Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS)

The WMRPC is approaching the beginning of the third year of its first three-year grant agreement with the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA).  Your community probably did not notice any difference in the program, but there were several changes and these will continue into 2009.  The CEDS Committee and the WMRPC Board recently adopted the 2008 Supplemental Report to the 2007-2009 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy that lists additional projects not identified in the 2007-2009 CEDS and lists three supplemental goals:

Supplemental Goal #1 – The WMRPC will revise the CEDS Project Evaluation Criteria to better reflect the current needs of Region 8’s Communities and the EDA Investment Policy Guidelines.

Supplemental Goal #2 – The WMRPC and the CEDS Committee will develop a process to expand the CEDS Committee’s role in project selection. 

Supplemental Goal #3 – The WMRPC and the CEDS Committee will expand the involvement of the private sector representatives on the WMRPC Board and the CEDS Committee.

Two of the primary tasks the CEDS Committee will undertake in 2009 are closely related (revising project evaluation criteria and expanding the CEDS Committee’s role in project selection).  The third supplemental goal has been ongoing for several years, but never formally written into the CEDS.    

The current criteria used to rank projects include such information as availability of matching funds, amount of engineering work completed, number of jobs created and retained, letters of commitment from private sector businesses, availability of utilities, and the economic distress level of the community seeking a grant.  These are all valid criteria to evaluate projects, but do not always clearly identify which projects EDA should assist.  For several years the CEDS Committee has maintained two separate lists of projects – those that are EDA specific projects, and those that do not meet EDA’s funding criteria, which are summarized below.

EDA’s funding criteria:

●  Be market-based and results-driven

●  Have strong organizational leadership

●  Advance productivity, innovation, and entrepreneurship

●  Look beyond the immediate economic horizon, anticipate economic changes, and diversify the local

    and regional economy

●  Demonstrate a high degree of commitment

Contact the WMRPC if you have ideas related to how to address these three supplemental goals, or if you would like to receive a copy of the full or supplemental CEDS Report. 

Recreation Planning

The WMRPC is currently working with the City of Allegan and Allegan Township to develop recreation plans.  The WMRPC usually has the capacity to work with a few communities to develop recreation plans.  Recreation plans are required for any community seeking funds from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund for the acquisition of land or the development of recreation facilities.  Recreation Plans are five-year plans and include a variety of information describing the community, and a list of actions the community would like to undertake to address its recreation needs.  Plans written by the WMRPC have assisted communities in acquiring grants for land acquisition, park improvements, an accessible fishing pier, and many other improvements to parks maintained by counties, cities, villages, and townships.  Contact the WMRPC if your community is interested in performing or updating a recreation plan.

WMRPC 35 Year Anniversary

2008 marks the 35th year of the West Michigan Regional Planning Commission (WMRPC).  The Commission’s goals have changed over the years to guide it to its current mission adopted June 21, 2002:

To assist planning efforts in community and economic development, provide a regional forum for sharing information and ideas, and promote cooperative solutions to regional issues.

The CEDS Committee and the Executive Committee meet at the offices of the WMRPC.  The WMRPC Board began meeting at member sites in 2008 to accommodate the larger number of participants.  Contact the WMRPC prior to Board Meetings to determine the location.