BOWLING GREEN WARREN COUNTY - bgchamber.com Strategic Plan.pdf · Craig Browning Regional president U.S. Bank Mike Buchanon Judge-Executive County of Warren Ron Bunch President and

WARREN COUNTYA SHARED VISION FOR THE

FUTURE OF OUR ECONOMY

&BOWLING GREEN

BOWLING GREEN & WARREN COUNTY: A SHARED VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR ECONOMY 1

Acknowledgements

Thank you to the members of the Strategic Council for their contributions to the formation of this report:

Tommy AdamsPresidentCharles M. Moore Insurance

Craig Browning Regional presidentU.S. Bank

Mike Buchanon Judge-ExecutiveCounty of Warren

Ron Bunch President and CEOBowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce

David Chandler PresidentChandler Real Estate

Rob Clayton SuperintendentWarren County Public Schools

Spencer Coates President Houchens Industries, Inc.

Todd Davis Co-owner and presidentDTD, Inc. and Crestmoor Properties, Inc.

Gary Fields SuperintendentBowling Green Independent Schools

Vicki Fitch Executive directorBowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

John Higgins PresidentBluegrass Supply Chain Services

John Hughes PresidentWendy’s of Bowling Green, Inc.

Eric Keeling PrincipalWarren County Area Technology Center

Rick Medlin President and CEOFruit of the Loom

Phil Neal PresidentSouthcentral Kentucky Community & Technical College

Matt Pollick General managerBowling Green Metalforming

Gary Ransdell PresidentWestern Kentucky University

Jim Scott President and CEOScotty’s Contracting & Stone, LLC

Steve Sheldon CEOSheldon’s Pharmacy and Sheldon Family Commercial Real Estate

Connie Smith President and CEOCommonwealth Health Corporation; CEOThe Medical Center

Terry Walsh Site DirectorSun Products Corp.

Bruce Wilkerson MayorCity of Bowling Green


tAble of contents

Acknowledements ............................................................................................................................. 2

tAble of contents ............................................................................................................................. 3

A Vision for bowling green & wArren county .......................................................................... 4 Play to our StrengthS ................................................................................................................. 4 take our economy to the next level ............................................................................................ 5

introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 6 PeoPle: the Fuel For growth ........................................................................................................ 6 the 21St century labor Pool ....................................................................................................... 7 the new economy & talent attraction ....................................................................................... 7 DeFining a Place-baSeD Strategy For bowling green & warren county ......................................... 8

Process ................................................................................................................................................ 9

the Art of the Possible: Assets, oPPortunities & constrAints ............................................. 11 aSSetS ....................................................................................................................................... 11 conStraintS ............................................................................................................................... 12 oPPPortunitieS ........................................................................................................................... 12

cAtAlyst Project: heAlth cAre & innoVAtion district ............................................................... 13

strAtegies, Actions & initiAtiVes ................................................................................................... 14 Strategy 1: growning our own ................................................................................................ 15 Strategy 2: DeSitnation bg ..................................................................................................... 18 Strategy 3: community entrePreneurShiP ..................................................................................... 21 Strategy 4: Planning our welcome mat ..................................................................................... 24

imPlementAtion tools ...................................................................................................................... 30

metrics .............................................................................................................................................. 30

strAtegic PlAn reference guide .................................................................................................... 31

APPendix ............................................................................................................................................ 33 exiSting ProgramS & oPPortunitieS For Synergy with Strategy 1 .................................................... 33 DaShboarD DeSign examPleS ........................................................................................................ 37


Our vision for Bowling Green and Warren County is focused on its people—those here and those we want to attract—past, present and future. To this end, we are committed to creating a collaborative and interdependent effort to strengthen our economic future by adhering to the following principles:

Drive economic development by supporting and building on our existing industry base, tourism assets and educational institutions. Manufacturing, Healthcare and Transportation and Logistics create thousands of jobs across South Central Kentucky. National and regional tourism attractions bring millions of visitors and boost quality of life to residents. Bowling Green and Warren County school districts, Western Kentucky University, Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College and Warren County Area Technology Center educate and train workers across the talent spectrum. Bowling Green also is nationally known for having an exceptionally high rate of restaurants per capita, making it a regional hub for entertainment and hospitality.

Our strong economy, quality amenities and infrastructure belie the charming, welcoming and approachable nature of our community—residents and visitors alike list our signature “small town feel with big city perks” as one of our most attractive characteristics. Bowling Green’s historic buildings, neighborhoods and vibrant public spaces showcase the rich simplicity of what it means to remain a small town with deep roots—distinct in pace and character from a bedroom community or fast-moving city.

Preserve "small Town" Feel

Despite its size, Bowling Green and Warren County provide all the first class amenities, conveniences and offerings of the state’s largest cities but without big city prices, distances and traffic. Housing, healthcare, education and transportation costs are all highly competitive. We will not pursue unplanned growth that offsets this balance. We will continue to collaborate, create jobs and protect opportunities for social and economic mobility for current and future populations.

mainTain livabiliTy

Western Kentucky University

BOWLING GREEN & WARREN COUNTY: A SHARED VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR ECONOMY

a vision For bowling green & warren CounTy

Play To our sTrengThs

leverage eConomiC sTrengThs

4


Take our eConomy To The nexT level

Bowling Green and Warren County is already considered a regional destination for tourism attractions, retail and restaurants. For decades, we have successfully attracted families and large employers. It is now time to expand and enrich our environment to inspire a wider array of people, to retain bright young minds, to create a sense of openness and opportunity, and to provide the fertile soil for new ventures. We will identify and market attractions for everyone from Vacationers to Staycationers, from Millennials to Baby Boomers.

Diverse oFFerings For Diverse PeoPle

The demands of the modern economy require innovative approaches to complex problems that cannot be solved by any one organization in isolation. Our shared values, hopes and challenges unite as appendages to the same body; with this plan, we create a shared heartbeat. The value of our collaborative efforts is much greater than the sum of our parts.

inTerDePenDenT Problem solving

We are igniting the fire of innovation by building on our community’s foundational strengths. We will be open to and explore new ideas and ventures to solve problems and identify unique opportunities.

This strategy for economic growth of Bowling Green and Warren County rests firmly on a recognition that the key driver of future community competitiveness and prosperity for its residents will come from quality of life investments and initiatives. The initiatives that result will be designed to strongly benefit companies already in the region and new enterprises that local entrepreneurs will create.

growTh Through innovaTion & DiversiFiCaTion

5

People are the fuel of economic growth in any industry; without a growing, appropriately skilled labor pool that meets the needs of businesses, an economy can stagnate.

However, growing and attracting the human capital to keep the labor pool filled is a challenge for communities. No longer are jobs the preeminent factor for workers when choosing where to stay or move. Today’s labor force is more mobile than any other in our nation’s history. Young, highly skilled talent in the technology sector—the minds driving growth in the Knowledge Economy—are highly sought but are among the most mobile groups.

Despite some skill shortages in highly specialized areas, the job market is heating up and people are voting with their feet when it comes to choosing where to start a career. Blue-collar, middle-skilled workers are highly competitive as older workers leave their jobs for retirement, and perceptions keep parents from encouraging kids to pursue those careers.

Though for Bowling Green and Warren County, sourcing people with talents of all kinds and at all levels represents the primary constraint to continued economic growth. In the long run, talent attraction

Western Kentucky University

and retention could threaten the positioning of the community to attract and retain companies and may be a barrier to growing and fostering an entrepreneurial culture.

For these reasons, satisfying the needs and hopes of people is the primary driver for the strategies and initiatives that follow. It is the lens through which the Bowling Green and Warren County leaders of this process have looked at their current reality and against which they intend to measure the payoff of future efforts.


Bowling Green and Warren County are blessed with a strong economy that is highly competitive within Kentucky and the Midsouth region. It has been built over decades through its foundations in agriculture, education and manufacturing. In recent years, healthcare has become another bedrock sector of the economy. Through its synergy with higher education, it holds substantial potential to drive future growth. Unique tourism attractions in Warren County and the surrounding region form a bookend, rounding out the community’s positioning and image.

Despite exceptionally rapid growth the past decade—driven largely by the community’s effectiveness in recruiting new manufacturing companies—local leaders have realized that Bowling Green/Warren County could not sustain its trajectory based on its current and locally grown human capital assets.

inTroDuCTion

PeoPle: The Fuel For growTh

6

Communities are actively competing for talent at almost every level—from neighborhoods to metropolitan regions. Public and private investments and tools required to compete are not solely defined by microeconomic trends but are matters of demographics.

The 21st century labor pool is at a tremendously transformative time: Some studies indicate Baby Boomers (born approximately from 1946-1964) retire at a rate of up to 10,000 per day, taking the decades of experience and leaving chasms of leadership and institutions that Generation X (born approximately from 1965-1980) simply cannot fill given they are categorically much smaller as a generation.

Meanwhile, Millennials (born approximately 1982-2004) are flooding into the labor market and comprise the largest portion of the labor pool.

