Two more public forums slated on Chatham's economic development

Posted Monday, June 18, 2007

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Chatham County, NC - Two more forums sponsored by the Chatham County Economic Development Corporation have been slated to get input from Chatham County residents on economic development. More than 80 people attended the first forum held in Siler City on May 24.

The upcoming forums are:

June 26: North Chatham School (Multi-Purpose Room), 3380 Lystra Road in the northeastern part of the county. County Commissioner Patrick Barnes will greet the attendees.

June 28: Chatham Central High School (Auditorium) located on Hwy. 902 in Bear Creek, just south of Old US 421. Carl Thompson, chairman of the Board of Commissioners, will greet participants.

These are the second and third in a series of five planned community forums around the county. They will be led by staff from the University of North Carolina's Center for Competitive Economics, an economic development research center at the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise. Chatham County has contracted with the Center to develop an economic development strategic plan.

The meeting will offer a brief overview of Chatham County's current local economy, including its strengths and weaknesses, as well an overview of the steps involved in developing a long-term strategic plan. The most important aspect of the public forum is to allow residents to provide their own perspective on economic development. "It is critical that we get everyone's honest opinions on economic issues. We also want attendees to reflect the diversity of our economy and our population." said Hal Milholen, chairman of the Chatham County EDC.

"We were so pleased with overall attendance at our first forum," Milholen said. "We received a lot of good information about building on some existing economic activities and also some new ideas that may not have surfaced without the forums."

Updates on the strategic planning process and future meeting dates and locations will be publicized and posted on the Chatham County EDC website.