Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

2019 Annual Performance Report

Submitted by the

Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning

and Development Organization (NEFCO)

January 2019

This report was prepared by NEFCO using Federal funds under award number

ED16CHI3020014 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of

Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendation are those of the authors

and do not necessarily reflect the view of the EDA or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

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Executive Summary

The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Annual Performance Report is updated

annually by the Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization

(NEFCO). This update reports recent trends observed between the issuance of NEFCO’s

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), which occurs every five years, and the

present time. The CEDS can be found at the agency website, www.nefcoplanning.org.

Preparation of the CEDS and the annual report maintains eligibility for the NEFCO region’s

communities to receive grant funds from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic

Development Administration (EDA).

Our CEDS report and its annual update describe the economic conditions, strengths, weaknesses,

opportunities, and threats of the NEFCO area. In 2019, NEFCO is continuing the analysis of the

region, by responding to the following questions: 1) Where are we going? 2) Where do we want

to be? And 3) How do we get there?

The 2019 Annual Performance Report covers the period from February 2018 through January

2019. It describes changing economic conditions in the region encompassing the Counties of

Portage, Stark, and Summit; and Wayne County. Significant events and issues that occurred

over the past year to shape and direct NEFCO’s regional economic development planning

program are outlined in the report.

The regional economy continues to be relatively stable. There was one major employment loss

over the past year, the closing of the Babcox and Wilcox plant in the City of Barberton (Summit

County). The company moved its operation to a portion of the former Goodyear Headquarters in

Akron. This was not a move that Akron had solicited but it is fortunate that a facility was

available to accommodate the needs of B&W and thus, the County did not lose an important

employer. The challenge now is to provide the city of Barberton with the necessary tools to help

it recoup this loss, which represented about 20 percent of the community’s income.

Other than the above example, the stability in the region has given communities the ability to

focus locally, whether to undertake an assessment of housing needs for a millennial generation or

to build on current assets that will retain the young workforce. What is needed is the restoration

of at least some of the funding which the State of Ohio has traditionally provided to

communities, but has been missing during the last several years. Finally, the entire region will

greatly benefit from the announcement of the nearly $900 million Hall of Fame Village

development in Canton. Stark County remains a regional economic development focus with the

construction of the Football Hall of Fame Village and the long-term potential of the role the

county will play in the oil and gas industry.

NEFCO’s advisory committee and governing board members are involved in the agency’s

regional economic development planning program, providing feedback on the pulse of the

region, communicating their ideas of where the region is headed, and assisting staff with tasks

needed to create the conditions for strong local and regional economies. The goals and

objectives that are reviewed and approved by these members appear in this report.

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Adjustments to NEFCO’s Strategy

Report on Changing Economic Conditions and Adjustments

24-month unemployment and per capita income in the NEFCO Region

In the last two years, the region has experienced 24-month unemployment rates that have

matched the State of Ohio’s rate or have been slightly lower than the state’s rate (Figure 1).

Seasonal peaks occurred during summer months and the holiday season and those are also shown

on this graph. The last two months of the period (December 2018 and January 2019) saw the

rate both Ohio and the NEFCO region rising from 4.2% (November 2018) to 5.4% in January

2019.

Figure 1

24-Month Unemployment Rates in the NEFCO Region and Ohio

February 2017 to January 2019

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 2019

Figure 2 plots the 24-month period (same as Figure 1) for the NEFCO region and the U.S. This

is a significant comparison since one of the criterions used by EDA to determine economically-

3.75%

4.25%

4.75%

5.25%

5.75%

6.25%

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Period NEFCO Ohio

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distressed counties is that the county’s (or community’s) 24-month unemployment rate must be

1% or greater than the U.S. rate. The peaks and declines in the two rates do mirror each other.

The NEFCO region’s rate for January 2019 is 5.43 % and the U.S. percent for January 2019 is

4.4%. NEFCO staff will need to monitor this rate difference to see if the gap closed in the

region, and individual counties, and discuss this with EDA’s Economic Development

Representative (EDR) for Ohio in the months after January 2019.

Figure 2

24-Month Unemployment Rates in the NEFCO Region and U.S.

February 2017 to January 2019

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Civilian Unemployment Rate [UNRATENSA], retrieved from FRED,

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/UNRATENSA

Table 1 portrays calculations of economic distress for NEFCO’s counties and major cities. Local

governments may qualify for EDA assistance based on the economic distress of a census tract or

a community’s per capita income. The data shown in Table 1 are based on the Bureau of Labor

Statistics data available in January 2019 and the American Community Survey’s estimates of Per

Capita Income for a single point in time between 2013-2017.

