Trevor Lee, Executive Director for Ravenna Economic Development Corporation, was one of 60+ students representing five states attending the 26th annual Heartland Economic Development Course (HEDC) April 21-26, 2013 at the Adams Pointe Conference Center in Blue Springs, MO.

The Heartland Economic Development Course allows participants to gain a better understanding of the full range of economic development strategies. The course instructs participants on the ways to maximize the use of local and external resources and attempts to impart an understanding of the effects of global competition on local efforts.

"With fierce competition among communities and regions for new sources of jobs, income and labor, enhanced professional skills and understanding of economic development techniques becomes absolutely critical for success," says LaDene Bowen, Course Director for the Heartland EDC.

As the first economic development course targeted at professionals within the region, the curriculum for the Heartland EDC focuses on economic development factors relevant to the Great Plains states.

"Attending the course was an eye-opening experience. I learned a whole gamut of economic development techniques; entrepreneurship and small business development, business retention & expansion, and managing an effective economic development organization were the most applicable topics for my role in Ravenna. I also managed to broaden my network of professionals on whom I can call whenever I’m stumped with an issue. Attending the class has enhanced my toolbox of resources to better serve Ravenna." said Lee.

Completion of the course is the first step toward meeting the educational prerequisites for sitting for the certified professional economic developer exam administered by the IDEC.

The Heartland EDC is developed and directed by the Institute for Decision Making, Business and Community Services Division, University of Northern Iowa in cooperation with the Nebraska Economic Development Association; Kansas Economic Development Alliance; Professional Developers of Iowa; Missouri Economic Development Council; and the Oklahoma Economic Development Association.

Consultants presented the fruits of several months of labor on Tuesday night. “Setting Roots in Ravenna” is the City of Ravenna’s Comprehensive Plan to guide land use, infrastructure, and development decisions over through the year 2023. The draft includes an assessment of the community, outlines goals established from several public meetings and steering groups, future land uses in and around Ravenna and the steps necessary to make these visions a reality. Click here to view the draft online.

Urbanization has stripped much of the Midwest’s rural areas of its population base over the past 20+ years. While we bucked the trend slightly between 2000 and 2010 (added 19 residents), we must grow our population to prosper as a community. So we wrestle with this question: “How do we get people to move here?” Much like the explosion of access to technology we've witnessed over the past twenty years, we too must be innovative.  One component REDC has focused on is marketing. When you hear the word marketing, advertising often comes to mind. But advertising, such as the community website, is only one component of a much larger approach to marketing our community.

A major consideration is packaging our product. From a marketing perspective, Ravenna is a product. For most of those that call Ravenna home, our small town is irresistible to potential residents. After all, our community spirit, volunteers, and neighborly friendliness make our community a great place to live. But these qualities are not always so obvious to potential residents. Packaging our community as being attractive for these qualities is a challenging yet critical undertaking. The responsibility of doing so rests not only on the shoulders of REDC, but on all of us who call Ravenna home. So speak highly of yourself and your community because you never know who may be listening!

To help spread the message that Ravenna is a great place to set roots, REDC has been awarded a grant from the Nebraska Tourism Commission to redevelop the community’s website. With a launch date goal of September 1st, 2013, the new and improved website will target visitors, potential residents and potential businesses while enhancing the experience of resident users. Residents will have access to public documents such as meeting agendas and minutes as well as the ability to file reports to City Hall. We are excited to receive the grant and believe the new and improved website with strengthen our community marketing efforts for years to come.

Rural housing is a major issue around the Midwest and our region is no exception. The fact is that homes do not last forever; they fall off the market due to age, lack of amenities, and physical condition. Roughly one percent of homes will fall off the market each year for these reasons. In order to maintain the current population, assuming average individuals per home remains the same, we need to see an equivalent one percent of homes built each year, or ten percent every ten years. 

In 2000, there were 600 homes in Ravenna. This indicates that 60 homes (10%) needed to be built by 2010. In 2010, there were 660 homes. These include single-family homes, duplexes, and apartment complexes. Because the population increased during this same time span, we can assume that the average number of people per household increased or that more people are living in group quarters, or both. 

Let me be blunt. We are at a housing crossroads. The housing boom in Ravenna happened prior to 1939 making the majority of our housing stock over 70 years old. Constructing one percent of the housing stock between 2000 and 2010 allowed us to maintain our population. Because the majority of our homes are more than 70 years old, we know that a larger percentage is going to be falling off the market over the next 2-3 decades. Constructing one percent each year is not going to be enough to maintain our current population, let alone grow our community. Try 2%, maybe more.

