It's Your Business: Take a short survey, offer your voice, help improve Monroe County
What would enable us to ... improve housing access and availability across Monroe County? Better connect local workers with quality jobs? Strengthen amenities like infrastructure, transit, childcare, services and more?
If you have been affected by any of the above — or have ideas for improving these aspects of our community — you are officially invited to participate in the Economic Vitality Project (EVP). The EVP is a new initiative to improve the lives of our neighbors around Bloomington, Ellettsville and all areas across Monroe County. To sign up and learn more, complete the two-minute engagement survey by July 15 at www.bloomingtonedc.com/evp.
What does the Economic Vitality Project do? The EVP convenes people across Monroe County to (1) identify opportunities and challenges we can tackle together as a community, (2) better support existing efforts to improve our community and economy, and (3) catalyze new actions to fill in the gaps. It is working to advance improvements for housing, workforce development, infrastructure, employment and quality of life.
More about schools: The MCCSC is officially seeking a 2022 referendum. Here's what you need to know about it.
Why is this needed ... hasn’t our community done other plans? Our community is rich in programs and studies but has room to grow when it comes to creating shared vision and taking action across our silos. The EVP bridges the almost 40 studies and plans that address different aspects of life in Monroe County. These topics are frequently interrelated, so must be addressed together. For example, housing cannot be discussed without also addressing topics including wages, transit and infrastructure. The EVP provides a way to create a shared vision and coordinate solutions across sectors and organizations.
What has been done so far and what’s next? On June 28, EVP steering and advisory committees kicked off their work. In the coming months, working groups will shape actions focused on housing, workforce development, infrastructure, quality of life and employment. Interviews and surveys with community members will help guide this work. The resulting plans will begin implementation in 2023.
Internet service update: Super fast internet service — from a mystery provider — coming as early as end of year
Can I help? Yes! We seek broad community representation through our working groups and committees, to better inform and ensure the success of this project. You can: (1) sign up to get involved through the two-minute engagement survey at http://www.bloomingtonedc.com/evp; (2) spread the word by sharing this article and the survey with colleagues, neighbors and community groups; (3) provide financial support or leads for grants and funding, by contacting the Bloomington Economic Development Corp.
It takes all of us to create a community that we are all proud of. Working together, sharing our aspirations and building solutions is vital to success. Economic vitality will be advanced by collaboration to define who we want to be as a community. We can achieve this vision together. We invite you to the table.
Jennifer Pearl is president of Bloomington Economic Development Corp.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: New initative to improve Monroe County seeks community involvement