3.00%

3.50%

4.00%

4.50%

5.00%

5.50%

6.00%

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Period

NEFCO U.S.

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Table 1

Economic Distress in the NEFCO Region

Unit of Government

24-Month Unemployment % (BLS)

ACS PCMI 5-yr est. (2013-2017)

Percentage of U.S. PCMI

Portage County 4.75 $ 27,985 89.8%

Hiram Village N/A $ 16,498 52.9%

Kent 4.39 $ 20,468 65.7%

Ravenna N/A $ 21,617 69.3%

Windham Village N/A $ 18,455 59.2%

Stark County 5.04 $ 27,401 87.9%

Alliance N/A $ 19,759 63.4%

Canton 5.98 $ 18,279 58.6%

Massillon 5.36 $ 23,171 74.3%

Summit County 4.81 $ 30,803 98.8%

Akron 5.48 $ 22,416 71.9%

Barberton 5.43 $ 21,554 69.1%

Lakemore Village N/A $ 23,849 76.5%

Wayne County 3.76 $ 25,762 82.6%

Wooster 3.86 $ 25,711 82.5%

Ohio 4.76 $ 29,011 93.1%

U.S. 4.12 $ 31,177 Sources: American Community Survey; Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 2019

N/A – not available; statistics not provided at this geographic level by the Census Bureau.

City names in bold indicate economically-distressed communities. A community’s Per Capita Income

must be less than 80% of U.S. PCI i.e. less than $24,942 to be eligible and its unemployment rate must

be greater than 1% of US (based on 24-month unemployment) i.e. 5.13%. Cells without data indicate

that statistics are not provided at this geographic level by the Census Bureau.

Major cities may be considered economically-distressed based on either their 24-month unemployment

rates or per capita income. The BLS data indicate that the larger cities experience the most economic

hardship in the region. However, residents in smaller communities that lack large employers may have

low per capita income.

Changes within the District Organization and Project Selection Process

There will be a new, full-time Economic Development Planner who will manage NEFCO’s

regional economic development planning program under the direction of NEFCO’s long-time

Executive Director. The new planner will interact with NEFCO’s Regional Comprehensive

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Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Committee (Table 2). Many of the members have been

on the committee for several years. This committee is comprised of a well-balanced mix of

representation from EDA’s desired target groups (private sector, higher education, chambers of

commerce, non-profits organizations, and workforce development). This committee makes the

technical recommendations on economic related matters to the NEFCO General Policy Board.

Staff will supplement the input from the Regional CEDS Committee by interacting with the

region’s public and private economic development practitioners.

NEFCO has used County/City Coordinators as local contacts in its CEDS process for identifying

county or large city economic development issues and needs. In previous CEDS plans, these

coordinators were charged with soliciting projects for NEFCO’s CEDS project priority list. The

Regional Committee would rank the projects on the basis of a set of criteria that had been

approved by NEFCO’s General Policy Board. The list of projects from the ranking process were

divided into first and second tiers. However, EDA has indicated that such priority lists are no

longer required to be part of the CEDS. Because of EDA’s rolling project submittal schedule,

projects from the region rarely were or are in competition with each other, thus negating the need

for a ranking. NEFCO staff has interest in maintaining an informal list of county priorities as a

means of understanding and staying engaged in the members’ priorities, and therefore sensitive

to opportunities to assist its counties and municipalities in addressing those needs.

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Table 2

2019 Regional CEDS Committee

Name Representing Title EDA category

Brent Hendren City of Akron Mayor's Small Business Center

Small Business

Liaison, Public

Sector

Tom Wilke City of Kent Economic Development Dir. Public Sector

Jonathan Millea City of Wooster Economic Development Dir. Public Sector

Rafael Rodriguez City of Canton

Community Improvement

Corporation

Director, Private

Sector

Brad Ehrhart Portage County

President, Portage Economic

Development Corporation

President, Private

Sector

Bob Nau Stark County

Director, Stark County Regional

Planning Commission Public Sector

Dennis Tubbs Summit County

Deputy Director, Summit

County Community & Economic

Development Public Sector

Betty Aylsworth

Ohio Agricultural

Research & Development

Center Program Coordinator Higher Education

Tom Pukys

Wayne Economic

Development Council President Private Sector

Gregg Cramer Greater Akron Chamber

Vice President, Economic

Development Private Sector

Chris Johnson

Stark Economic

Development Board Vice President Private Sector

Patricia Grospiron JumpStart, Inc. Network Development Director Private Sector

Scott Wagner

Barberton Community

Development Corporation Executive Director Private Sector

Total members = 13

Private sector/Education representatives = 8 (62%)

This roster of the 2019 Regional CEDS Committee represents the principal economic interests of

the NEFCO region.