GENERATIONS BORN BETWEEN TOTAL BIRTHS

Greatest Generation

Silent Generation

Baby Boomers

Generation X

Millennials

Generation Z

1900-1928

1928-1945

1946-1964

1965-1980

1981-1998

1999-2014

Approximately 30 million

47 million

76 million

55 million

66 million

61 million

Sources: Pew Research Center, Strauss & Howe, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Pegasus Planning and Development

If people are the new drivers of business and community growth for businesses, we must understand and embrace human-centered development. Americans across demographic groups consider the following important, attractive community traits:

• Walkable neighborhoods

• Ease of mobility with multi-modal transportation systems

• Live-work-play communities

• Community that encourages healthy living, not simply medical care

• Vibrant third spaces like cafes, patio bars, interactive public spaces, community events, festivals

• Proximity to arts and culture

• Revitalized urban and industrial • Strong, local, independent business base

• Access to sustainable agriculture

Providing these amenities is crucial to compete in the modern economy.

100%

75%

50%

25%

0%

1995 (Labor Force

= 131.4M)

2015 (Labor Force

= 156.9M)

2030 (Labor Force

= 173.5M)

Gen Z Millenials Gen X Baby Boomers

Silents Greatest

Sources: Pew Research Center, Department of Labor, WSJ.com and Pegasus Planning & Development


The 21sT CenTury labor Pool

The new eConomy & TalenT aTTraCTion

CharT 1: u.s. labor ForCe ComPosiTion by generaTion, PerCenT oF labor ForCe

7

In creating a contemporary, relevant Economic Development Strategy, Bowling Green and Warren County have many existing advantages.

Warren County is home to an exceptional K-12 education system that includes one of the top-rated high schools in the U.S., The Gatton Academy, located on the campus of one of the state’s top institutions of higher education, Western Kentucky University. WKU has experienced exceptional growth and success the past couple of decades, building core competencies in the STEM fields in addition to historic strengths such as its journalism school. It has made great strides in promoting entrepreneurship and is the impetus for major urban redevelopment initiatives on the edge of its campus that are helping create a greater “sense of place” in those sections of the city.

Additionally, Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College and the Warren County Area Technology Center provide strong and complementary capabilities for career development and adult continuing education, along with traditional technical skills development, customized skill training and other forms of vocational support. Their services are in high demand, utilized across the region and at the heart of maintaining a flexible workforce pipeline.

The Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce also has stepped up to the plate to develop a collaborative and innovative set of initiatives to address workforce development efforts. The Appendix provides a snapshot of the myriad of efforts the Chamber is spearheading. This Plan recognizes these efforts and essentially advises that the community continue to become more aware of those efforts

and creates opportunities to strengthen and bolster them.

The community boasts diverse, nationally-recognized brands like GM’s Corvette Assembly Plant and headquarter locations for Fruit of the Loom and Houchens Industries. These marquis major employers create primary jobs and support a thriving regional hub of retail and restaurant activity. These are special business assets that show how a community of Bowling Green’s size can be particularly competitive to a diverse range of employers and industry sectors. All these positive trends have made Bowling Green an attractive place for industry and economic prosperity.

In recent years, the City, County, Chamber and others have worked to bring activity back to the heart of the city with revitalization efforts in target areas of downtown and the urban core.

Meeting Bowling Green and Warren County’s challenges requires a dynamic balance between playing to a community’s strengths and collaboratively carving out new approaches and innovative strategies to meet the community and industry needs. The leadership in Bowling Green recognizes this and launched this visioning and strategic planning effort to confront these complex issues by becoming more interdependent, less siloed, in their respective efforts and by working toward that next era of Bowling Green’s bright future.

Just as leaders worked together to rejuvenate the downtown, they now come together to embrace an Economic Development Roadmap for the next five years that will carry this region well beyond this timeframe.


DeFining a PlaCe-baseD sTraTegy For bowling green & warren CounTy

8

Against the backdrop of a successful economic climate, coupled with the cautionary signals that a potential workforce “ceiling” could stifle future growth prospects, the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce recognized an imperative for action. Doing nothing was not an option.

To this end, the Chamber sought to mobilize a cross-section of community leaders who could bring together the expertise, networks and resources of their various organizations behind a coherent, shared vision and agenda. The Chamber identified what many leaders in the community recognized as a necessity and an inevitability: a collaboratively defined effort to develop interdependency”among the plans and efforts of as many civic and private institutions as possible.

This followed from a conviction that there is strength in a shared commitment to action. Community progress is, after all, like turning a big ship in the harbor: It is a slow process that must be undertaken carefully, but many tugs can get the job done.

In late 2015, the Chamber convened a Strategic Council comprised of leaders from business, government, healthcare,

public and higher education, tourism, real estate and other professions to lead the strategic planning effort summarized in this document.

Concurrently, a team of experienced strategic planning and economic development consultants were retained to facilitate this process. The consultants conducted background research and recommended steps to guide the Strategic Council deliberations toward a consensus agenda. Graphic 1 details the consultants' approach to completing the task at hand.

At the first Strategic Council meeting, the consultants presented a summary of their initial findings, based in part on an overview of existing plans, studies and reports. Their observations also reflected the results from two online surveys: one of Strategic Council members, asking them to review and prioritize a broad listing of issues that could provide focus and direction for the strategic plan; and an informal survey administered via social media to a sample of Bowling Green/Warren County young adults, aimed at determining their perceptions of Bowling Green/Warren County as a live-work-study and play community.

Phase I: Preliminary Assessment, Exploratory Discussions

Phase II: Intensive Engagement, Gap Opportunity Analysis

Phase III: Consensus Building, Defining a Road Map

October-November 2015

December 2015-January 2016

February - March 2016

Review Existing Plans & Studies Population & Economic Analysis Form Strategic Council

Goal Identification Subcommittee Meetings Gap/Opportunity Assessment

Establish Consensus Strategy Formulation Plan Adoption


ProCess

graPhiC 1: illusTraTion oF The visioning & sTraTegiC Plan ProCess

9

At the first meeting, the consultants outlined their preliminary synthesis of issues that emerged through background research and survey results. Topics that appeared as top priorities were grouped under four general themes that addressed:

1. The built environment and place-making 2. Human capital development and retention 3. Infrastructure and public investment 4. Diversification of the economy

These broad topics became the structural basis for the remaining steps in the planning process.

As an additional step to identify nuanced strategies in an inclusive manner, the Strategic Council established four subcommittees focused on the four themes and related issues identified by the Council. Working with the consulting team, the subcommittees met in an initial plenary session at Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center to hear an overview of the process and collectively hear each entity’s hopes and visions for the future. Attendees subsequently separated for more intensive break-out sessions to dive more deeply into their respective topics.

Through their conversations with the consulting team, subcomittees identified specific issues, constraints, opportunities or initiatives that would address and define how their themes should be treated within the Strategic Plan. Online surveys were again put to use: Subcommittee members were asked to rank order an extensive list of detailed issues, tactics and actions that could lead to progress in advancing the goals of their thematic areas. This was an iterative process requiring several steps: Subcommittee output was summarized by the consulting team and provided to the Strategic Council for review. The Council worked through two intensive workshop sessions to refine this “bottom-up” material into a streamlined set of initiatives and to explore how the projects or actions that emerged as top priorities might provide the greatest synergy and interdependent impact. This became a test for validating the final list of projects/actions that have emerged

for inclusion in this Plan.The consulting team brought forward a range of educational background material, particularly focused on the increasingly important area of the evolving workforce. They explored the role of Millennials in the workforce: namely, the importance of attraction and retention efforts targeting this group as older workers retire and Millennials become the largest population group from which companies will be drawing to meet the full range of talent needs. They also brought forward a number of “best practice” or case study examples of local projects and initiatives from other communities that have proven successful at addressing issues similar to those faced by Bowling Green and Warren County.

As a final step in the process, the consultants worked with the Strategic Council to identify one or more “Catalyst Projects” that would encapsulate the four theme areas and that would become the leading edge elements of the strategy as a whole, a key to creating an interdependent plan that achieves the community’s vision. This concept will be described fully in the following sections.

Other aspects of the final rounds of planning work include an implementation roadmap to guide future efforts of the principal public and private sector organizations in prioritizing investments and critical path actions needed for the Strategy to move forward. Finally, the Council gave consideration to identifying key metrics that can be easily used to create an interactive “dashboard” for tracking progress, ensuring accountability and ongoing evaluation of the strategic allocating of resources over the life of the plan.

This cumulative effort led the formulation of this community-wide Economic Development Strategy that serves as a blueprint to guide and coordinate economic development efforts in Bowling Green/Warren County. The following pages of this report summarize the Plan’s key strategies and a series of actions for each. They also explain the role of the Catalyst Project that was identified as a unique driver and connector across strategies and among many of the key actions.


In all surveys, interviews, focus groups and work sessions, stakeholders were asked to identify the most attractive and important assets that will assist Bowling Green/Warren County in achieving the next level of economic development. While the responses varied, consensus was established around the following (in no particular order):

Livability: Comfortable size. A balance between small-town and big city. Great for raising families.

The multitude of forms and levels of input throughout the process led to a vast list of the positive trends and challenges facing Bowling Green and Warren County. The most salient findings of this exploration relate to the importance of a list of the community’s key assets, opportunities and constraints.

