Crawford: 20/20 Vision

Business Success

2010-08-10T11:31:00.000-07:00

According to community members, business success is the number one challenge facing Crawford County. 83% of people surveyed said people are leaving Crawford County because of the lack of good job opportunities (see chart above).

But, that’s not all they said. In the spirit of Business Success Week at the Vision (and the final week of our focus series), we’ll take yet another look at what community members had to say:

-“We must diversify our economy”
-“We need to support our business community. The public needs to be aware of what is available within the county”
-“The demand for trained labor is unmet”
-“Collaboration between education system and employers needs to be better”
-“There's no reason for young professionals to come here”
-“We must have more community pride and ownership”
-“Drugs and lack of soft skills are barriers to business development”
-“We need to support entrepreneurship in the county”
-“We need to seriously shift how we promote the county”
-“How can we capitalize on an aging population to expand business?”
-“We need to keep farming alive and well here for future generations”

Key themes that emerged from this topic include:

The need to diversify the economy, lack of promotion of the county, need for business development plan, cost of business, amount of wealth generation, employment training, brain drain and youth outmigration, competition in manufacturing from other geographical areas, entrepreneurial growth, capitalizing on current strengths and agricultural preservation.

Business success and job availability will be discussed during a focus meeting on August 17 at Lowe-Volk Park. Community members who are interested in actively participating in this meeting are invited to call 419.563.1809 or email crawford2020@crawford-co.org. Until then, all community members may take this short survey to provide input on this pressing issue.

As one survey respondent said: “business is vital to the longevity of our county … there must be a positive shift in perspective.”

Workforce Preparation and Education

2010-08-04T10:35:00.000-07:00

Approximately 70% of community members who were surveyed during our eight community meetings said Crawford County does NOT have enough trained workers with the skills needed to grow the economy.

Less than 10% of people in Crawford County have attained a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Hence, we’re focusing on workforce preparation and education this week at the Vision.

Let’s take a closer look at participants’ comments from phase one:

-“Schools need to do a better job forecasting industry needs and preparing students for those jobs”
-“We’re losing good kids to jobs elsewhere”
-“The history of good jobs is gone, but we still have an entitlement mentality”
-“We need to tap into the regional technical colleges for more help”
-“We should expand mentoring (programs) to help with life skills”
-“We need to have a workforce that employers want to hire”
-“It’s hard to find a job here even with a good resume”

Key themes that were identified during the meetings are as follows:

Ease of public assistance, work ethic and soft skills, drug and alcohol use among employees, workforce preparation in schools, collaboration within the education system and with businesses, need for entrepreneurial growth, wages, agricultural sustainability, life skills training, “brain drain” and need for higher education rates.

An issue-specific meeting dedicated to workforce preparation and education will be held on August 16. If you are interested in actively participating in this meeting, call 419.563.1883 or email crawford2020@crawford-co.org for more information or to RSVP.

Those who do not wish to participate in the meeting can still get involved in the process by taking this short survey. Responses will be discussed during the issue-specific meeting to help begin crafting a plan for the betterment of Crawford County’s workforce and education system.

Quality of Life

2010-07-29T12:08:00.000-07:00

Last week, we took a closer look at what community members had to say about public safety in Crawford County. This week, our focus has shifted – now, we’re talking about quality of life.

But what exactly is quality of life? During our eight community meetings, we found that the term resonates differently with people.

Here’s a sample of some of the comments we recorded during our eight community meetings:

-“We forget that we have great things here, such as lower cost of living”
-“We need to improve entertainment options”
-“We have to make Crawford a place where people want to be”
-“There’s too much apathy”
-“School systems are one of our greatest assets”
-“We need better wages for sustainability of our communities”
-“We have a ‘poor man's mentality’”
-"Crawford is known for welfare benefits - people are referred here from CA and other states"
-"We should capitalize on our agrarian heritage"
-“Our young people need to feel more connected”

Key themes identified during the meeting reflect the comments above.

Themes included: affordability of living, location (“we are in the middle of everywhere”), lack of cultural/diversity/arts opportunities, excellent park system, ‘brain drain’ (keeping young people in the county after they go away to college), strong community values, small town atmosphere, the need to address poverty issues, lack of networking opportunities for professionals and a difference in perception of quality of life between generations.

The term may hold a different meaning for different demographics, but many comments and themes were consistent during phase one of the Vision initiative. On Aug. 16, a focus group will take a more solutions-minded approach to the topic to address some of the challenges and concerns which have previously emerged.

Until then, all community members are invited to participate in this short survey – especially those who were not able to attend our first set of community meetings. The responses from the survey will help shape the development of a plan to guide the future of quality of life in Crawford County.

Public Safety

2010-07-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

This week, Crawford: 20/20 Vision is focusing on public safety – including drug related issues. Throughout the course of our eight general community meetings, we surveyed and listened to the thoughts and opinions of community members concerning the state of Crawford County’s public safety.