Note: some updates/changes to this list may occur

CEDS 2019 City and County Coordinators

Portage County – Todd Peetz, Portage County Regional Planning Commission

Stark County – Rachel Forchione, Stark County Regional Planning Commission

Summit County – Bob Genet, Summit County Department of Community & Economic Development

City of Wooster – Jonathan Millea, Economic Development

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Table 3 shows the composition and affiliations of NEFCO’s General Policy Board for 2019.

NEFCO’s governing board is the decision-making body for the organization.

Table 3

2019 NEFCO Governing Board Roster

NAME AFFILIATION TYPE OF

REPRESENTATIVE

Portage County James Bierlair Portage Soil and Water Conservation District Public official Joe Diorio Portage County Health Commissioner Public official Vicki Kline Portage County Commissioner Public official Todd Peetz Portage Regional Planning Commission Director Public official Gene Roberts Portage County Sanitary Engineer Public official John Zizka Freedom Township Trustee Public official Dan Morganti City of Kent Grants & Neighborhood Program Coord. Public official Stark County Keith Bennett Stark County Engineer Public official Doug Lane North Canton Area Chamber of Commerce President Business David Maley City of Massillon Economic Development Director Public official Vince Marion City of Louisville Planning Director Public official Joe Mazzola City of Alliance Planning Director Public official Richard Regula Stark County Commissioner Private sector Jim Troike Stark County Sanitary Engineer Public official Joe Underwood Stark County Regional Planning Commission Public official John Weedon Stark Soil and Water Conservation District Public official Dan Moeglin City of Canton Engineer Public official Vacant (3) Summit County Alan Brubaker Summit County Engineer Public official David DePasquale Sagamore Hills Township Public official William Judge City of Barberton Mayor Public official David Kohlmeier CTI Engineering Private sector Holly Miller Summit County Community & Economic Dev. Public official Ilene Shapiro Summit County Executive Public official Dianne Sumego Black and Veatch Corporation Private sector Michael Weant Summit County Sanitary Engineer Public official Jeff Wilhite Summit County Council President Public official Bob Hoch City of Akron Councilman Private sector Daniel Horrigan City of Akron Mayor Public official John Moore City of Akron Service Director Public official Veronica Sims City of Akron Councilwoman Public official Rich Swirsky City of Akron Councilman Public official Thomas A. Tatum City of Akron Housing & Community Services Admin. Public official Helen Tomic City of Akron Comprehensive Planning Manager Public official Wayne County

Becky Foster Wayne County Commissioner Public official Trevor Hunt Wayne County Planning Director Public official Steve Wheeler City of Orrville Safety/Service Director Public official Bob Breneman City of Wooster Mayor Private sector Ohio EPA (Ex Officio) Rich Blasick Ohio EPA – NEDO Private sector

This roster of the 2019 NEFCO General Policy Board is broadly representative of the principal economic

interests of the Region.

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Changes within the Region

The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland reports a stable economy. While its area of coverage

includes Ohio and portions of three other states, many of these trends are indicative of northeast

Ohio: economic activity rose slightly; hiring increased at a moderate pace; upward costs

pressures, especially for raw materials, remained elevated. Contacts also noted higher

transportation costs. Builders and manufacturers reported being able to pass through cost

increases to their customers. Demand was stable or increased in retail, construction, and

nonfinancial services but softened slightly in manufacturing and banking, a situation which

contacts largely attributed to seasonal factors. Manufacturing conditions softened at the end of

the fourth quarter, but many contacts reported that this was largely a result of the usual seasonal

slowdown. The outlook for conditions in 2019 remains fair. (Fourth District Beige Book, January

16, 2019).