Education System: K-12 system is very strong in the region. Students are taught excellent leadership skills with Stephen Covey’s The Leader in Me Program, which is integrated across grade levels. The community’s diversity offers students exposure to dozens of nationalities, languages and cultures. The Gatton Academy of Mathematics & Science is a world-class institution and consistently ranks among the top high schools in the U.S.

“I like that I can wander around downtown and check out all the awesome cafes and shops and then turn around and drive 30 minutes or less and be in the woods hiking or out on the lake. You really get the best of a small, thriving city and a more rural town.”

— Comment from anonymous respondent to preliminary survey of area residents, October 2015

Strong Employment Drivers: Manufacturing, Healthcare, Transportation, Logistics and Warehousing.

Tourism Attractions: A range of national, state and locally known attractions including: General Motors’ Corvette Assembly Plant, National Corvette Museum, NCM Motorsports Park, Beech Bend Raceway, Historic Railpark & Train Museum and Aviation Heritage Park.

Top-Tier Performing Arts Facilities: Includes Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center. Higher Education: Western Kentucky University and Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College offer students and industry the certificates, degrees, continuing education, research and development needed to cultivate a strong pool of talent.

Outdoor Recreation: Unique landscapes and geological features draw locals and international visitors. Landmarks include Mammoth Cave National Park, Lost River Cave, Bowling Green parks, Greenways and Blueways System.

Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center


The arT oF The Possible: asseTs, oPPorTuniTies & ConsTrainTs

asseTs

11

The community is also grappling with constraints in areas that restrict Bowling Green/Warren County’s ability to achieve its full potential, including:

• Workforce development pipeline • Talent retention and attraction • Industrial infrastructure • Urban form and place-making • Culture of entrepreneurship • Institutional collaboration • Fiscal climate • Other external constraints beyond jurisdiction of the City and County

The process also revealed many opportunities to leverage strengths, mitigate constraints and bolster overall economic performance, many of which are expanded upon in the strategies and actions in the following section. In summary, opportunities include:

• Identify target markets and key demographics for talent attraction and retention

• Sharpen and amplify community-marketing efforts

• Integrate long-range planning of public infrastructure investments through the lens of talent and business retention and expansion

• Mainstream successful local initiatives and pilot programs by scaling across the community

• Diversify the industry base using existing industry base (cluster-based innovation and diversification)

Seizing these opportunities will require an entrepreneurial mindset—using common challenges and limited resources as conduits to innovation, interdependent strategies and shared successes. While this is the first time the Bowling Green/Warren County leadership has undertaken such an intensely collaborative strategic planning effort, the dialogue and consensus developed throughout the process around a shared vision will strengthen implementation.


ConsTrainTs

oPPorTuniTies

12

Among all the Strategies and Actions in the report, one project stands alone as a major catalyst to the economy:

Create a Healthcare & Innovation District between the Riverfront, Downtown and hospitals, which involves creating a health- and innovation-focused area with the amenities of a business park but integrated with a dense urban neighborhood. It creates a rich environment designed to offer live-work-play amenities to businesses and talented professionals of all skill levels. It is a complex organism that requires a collaborative and interdependent effort across the public and private sector.

The District we recommend, with placement Downtown stretching to the Barren Riverfront, provides an opportunity to directly connect to the broader implementation of an array of strategies and actions detailed in this plan, including but not limited to:

• Creating a more strategic and integrated approach to public infrastructure investments; leveraging these investments to attract development

• Developing a code overlay to improve aesthetics and a sense of destination along key gateway corridors leading into and in parts of the District

• Using zoning and strategic development financing tools to stimulate redevelopment of underutilized land or unique, rustic, industrial spaces in the Riverfront area

• Tying in place-making via historic neighborhoods, character districts and community heritage (Shake Rag District, Fountain Square Park, Railroad Museum) to connect the Riverfront to Historic Downtown and newly redeveloped areas stimulated through the TIF District

• Strategically placing other key projects to develop nodes of activity and drivers of multi-modal circulation

• Leveraging existing transportation infrastructure (greenways, streets, Riverfront parks and trails) to create a connected multi-modal network for commuters or for downtown residents to increase walkability and bikability

• Adding office and commercial space (targeting healthcare or research and innovation)for businesses that prefer a Downtown location

• Linking the entrepreneurial ecosystem to Downtown development and creating a broader culture of entrepreneurship across the community

• Developing small/independent businesses (cafes, bars, retail, services) and spaces to those better suited to the Downtown market

• Offering more housing choices to boost talent attraction efforts (i.e. live-work spaces, lofts, condos, etc., for Baby Boomers, young professionals and small families)

The graphic map below demonstrates how these facets might fit together and be leveraged in tandem to create a truly catalytic synergy across an array of stakeholders.

This initiative will be physically downtown yet will impact all four goals, creating a center for living, entertaining and learning. It will become the densest area in Bowling Green, providing a hub for an entrepreneurship ecosystem to flourish while being directly connected to major employers and quality of life amenities like the Riverfront.


CaTalysT ProjeCT: healThCare & innovaTion DisTriCT

graPhiC 2: maP oF exisTing asseTs anD CaTalyzing PoTenTial oF inTegraTing mulTiPle sTraTegies

13

For each of the four themes that emerged through the process related above, we have defined corresponding overarching goals that are intentionally and necessarily broad in meaning to serve as conceptual buckets, encapsulating the cumulative efforts of numerous actions. The four goals contain related actions summarized on the following pages in a Quick-Guide Reference and in detailed sections in the remainder of this report.

The diagram below demonstrates how these goals could be seen as discrete approaches to economic development but also have interlocking, cross-cutting opportunities detailed in the report. For example, “Destination BG” and “Growing

Our Own” focus on the needs of the people who will fill the economy’s growing demand for talent; therefore, they have substantial overlap in their purpose and potential impact.

The majority of strategies and actions listed on the following pages were either directly sourced from the community or identified by the consultants as applicable best practices from other communities, in which case they were thoroughly vetted throughout the community visioning and planning process. In many cases, the process of open discussion of assets, resources and common challenges revealed several actions seen as low-hanging fruit for immediate action or early wins.

Enhance talent and workforce pipeline through industry involvement


sTraTegies, aCTions & iniTiaTives

graPhiC 3: ConCePTual illusTraTion oF The Four sTraTegies & goal sTaTemenTs

GROWING OUR OWN Place-based strategies

and marketing for talent attraction

and retention

DESTINATION BG

Dress the community for success by aligning

land use and infrastructure tools

PLANNING OUR

WELCOME MATDiversification through traditional attraction and start-up activity that builds on existing strengths

COMMUNITY ENTREPRENEURSHIP

14

Growing and Keeping a Talented Workforce: Bowling Green’s employment growth has exceeded its ability to sufficiently develop and attract a skilled workforce—a challenge felt most acutely by blue-collar employers in entry-level to mid-management positions across industries. The economy is at full employment with current and projected job openings in the thousands. The Chamber is spearheading and coordinating multiple efforts to improve workforce development in Bowling Green/Warren County (program initiatives listed in the Appendix), therefore the following actions are recommended to the community to enhance ongoing efforts.

The greatest opportunities for improving the effectiveness of existing programs lie in institutional coordination, data-

systems and marketing. Actions 1 and 4 create platforms for convening and increasing interaction and problem solving for a range of stakeholders across the public and private sectors and educational institutions.

Action 2 focuses on creating a data pool to be developed, shared and continuously used by stakeholders for monitoring and evaluating the state of the labor market as programs are implemented.

Action 3 discusses outreach to two new target markets—Boomerangs and Baby Boomers—that are low-hanging fruit for talent attraction and overall economic growth because of their specific connections to community assets.


sTraTegy 1: growing our own

aCTion 1: warren CounTy labor sheD working grouP

leaD ConvenerWarren County Work Ready Committee

leaD imPlemenTerSouth Central Kentucky Workforce Development Board

esTimaTeD FinanCial imPliCaTionsExisting Resources

Create a Warren County Labor Shed Working Group comprised of private industry, educational institutions, economic development, social service providers and the public sector. The group would convene regularly to improve coordination through broad-based data sharing and monitor and evaluate progress toward achieving workforce development goals.

The Labor Shed-approach enhances the traditional workforce and talent discussion because it involves analyzing supply and demand through the lens of the employee by considering how his or her needs and decisions are shaped by geography, access to housing, social service provision, related policy, taxation and transportation, broadening the scope of potential solutions to solving workforce shortages.

