Listening Session Notes

Oakland City, 8/3/2017

Top Points

(Points that received the most dots)

  1. Sewer, water infrastructure demands (7)
  2. Jobs available – not enough workforce (4)
  3. We need to keep non-college bound kids on a path to succeed (4)
  4. Community investment in quality of place (4)
  5. There is a lack of treatment facilities (4)
  6. We need broadband – affordable (4)
  7. Regional cities & Stellar process has incentivized many communities to plan (3)
  8. Trouble finding the right talent (3)

Condensed Notes

(Only the points that received a dot(s))

Economy and Business:

  • Jobs available – not enough workforce (4)
  • Trouble finding the right talent (3)
  • Local leadership might need tools on the use (1)
  • We have residential housing shortage for employees (1)
  • Incentives focused on job creation – how to incentivize existing employers to keep jobs in town (3)
  • We need to understand the rural-urban continuum in econ. dev. (1)
  • We need to keep non-college bound kids on a path to succeed (4)
  • Kids need exposure to career opportunities in our communities (1)
  • We need a return of vocational ed in our high schools (1)
  • We need to get our kids to come back (2)
  • Kids coming from homes – multiple challenges (1)
  • Intergenerational dysfunction (1)

Population and People:

  • Community investment in quality of place (4)
  • Immigration and diversity in our communities – challenge (1)

Health and Well-being:

  • We need to explore all options on drug issues (1)
  • There is a lack of treatment facilities (4)
  • We can’t arrest our way out of this problem (1)
  • Lack of mental health support services (1)
  • There is a demand for family physicians (2)

Environment and Place:

Infrastructure and Housing:

  • We need broadband – affordable (4)
  • Sewer, water infrastructure demands (7)
  • Southern IN has an abundance of natural resources – big asset (2)

Ideas? What works?:

  • Regional cities & Stellar process has incentivized many communities to plan (3)
  • Community collaboration programs (1)
  • Brain power initiative – workforce opportunities (1)
  • Work either designation (1)

Full Session Notes

Economy and Business:

  • Low unemployment
  • Jobs available – not enough workforce (4)
  • Trouble finding the right talent (3)
  • Challenged with transportation to good jobs
  • Challenged with finding local incentive tools – rural-urban disparity
  • Local leadership might need tools on the use (1)
  • Struggle to merchants & businesses to open – then support them
  • Local people need to support local
  • We have residential housing shortage for employees (1)
  • Incentives focused on job creation – how to incentivize existing employers to keep jobs in town (3)
  • Heightened awareness among communities to think regionally
  • We need to understand the rural-urban continuum in econ. dev. (1)
  • Site certification from OCRA is a good program
  • OCRA should continue capacity building programs
  • We need to keep non-college bound kids on a path to succeed (4)
  • Kids need exposure to career opportunities in our communities (1)
  • There is a demand for trades
  • Efforts are in place to fill gaps – connect business community K-12
  • We need a return of vocational education in our high schools (1)
  • Schools need to change paradigm of ‘going to college’
  • Focus on career pathways
  • We need to get our kids to come back (2)
  • We have a lot of people not working
  • Kids coming from homes – multiple challenges (1)
  • Need for acculturation of younger generation
  • Intergenerational dysfunction (1)

Population and People:

  • Toyota is getting ready to hire a bunch of people
  • Community investment in quality of place (4)
  • Transformation of communities
  • Increase in community celebrations
  • Day care – cost & availability is a challenge
  • Pre-K My Way is a good program
  • We have to deal with pollution – air pollution
  • Need public land set aside
  • Still have a lot of non-attainment areas
  • Our major companies are giving back to our communities
  • Big volunteer base – strength of small community
  • We need to encourage more volunteers
  • Population is aging – some communities becoming retirement communities
  • Boomer generation is coming back to small communities
  • Boomers control 78% of income
  • Immigration and diversity in our communities – challenge (1)
  • More multi-cultural exposure
  • Language barriers
  • There are micro-economies with the diverse population – informal economics
  • 20,000 people in our region do not have H.S. diploma – gap is getting wider
  • Still have antiquated drop-out law – 16
  • GED standards were raised
  • Drug problem is underlying a lot of these issues

Health and Well-being:

  • High obesity in some areas
  • High anxiety over health care issues
  • Healthy Indiana Plan is a positive
  • We should outlaw French fries
  • We need to explore all options on drug issues (1)
  • There is a lack of treatment facilities (4)
  • We can’t arrest our way out of this problem (1)
  • Lack of mental health support services (1)
  • There is a need for communication what health resources are available
  • Most communities have senior care centers
  • 211 is available, but people don’t know about it
  • We need an open & honest discussion – the drug problem exists
  • We have facilities that could be re-used (school buildings) to provide services
  • Trail expansions – focus on walkability
  • There is a demand for family physicians (2)
  • Hoping that IU med school in Evansville will help
  • Specialists in demand
  • Difficulty in attracting healthcare professionals across the board
  • Resources are needed for hiring and training
  • High demand for large animal veterinarians
  • Park usage has increased
  • More investments in quality of life correlate to recreation investments
  • Natural resources – trails Potoka

Environment and Place:

Infrastructure and Housing:

  • We need broadband – affordable (4)
  • Schools going to netbooks – increases demand at home
  • Need affordable housing for elderly and for the young
  • We need to attract larger developers to small communities
  • Need corollary set of tools to attract developers – some as employers
  • Sewer, water infrastructure demands (7)
  • Aged and aging infrastructure that needs to be replaced – lack of mapping or documentation
  • Unfunded mandates are a problem – regulations
  • Communities have properties taken off tax roles – challenge in some communities
  • We need to address sewer, water infrastructure the same way we did road funding
  • Southern IN has an abundance of natural resources – big asset (2)
  • I-69 is giving exposure to this area

Ideas? What works?:

  • Stellar communities project – also focused on private housing investment – Huntingburg
  • Huntingburg looking beyond Stellar – what do we do next?
  • Regional cities & Stellar process has incentivized many communities to plan (3)
  • Community collaboration programs (1)
  • Brain power initiative – workforce opportunities (1)
  • Work either designation (1)
  • Bring higher ed. Institutions together regionally – workforce board

The (number) represents the total number of dots received.