The $899 million development of the Johnson Controls Pro Football Hall of Fame Village in the

City of Canton continues to hold the promise of being a major economic development driver for

the region. Announced in 2015, plans include the construction of hotels, a conference center, a

sports and entertainment complex, an assisted living facility, a youth sports facility, a center for

excellence, NFL-themed rides/virtual experience and waterpark, and a Main Street with

restaurant/retail establishments (Pro Football Hall of Fame website). The project will attract

multiple businesses and significant levels of private investment in the local and regional

economies. To supplement this project, Canton has ongoing infrastructure projects designed to

benefit the region while jumpstarting local investment interest.

One of the major changes took place at the state level, as Ohio took steps to implement House

Bill 1 (2011) which created JobsOhio, and later that year passed HB 153 which authorized the

transfer of the state’s liquor enterprise to JobsOhio. In 2013, JobsOhio purchased Ohio’s liquor

enterprise. In summary, the profits from liquor sales in Ohio are granted to JobsOhio for

economic development activities. JobsOhio has divided the state into six regional economic

development organizations. The regional organization that covers northeast Ohio (including the

NEFCO region) is Team NEO. Team NEO works with local, private economic development

organizations to promote and execute economic development in the 18-county region. Thus,

NEFCO and all other public and private economic development entities, and local and county

governments had a new, well-funded participant in the economic development arena.

Utica shale continued to have a strong impact on the region, particularly in Stark County.

Ohio citizens elected a new Governor in the fall 2018. County and local governments hope for

some funding restoration in upcoming two-year state budget (to be approved by June 30, 2019)

They want the Governor to restore some of the funding that the previous Governor eliminated or

severely cut back on. This lack of local funds hampered the local governments’ ability to have

funds to use as match for EDA projects, as well as infrastructure maintenance or improvement.

The severity of the opioid crisis in much of Ohio has had an impact on the availability and/or

ability of workers to meet the needs of companies. The public sector is certainly aware of this

problem and is devoting funds to address it, further draining limited funds of county and local

governments.

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A Regional Approach NEFCO’s future economic development activities can be guided by answers to the following

questions.

Where are we going?

Facing a largely stable regional economy, leaders are working to diversify their local

communities. Leaders “thinking outside the box” have been the driving force behind recent

innovative projects to imagine our communities for future generations. With the region’s

reliance on manufacturing, the slow economic recovery is still concerning. However, initiatives

that encourage entrepreneurship and livable and sustainable communities are promising

indicators that decision makers recognize the need to change and address a different economic

future. The region is also growing in research and development opportunities, many tied to

shale/oil and polymers, and spurring interest in national and international research facilities.

Logistics has always been a strong presence in the region and, after some losses over the past

years, this industry has begun to improve.

Where do we want to be? Collaboration and working toward the greater good of the region, not just on behalf of one

community gaining at the expense of another, is a common theme. Summit County, for example,

has formalized this by requiring all of its communities and the country itself to annually sign an

Economic Development and Job Preservation Agreement. The document is designed to prevent a

community from poaching on another by luring a company to relocate. The penalty for not

signing the agreement or violating it include a loss of points on state public works grant

applications for the current year and for an additional year. Leaders have suggested that they

would like to be at the forefront of technological research and early stage development. A future

is preferred where the region’s legacy cities are strengthened rather than abandoned, and the use

of land near existing infrastructure to promote efficient economic growth. Concentrating

resources to boost the existing infrastructure might also include high-speed connections to attract

and retain businesses. Creating livable wage jobs and making sure that the workforce has the

needed skills to fill these jobs are highly desired initiatives.

How do we get there?

Identify and share resources. Fund opportunities for growth

Identify our economic development weaknesses and address these

Assist communities in developing their own vision while looking for common themes

and opportunities to partner

Encourage collaboration in general, and with the higher education network to support

community vision, boost entrepreneurship, and match students to available careers

Encourage private sector to support education, training and entrepreneurial activity; more

partnerships between public/private entities

Increased communication between public/private sectors so that local governments can

better respond to needs

Support actions to fund infrastructure projects; emphasize the importance of maintaining

what already exists

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Assist strong communities with resources to complete infrastructure needed for business

parks that attract technology clusters

Identify redevelopment funding and local regulations that provide incentives to redevelop

urban cores and boost the local economy; support clean/green initiatives in the region

Identify the needs of companies locating in or near the Utica shale play and discuss with

members of the public and private development community how those needs can be

addressed

Support workforce initiatives that are innovative and can efficiently be put in motion to

address employee shortages that exist at area companies

Staff/Capacity of District to support the CEDS

With its planned hire of a full-time economic development planner, NEFCO maintains sufficient

capacity to support regional economic development planning efforts for the four-county area.