Here’s a sample of what they had to say:

-“I can hardly find anyone to pass a drug test”

-“No one wants to talk about the excessive heroin use”

-“Heroin use is underreported”

-“Law enforcement needs more funding”

-“There’s a culture of drugs, we need increased money for patrolling”

-“We need Crime Watch”

-“Drugs are related to bad economic times”

-“There’s a lot of theft due to drug use”

-“We have a lot of agencies ready, willing, and able to help”

-“We need more drug awareness education”

Key themes during the community meetings reflected the emotions and perspectives listed above.

Themes included: issues with employee drug use (citing specifically second and third shift), drug use in schools, the connection between drugs, crime and the economy, county budget impacting criminal justice services, hard drug usage and high mortality rates, duplication of services, a need for better support from the judicial system, and a general consensus of the issue of drug and alcohol abuse in the county.

Although many comments during our first eight meetings focused on problem identification, a number of community members voiced that they feel safe in Crawford County and that they appreciate the relatively low crime rates.

As part of Crawford: 20/20 Vision’s “Public Safety Week,” we’ve developed a short online survey to allow as many community members as possible to give input and offer their own perspective (take the survey here).

The challenges are clear. Our focus has shifted from problem identification to solution building. We must now look to the future and collaboratively form a plan to combat drug use, crime and other issues in the county.

One anonymous survey responder said: “We can't bury our heads in the sand and ignore this topic. The drug use issue is part of the downward cycle. When quality jobs are available, families become important, good schooling is important, drug use should decline. We have to start some place.”

Criminal Justice Services Levy

2010-07-19T10:25:00.000-07:00

Our county is experiencing significant economic challenges. The following is an endorsement letter that is intended to provide citizens, elected officials, and community and civic leaders and organizations within Crawford County with information about the criminal justice service levy.

THE CHALLENGES

All revenue streams to support core government services and public safety have been negatively impacted by the downturn of the economy, which has escalated the rate at which the cash reserves of the county are depleting.

-Sales tax revenue declined by 13% in 2009 – projected to decline an additional 12% in 2010. This 25% decline in sales tax revenue since 2008 affects both the General Operating Fund and the Jail Operating Fund which is supported by sales tax revenue.
-Interest revenue is projected to decline by 65.35% in 2010.
-Other revenue sources have declined by more than 37%.
-Revenue collections have not kept pace with inflation. (1.9% since 2006 as compared to 2.4% inflation)
-Changes in state mandated incarceration requirements have increased local costs.
-Crime rates and drug activities are increasing, putting additional financial pressure on the county’s criminal justice system.
-Since 1994, the inmate population has increased from a daily average rate of 27 to a daily average rate of 115 in 2009.
-Since voters approved a jail levy in 1994, all cities have closed their jail facilities, thus obligating the county to house municipal prisoners and assume all financial responsibilities for incarceration.
-Loss of approximately $200,000 in annual jail housing revenue from other counties due to jail being filled to capacity with local inmates.
-Drug related crimes have doubled and thefts and burglaries have increased by 48% since 2003.
-The drug of choice in Crawford County is now heroin with approximately one-third to one-half of the average daily jail population being addicted to heroin.
-Over the last several years, Crawford County has consistently ranked in the top ten in the State of Ohio for the number of heroin related deaths.

THE EFFORTS
Crawford County’s elected leaders have worked diligently to maintain the cost of providing core government services. Since 2006, the actual cost of providing core government services has only increased by 2.9%. PRIOR to asking taxpayers to approve additional revenue to support public safety and criminal justice service, in our county the following financial reductions and changes were made:

-General Fund budgets were reduced 17% lower than actual expenditures for 2009.
-Elected official salaries were frozen in 2008 indefinitely.
-County General and Jail Fund employee salaries were frozen in 2009.
-All NON-MANDATED financial support was reduced or eliminated for agencies such as: OSU Extension, Soil and Water, Regional Planning & Economic Development, and the Fair Board.
- Employer contributions for health care were frozen at 2009 expenditure levels.
-Health insurance contributions by employees increased in 2010.
-Health insurance deductibles were imposed for 2010.
-All NON-MANDATED travel was eliminated, and all equipment, capital improvements and facility maintenance budgets were reduced and/or deferred.

THE IMPACT
Because government agencies are so interrelated, any further reductions in budgets or workforce will result in significant delays in providing government services from ALL COUNTY GENERAL AND JAIL FUND DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES, INCLUDING ALL COURT SYSTEMS, THE COUNTY AUDITOR, CLERK OF COURTS, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, COUNTY PROSECUTOR, COUNTY RECORDER, COUNTY SHERIFF, COUNTY TREASURER.
With ever increasing unfunded state and federal mandates and given the fact that current employment levels of the county are 12% lower than employment levels nearly a decade ago and with a declining tax base and revenue streams, providing core government services in a timely manner is becoming nearly impossible.

Again, the challenges our county faces are significant. We must come together as a community to take charge of these issues to ensure a brighter, safer future for the place in which we live and work. Please join us by endorsing and supporting the five-year, 2.75 mill property tax levy on August 3rd.

