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Summerset development director outlines 'thriving community' blueprint, emphasizes workforce fixes
Summary
Amanda Anglin of the Summerset Development Corporation presented a community 'blueprint' outlining building blocks for local economic development and highlighted workforce challenges, RFI/hosting efforts and regional partnerships to attract and retain businesses.
Amanda Anglin, executive director of the Summerset Development Corporation, described a pyramid-shaped "thriving community" blueprint and urged the Summerset City Council to invest in foundational building blocks of economic growth. "Economic development is attracting and growing businesses, creating jobs, and improving our communities," Anglin said, saying the model starts with community engagement and workforce development at the base.
Anglin walked the council through the blueprint’s blocks — community engagement, leadership development, public policy, workforce development, quality of life, infrastructure, housing solutions, entrepreneurship and new-business attraction — and said the organization is using the model to guide marketing, RFI responses and recruitment. She said Summerset participates in the Rushmore Regional Alliance and is working to standardize RFI responses, host site visits and improve marketing to site selectors.
Brad Bloch, introduced as the city’s economic wellness coordinator, gave a local example of workforce strain: a domestic hat manufacturer in the community that needs about 15–20 hires and may require a 3,000–5,000-square-foot relocation. Bloch said staff are pursuing Department of Labor resources, refining job descriptions and seeking workforce-pipeline assistance. "We're talking about Department of Labor," he said, describing efforts to align openings with the right skills.
Anglin also reported a recent higher-education roundtable attended by presidents from four colleges and said the meeting challenged institutions to demonstrate distinct value to local businesses. She described a new regional collaboration among small-business development groups that will operate under the name Ally Development to coordinate staff and low-interest financing for local entrepreneurs.
Staff told the council they will return with results from a business climate survey and RFI/spec materials for council review. Anglin said many elements are informational at this stage and recommended that council prioritize workforce and infrastructure in upcoming budget deliberations.
The council did not take a formal vote on the presentation; staff will follow up with the council on survey results, RFI responses and any recommended budget requests.