Three full-time staff will be involved in economic development activities, with one of those

members chiefly responsible for the economic development program. A key emphasis of

NEFCO’s program is to assist entities in the region with questions and guidance needed to

benefit from EDA’s grant programs and initiatives. The map on page 11 illustrates the level of

EDA dollars invested in the region since the 1980s.

Matching funds that support NEFCO’s economic development program are committed for the

current fiscal year through June 2019, and NEFCO’s General Policy Board has already passed a

resolution committing the organization to providing the necessary matching funds as required

under the next three-year Partnership Planning Grant.

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Report on Economic Development Activities

The following activities were undertaken to support and implement NEFCO’s CEDS Update:

Shale Energy Strategy

NEFCO, along with three other Economic Development Districts, participated in the 25-county

study that was funded by EDA and conducted by The Ohio State University. The study used a

cluster analysis to suggest possible areas of business expansion that would occur under a shale

boom, and recommended ways to create a sustainable shale economy. NEFCO staff was part of

a conference call in April 2018 organized by OSU with the other pertinent districts to receive

feedback on the study, and for OSU to share a PowerPoint presentation about it, as well as to

provide the EDDs with Excel files of the sub-clusters from the location quotient and shift share

analysis. The PowerPoint also contained information from an income distribution study that was

collected.

Bits and Atoms Innovation Center

After being an EDA Public Works grant recipient in 2014, the City of Akron’s plans for the

location of the Bits and Atoms Innovation Center changed, which required the City to reapply for

EDA funds and Akron was awarded a $2.5 million grant in 2016. Unfortunately, those funds

again had to be returned when the location changed from a building owned by the University of

Akron to a location nearby in the former Akron Global Business Accelerator (AGBA). In

November 2017, the City of Akron accepted a $2 million capital grant from the state of Ohio to

turn the first floor of the AGBA into a “maker space” for BOUNCE, an innovation center.

Former Chrysler Stamping Plan

NEFCO’s involvement in an EDA-funded strategy after the 2010 closure of the Chrysler

Stamping Plan in Twinsburg (Summit County), assisted the City with the redevelopment of the

167 acre site. Now called the Cornerstone Business Park, the city has been able to attract many

national companies including, Visitor/PFG, FedEx, Amazon, TTW (Bridgestone), Dunkin

Donuts Consumer Products, and soon O’Reilly Auto Enterprises. Roughly 23 acres remain to be

redeveloped, including a prime 17 acres corner space. NEFCO has encouraged the Eastgate

Region COG (an EDD in Youngstown) staff to contact Twinsburg’s Director of Community

Planning and Development for assistance in dealing with the recent closing of General Motors

Lordstown plant in Eastgate’s region.

Economic Resilience

A section of NEFCO’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) 2018 Update

was devoted to economic resilience. From a physical resilience standpoint, NEFCO is having

ongoing discussions in its environmental meetings, and as a member of Summit County’s

Technical Advisory Committee that reviews and recommends projects for funding by the Ohio

Public Works Commission. What impacts might climate change have on existing and planned

infrastructure, is a question that’s been presented to city engineers for discussion.

Performance Evaluation by EDA

It is anticipated that the required agency evaluation by EDA will take place during the last

quarter of the grant.

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NEFCO Region Economic Development Conditions

Staff reviews 5 area newspapers on a daily basis in order to stay current with economic changes

in the region. Significant closures are reported to the Economic Development Representative

(EDR), and, when appropriate, meetings are requested to discuss projects that will assist a

community with efforts to address economic challenges. Significant positive economic

development needs are also noted.

Involvement on Regional Committees

During 2019, NEFCO’s Executive Director continued to serve as a member of the local MPO’s

(transportation planning agency) Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). Additionally the

Executive Director serves as the TAC member of Summit County’s District 9 Integrating

Committee which has the responsibility of determining which infrastructure projects are

submitted to the Ohio Public Works Commission for funding.

In 2010, NEFCO became part of a 12-county study to examine the effects of the region

continuing to develop its land as it had, to date (continuing trends), or what might happen if one

of two other approaches were adopted. A vision framework, and list of recommendations were

adopted in February 2014 by the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium

(NEOSCC) Board of Directors. Since that time a Launch Board was formed and holds quarterly

meetings to advance the original three-year effort. NEFCO’s Executive Director serves as 2nd

Vice Chairman and Secretary. A new initiative during 2019 was the creation of Vibrant NEO

Champions awards. These awards were given to organizations and individuals that demonstrated

leadership in the advancement of the Vibrant NEO Vision and its four major themes. NEFCO

was on the award selection committee.