Sincerely,

County Commissioner, Gary Miller
County Commissioner, Mo Ressallat
County Commissioner, Doug Weisenauer
County Treasurer, Gary Cole
County Prosecutor, Stan Flegm
County Auditor, Robin Hildebrand
County Engineer, Cecil Newcome
County Recorder, Karen Scott
County Clerk of Courts, Sue Seevers
County Sheriff, Ron Shawber

“CREATE A COUNTY” CONTEST

2010-07-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

Show us your vision for Crawford County!

We’ll be holding some important meetings mid-August to sort through everything we learned thus far in the Vision initiative. In the four weeks prior to these meetings (beginning July 19), Crawford: 20/20 Vision is holding a “create a county” contest as part of our weekly series.

Community members of all ages are invited to share their vision of each topic in Crawford County for each respective week (listed below). Our emphasis is on seeing Crawford County from your perspective -- we're even throwing in some prizes for winners!

The weeks and topics are as follows:

-July 19 – 23: Public Safety
-July 26 – 30: Quality of Life
-Aug. 2 – 6: Workforce Skills and Education
-Aug. 9 – 13: Business Success and Job Availability

For example, during Public Safety Week: paint a picture, snap a photo, build a diagram, write an essay – show us your vision of public safety in Crawford County now or show us what your vision is for the future of Crawford County. Use your imagination! There is no limit on creative medium. The guidelines are specifically set for interpretation to allow for the most creativity.

Submitted works will be presented during issue-specific meetings to represent all ages and perspectives in the community.

Entries must be submitted by Friday at 3p.m. of each week. You must include your (or a parent/legal guardian’s) name and contact information.

Winners will be determined by the Crawford: 20/20 Vision Steering Committee.

Options for submission:

Email: crawford2020@crawford-co.org
Mail or Drop-Off:
Crawford County Economic Development Partnership
112 E Mansfield St
Courthouse – Suite 208 (located on 2nd floor)
Bucyrus, OH 44820

We want to see the Vision through your eyes.

Care For Your Fair.

2010-07-15T17:12:00.000-07:00

For many residents of Crawford County, the thought of the Crawford County Fair evokes memories of summer days, 4-H, animal shows, competitions, demolition derbies, horse races, concerts, friends, delicious foods and carnival rides. Crowds of people attend annually to relive memories of the past and to create memories for the future – to continue the traditions that have persevered on the Crawford County fairgrounds for so long.

There are three main components that contribute to the success of the fair every year: the people, the animals and the buildings that house them.

While the people and animals stay for just fair week, the buildings stand year-round. Since many of the structures on the fairgrounds were built before WWII, there is a dire need for new facilities. Many of the buildings are almost beyond repair.

As a result of that need, a plan to improve the future of the fair has been developed. A fund has been established in cooperation with a private donor to build a new multi-purpose livestock facility on the grounds where the old goat barn and maintenance barn currently stand in less than optimal condition.

The benefits of the proposed 100’x200’ steel building are immeasurable. Not only will the facility house goats, hogs and llamas, but it will also provide opportunities for open class shows, farm and agricultural expos, state-wide livestock shows and sales, home and garden shows, flea markets and farmer’s markets, DARE rallies, auctions and winter storage. The building will also be safer and more eco-friendly than current facilities.

The official cost of the building has not yet been determined, but an estimation of $300,000 - $350,000 has been set for materials, labor and pens. Funds raised that exceed the cost of the building will not contribute to any fair operating costs – financial surplus will go directly to an endowment fund held through the Bucyrus Area Community Foundation for maintenance for the entire fairgrounds. Finances will be handled by Projects, Inc.

All county community members are invited to participate in the effort. Contributions and support will benefit the fair both now and in the future. Participating donors will receive recognition that will be preserved in the new facility.

The levels of donation are as follows:

Showmanship Award: $5,000

Grand Champion: $1,000

Reserve Champion: $500

Pen Sponsor: $250

Blue Ribbon: $200

Red Ribbon: $100

White Ribbon: $50

Donations of any value are welcome and greatly appreciated. For more information or to find out how you can help, visit the Fair Board Office during fair week, July 18 – July 24, or call 419-562-7936. Informational fliers and donation envelopes will be readily available.

You can make a difference in the future of the Crawford County Fair. Care for your fair.

TANF Summer Youth Program

2010-07-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

NEWS RELEASE

The Crawford County Economic Development Partnership (CCEDP) and Crawford County Jobs and Family Services (CCJFS) are teaming up to make a positive impact on county youth and on the local economy.

Recently, the CCEDP signed a contract in cooperation with CCJFS that will allow the CCEDP to manage the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Summer Youth Program.

The program is already underway. It began June 14 and has already placed 40 young people in summer jobs with 15 local employers. The $265,000 program will continue until Aug. 31 with sights on employing roughly 50 more Crawford County youth throughout its duration.

The main goal: to partner with local businesses and help 14 to 24 year olds (who meet eligibility requirements) gain workforce skills and life skills. To qualify, applicants must live in a household with a minor child and meet household income limits. Youths will be paid by the employer and will learn aspects of the employer’s trade while participating in mentoring and guidance programs.

The main challenge: finding more participants. In addition to looking for more youths, the program is in need of local employers who are seeking summer help. Employers will be reimbursed for the youth’s wages and benefits up to $10 per hour through federal funding, and employers who wish to continue employing participants beyond Aug. 31 may do so.