Model initiAtiVe: innoVAtion in workforce deVeloPment

tech VAlley connection: 21st century educAtion & workforce initiAtiVe

New York’s Tech Valley Connection became a pilot program for developing an understanding of best practices for improving our national education system. The initiative operates as a learning laboratory for innovation in developing sustainable, innovative approaches to solving modern issues with education and economic growth. The program was created through convening 20 chambers of commerce and K-12 leaders at over 100 school districts and 345 individual schools. Contributions came from all points along the pipeline even down to the teacher-student/classroom level.

model initiAtiVe: community-wide workforce deVeloPment effort

greAter houston PArtnershiP “uPskill houston”

This five-to-seven-year regional workforce development effort increases training and employment in middle-skill jobs across multiple industries. GHP convened the business community, educational institutions and social service organizations (housing groups, non-profits, family services) to engage in a three-pronged effort to attract, train and place people holding, at minimum, a high-school diploma in the approximately 75,000 open positions in the 10-county metropolitan area. The effort was kicked off with the Upskill Houston Workforce Development Summit, a two-day workshop for key organizations and community leaders to inventory all ongoing efforts, share strategies to increase participation and cultivate buy-in across all levels. Extensive surveys and analyses are conducted to identify specific skill needs, monitor hard-to-fill positions and identify opportunities for connecting employers and labor.

15

“Boomerang recruitment is a high ROI activity, primarily because the cost per hire is very low, and little time or effort must be invested in getting to know the candidate. While Boomerangs make great hires, they also empower or embolden retention efforts by exposing employees at risk of attrition to first-hand accounts of life outside the organization and the selling points of what brought them back.”

— Sullivan, Eremedia


aCTion 2: DeveloP aPPlieD researCh For ongoing skills gaP analysis

leaD ConvenerWarren County Work Ready Committee

leaD imPlemenTerSouth Central Kentucky Workforce Development Board

esTimaTeD FinanCial imPliCaTions $40,000

Bowling Green/Warren County has no shortage of training programs. However, additional data collection is needed to understand how to continually improve and expand them.

Conduct applied research on talent needs of local employers using a surveys and database inquiry that evaluate quality and quantity of degree/certificate programs annually. Develop industry education feedback loops on training needs and volume and capacity of local certificate/degree program graduates. Use surveys and additional qualitative or applied research to understand the decision-making processes for new hires and improve outcomes

model ProgrAm for dAtA-systems APProAch to workforce deVeloPment

Jobs for the Future Credentials That Work Initiative was launched in 2010 primarily through philanthropic foundation funding. The initiative developed innovative technology tools to create real-time labor market data used to align post-secondary educational institutions with local job openings. The continuous data flow and feedback loops improve our understanding of hiring trends, employer demands and skill requirements as they continue to evolve. Institutions now using the CTW program include The Centers of Excellence (San Jose, CA); CONNECT, a southeastern Massachusetts public higher education partnership; and Delaware Technical & Community College Center for Industry Research & Workforce Alignment.

aCTion 3: TargeTing boomerangs & baby boomers

leaD ConvenerBowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce

leaD imPlemenTerWestern Kentucky University, WKU Alumni and Southern Kentucky Realtors Association

esTimaTeD FinanCial imPliCaTions Existing Resources

Boomerangs are people who have lived in Bowling Green/Warren County—while growing up, raising a family, working or attending school—but left and are likely candidates to return for the right job or opportunity. Employers understand the value in tracking and rehiring Boomerangs as a talent retention strategy. The same approach can be adapted to an area or regional talent attraction effort.

Target people with personal connections to Bowling Green/Warren County. Start by interviewing and surveying existing Boomerangs to identify geographies and communication tools to reach target markets. Baby Boomers could be sourced as part of a Boomerang strategy or targeted through their Boomerang children as they approach child-bearing years. Baby Boomers are mobile and have a much higher retirement income than previous generations. They will be a strong market for downtown housing, entrepreneurship and mentorship programs.

16


model ProgrAms for re-AttrActing boomerAngs

buffAlo, ny former resident mArketing exAmPles

Over the last several years, Buffalo has used strategic press outlets featuring stories of returned residents to illustrate the successful implementation of:

• Buffalo Building Re-Use Project • Tech company Incentives from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Buffalo Billion Initiative

Press examples include:

• “Why Adults Under 39 are Moving Back to Buffalo” (TMG-Blog, TheMacGroup.com) • “These Millennials are Moving to Buffalo & Living Like Kings” (Gothamist News, gothamist.com) • “Buffalo’s Tech Scene Reboots the City" (John Swarts, 43north.org and USA Today) • “Expats to Repats: The Hassett family’s whirlwind move of August 2013” (Lindsay D’Arcangelo, BuffaloNews.com) • “Millennials Returning Home to Buffalo, for career and family” (Tim O’Shei, BuffaloNews.com)

The storytelling aspect of this tactical marketing approach speaks directly to young people's desire for opportunities to make meaningful contributions through their work and to be part of a community they intrinsically understand. The Buffalo-Niagara metro tops Forbes’ list for growth in the share of Millennial jobs.

tulsA regionAl chAmber, Project boomerAng

This project is a coordinated effort with alumni organizations and industry to maintain connections with graduates through text messaging and social media to one day bring them back to live and work.

aCTion 4: leaDer in me 2.0


leaD imPlemenTerBG Chamber Foundation, Bowling Green Independent School District, Warren County Public Schools


The Leader in Me Program is already considered a national model for excellence in leadership development for K-12 grade students.

Increase industry involvement and form linkages to future Career Academies for improving or enhancing advanced levels of K-12 Leader in Me programs. Elements to incorporate in industry-partnership model: Applied practicum, STEM-focus, project-based learning, mentorship or internship programs. Student-taught leadership seminars or presentations to industry.

model initiAtiVe: mentorshiP

girls incorPorAted “eurekA!” teen AchieVement ProgrAm (oAklAnd, cA)

An intensive five-year program to prepare girls (grades 8-12) for college in high-growth industries, such as STEM. They work hand in hand with employers, develop mentor networks and gain valuable workforce experience.

17


The community is in need of investments in developing a sense of place with a rich collection of neighborhoods, districts and opportunity areas for young, talented workers seeking a community with more than the typical quality of life amenities like strong schools, hospitals and job growth.

Quality of life to the under 40 population increasingly means a city that offers mobility, inspiration and opportunities to connect with an engaged community. Place-based investments multi-modal transportation, active recreation and spaces for creativity and life-long learning.

sTraTegy 2: DesTinaTion bg

aCTion 1: launCh PaD For loCal small business DeveloPmenT moDule For inDePenDenT reTail, FooD/beverage & enTerTainmenT seCTors

leaD ConvenerSmall Business Development Center

leaD imPlemenTerTBD


Leverage existing reputation as a restaurant capital to spotlight more local businesses. Provide specialized training and business formation tools to potential entrepreneurs.

best PrActices or model initiAtiVes

PetAlumAstAr.com (PetAlumA, cA)

Petaluma has a very strong independent retail and hospitality industry. The city’s brand, messaging and collateral speak to the potential workforce and businesses in these industries. The city's business services and startup tools cater to these industries with robust and accessible communication tools.

aCTion 2: Convene DownTown grouPs & reCruiT a CiTy CenTer CoorDinaTor


leaD imPlemenTerTBD


The Downtown market is slowly filling out but is still underperforming given its strong assets and wealth of developable land. Several groups individually address various aspects and needs of downtown residents and businesses, but the area is still struggling to capture its potential due to lack of a holistic vision and coordinated efforts. Facilitate a discussion among existing downtown groups on the need for a Downtown Champion to spearhead coordination, capturing more activities and events and identifying innovative funding opportunities to accelerate marketing/attracting innovative developers and businesses.

18


downtown coordinAtion: eVents, mArketing & AttrAction

city of sAn mArcos, deVeloPment serVices diVision: mAin street coordinAtor

While Austin may capture much of the media hype, San Marcos (a 30-minute drive south of Austin) is the fastest growing city in the country among cities with a population over 50,000. And much of the city’s retail and residential growth has been captured in the Downtown, thanks to the city’s:

1. 2013 Master Plan that increased infrastructure investment downtown and made proactive zoning and permitting shifts to accommodate density and mixed use

2. Decision to hire Samantha Armbruster as a full-time Main Street Coordinator in tandem with its progressive policy shifts to boost marketing and attraction efforts

Although Armbruster had no experience in development or planning, she was a young, charismatic and dynamic connector of people and places. Many consider her the sole driver of the downtown’s resurgence, yet her early efforts were simpler than they may seem: She focused on promoting businesses and bringing people downtown again and again to form diverse connections to Main Street, the historic square and several neighboring downtown districts. The Main Street division employs two full-time employees and commands hundreds of employees to put on events and promotional campaigns for downtown small downtown businesses such as:

• “LOVE Downtown,” a cash mob and social media campaign • Wine + Art Walks that grew to Wine + Art Weekends (SMTXWinewalk.com)• Downtown Mural program, Graffiti Alley• Bobcat Build, a collaboration to beautify downtown and public spaces with students from Texas State University• Downtown “Brew Hop,” the first ever downtown craft beer tasting event

“When (Armbruster) started her job, her office received about one call per month from entrepreneurs or developers looking to invest downtown. Now the calls are almost daily at this point,” Armbruster said. ”The interest level has skyrocketed.” (CommunityImpact.com, January 2016)

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aCTion 3: CoorDinaTe business markeTing & aTTraCTion eFForTs To CreaTe a Dense mixeD-use, live-work-Play environmenT along The barren riverFronT


leaD imPlemenTerTBD, likely City Center Coordinator, discuss with Downtown groups


The Barren Riverfront area is one of the only parts of Bowling Green with a significant connection to the natural landscape and topography. The Riverfront Park, connection to greenways, industrial buildings and the College Street Bridge provide a unique blend of industry and nature—a true sense of place. The River District is a prime area to capture new markets (loft-style condos, industrial revitalization, entrepreneurial ventures, retail, office/co-work spaces, etc.). Understanding how to leverage and market the buildings and spaces is as important as zoning adjustments (addressed in Strategy 4). All of downtown should be driven toward creating great places for people to live, work and play.

best PrActices for downtown reVitAlizAtion

• Establish regularly scheduled events to feature local merchants, music and food

• Expose a wider portion of the community to the attractive assets of Downtown

• Identify, create and market distinct districts (historic district, entertainment district, shopping district, etc.)