The other challenge we face is the type of homes buyers find in Ravenna. We have a housing shortage of homes in the value range of $50k - $150k, which is the range most people are interested in purchasing. There are a handful of lots available for infill development as well as several uninhabitable homes that could be cleared and made ready for infill housing development. The City has done a good job of cleaning up some of the dilapidated properties in town. Demolishing these uninhabitable homes opens up lots for potential infill development and helps clear up a few of the eye-sores around the community. The homes that are removed must be replaced somewhere in the community in order to maintain a healthy housing market in and to provide homes for potential residents.

Homes follow jobs and vice versa. If more jobs are created in Ravenna, new housing and more home sales will follow. You as the voters, City Hall, and REDC have begun putting the pieces together in order to spur job creation. It is our goal to utilize the framework we are constructing to create local jobs over the next decade. Housing is a piece of this puzzle. If we want to attract young families, for example, we need a range of affordable housing, including rentals. Why wait for the jobs to pursue housing development? We have the jobs; just consider how many people commute to Ravenna for work and spend their paychecks back in their own communities. There have been no new homes constructed in Ravenna since 2010 and we must work to reverse this trend.

The City of Ravenna and the Library Board are exploring options for the future of the Ravenna Public Library. A survey is being conducted to evaluate the future of the Library's programs, services, and building. By fully completing a survey, you will be entered into a drawing for $50 in Chamber Bucks! Your opinions will provide guidance for the library's future! Click here to take the survey online or pick up a copy at the Ravenna Library or Ravenna City Hall.

The survey for the Winter Wonderland community photo contest is available.  To vote for your favorite photo, CLICK HERE. This will redirect you to a simple multiple choice question along with all of the photo's submitted for the current theme.

The first place winner will receive $100 in Ravenna ChamberBucks and the second place winner will receive $50 in ChamberBucks.  Voting will end Friday December 28th at 5:00 pm.

The City of of Ravenna would like to thank you for offering your time and talents over the past year. This service is what make's Ravenna a great community! The Open House will be held on Friday, Decmeber 21st from 2:00 - 6:00pm at City Hall, 416 Grand Ave. Food and drink will be available.

The City of Ravenna will be holding a Citywide Comprehensive Plan meeting at 6:00 pm on December 17th. The meeting will be held at City Hall. Discussion topics will include community needs and priorities. Feedback from this meeting will play a key role as the City works with planning consultants to develop the comprehensive plan and a vision for our community over the next 10 years. Click here to learn more about the comprehensive plan process.

Don’t be lured by big box stores this year. You've seen the posters and you've heard the ads. SHOP LOCAL! It’s not just a national movement or a buzzword. It is we maintain our identity. By shopping local, you are helping to protect the local character that defines Ravenna. You show me 10 towns that have identical businesses; I’ll show you ten identical communities. Our businesses set us apart. Here are a few more reasons to shop local:

• Money spent in Ravenna stays in Ravenna. For every $100 you spend at a Ravenna business, an average of $68 returns to our community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spend it at a big box store, which fortunately we do not have, only $43 stays here. Spend those dollars online and NOTHING comes home.
  
• Local and regional businesses will recycle a larger portion of their revenue back into Ravenna’s economy. They create and feed a vibrant web of economic and social relationships.

• Jobs, jobs, jobs. Locally owned businesses create jobs locally and often provide better wages and benefits than big box stores do.
• A growing middle class is good for everyone. Our innovative competitiveness as a region, state, and nation is driven by entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is a key means for individuals and families to move out of low-wage jobs and into the middle class.
• If half the employed population spent just $50 in locally-owned, independent businesses, it would result in $42.6 billion in revenue, according to a Feb. 6, 2009 report from the U.S. Labor Department. This reflects the impact small businesses can have on our local, regional, state, and national economy.
• Pay it forward. Supporting local businesses enables them to support local causes such as youth-based groups and activities, local events, and community organizations that do the most good right here at home.

Can you imagine what would happen to Ravenna if we didn't have any locally owned businesses? The quality of public services would suffer, the home vacancy rate would skyrocket, our school would shrivel up, and Ravenna as you know it would be no more. Don’t commit to shopping local just for Christmas. Support your local businesses all year.