The benefits of the program are immeasurable for all who are involved: the CCEDP, CCJFS, local employers, county youth and the entirety of the Crawford County community.

The CCEDP leads Crawford: 20/20 Vision – a county-wide initiative to take hold of challenges and turn them around to shape a better future for Crawford County. In discussions generated through the Vision project, community members identified jobs as the number one pressing issue.

A consistent problem within the realm of jobs is the ‘brain drain’ the county is experiencing. Local young professionals go away to college and do not return to apply their education in the county’s workforce.

While that is a valid concern, there is an additional percentage of youth who are bound by financial hardship, teen pregnancy and parenting and other issues. Their talents and potential must also be cultivated and retained.

The summer youth program gives young people the tools to succeed as employees and as productive members of society. The TANF program is of equal opportunity, provided by equal opportunity employers and providers.

Young people are the future of Crawford County.

Employers interested in participating in the TANF Summer Youth program are invited to contact Dave Williamson, director of the CCEDP, at 419-563-1809 or JFS Jobs Coordinator Tina Snyder at 419-562-8066, ext. 301. To learn more about the CCEDP, visit www.growcrawford.org.

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Phase Two

2010-07-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

When Crawford: 20/20 Vision began, only one thing was certain: Crawford County needed change in order to build a better future for its residents.

As the Vision project progresses, the process takes a more specific shape – one that has been crafted by voices in the community. Since March, eight community meetings have been held. These meetings provided an opportunity for all residents of the county to obtain information, give input and actively participate in the initiative.

The conclusion of the final general community on June 16 signified the end of phase one for the Vision project. The main objective of the meetings was to generate problem identification through discussion and surveying, which was undoubtedly accomplished.

Four very specific areas of concern were consistently identified during the course of the meetings:

Public safety and drug-related issues

Workforce quality and education

Quality of life

Business success and job availability

Through July, the Vision committee will prepare for phase two: issue-specific meetings. Unlike phase one, phase two will focus on solution building and planning, rather than problem identification. The issue-specific meetings will target the consistent topics listed above.

In order to keep community members involved in the process, Crawford: 20/20 Vision is planning a weekly series focusing on each challenge. In these weekly series, the Vision will release articles, provide facts, conduct surveys, and hold contests pertaining to each topic.

Issue-specific meetings will include individuals in the community who are deeply invested in the particular issues. Crawford: 20/20 Vision’s weekly series will allow community members far and wide to provide input, offer suggestions, generate discussion and participate in issue-specific dialogue. Participation from all county residents is vital.

Crawford: 20/20 Vision’s objective has persevered, and soon a tangible plan to achieve that objective will be constructed.

The actual issue-specific meetings are slated for August 16 and 17. Community members who feel passionate about a certain topic and want to actively participate in one of the meetings may contact Crawford: 20/20 Vision via e-mail at crawford2020@crawford-co.org. Questions or concerns may be directed to Dave Williamson, director of the Crawford County Economic Development Partnership, at 419-563-1809 or davidw@crawford-co.org.

FAQs

2010-07-06T12:38:00.000-07:00

WHAT IS CRAWFORD: 20/20 VISION?
Simply put, Crawford: 20/20 Vision is a project backed by private funders with one goal: to empower the people of Crawford County to build a better future for the community throughout the next decade. It’s not a politically-motivated campaign, and the intention is purely to address the most pressing issues facing the county, collaborate to build solutions, and establish a plan to implement that will bring positive change for the residents of Crawford County.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES CRAWFORD COUNTY IS FACING?
Our county is facing a multitude of significant issues, including (but not limited to): unemployment, lack of educational attainment beyond high school, workforce skill needs, decreasing population, a remaining aging population, duplication of services causing inefficiencies in government and social services agencies and a rising use and demand of public assistance.

WHAT’S HAPPENED SO FAR?
The Vision initiative is in full swing. We’ve already had eight general community meetings where residents of the county participated in open forum discussion and surveys to help us better understand the challenges that presently exist.

A Vision Committee has been established to lead the effort in cooperation with the community, and we’ve created an online communication strategy to make information about Crawford: 20/20 Vision as accessible as possible for all ages – especially young professionals who were not fully represented at our community meetings.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
We’ve already gathered quality facts, input and other statistics about the current state of our county via community meetings and online discussions –we’re now ready to move out of our problem identification stage.

The next step involves issue-specific meetings which will generate solutions for the most pressing issues that county residents have identified:
• Business success and job availability
• Education and workforce development
• Public safety and drug-related issues
• Quality of life

These meetings will involve community members who are deeply connected to the issues. Once potential solutions are gathered, we’ll reconvene as an entire community to review and discuss the actual plan as it’s developed. Meanwhile, we want to keep the community
engaged and involved through our Facebook, Twitter, blog, YouTube, e-newsletter, speakers’ bureau, news releases, feature stories and other local communication outlets online and in traditional media.