• Create more developable land by removing blight, enhancing public spaces or revitalizing natural areas

• Offer all under-utilized public land for private development

• Ensure multi-modal access Downtown, making it as easy as possible for people to get there and move around freely

• Work with commercial brokers to link businesses to spaces, leading to the creation of activity nodes (clusters of bars, cafes, book shops, etc.).

• Cooperatively manage all parking Downtown to ease or remove minimum parking requirements for new buildings

• Create or identify the myriad of federal, state and local funding streams to promote interest in the downtown development Examples: Façade and signage grant programs, blight tax, new market tax credits, historic tax credits, grants for streetscape or sidewalk improvements, tax rebates/abatements, etc.

References: The Project for Public Places; UrbanSCALE; Urban Land Institute

20


The economy is highly concentrated in the manufacturing sector and industries strongly linked to it such as transportation, warehousing and logistics. There is a great need of diversification that could come in the form of entrepreneurship and innovation in new arenas of the knowledge economy or through applied research and development in collaboration with existing industries as well as the anticipated healthcare growth with the recent

announcement of a medical school in Bowling Green. Entrepreneurship efforts blossom when individual institutions are highly collaborative and strategically self-aware—constantly communicating, collaborating, monitoring progress and adjusting course to increase efficiency and make improvements. Stakeholders across Bowling Green/Warren County must work together to establish a culture of entrepreneurship.

sTraTegy 3: CommuniTy enTrePreneurshiP

aCTion 1: inDusTry-universiTy TeChnology ParTnershiP iniTiaTives

leaD ConvenerWestern Kentucky University

leaD imPlemenTerTBD


Industry-University Technology Partnerships can take many forms and evolve in response to impacts such as the role of local entrepreneurship efforts, available funding, costs of equipment/training and historical context. Partnerships in Bowling Green/Warren County will likely start with exploring the research capacities at the WKU Center for Research and Development and other higher education research facilities.

A thorough inventory of technologies and industry needs should be conducted to derive possible areas for collaboration on applied research and development. This kind of exploration could yield benefits to existing businesses and provide the Chamber with potential new target industries for business attraction.

model PArtnershiPs

illustrAtiVe models for industry-business technology PArtnershiPs

• GE-University of Cincinnati: GE Aviation Research Center (Evendale, OH) • Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (Virginia) • University of Virginia Research Park (Virginia) • Virginia BioTech Research Park (Virginia)

A Note oN PoteNtiAl for Agriculture As A DiversificAtioN strAtegy

As stated in the Overview to this Plan, Bowling Green’s economy has been built over decades through its original foundations as the market center of a rich agricultural region.

While a focus on agriculture did not surface through the Strategic Council’s process, the ever-increasing global demand for food and the imperatives for sustainability have lead to a corresponding interest in new agricultural technologies, bio products and bio-based energy sources. These global trends provide a fresh opportunity to leverage Warren County’s existing regional strengths—in particular the educational and ag-research capabilities represented by WKU’s Department of Agriculture and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service at WKU’s agricultural farm.

These assets go hand in hand with the competitiveness and robust capabilities of manufacturing in the region. Bringing together stakeholders in agriculture and agricultural research and development would give a voice to the region’s advocacy efforts for agriculture. Stakeholders would become engaged partners to support Warren County’s economic development. Additionally, a strategy that embraces agriculture provides another path to strengthen the community’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, as well as initiatives to promote agriculture tourism and the local food economy that already are in progress.

21


aCTion 2: enTrePreneurshiP eCosysTem iniTiaTives

leaD ConvenerWestern Kentucky University

leaD imPlemenTerTBD


Like economic development, developing an entrepreneurial ecosystem is a marathon, not a sprint. Success involves sometimes decades of work aligning organizations and resources before it becomes a self-sustaining growth generator. Bowling Green has strong resources, but there must be a more concerted effort to develop a culture of collaboration, experimentation, risk-taking and investment.

Services and resources must be improved across the pipeline and be aligned to develop and carry entrepreneurs from ideation, product development, business planning, seed funding, capitalization, venture capital networks, mentorship, incubation, acceleration, tech transfer, commercialization. Interdisciplinary collaboration.

chAttAnoogA, tn

Ranked fourth in the nation for startup activity, Chattanooga is home to an entrepreneurial ecosystem that includes an array of resources and institutions. The city’s advanced entrepreneurial system is evident by the following diverse social and collaborative spaces that are reflections and outgrowths of the startup network:

Entrepreneurial Meetups (re: meetup.com groups)

• 1 Million Cups - 1st Tuesday Meetups • Chattanooga Female Founder • Chattanooga Home-based Business Women • Chattanooga SEO & Internet • Nooga Networking • WOWW! Women of Wealth & Worth

Regular Entrepreneurial Events

• 24 Hour Generator – CO.LAB event to inspire teen girls to become entrepreneurs • Business Entrepreneur Academy – 10-week course for interested entrepreneurs • Chamblis Startup Social – seminar series • Launch Kinetic – annual event for teens • Start It Up – weekly radio show

Startup Competitions • 48 Hour Launch Chattanooga • Startup Week Chattanooga • Will This Float? Pitch Competition

Co-Working & Makerspaces • Chattanooga Workspace • Concierge Office Suites • Society of Work • Chatt*Lab

Incubators & Accelerators • INCubator Business Development Center • Lamp Post Group • CO.LAB • GIGTank

Angel Groups/VCs • Blank Slate Ventures • Chattanooga Renaissance Fund • The Jump Fund • The Lamp Post Group • River Associates Investments

Reference: FundSage.com Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Highlight

model initiAtiVe: entrePreneuriAl ecosystem


aCTion 3: "we builD bg" online DashboarD For moniToring & evaluaTing eConomiC DeveloPmenT eFForTs


leaD imPlemenTerTBD


Develop an engaging public infographic demonstrating outcomes and progress and regular publication/convening of area institutions to identify opportunities, mid-course changes and innovative ways to integrate efforts and share resources.

model initiAtiVe: community dAshboArd

cAncommunitydAshboArd.org – community Action network of centrAl texAs’ “cAn community dAshboArd”

This engaging online tool tracks 17 socioeconomic metrics or indicators related to the social health and well-being of Austin and Travis County residents. The dashboard relays data in interactive ways, such as:

• Graphs of data compiled over time • Indicators showing positive or negative progress from year before • Descriptive reports on all related community development initiatives aimed at improving this indicator (whether the initiative is spearheaded by a pubic, private or non-profit organization)

The annual report is delivered across the community in public events and presentations. See Appendix for additional details.

aCTion 4: CreaTe a healThCare & innovaTion DisTriCT Plan

leaD ConvenerWarren County Downtown Economic Development Authority

leaD imPlemenTerTBD


Create a robust strategic and land plan to redevelop the area around The Medical Center as a model innovation district. This mixed-use, live-work-play district will be built around the principle of “bump and spark” entrepreneurship, providing inspiring and interactive spaces for creativity to thrive. The Plan should focus on Downtown and overlapping with the industrial areas along the Barren Riverfront. Leverage new medical school. The spillover benefits of this plan could facilitate success in other efforts such as providing additional office and lab space for industry-university partnerships or filling gaps in the entrepreneurial ecosystem (ex: coworking or makerspace potential).

best PrActices & metrics for innoVAtion district PlAnning

innoVAtion district criteriA from the brookings institute

Critical Mass: Should be planned to concentrate innovation assets, physical and population. Example metrics:

• Ratio of built-unbuilt space • Concentration of innovation assets (research institutions, cowork spaces, makerspaces, accelerators) • Concentration of research dollars • Employment density • Population density

Competitive Advantage: Should leverage strength and grow and attract firms and jobs. Example metrics:

• University population • Educational attainment of population (BA+) • Percent of residents in STEM cccupations

Quality of Place: Should have place-based assets that accelerate outcomes, attract other assets and increase interactions. Project for Public Spaces “4 Qualities of Great Places” relates to location, concentration and diversity of:

• Uses and activities • Accessibility and linkages • Comfort and image • Sociability

See Appendix for visual Great Places Guide.


Proactive Planning & Urban Design: Population and job growth have predominantly focused on greenfield development and outward expansion that challenges the public sector’s ability to adequately plan for or maintain infrastructure and transportation systems. There must be more proactive planning and growth management coordinated between City and County Planning and Zoning.

