plan work. Staff asked committee members to consider attending the additional focus-group meeting and to provide feedback on the draft when it is released.
Discussion details: Committee members discussed how the economic strategy could incorporate sustainability goals and the challenges of workforce housing and business attraction. Several committee members asked about opportunities for ECC input; staff said they would distribute draft materials and meeting notes and welcomed committee comments. Mark encouraged committee members to attend the final focus-group meeting if they can and to provide written feedback if they cannot attend.
Ending: Staff said they will distribute draft materials and noted the plan's intent to inform future planning processes. Committee members suggested topics for future ECC agendas including a policy landscape update and consideration of consumption-based emissions.