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT ME?
The effects of Crawford: 20/20 Vision are all beneficial – your tax dollars are not involved, and you are able to decide how much time and effort you are able and willing to invest. Your participation is the heart of this initiative, and any contribution – whether it is a simple comment on Facebook or active participation in strategy development and implementation – helps us work toward a brighter future for our county.

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?
Participation is easy!
• Our main hub of information is our Website. Go there to learn detailed info about what we’re learning, where we’re going, what’s hot, weekly gift card winners and more.
• If you have an e-mail address, sign up to receive our e-newsletter, which includes: timely updates and news on the Vision project as it progresses, interactive and relevant videos, interesting information about our county and some of the shocking statistics we continue to learn, communication directly from leaders and others involved in the project and links to all of our social media. You can sign up for the e-newsletter on our home page or on our Welcome page on Facebook.
• Our Facebook is another great and easy way to get involved. We truly listen to your input and comments written on the "wall," which acts as an open forum for those who have quality opinions and ideas. From there, you can access and comment our blog, which provides detailed information on hot topics, fact sheets, news releases and other information.
• Twitter is another way you can receive our message – just follow @crawfordco2020. We also have Survey Monkey surveys available and will provide links to them on all of our Websites. By taking those surveys, you can make a huge difference!
All of our online entities are cohesive and are linked together for your convenience.

If you are passionate about participating in the issue-specific focus groups (business success and job availability, education and workforce development, public safety and drug-related issues and quality of life), please send an e-mail to crawford2020@crawford-co.org.

Be on the lookout in the fall for announcements about more community meetings when we reconvene to review the progress. Until then, look for more ways to stay engaged and offer input!

HOW LONG WILL THIS TAKE?
Plan development, in terms of data collection, meetings and writing the plan, is slated to conclude this fall – at that point, implementation will begin. Action steps will be planned out over the next two, five and 10 years dependent upon the objective. The plan will guide Crawford County into year 2020 – hence, our vision is Crawford: 20/20.

The plan will be built for flexibility and longevity. The issues that are most pressing now may shift in the next decade. Ultimately, the vision remains the same though – a brighter future for Crawford County and its residents.

HOW CAN I CONTACT CRAWFORD: 20/20 VISION?
Any of our social media sites are great ways to connect with us. If you have questions or concerns about the process, please e-mail us at crawford2020@crawford-co.org. To reach us via telephone, dial 419-563-1809 or 419-562-8566. We want to hear what you have to say!

What's In It For Me?

2010-06-21T17:56:00.001-07:00

The statistics exist. Young adults and young professionals are underrepresented in our community.

The majority of people who have engaged in Crawford: 20/20 Vision community meetings thus far are over 50 years old or have lived in the county well over 20 years.

The reasons as to why this is are impossible to define. Maybe most young professionals have been away at college from March to June when the Vision meetings have been held. Maybe the more seasoned members of the community have more initiative to participate in this type of forum. Maybe young people don’t feel anyone will listen to them. Maybe they don’t see what’s in it for them.

No matter the rationale, there’s plenty in it for young people – and for everyone else for that matter. Crawford: 20/20 Vision is not a scheme based on political motivation or a mere attempt to make it seem like at least someone is trying.

Crawford: 20/20 Vision is a project that has been developed to make Crawford County a better place – to make young people want to move here after college – to bring jobs and empower people to take hold of their future -- to ensure a higher quality of life for all ages – and to decrease the growing crime and drug statistics to build a safer home.

There’s a reason the Vision initiative uses no tax dollars: it’s not a political project and the money that has been contributed by the following organizations is for you – to enable you to make a difference. The private funders of the project (Bucyrus Area Community Foundation, Ohio Mutual, WBCO/WQEL, AEP, the Arthur J. Freese Foundation, the Carter Family Foundation, WyseSolutions, LLC., and the Walter R. Hessenauer Charitable Trust) believe in a better future for the county.

This is the opportunity of a lifetime.

If you are a young professional who would rather move elsewhere because of the lack of job, entertainment, or housing options – but would hate to move away from your family – now is your chance to change Crawford County into a place where you can envision yourself succeeding.

Imagine living in Crawford County and being able to take pride in the place you live as a young professional. It’s possible, and the key is your engagement in this process. Crawford: 20/20 Vision has worked diligently to make this project accessible to all ages via our online communication strategy.

The ball is in your court, and Crawford: 20/20 Vision is on your team. You can make a huge difference for yourself and your community – just voice your opinion on Facebook, read and share one of our blogs, take one of our Survey Monkey surveys, e-mail us your ideas, sign up for the e-newsletter, or look through and learn more on our main site.

We referenced the wise words of Gandhi once, and we’ll reference his words again: “you must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

A Message from Robin Hildebrand

2010-06-21T08:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Residents and Leaders of Crawford County:

Since March, the Crawford: 20/20 Vision initiative has engaged residents in our community through a series of eight public meetings that have been held around the county. While I am very pleased that hundreds of community members have taken the time to participate in the community engagement piece of the visioning process, we still have a lot of work to be done to address the significant challenges our community is facing.