Growth Management is the overall goal to be achieved through this strategy. Growth Management is focused on making smart investments in utilities for cost efficiencies, which is not only important for public budgets but also to create predictable Pro Formas for developers, the school

district, utility companies and other stakeholders.

Beyond considering the fiscal impacts of public infrastructure planning, this strategy gets to the heart of creating Great Places that makes the community appealing to prospective and existing businesses and prospective and existing talent. Smarter infrastructure investment means greater opportunities for making improvements in the quality of place/life such as Downtown and along the Riverfront. Greenways and trails, mixed-use districts, stronger concentrations of activity centers and redevelopment potential of land and buildings are more possible and more attractive to developers by taking this approach to planning.

sTraTegy 4: Planning our welCome maT

graPhiC 4: The PlaCe Diagram

24


aCTion 1: imPlemenT DownTown DisTriCT reviTalizaTion sTraTegy

leaD ConvenerCity-County Planning Commission of Warren County

leaD imPlemenTerTBD


The vision of Downtown depicted in the Downtown Redevelopment Plan should continue to be implemented. The focus on public spaces and in marketing to retail are still very relevant to this strategy, and vast amounts of underdeveloped and underutilized spaces are downtown. Were an update or amendment to be made, added emphasis on increasing housing options downtown should be a focus area.

best PrActices

useful PublicAtions on urbAn design As A tool for stimulAting innoVAtion & tAlent AttrAction:

• The American Institute of Architects’ “Cities as a Lab: Designing an Innovation Economy – a handbook for Local Leaders” • URBACT “Creative-based Strategies in Small and Medium-sized Cities: Guidelines for Local Authorities” • “Is Your Waterfront a Back Door or A Front Door?” (sustainablecitiescollective.org)

model PlAnning efforts focused on innoVAtion districts And eco-design

• City of Cleburne, Texas “Downtown Master Plan” (2015) • City of San Marcos, Texas “Vision San Marcos: A River Runs Through Us” (2013)

aCTion 2: aDjusT barren riverFronT zoning, Design sTanDarDs anD inFrasTruCTure, Planning in alignmenT wiTh healThCare & innovaTion DisTriCT

leaD ConvenerCity-County Planning Commission of

Warren County

leaD imPlemenTerTBD


Allow for moderate-density, vertical mixed-use (ground-floor retail/office, two-to-five story residential). Housing potential can be aligned with marketing for the District or for existing industry recruitment.


strong corridor PlAnning efforts

locAl model

• Cemetery Road is considered the area's signature gateway corridor.

nAtionAl models

• US 19 Corridor Zoning District Development Plan (Tampa, FL): An award-winning plan that incorporates landscaping, transportation and aesthetic aspects of the urban form at a range of levels (commercial districts, neighborhood centers and individual building frontage)

• Pierce Corridor Plan (Sioux City, IA): Coincided with an urban renewal area; added a façade improvement grant program.

aCTion 3: DeveloP CoDe overlays For welCome maT CorriDors


leaD imPlemenTerTBD


Develop code overlays and improvement plans for key corridors that serve as entry points to the community. Ensure predictable, efficient enforcement. Some elements will require grandfather-policies and allow for some businesses to make adjustments over time; however, variances should be limited.

AnAlyticAl tools

growth mAnAgement And the fiscAl imPlicAtions of deVeloPment PAtterns

• Smart Growth America, Fiscal Implications of Development Patterns (Macon-Bibb County, GA)

Many city/county/regional planning professionals conduct in-house analysis utilizing a GIS-integrated, free-ware program called Envision Tomorrow (www.EnvisionTomorrow.org).

aCTion 4: CoorDinaTe lanD use Planning & inFrasTruCTure invesTmenTs, inCluDing a FoCus on inDusTrial Parks Planning


leaD imPlemenTerTBD


Despite workforce constraints, the industrial sector continues to expand. The City, County and Chamber must coordinate efforts to balance greenfield/infill possibilities for a range of commercial and residential uses. Mixed-use potential should be explored for the urban core. The return on investment of infrastructure expansion and maintenance for denser development is exceedingly more beneficial to a community in terms of financial, social and economic impacts.

This does not require that all development and investment be directed to the City Center, but there should be, at a minimum, an order-of-magnitude cost and conceptual framework for infrastructure investment.


existing locAl Precedent

Louisville-Jefferson County Merger

aCTion 5: assess CosT & beneFiTs To CiTy-CounTy merger oF aDDiTional DeParTmenTs or PubliC imPlemenTaTion eFForTs

leaD ConvenerCity of Bowling Green, Warren County

leaD imPlemenTerTBD


The local adage “As Bowling Green goes, so goes Warren County” is a symbolic representation of the potential for the City and County to address additional opportunities to merge departments and agencies. The mergers of Bowling Green-Warren County’s Planning and Zoning Department and Louisville-Jefferson County can be analyzed for lessons learned and impacts on efficiency.

best PrActices: bike, PedestriAn, greenwAy PlAnning

kershAw county - bicycle, PedestriAn And greenwAys PlAn

This plan was funded primarily through a coalition of community health organizations formed by the County’s “LiveWell Kershaw” Initiative.

greensboro, n.c. biPed PlAn

The plan lays out a full-integrated network for pedestrian, bike and greenway connectivity. The plan also focuses on education, enforcement and outreach by outlining the range of service organizations that can assist in maintaining and utilizing the infrastructure effectively.

In Bowling Green/Warren County, some local groups and organizations can be considered vital resources for boosting support for such an effort:

• The Medical Center • Graves-Gilbert Clinic • Bowling Green League of Bicyclists • WKU Office of Sustainability, Red Bike Program • Southwest Kentucky Mountain Bike Association • Lost River Cave • Bluegrass Cycling Club • Bowling Green Road Runners

aCTion 6: imProve ConneCTiviTy oF greenways & Trails neTwork

leaD ConvenerCity-County Planning Commission

of Warren County

leaD imPlemenTerCity-County Planning Commission of Warren County, Transportation, Parks and Recreation


Update the Greenways and Trails Master Plan to reflect full integration with overall pedestrian and bike mobility networks. Create inner-city commuter loops and in the long term identify opportunities for connections to regional parks and recreation assets. Coordinate with state and county officials to prevent intermittent breaks in the network. Leverage community health organizations and hospitals to expand access to more resources.


existing locAl resource

Financing fiber network infrastructure to provide access to all of Warren County will be a long-term endeavor. For short-term gains in promoting and marketing the area’s technology resources, leverage the research and computing capacity of the WKU High Performance Computing Center.

aCTion 7: builD on Fiber oPTiCs Planning


leaD imPlemenTerBowling Green Municipal Utilities


Support every opportunity to expand capacity and speed of the fiber optic network. Growth in knowledge-related industries depends on this critical infrastructure, and a stronger network will reduce isolation of surrounding parts of the County.

best PrActices: community brAnding & wAyfinding

the heArt of texAs (wAco, tx) mArketing And communicAtions PlAn

A thoughtful and appealing strategy that develops cohesive internal and external branding and messaging across a range of media. The plan integrates, where appropriate, aspects from other ongoing branding and marketing campaigns managed by other institutions.

aCTion 8: engage & align insTiTuTions involveDin wayFinDing & CommuniTy eFForTs branDing


leaD imPlemenTerNeighborhoods Department, Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau


Wayfinding is a relatively low-cost, high-impact opportunity to draw more tourists into the downtown, make an impression on prospects and develop a stronger connection to the existing community.

Districts and strong neighborhoods enrich the visitor or consumer experience and provide different markets for businesses to leverage. Mapping, wayfinding, public art, pedestrian amenities and special events are low-cost tools to encourage grassroots district formation.

Collaborate with the City and tourism entities to ensure the community’s brand and all potential assets are highlighted. Gateways and entry points to the community are important opportunities for placemaking and district identification. Leverage resources and input from many stakeholder groups (merchants, neighborhood groups, schools, institutions, etc.) to align internal and external marketing.

For downtown wayfinding and branding efforts, draw attention to the walkability and bikability of downtown (Ex: add walking distances in addition to directional markers) to encourage more street activity. Pedestrian infrastructure (new benches, trash cans, street lamps, concrete stamps) can be linked into the common brand or used for public art.

PlAnning is At the nexus of economic deVeloPment

build to AttrAct tAlent

“The aesthetics and user-friendliness of urban spaces—whether public or private—are part of the attraction and retention of the extraordinary talent that you need for entrepreneurship to flourish. When an architect designs a building or a space that way, those things all added together stimulates creativity.

Mixing businesses and uses requires thoughtful proximity, but be careful and patient: Communities don’t happen all at once. Different buildings can be built at different times to respond to different market needs.

Planning and zoning in suburban contexts do not accommodate urban centers. Higher densities, mixed uses and transit require an entirely different land use regime ... “

— AIA.org



imPlemenTaTion Tools

Some of these initiatives will require the use of tools to kick-start implementation. The following additional actions are recommended to facilitate and improve overall implementation.

Keep Strategic Council: The platform for creating this plan should be institutionalized and expanded to incorporate more parties that might strengthen the quality and reach of impacts from implementing the plan. A symposium or community-wide workshop on these topics should be convened after plan adoption.

