Ohio Southeast Economic Development (OhioSE), in partnership with Bricker and Eckler LLP, today announced five communities in Southeast Ohio were selected to participate in the Prepared Communities Program: The Village of Greenfield in Highland County, the Village of Chauncey in Athens County, the Village of New Concord in Muskingum County, Jefferson County, and Noble County.
Facilitated by OhioSE and Bricker and Eckler LLP, the Prepared Communities Program recognizes the unique challenges faced within the Southeast Ohio region and that there is no blanket approach that will work across the region’s diverse economic landscape. Through engaging with local communities, listening to their challenges, and providing resources and economic development tools, the program aims to prepare each community with a strategic plan that addresses their unique needs.
“Often, communities, large and small, don’t have the resources to get started on an economic development strategy,” said Katy Farber, Vice President of OhioSE. “The Prepared Communities Program is designed to be the catalyst for moving forward.”
OhioSE recognized that a community strategy or a common vision is necessary in order to achieve economic development success. “With a vision that becomes an actionable plan, you have direction,” said Farber. “We want to help counties and communities in this region create a vision and develop an actionable plan.”
Bricker & Eckler, LLP, a leading Midwestern law firm based in Columbus and with offices in Marietta and Barnesville, has partnered with OhioSE to provide technical expertise in local economic development finance and programming. “With a deep level of experience across many decades in Ohio’s state and local economic development efforts, Bricker is an ideal fit to pair with the selected five communities,” said Farber. Attorneys with Bricker will work alongside OhioSE’s own program experts to develop for each community a specific, laser-focused economic development plan for quick action in the next year or two.
“The Village of Greenfield is extremely thankful and excited to partner with OhioSE and Bricker & Eckler,” said Todd Wilkin, City Manager for the Village of Greenfield in Highland County. “The Village considers Bricker & Eckler to be the gold standard on economic development stimulation. The partnership with Bricker and Eckler and our well-established bond with OhioSE will be a relationship that could be the catalyst to our home.”