Work continues on vision plan

It's still a work in progress.

But participants in the 20/20 Vision process are on track to deliver a new strategic plan for Jay County by next spring.

Tuesday evening nearly 70 local residents gathered at Jay County High School to review discussions and sketch out the next steps.

"It's very preliminary in the planning process," facilitator Derek Okubo of the National Civic League said.

Four broad areas of concern have been determined, and sub-groups have been working to get their arms around the issues involved. The next step, which will begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 1, at West Jay Middle School, involves identifying goals and strategies for the future.

The four areas are:

•Economic development and infrastructure.

•Health, wellness, and recreation.

•Quality of life.

•Education.

"None of the key priority areas is in a vacuum," said Okubo. "What occurs in one area will impact other areas. ... We want to make sure our impact is countywide."

A 26-member group focused on economic development and infrastructure, urging that Jay become a model county in the use of cutting edge technology. The group noted the lack of shovel-ready sites for business and housing development, water quality issues in some municipalities, and looming costs of separation of storm and sanitary sewers as some of the issues to be dealt with.

A 13-member group focused on the broad issues of health, wellness, and recreation, urging the creation of an environment where people make wise choices leading to physical, mental, and emotional health. The group noted that a number of the issues involve family relationships.

A 28-member group addressed quality of life, resolving that the county become "a clean, attractive, and welcoming county with gathering places for social interaction and connected neighborhoods."

"The communities that are going to grow are the ones that attract people because they want to live there," said Eric Rogers, one of the group's members.

A 26-member group focused on education, concluding that Jay County should strive to be a leader in lifelong learning and excellence in education. John Jay Center for Learning was identified as playing a key role, but participants also stressed the need for greater parental involvement and raising the level of expectations for the community's young people.

The 20/20 Vision process hopes to complete work on a strategic plan by April. The project was initiated by Jay County Development Corporation, United Way of Jay County, and The Portland Foundation.[[In-content Ad]]