My message as the chair of Crawford: 20/20 Vision is simple -- care enough about your community to get involved. Your involvement can be as easy as offering an opinion, or if you are really passionate about the future of our community, then get involved in one of the upcoming focus groups that will be created to provide solutions to the critical issues which have been identified by your neighbors in the public meeting phase of this very important initiative.

This initiative is important to me not only because I am the chair, or not even because I serve as the Crawford County Auditor … it is important to me because I am a resident of Crawford County, and this is my home – it’s yours, too. Let’s come together and stay engaged in this process so that we can build a better future for our county.

Sincerely,

Robin Hildebrand
Chair, Crawford: 20/20 Vision

Leave Your Jacket at the Door

2010-06-11T12:55:00.000-07:00

“We need to pull together and present a unified front .... Drop the letter jackets … Put aside ego and realize we need to regroup as a county, not individual ‘silos’ of progress.”

This anonymous response, submitted to Crawford: 20/20 Vision via Survey Monkey survey, embodies a specific spectrum of feelings concerning territorial and traditional thinking that is perhaps hindering potential progress in Crawford County.

Crawford County has a population of 43, 403 (according to the US Census Bureau’s 2009 estimate).

Our roots define who we are. But whether you are a Galionite, a Bucyrian, a Crestliner, a New Washingtonian or a North Robinsonian, you are conclusively a Crawford Countian, and you share that title with approximately 43,402 other people.

Recently, it’s been said that the residents of Crawford County generally do not identify as part of a county, but rather as part of just the city or town in which they live.

We should take pride in our differences -- many people who live in Crawford County are deeply invested in their community because it is their home. Generations of families have been tied to specific areas for decades, and every area in the county has its own history and its own strengths.

Despite this, we must shift our perspective and strengthen the bond between the communities.

In order to make a change in the county (not just each community), we must come together. Competition, duplication of services and the “letter jacket” mindset are not conducive to a brighter future for Crawford County.

In another Survey Monkey anonymous response, one person said:

“Everyone is so afraid of collaboration. Do we need so many school districts? Do we need two large hospitals? I find it so odd that the cities are so close geographically but so self-minded. Other surrounding counties take more pride in being a unit and see collaboration as a positive thing that makes the county run more effectively.”

Perhaps the perception of collaboration should be changed so it is seen as a positive option instead of a potential downfall. Imagine what Crawford County could be if we drew from the strengths of each community and came together.

We must learn from the past and move forward together. The colors sported on varsity letter jackets may yield friendly competition for those who are still in high school, but they cannot color our perspective as members of a countywide community.

The Vision Gets Social Online

2010-06-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

According to its Website, “The Crawford: 20/20 Vision initiative is an unprecedented effort to bring together the people of our county to take charge of our challenges and turn them around.”

At the most recent Crawford: 20/20 Vision community meetings, one of the questions those in attendance were asked was which age group they belong to. They were then asked to respond using Turning Point clicker technology which offers immediate, viewable results.

On March 30 in Crestline, nearly 63 percent of community members at the meeting identified as older than 50 years old. On May 17, nearly 69 percent of people in the Crawford County Fairgrounds Youth Building were older than 50. Following the trend, nearly 59 percent of attendees were older than 50 at the May 18 community meeting at Colonel Crawford Intermediate School.

While the older-than-50 demographic was irrefutably well-represented and their attendance and input is highly valued by the Crawford: 20/20 Vision organizers, the figures were far lower for ages 18-24, 25-34 and 35-40 – which does not represent the entirety of the county’s population. Sometimes, these lower age ranges were not represented at all aside from a miniscule slice on the pie chart with a zero above it.

From the statistics, it seems as if the 18-40 age range is the lost demographic. Somehow, college students and young professionals have been grossly underrepresented in the community process.

In Crawford: 20/20 Vision’s data, it states that population is declining – it’s down 6 percent since 2000, and down 12 percent since its 1970 peak. “Young people are leaving … (the) population is aging.”

So, why are young people leaving? Is their absence at the community meetings either a.) A sign of low initiative? Or b.) A feeling of disconnect from the county?

Perhaps both. Perhaps neither.

It is safe to say that it is never safe to make assumptions. The best way to learn why college students and young professionals have any opinion one way or another about the future of Crawford County is to ask them. But, where are they?

Online.

Crawford: 20/20 Vision established a Facebook page on May 21. A week later, the group had over 130 members – and it’s grown steadily since. Facebook allows page administrators to view “Insights” on the group – which measure group interaction, post quality and other forms of Facebook activity such as media consumption and photo views.

One of the most prominent features of the “Insights” tool is the chart which shows administrators total fans and categorizes them by age, gender and location. At the time of the most recent update to the chart, exactly 50 percent of group members were 18-24 years old. Twenty-one percent of members were ages 25-34, while the rest of the group was fairly evenly distributed in other age groups.

The difference between community meeting attendance and Facebook membership in terms of demographics is undeniably significant. What’s more important is the interaction and discussion that is generated within the group.

The model of open discussion in person to person meetings is reenacted on the Vision’s Facebook wall. When asked what they thought was Crawford County’s greatest challenge, people responded – in person and online.