Millennials Workshops: Workforce, industry and important institutions should make an effort to develop a greater understanding of how to close generational divides and leverage unique strengths of each generation. Millennials, including long-time residents, recent recruits and area students, are a huge asset to the community’s future growth.

FAM tours: Some of the concepts and development methods recommended in this plan are unfamiliar to area developers, realtors, investors, industry and banks. The following should be arranged to improve knowledge in increased interest among local stakeholders:

• Familiarization tours of entrepreneurial communities and spaces • Vibrant mixed-use riverfront redevelopment areas • Innovation districts • Small business development programs focused on industries in this plan • Communities with strong university-industry entrepreneurial ecosystems

meTriCs

The goals and vision outlined in this strategy can and should be tracked using a range of data from existing sources and generating new, on-the-ground research. The main metrics listed below are a start. However, additional metrics could more accurately reflect progress though tracking them would involve gathering primary data by developing and administering:

• A community-wide survey (measuring quality of life, job satisfaction, happiness)

• Large industry survey (ability to attract and retain talent, quality of talent)

• An employee survey (level of satisfaction, goals, interest in moving/committing to BG).

The main metrics for this Strategy are:

• Growth of the 25- to 44-year-old population

• Increase share of employment among 25- to 44-year-olds

• Increase in educational attainment of 25- to 44-year-old population

• Improved ability of large employers to find talent/workforce (survey to be developed)

• Reduction of underemployment rate (survey to be developed)

• Increase in startup activity (Patents & IP applications, employment of startups, as well as Venture Capital Investment)

• Increased number of healthcare-related businesses

• Increased property values of urban core areas

• Increasing number of graduates from key occupational areas (TBD) o Increasing graduates who find local employment.

• Increase in retiree population (aged 64+)

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sTraTegiC Plan QuiCk-reFerenCe guiDe

Strategy 1: Growing Our OwnEnhance talent and workforce pipeline through industry involvement

Lead Convener

Lead Implementer

Financial Implications

Action 1

Action 2

Action 3

Action 4

Create a Warren County Labor Shed Working Group for monitoring and evaluation of workforce development goals.

Develop applied research on identifying and aligning education programs with labor shed skill gaps.

Targeted Marketing to “Boomerangs & Boomers”

“Leader in Me 2.0”

Warren County Work Ready Community

Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce



SCKY Workforce Development Board

WKU, WKU Alumni, Realtor’s Association

TBD

TBD

Existing Resources

Existing Resources

Existing Resources

$40,000

Strategy 2: Destination BGEnriching a sense of place through investments in urban core and independent businesses.

Lead Convener

Lead Implementer


Action 1

Action 2

Action 3

“Launch Pad for Local” program module targeting new independent and small businesses in Arts, Retail and Food/Beverage services sectors.

Recruit a City Center Coordinator.

Coordinate business marketing and attraction efforts to create a dense, mixed-use, live-work-play environment along the Barren Riverfront.

Small Business Development Center



TBD

TBD

TBD, City Center Coordinator

Existing Resources

Existing Resources

$50,000

Strategy 3: Community Entrepreneurship Economic diversification by building on existing community strengths and developing new competencies.

Lead Convener

Lead Implementer


Action 1

Action 2

Action 3

Action 4

Industry-University technology partnership initiatives

Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Initiatives

“We Build BG” Online Dashboard for monitoring projects and tracking indicators

Create a Healthcare & Innovation District Plan

WKU

WKU



TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

$60,000

$25,000

$450,000

$44,000

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Strategy 4: Planning our Welcome Mat Dress the community for success by aligning land use and infrastructure tools.

Lead Convener

Lead Implementer


Action 1

Action 2

Action 3

Action 4

Implement Downtown Physical Development Plan.

Adjust Barren Riverfront Zoning and Infrastructure to accommodate density and mixed-use.

Develop code overlays and improvement plans to target entry-points or “Welcome Mat” corridors.

Coordinate Land Use Planning and Infrastructure Investments, including a focus on industrial parks planning.

BG-WC Planning and Zoning



City of Bowling Green

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Existing Resources

Existing Resources

Existing Resources

Existing Resources

Action 5

Action 6

Action 7

Action 8

Assess costs and benefits to City-County merger of additional departments or public implementation efforts.

Improve Connectivity & Greenways and Trails Network.

Build on Fiber Optics Planning.

Engage with the city to align current wayfinding efforts with tourism, recruitment and community branding.

City of Bowling Green, Warren County




TBD

TBD

Neighborhoods Department, CVB


Existing Resources

Existing Resources

Existing Resources

Existing Resources

32


aPPenDix

exisTing Programs & oPPorTuniTies For synergy wiTh sTraTegy 1exisTing workForCe DeveloPmenT & aTTraCTion iniTiaTives in bowling green & warren CounTyThe area’s current and projected demand for a range of workforce skills are significant. However, the Bowling Area Chamber of Commerce continues to make progress toward satisfying this demand across a range of industries and is leading efforts to convene and implement programs across the full spectrum of issues in workforce development and talent attraction. The following programs should be amplified and leveraged for successful implementation of the strategic plan:

visibiliTy & builDing awareness

Chamber jobs PorTal

Chamber partners can utilize the Jobs Portal as a recruitment tool. Partners can post openings on the Portal to attract new employees. Available 24/7, the Jobs Portal is a comprehensive list of job openings in South Central Kentucky. Access is available through the Chamber’s website.

key hire Program

When a business is recruiting to hire key talent, the Chamber understands it is a multi-faceted sales process that often comes down to sharing the lifestyle, amenities and advantages of South Central Kentucky to the candidate’s spouse and family. The Chamber assists partner businesses in these important negotiations.

souTh CenTral kenTuCky manuFaCTuring Career CenTer

The Center is a partnership collaboration including Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College, non-profit agencies and targeted businesses. The MCC helps companies find well-trained talent through recruitment and job fair events and links job seekers to relevant training opportunities to secure positions with South Central Kentucky companies. The first offering of the SCKMCC is a CPT training course that began Feb. 2. Seven students are enrolled in the CPT training.

skill DeveloPmenT: Basic skills or General TraininG/educaTion

Coggno

Coggno specializes in providing a one-stop shop for individuals and organizations to purchase online training courses for certifications or to advance employee knowledge in topics such as workplace diversity, ethics, sexual harassment prevention, time management and conflict resolution.

skyCTC QuiCk jobs

SKyCTC helps people in career transition or needing skill enhancements through its short-term training certifications in which participants master the skills most highly sought by local employers. With multiple start dates throughout the year, these high-quality, affordable certificates can have participants ready for a career in weeks.

Training ConsorTium oF souTh CenTral kenTuCky

The Consortium provides valuable workforce development programming at a minimal cost so companies can increase their employees’ skill sets. By utilizing collective purchasing power and programs requested by multiple companies, training can be bought and implemented quickly and at a reduced cost. Training courses are available in classroom and online formats, designed to meet the needs of businesses in a time-efficient manner. In 2015, over 260 employees from 22 companies completed a variety of training opportunities through the Consortium.

wku 12-hour CerTiFiCaTions

A diploma’s major and minor areas of study may not always give the full picture of the knowledge a student has gained in his or her pursuit. Select groups of classes students take toward a degree can be identified as showing mastery of a particular skillset unto itself. WKU groups selected 12 credit hour total classes into certificates that identify knowledge of a specific field, not just a broad description of a student’s field of study printed on a diploma.

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skill DeveloPmenT: advanced or indusTry specific skills

ky Fame aDvanCeD manuFaCTuring TeChniCian Program

Developed with manufacturers, the AMT Track pathway graduates maintenance technicians capable of quickly learning new multi-million dollar equipment, possessing interpersonal skills including teamwork, collaboration, problem solving and lean thinking skills, capable of adapting to evolving manufacturing business changes.

onTraCk

OnTrack is a motorsports education initiative instituted to cultivate science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills in the classroom through a real-world scenario. In 2015, the Chamber purchased two second-generation Chevrolet Camaros from Holley Performance Products. The two vehicles were donated to Warren County Area Technology Center and Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College for students to rebuild during the 2015-16 school year. Each school will compete at Holley’s annual LS Fest in the fall.

skill DeveloPmenT: sTeM skills

warren CounTy area TeChnology CenTer

The County’s labor force pipeline lacks a sufficient volume of candidates with education in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines for motorsports and manufacturing jobs.

To address this issue, the Warren County ATC has implemented a Robotics and Automation program and a Machine Tool program to give students the opportunity to learn and develop technical skills. Current programs include Automotive Technology, Welding, Construction, Information Technology and Health Sciences. Companies can support the Warren County ATC and its students through mentoring, equipment donations, financial support, etc.

skill DeveloPmenT: sofT skills & Workplace readiness

The leaDer in me

Based on Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” TLIM is designed to teach children important behaviors and soft skills that prepare them for productive and successful lives. Through TLIM, teachers are helping each student see the leader within. In 2011, the Chamber organized private investors and raised $1.4 million to implement TLIM across all Warren County schools. Today, there are six Lighthouse schools in Warren County.

