Siler City engages state agency for economic development plans

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SILER CITY — The Siler City Board of Commissioners voted unanimously last week to contract with the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Main Street and Rural Planning Center to develop two economic plans — one for downtown and one for the town as a whole.

Bruce Naegelen, the DOC’s community economic planner, said the project will only cost the town $900 but will provide a framework for “focused economic prosperity decision-making.”

The N.C. Main Street and Rural Planning Center works with local governments to “provide strategic economic development planning and implementation services, technical support and training,” according to the proposal Naeglen provided. The five-year economic plans will “identify key issues and recommend actions to address those issues,” according to the proposal. The proposal noted that the plan would provide a foundation for the town to apply and receive grants and other funding as a result.

Naegelen stressed that the plan would be something that is “achievable” for the town’s future economic growth and will include several data sets in addition to economic development and implementation plans for both Siler City and its downtown. The plan will also include a labor market snapshot, a community assessment, asset identification, and a retail market snapshot.

The plan development process will take between six and eight months and will begin with the formation of a steering committee, representing a cross-section of Siler City including but not limited to business owners and community leaders. There will also be at least two public input sessions during the process. Naegelen said he expects to be on the ground and begin developing the plans next month.

For more information on the steering committee or to express interest in becoming part of the development process, contact Siler City Planning Director Jack Meadows at jmeadow@silercity.org or call 919-742-2323.

Reporter Casey Mann can be reached at CaseyMann@Chathamnr.com.