“One of the greatest challenges for Crawford County is to attract people to come to our community and to want to make a home here, people who will give back to the community,” said Matthew Hoover, Facebook group member. “Of course jobs are one of, if not the greatest, factors and draw for people to want to be in a community; however, with the state of the economy that's a very difficult task. I think that Crawford County should concentrate more on bringing more attractions to the area that will bring culture back into our communities. Indeed, it’s a tremendous uphill battle, but there are things and people among us that we could capitalize on.”

Hoover, a native of Bucyrus, said Crawford County no longer feels like the place where he grew up. And he’s not the only one who contributed to the discussion.

“This is an overall good community, but it could be better,” said fellow group member and Crawford County resident Becky Teynor Woods. “Since I only live in Bucyrus, I can’t vouch for Galion. Since both cities are near the new route 30, the land around the exits/entrances should be utilized in some way.”

Problem identification on the wall leads to an even better topic of discussion: potential solution identification.

“(We need) hotels, restaurants, shopping centers … maybe a ‘mini-resort’ that brings all of those things together,” said Mark Fiske, another member of the group. “Go-karts, a driving range, bumper boats – SOMETHING that might get people to stop … on their way to the lakes.”

Agreeing with Fiske and Woods, Hoover said: “We can also focus and try to grow some of the existing things that we have … the few things we do have here (Bratwurst Festival, Car Show, etc.) really do well and pull people from all over. Again, I think it is our proximity to major highways … We need to somehow attract businesses and restaurants to build here in Crawford County. If there is nothing to do here, then Crawford County will only attract people who do nothing.”

The discussion generated on the Crawford: 20/20 Vision Facebook page is supplemented by another online entity: Google Blogger. The Vision’s blog features a variety of posts thus far and its purpose is to provide detailed, readable information about the Visioning process and relevant topics.

For example, Facebook members (and a multitude of community members) identified employment as a major challenge faced by the county. The most recent blog post, titled “OhioMeansJobs – Crawford County Does, Too” addresses the concerns of job availability and job creation, offers a resource that allows people to find hundreds of jobs in Crawford County and surrounding areas and concludes with a positive outlook focusing on opportunity rather than inadequacy.

The Facebook and blog site go hand in hand and also work cohesively with the Vision’s new Twitter page. The Twitter account offers visitors and followers concise (140 characters or less) messages about something relevant to the county or the Visioning process. Using a tool called TweetDeck, Crawford: 20/20 Vision’s statuses (tweets) can be instantaneously updated on Facebook as well. The most recent addition to the Vision’s social media efforts: a YouTube Channel.

The best aspect of these online social media resources is their price – because there isn’t one. Online entities such as the ones that are being utilized by Crawford: 20/20 Vision are free and are undoubtedly reaching a different, broader demographic. The initiative is for the people and is owned by the people, and these resources make it cost-effective and accessible for all.

In addition, Crawford: 20/20 Vision is now developing an e-newsletter for those who join the e-mailing list (sign up here). The newsletter will feature updates on the initiative, links to social media and interactive aspects to engage those who are involved in the process.

At the hub of this all is the initiative’s home Website, which contains all of the information about Crawford: 20/20 Vision. Tabs on the homepage allow users to access information about “what we are doing,” “what we are learning” and “where we are going.” Links have been added so that crawford2020.com visitors can easily access the aforementioned forms of social media.

As the online communication develops and the meetings and open discussions continue, awareness heightens among people of all ages in the county. As voices are “heard” through their input in discussions on the Facebook wall and blog posts, potential solutions are being cultivated.

Involvement in the Crawford: 20/20 Vision initiative – whether at community meetings or on the Net– contributes to the betterment of the future of Crawford County. Get connected -- participation in this unprecedented process is just a few clicks away.

Visit www.crawford2020.com for the home site. The Facebook page can be accessed at www.facebook.com/crawford2020vision. Read the blog at crawford2020.blogspot.com or follow us on Twitter by going to www.twitter.com/crawfordco2020. To watch the YouTube channel, go www.youtube.com/crawford2020vision.

The First Addition to our YouTube Channel: What We're Learning...

2010-06-04T18:57:00.000-07:00

OhioMeansJobs -- Crawford County Does, Too

2010-05-27T14:32:00.000-07:00

Q: “What do you think is the greatest challenge Crawford County currently faces?”
A: “Jobs!”

This question and answer set is a direct snippet from Crawford: 20/20 Vision’s Facebook wall. The group was created a mere week ago and has already gained over 100 members – and counting.

The concise answer shown above was contributed by group member Gary Hess, and it seems to be a shared sentiment. In a Facebook wall post asking college students and young professionals if they plan on returning to Crawford County to live and work, another group member named Ashley Cook replied, “No way. There are no good jobs in Crawford County.”

At the past seven Crawford: 20/20 Vision community meetings, employment has been a recurring theme and a major point of concern for many. On May 17, over 70 percent of people in attendance said business success and job availability is the most important issue the county is facing.

This concern is not unwarranted. The facts provided by Crawford: 20/20 Vision show that employment is declining: overall private sector jobs were down 9.1 % from 2001 to 2006, pre-recession, and manufacturing employment is down 26% in the last decade, which is more job loss than surrounding counties are experiencing.

