MONROE - City leaders are taking up a challenge from Mayor Bill Ross to build a more efficient, effective and accountable economic development plan in the city from the ground up.
To reach their goal, they will be recycling some of the best assets Monroe has to offer.
Under the direction of Cara Carper, University of Wisconsin-Extension's Natural Resource and Economic Development Educator in Green County, a group of about 20 individuals, representing the city, businesses and community organizations, discussed mapping put their direction Wednesday at the city hall.
"The goal is to create an action plan," Carper said, "with measurable goals, ... drilling down to what's most important."
Ross laid out four areas in which he hopes the group will realize some accomplishments: Working together as a team to promote economic development and jobs; developing better and open communication between partners; streamlining processes, policies, and procedures for attracting new businesses; and developing measurable goals and accountability.
Ross told the group he wants "to come up with a game plan, and be transparent."
Carper's suggestion to the group was to use an "appreciative inquiry" approach to building its new economic development plan, to identify and focus on the city's strengths and successes, upon which they would then build.
Ross noted the city's success in fast-tracking Lamer Bus Service building in the north industrial park. "That was a big win," he said.
Lamer had received the school district's bus service contract in the spring and needed its bus terminal by the end of summer. The city cut through red-tape and barriers; scheduled special meetings of the plan commission; and used one point person, Pam Christopher, director of the chamber of commerce, to coordinate the process.
Ross would like a similar-success process set in place as the regular order of business for the city.
"Even if (new businesses) don't come here, they will go back and say, 'Hey, that City of Monroe works fast,'" he added.
Because the appreciative inquiry approach gleans what is or has been working, problem spots and their causes were not part of the discussion Thursday.
Carper said she has no doubt about the strengths of the group members. In future meetings, she plans to step back and let them lead.
"For future meetings, I hope to use the old adage that a good facilitator speaks only 10 percent of the time. The group is very capable of doing the heavy lifting," she said.
The next meeting of the Economic Development ad hoc group has not yet been set.
To reach their goal, they will be recycling some of the best assets Monroe has to offer.
Under the direction of Cara Carper, University of Wisconsin-Extension's Natural Resource and Economic Development Educator in Green County, a group of about 20 individuals, representing the city, businesses and community organizations, discussed mapping put their direction Wednesday at the city hall.
"The goal is to create an action plan," Carper said, "with measurable goals, ... drilling down to what's most important."
Ross laid out four areas in which he hopes the group will realize some accomplishments: Working together as a team to promote economic development and jobs; developing better and open communication between partners; streamlining processes, policies, and procedures for attracting new businesses; and developing measurable goals and accountability.
Ross told the group he wants "to come up with a game plan, and be transparent."
Carper's suggestion to the group was to use an "appreciative inquiry" approach to building its new economic development plan, to identify and focus on the city's strengths and successes, upon which they would then build.
Ross noted the city's success in fast-tracking Lamer Bus Service building in the north industrial park. "That was a big win," he said.
Lamer had received the school district's bus service contract in the spring and needed its bus terminal by the end of summer. The city cut through red-tape and barriers; scheduled special meetings of the plan commission; and used one point person, Pam Christopher, director of the chamber of commerce, to coordinate the process.
Ross would like a similar-success process set in place as the regular order of business for the city.
"Even if (new businesses) don't come here, they will go back and say, 'Hey, that City of Monroe works fast,'" he added.
Because the appreciative inquiry approach gleans what is or has been working, problem spots and their causes were not part of the discussion Thursday.
Carper said she has no doubt about the strengths of the group members. In future meetings, she plans to step back and let them lead.
"For future meetings, I hope to use the old adage that a good facilitator speaks only 10 percent of the time. The group is very capable of doing the heavy lifting," she said.
The next meeting of the Economic Development ad hoc group has not yet been set.