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DRAFT <br />Paris Economic Development Corporation <br />Business Plan - 2012-2414 <br />In the last 20 years the number of new industry expansion projects has steadily decreased while ihe <br />competition and incentive packages offered by communities has become much more aggressive, Paris <br />cannot compete with the resources that Iarge cities and urban regions can put on the table. C}ur <br />advantages must be based on leveraging our assets (i.e. water, warkforce talent and proximity to the <br />Dallas Metroplex) as well as creating a competitive advantage through a unique Rural Innovation <br />Initiative. This Rural Innovation Iniiiative is not only unique in the State of Texas, but also nationally. <br />PEDC can differentiate Paris and Lamar County fram the competition through innovation and by <br />striving to build coalitions and partnerships to further the Red River Region brand. <br />Community/Civic Engagernent <br />Community leadership and cooperation among governing bodies, as welt as community organizations <br />are two of the 7 critical issues. They are natural results af implementing both the Roadmap strategies <br />and the diversity initiative. Bngaging community and civic leaders in cammunity-wide strategic <br />ptanning, as well as economic development evolves over time and occurs as a process. The PEDC staff <br />and baard conrinually talk to, listen ta and get input from a wide range of stakeholders. We will include <br />those who want to have a say and engage in the process to support and build our local and regional <br />econoxny. Ultimately, we desire broad-based ownership, support and engagement across a broad cross- <br />section of the community, wIvch we believe are critical to our econornic development success. <br />We initially formed a project steering committee and four working groups to develap the manufacturing <br />roadmap. These groups met between July and October 2011 to plan, identify and recommend strategies <br />to grow our economy through new jobs and investment. Each group had specific tasks and functioms <br />that resulted in the Roadmap recommendations presented by Mr. Richard Seline. <br />The five implementation strategies that rnake up this business plan provide numerous commwnity and <br />leadership engagement apportunities for a wide range af people in Paris and Lamar County, as well as <br />the region. PEDC will communicate the activities and results publicly as we go through the pracess and <br />keep our efforts on the coznmunity's front burner. <br />The diversity initiative, which launched zn December 2011, ties back to the community-wide strategic <br />plan and addresses one of the 7 critical issues. We are working to involve many people fram across the <br />community, and wil l have an advisory corn.inittee as we engage with the contractor, Executive Diversity <br />Services. We will assemble the advisory committee and manage that process to its completion in 2012. <br />Tn the 2012-14 PEDC Business Plan all of these efforts will be coordinated and dovetail together, <br />demonstrating results tied back to our community-wide strategic planning process. <br />_ _ <br />