There is no quick solution, but there is hope. In response to Cook’s aforementioned comment about why she would not return to Crawford County, fellow member Scott M. Sanders said, “There are some. You need talent and diligence to get them.”

Jobs do exist in Crawford County and surrounding areas.

OhioMeansJobs.com is a resource provided by Ohio.gov which allows job seekers and employers alike to communicate about employment opportunities. When the geographical area within 25 miles of Bucyrus (Crawford’s county seat) is searched on OhioMeansJobs, nearly 1,800 job openings are listed. Salaries for the openings span between $20,000 and $100,000 or higher and more detailed information is available to anyone who accesses the site.

A multitude of industries are represented in the hundreds of listings of job availability including health care, landscaping, engineering, hospitality, management, retail, sales, advertising and construction – to name a few. The job titles and salaries may vary, but undoubtedly, opportunities such as these can contribute to a significant change in Crawford County’s economy and overall quality of life.

As community members discussed at the Crawford: 20/20 Vision meetings, there is a wealth of skills and resources in Crawford County. Of course, attracting new industry and talent is a primary focus for the betterment of the county, but retaining the current industry and fostering the talent that dwells within the limits of Crawford’s county lines is equally important.

For current college students and young professionals who may be unsure about whether they plan on returning to Crawford County or not, seeming inadequacies may also be unchartered opportunities. What Crawford County lacks in terms of business for some is success waiting to happen for others. More on that next time…

The Current Vision of Crawford County

2010-05-25T07:33:00.000-07:00

The challenges Crawford County faces are significant: unemployment, lack of educational attainment beyond high school, workforce skill needs, decreasing population, a remaining aging population, duplication of services causing inefficiencies in government and social services agencies and a rising use and demand of public assistance.

Crawford: 20/20 Vision has been established to determine specific challenges within the realms of the aforementioned topics, to form strategic solutions based on community input and to ultimately implement an unprecedented plan to take action to improve Crawford County.

So, to target where we must go from here, we must look at where we are ... right?

Here are the facts:
· According to the Ohio Department of Development, Crawford County is a distressed county
· Population is down six percent since 2000 – young people are leaving, and population is aging
· Manufacturing employment is down 26 percent in the last decade – it’s 36 percent of local economy and 44 percent of all county payroll
· Only 10 percent of people in Crawford County have attained a bachelor’s degree or higher, while 66 percent have attained a high school diploma or below
· Seventeen percent of Crawford County’s population is on food stamps
· Nearly 20 percent of people under 18 are at the poverty level in Crawford County

The facts may be daunting, but the future doesn't have to be. You can help shape Crawford County into a place with more business opportunities, more public safety, more government efficiency, higher educational attainment and a better quality of life by participating in the Crawford: 20/20 Vision initiative. As Mohandas Gandhi said, “be the change you want to see in the world.”

Crawford: 20/20 Vision Sharpens Focus with Help of Community Members

2010-05-25T06:47:00.001-07:00

NEWS RELEASE

If you could rebuild Crawford County from ground-up, what would you want it to look like?

This burning question was raised by Janet Pry, director of the Bucyrus Area Community Foundation and member of the Crawford: 20/20 Vision Visioning Committee at the May 17 and 18 community meetings held at the Crawford County Fairgrounds and the William Crawford Intermediate School, respectively.

Crawford: 20/20 Vision’s objectives:
· Explore “where we are now”
· Identify challenges and determine “where we want to be” in the next two, five and 10 years
· Map “how we get there” and collaborate as a unit to build effective solutions
· Establish “who must do what” and take action through implementation
· Improve Crawford County as a whole

Before any action is taken or any improvements become tangible, the Visioning Committee and hired consultants Christopher Spence and Barbara Endel, Ph.D. are reaching out to community members and leaders for input, challenge identification and solution building through community meetings – seven have been held to date.

During the most recent May 17 and 18 meetings, facts were presented about the state of Crawford County’s economic climate, discussions were held and community members were able to provide input to a series of questions with instant results via Turning Point clicker technology. Spence and Endel said results have been relatively consistent among community members throughout the course of the meetings.

After the information, discussion and polling, community members were invited to participate in breakout sessions facilitated by Visioning Committee members and the consultants. The sessions focused on issues such as employment and business development, public safety, quality of life, leadership collaboration and more.

Breakout session groups were asked to identify challenges within the aforementioned topics, as well as potential solutions to the problems. Following these discussions, facilitators presented each group’s list of challenges and solutions to the rest of those in attendance. Discussion followed.

Only one community meeting remains before the initiative moves forward to the next stage of development. The final community meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on June 16 at Wynford Schools.

For more information on the initiative, contact the Crawford County Economic Development Partnership at 419-563-1809 or the Crawford Regional Planning Commission at 419-562-8566. Visit the Web site: http://www.crawford2020.com/.

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The Crawford: 20/20 Vision initiative is an unprecedented effort to bring together the people of Crawford County to take charge of challenges and turn them around. The initiative will develop and implement a Crawford Vision that will guide the county for the next decade