|
|
The objectives are actions the city can take in order to achieve each goal. The city has five economic development goals.
They are:
Goal 1: Pursue an economic development strategy which creates opportunities for business enterprises to be successful.
The objectives under Goal 1 are:
* Maintain an up-to-date inventory, and have land available with suitable infrastructure and topography, to support the needs of both new and expanding businesses.
* Investigate the feasibility of hiring a community development director to focus on both the planning and economic development needs of the city of St. Clair.
* Work closely with the existing business community to ascertain their needs and develop a business plan to meet those needs.
* Continue to foster a pro-development approach in city government to facilitate opportunities for business development and enhancement.
* Work with the St. Clair R-XIII School District and East Central College to develop programs which provide training skills for new and expanding businesses in the region.
* Continue to promote and expand the Business of the Month program. Goal 2: Strengthen the city's commercial and industrial base to provide goods, services and jobs for St. Clair residents.
The objectives under Goal 2 are:
* Identify and pursue "targeted" businesses in the commercial and industrial sectors.
* Work closely with the Industrial Development Authority and commercial/industrial real estate brokers to create additional business development opportunities.
* Target commercial retail and service business opportunities along the city's principal highway and arterial corridors and interchanges.
* Cooperate with the railroad to expand rail opportunities within the city.
* Coordinate with Franklin County and the state of Missouri to make them aware of key development opportunities available in the city of St. Clair.
Goal 3: Utilize various economic development incentives to attract and retain area business.
The objectives under Goal 3 are:
* Continue to use Tax Increment Financing (TIF), Neighborhood Improvement District (NID), Community Improvement District (CID) and Transportation Development District (TDD) techniques to assist in supporting key development projects needing financial assistance.
* Maintain an active economic development committees to oversee the creation and development of projects requiring financial assistance.
* Work cooperatively with school districts and other taxing entities to educate them about the application of these various financial mechanisms to support development proposals.
* Participate in public-private partnerships on economic development initiatives through investment in infrastructure and/or other development assistance.
* Investigate the possibility of establishing a hotel/motel tax whose revenues would be used to directly support tourism efforts.
Goal 4: Develop a unified marketing approach which promotes the city of St. Clair as "Open for Business!"
The objectives under Goal 4 are:
* Develop a database of key commercial and industrial developers in the region who might have an interest in developing in St. Clair.
* Work on producing a high quality marketing brochure and distribute the brochure to selected developers and key economic development officials.
* Enhance the city's Web site to create an electronic version of the marketing brochure.
* Work with the Chamber of Commerce and existing business community to incorporate this unified marketing approach into their advertising, as well.
* Produce and maintain a unique "branding" campaign, such as the Hot and Cold water tanks, which distinguishes the city of St., Clair as "the place" to do business in the region.
Goal 5: Strengthen the vitality of the city's downtown business district.
The objectives under Goal 5 are:
* Promote the use of historic tax credits for historic downtown buildings and work with the St. Clair Historical Society to enhance the historical value of the downtown area.
* Encourage the development, adoption and implementation of a downtown redevelopment plan designed to create an appealing downtown for merchants and customers alike.
* Encourage the creation of a Merchants Association.
The meeting Tuesday is open to all who wish to comment.