Updates and communication

Staff communicates opportunities and provides updates on issues that affect the region on at least

a monthly basis to its members. NEFCO’s monthly General Policy Board meetings provide a

forum for this communication. Time-sensitive information on new initiatives and other

information are e-mailed to economic development and planning professionals. Communicating

public events, meetings of importance to the region, and the dates of the public General Policy

Board meeting dates are posted on NEFCO’s website (www.nefcoplanning.org). NEFCO’s

board meetings also provide opportunities to feature speakers on topics selected by staff and

board members. During 2018, invited speakers discussed Biomimicry (learning from nature);

and project financing options in the NEFCO region, by the President of the Development

Finance Authority of Summit County.

Planning assistance

NEFCO assisted area officials, community leaders, and professionals with various projects of

importance to local communities. In 2018, NEFCO has met with representatives of Congressmen

Tim Ryan; Senator Sherrod Brown; Senator Rob Portman; the State Auditor’s office; the Cities

of Akron, Barberton, Canton, Massillon, Kent, Wooster; the Greater Akron Chamber; Stark

Economic Development Board; academics from the University of Akron; NEFCO members, and

other entities seeking EDA assistance.

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Implementation assistance

NEFCO has provided letters of support for members and other entities whose projects and goals

complement NEFCO’s. Staff continues to assist local governments with the implementation of

infrastructure investments and programs. In 2018, as was mentioned earlier, NEFCO

participated in the Ohio Public Works Commission infrastructure projects program (Program

Year 33) as a member of the six-person Technical Advisory Committee of Summit County’s

District 8 Public Works Integrating Committee.

Technical Assistance

NEFCO staff provides information to the public and private sectors on critical issues affecting

the region. Some examples of this assistance includes updated Census data and notification of

when new information is released, federal and state legislative updates, and funding notices.

NEFCO’s administration of two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-funded brownfields

assessment grants has made the agency a critical resource for brownfields redevelopment

planning. Additionally, staff’s close relationship with the U.S. EPA and the Ohio EPA allows

NEFCO to assist its members in obtaining quick answers to questions on environmental issues.

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Evaluation of Progress on Action Plan and Goals

Progress toward achieving goals and performance measures

1. Support programs that diversify local and regional economies and which build a strong

regional economy capable of recovering from natural disasters and economic setbacks.

Shale energy strategy funded by EDA – NEFCO staff was part of a conference call in April

2018 organized by OSU with the other pertinent districts to receive feedback on the study,

and for OSU to share a PowerPoint presentation about it as well as, to provide the EDDs with

Excel files of the sub-clusters from the location quotient and shift share analysis. The

PowerPoint also contained information from an income distribution study that was collected.

There is still considerable interest by NEFCO’s members in the Utica shale phenomena, and

staff will continue to monitor it for opportunities or significant changes.

Support entrepreneurial, innovative and technological development – NEFCO has in the

past supported entrepreneurial, innovative, etc. projects; including Akron’s Bits and Atoms

Innovation Center project that was later withdrawn by the city for EDA funding. NEFCO’s

members recognize the importance of innovation and have supported Akron’s new BOUNCE

innovation center.

STATUS: Making progress

2. Encourage the development of industries that support Northeast Ohio’s economic

clusters – NEFCO staff have been invited to meetings in one of its counties where a potential

company was discussing its interest in relocating and expanding its operation. NEFCO was

present due to potential EDA funding questions, as well as its knowledge of brownfields. In

another location NEFCO has been involved for at least two years in meetings and conference

calls regarding a company who has interest in purchasing a former brownfields site for

industrial use. EDA funds were explored but because there were no specific companies

locating at the site, EDA funds were not available. NEFCO’s involvement in these ongoing

meetings did result in the agency becoming aware of a key brownfield site that needed to be

assessed, and NEFCO was able to commit about $55,000 in USEPA funds for the

assessment.

STATUS: Making progress

3. Build intergovernmental and public-private partnerships that place a high value on

working cooperatively to address the region’s needs - NEFCO’s General Policy Board and

Regional CEDS Committee represent the collaboration between public and private sectors

within the region as they make decisions affecting the regional economy. The private sector

makes up the majority of NEFCO’s Regional CEDS Committee. This was especially

valuable in guiding NEFCO’s shale energy strategy activities, funded in part by an Investing

in Manufacturing Communities Partnership grant awarded to The Ohio State University.