Career aCaDemies: ForD nexT generaTion learning ParTnershiP

The Career Academy framework represents a shift from traditional learning techniques and environments to a hands-on, project-based, career-focused structure that provides students with the skills to compete in the professional world. Career Academies afford students the opportunity to gain practical work experience in their career pathway, providing them with the ability to graduate high school holding an industry certification or related credentials. Negotiations are underway to integrate career academies in Warren County and will launch at the beginning of the 2017-18 school year. This is a blending of Franklin Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and Ford NGL into a new national model for high school education.

aPPenDix conTinued

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souTh CenTral kenTuCky PreFerreD emPloyer neTwork

Regional businesses aren’t attracting the qualified talent they need to fill open positions. As part of the Preferred Employer Network, company application preferences include:

• High school diploma or GED • National Career Readiness Certificate • Work Ethic Seal • Industry recognized credentials

The Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce urges companies to become part of the South Central Kentucky Preferred Employer Network. As part of the network, companies agree to give preference to applicants who possess job ready certifications and support programs and services that will attract the best and most qualified candidates.

CoorDinaTion

naTional Career reaDiness CerTiFiCaTe (nCrC)This universally recognized certification ensures that the certificate holder has demonstrated an understanding in the following areas:

• Applied mathematics • Locating information • Reading for information • Employability skills

A solid foundation of these skills is essential for a well-qualified workforce.

The Chamber is working with WKU, SKYCTC, K-12, ATC, the public workforce system and other key stakeholders to align and synergize efforts to deliver and certify employability skills, so they can be under an umbrella brand. The initiative seeks commitments from employers to use the “employability credential” in their hiring process. ie. Work ethic seal (to be rebranded).

business aT iTs besT

Business at Its Best seminars are led by business and educational leaders who provide information and best practices for improving one's business. The seminar series addresses numerous topics for business owners, and participants leave each seminar with valuable, practical information that can be immediately applied to their businesses.

DaTa-sharing & shareD-learning

sizeuP

Chamber partnership comes with an enhanced SizeUp membership that shows how your business compares to competitors, identifies best places to advertise and maps competitors customers and suppliers.

aPPenDix conTinued

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PooleD Training iniTiaTive

emerging iniTiaTives

• Problem: Area businesses have limited access to low-cost training. • Solution: Better utilize existing programs throughout the community, including Certified Production Technician training and the Training Consortium of South Central Kentucky. • Action: Participate in the pooled training offered by the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce.

"PiloT" ProjeCT

• Problem: The core of the public workforce system is underperforming in its mission to provide qualified candidates to Bowling Green/Warren County targeted companies in a timely manner. • Solution: Through support and engagement of Bowling Green area legislators and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, seek a “pilot” project through the Secretary of the Education and Workforce Cabinet to have the state consistently deliver five qualified candidates for every open position within 48 hours of the position being submitted to Focus Talent (state employment portal). • Action: Implement the “pilot” starting with a meeting of Bowling Green/Warren County and South Central Kentucky targeted employers and refine the delivery, as the voice of the business community. Build a “pilot" template with the state and Kentucky Chamber that can be duplicated across the Commonwealth.

TalenT CommuniCaTion & Pr/markeTing

• Problem: Lack of qualified workforce in sufficient numbers for open positions in South Central Kentucky. • Solution: Develop an integrated communications and PR/marketing plan that encompasses all key talent initiatives for the Bowling Green/Warren County region. One tactic will be to market job openings of skilled trade positions to other regions. This will be accomplished through a campaign leveraging SCKPEN and touting area businesses with job openings focused on key markets, thus attracting more qualified applicants. • Action: Hire a firm to create an integrated communications, public relations and marketing plan and develop a budget and align implementation teams for key tactics. Additionally, seek companies to invest in the initial outreach efforts to key markets for hard to fill positions like skilled trades.

sTaFFing ComPany CollaboraTion

• Problem: There are insufficient candidates for open positions. Candidates have barriers to employment. Competition between firms is the norm. Employers see firms as the same. • Solution: Collaborate on several initiatives that can address insufficient candidates, inefficiencies and barriers to employment. Communicate with employers with a single voice to improve results for them. • Action: Implement recurring recruitment/intake events, reduce/eliminate “temp hopping,” referral to training (employability and skill), broaden free/low cost direct placement, communication of common “issues” to employers to enhance results sought from the firms.

aPPenDix conTinued

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DashboarD Design examPles

CommuniTy aCTion neTwork, Can CommuniTy DashboarD (ausTin, Tx)

www.cancommunitydashboard.org

Beginning in 2009, Community Action Network (CAN) spearheaded efforts to convene a range of public and non-profit institutions working on various areas related to the socioeconomic well being of Austin-area young people (originally called the “Ready by 21” Initiative). CAN facilitated numerous discussions and visioning exercises to create the framework, indicators and mechanisms for how the Dashboard could function as a tool for measuring long-term change of specific data points through a range of collaborative or dispersed efforts.

The first report was released in 2010, and it was seen as such a successful initiative that Austin City Council and other major institutions pushed to expand the scope of the dashboard initiative to encompass the socioeconomic health of the general population of Greater Austin and Travis County. The initiative became a platform for launching a multitude of other data-tracking initiatives focused on a range of other vulnerable populations, all of which are housed—in various stages of completeness—on the Community Dashboard Page. The homepage begins with the Greater Austin population, and the viewer can choose where and how to investigate further on different populations.

The graphic below was extracted from the 2015 annual report. It offers a glimpse at the infrastructure underpinning the goals, processes and levels of coordination to maximize the impact of the Dashboard as a tool for making measurable, tangible progress toward the community’s shared goals.

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online PlaTForm

home Page

The Dashboard was created not solely to benefit key institutions, but to be an accessible report card-like tool that any member of the community could engage. The Home Page reflects this goal by using a simple layout, bright colors, few words and images focused on people experiencing the vision delineated by the Dashboard and its affiliates.

Crime "DrillDown" Page

As the viewer scrolls down the page, he or she finds additional information on organizations, programs and other nuanced or background information related to each indicator. Graphics are pointedly simple, with clean lines and a clearly demonstrated trend—though the design and integrity of data representation is thoroughly vetted by stakeholders.

The metrics come from a range of data sources: the US Census/American FactFinder, state sources and internal evaluations from agencies and institutions involved. A vast amount of context is provided with links to as many additional data sources as possible.

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annual DownloaDable PDF rePorTs

DashboarD "aT a glanCe" Page

baseline most recent target status* goal

Crime rate per 100,000 population 5,820 in 2009 4,453 in 2013 1% annual reduction

reduce crime

rate

Proportionality of jail bookings across all races and ethnicities

disproportionality ratio of 2.6 for Blacks in 2008

disproportionality ratio of 2.6 for Blacks in 2013

proportionality by 2017

proportionate jail bookings

Percent voter turnout National/Presidential election State/Gubernatorial election

64% in 2008 36% in 2010

58% in 2012 37% in 2014

65% in 2016 40% in 2014

increase

voter turnout

Percent of residents who are low-income (<200% of the federal poverty threshold)

35% in 2009 33% in 2013 30% by 2017 reduce

low-income

Percent of residents who live in food insecure households

16% in 2009 18% in 2013 reduce food

insecurity 15% by 2017

Percent of cost-burdened households (pay 30% or more of income for housing)

38% in 2009 36% in 2013 36% by 2017 reduce cost-

burdened households

Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per capita 23.8 miles per

day in 2009 23.0 miles per

day in 2013 21 miles per day by 2017

reduce VMT

Number of people identified in the annual point-in-time homeless count

2,406 in 2011

1,877 in 2015

1,000 by 2017 end home-

lessness

Percent under age 65 who have no health insurance

24% in 2009 20% in 2013 20% by 2014 reduce

uninsured

Percent of adults who report poor mental health

17% in 2011 22% in 2013 15% by 2017 reduce poor

mental health

Percent of adults who are smokers 16% in 2011 12% in 2013 12% by 2020 reduce

smoking

Percent of adults who are obese 19% in 2011 23% in 2013 17% by 2020 reduce obesity

Attainment of national ambient air quality standards

2009 in attainment

2014 in attainment

attainment achieve EPA

standards

Percent of Central Texas children who are kindergarten ready

52% in 2010 53% in 2013 70% by 2015 increase

kinder-ready kids

Percent of Central Texas students who graduate from high school in four years

80% Class of 2008

89% Class of 2013

95% Class of 2015

increase HS graduation

Percent of Central Texas high school graduates who earn a post-secondary credential within 6 years

28% Class of 2004

30% Class of 2008

35% for the Class of 2014

(by 2020)

Increase college success

Unemployment rate 7.0% in

January 2011 3.7% in

January 2015 4% in 01/2017

reduce un-employment

6 * Due to margins of error, most recent data may not represent a statistically significant difference from baseline year .

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(Data is for Travis County unless otherwise noted.) (5 year trend) (5 year data history)

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Documents

BOWLING GREEN WARREN COUNTY - bgchamber.com Strategic Plan.pdf · Craig Browning Regional president U.S. Bank Mike Buchanon Judge-Executive County of Warren Ron Bunch President and