Through activities funded by EDA’s partnership planning grant and by a U.S. EPA grant,

NEFCO has formed trusted partnerships with private developers, property owners, regional

chambers, and development organizations. A good example of this public-private

partnership is described in number 2 above, where the relationships gained through regular

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meetings of the Firestone Business Park Group, where local and county governments, public

agencies, private development agencies, utility companies, private landowners and

developers are working together on the top economic development project in Summit

County.

STATUS: Successfully met goal

4. Promote the redevelopment of blighted, underused, or vacant and environmentally-

challenged sites with high market potential – NEFCO has been involved in

many activities that directly address this goal. The 12-county Northeast Ohio Sustainable

Communities Consortium identified as one of its priorities the remediation and reuse of

vacant industrial sites. NEFCO recently concluded its role as the lead recipient of FFY 2012

and FFY 2014 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Assessment Coalition

grants, which fund the assessment of brownfield properties. As the manager of the Summit

Brownfields Revitalization Program, NEFCO was directly involved in activities to encourage

brownfields redevelopment. NEFCO’s involvement in brownfields assessment and

redevelopment has led to the reuse of several Summit County properties. This is still

continuing for a few of NEFCO’s last sites, including one site in the City of Macedonia,

which is poised to return as a viable industrial, tax-paying industrial use. Staff also provides

technical assistance to its members and to others in northeast Ohio, informing the public and

private sector of how these EPA grants can help jumpstart redevelopment. To date, no

projects have led to applications for EDA grants; however, it is still relatively early since

NEFCO’s involvement precedes remediation. NEFCO will continue outreach efforts to

inform Summit County communities of the opportunity to consider brownfields

redevelopment and the promotion of sustainable development through the reuse of existing

underused properties and facilities. To date, NEFCO has been actively involved in the

environmental assessment of over 30 properties, leading to the generation of over $41 million

in private investment and the creation or retention of over 250 jobs.

STATUS: Successfully met goal

5. Support existing programs that build human capital - NEFCO continues to assist its

communities with obtaining assistance to create and retain jobs and strengthen the regional

economy through economic diversification and innovation. During 2018 NEFCO met a few

times with a University of Akron law professor who was preparing an EDA Technical

Assistance grant application.

Gain an understanding of how the region’s programs and resources for workforce

development are addressing the needs of the area’s companies – NEFCO needs to

become better informed on how its members are working with public workforce entities and

with the private development agencies on educating, training and/or retraining its work force

for job demands now and in the future. A way to accomplish this is to attend workforce

meetings to become better acquainted with the specific barriers and difficulties in meeting

this challenge.

STATUS: Slight progress

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6. To the extent possible, promote the integration of the CEDS with other regional plans –

NEFCO has enjoyed an excellent working relationship with its two metropolitan planning

organizations (MPO) in the region. These agencies are responsible for transportation

planning and are required to product transportation plans every four years. It is common for

the three agencies to share population, land use and other data since their agencies cover the

same geographic area. It is important that the agencies, who have different functions, are not

perceived as being duplicative. The agencies exchange their plans with NEFCO and NEFCO

provides its water quality management plan and economic development plan with those

agencies. In addition, NEFCO is a member of the AMATS Technical Advisory Committee,

which provides technical recommendations to AMATS governing body. NEFCO focuses on

these and other plans in the four-county region e.g. Stark County and Wayne County’s

Comprehensive Plans, to ensure that those agencies and NEFCO are not at cross purposes in

advising the public and its decision makers.

STATUS: Making progress

7. Promote programs that support sustainability and quality of life for the region -

Participation on a transportation advisory committee for the Akron Metropolitan Area

Transportation Study, the assessment of brownfields in Summit County and provision of

brownfield technical assistance to the region’s communities, and NEFCO’s participation on a

steering committee to develop a food hub support the goals of encouraging sustainable

development and walkable communities. In addition, NEFCO is an active member of the

Cuyahoga River Area of Concern Advisory Committee. This coming June, supporters will be

celebrating progress made in the 50 years since the river gained national attention due to it

catching on fire.

Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium – NEFCO has continued its

support of this effort by being a Board officer for the VibrantNEO Launch Board.

STATUS: Successfully met goal