Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
The Sweet Home Economic Development Group Board of Directors officially committed last week to assume a role in the ongoing community economic and downtown revitalization effort that has arisen from a series of meetings on the topic over the last few months.
SHEDG directors agreed to play a part in committees set up to address the ideas and issues raised in community meetings, which were sponsored by SHEDG and the city of Sweet Home over the past two months.
The steering committee created during this process met for the first time last week to get things rolling. Other committees associated with the effort include a finance committee, a marketing and programming committee and a planning committee.
“There’s a lot of energy to get things started,” SHEDG President Ron Moore said. He and Craig Martin, city manager and new SHEDG board member, sat in on the steering committee’s first meeting on April 15.
Through those committees, about 60 people have indicated they want to be involved in making revitalization happen in the commercial district, Martin said.
Moore reported to the SHEDG board on April 16, during the board’s regular meeting.
The steering committee will coordinate the subcommittees and the revitalization effort in general, Moore said, “but they have no direction.”
Committee members asked if they could function under SHEDG’s umbrella, Moore said, instead of creating another nonprofit organization.
Five years ago, one thing SHEDG wanted was to be the organization where people looked for leadership in economic development, Moore said. “I think it’s a good move.”
Martin said he could see SHEDG taking a lead role in the effort or working in partnership with the city, which is proposing spending upward of $120,000 this year in various economic development efforts.
SHEDG board member Rob Poirier told the board he could see a benefit to having the group report to SHEDG while retaining a span of control and autonomy, something like the Sweet Home Rodeo and the Arts and Crafts Fair do.
“This is how we wanted to grow our organization, to do more things in the community,” Moore said. Committee members told him that SHEDG has the organization, and people know who SHEDG is.
“They’re not just coming to us for our money,” Moore said. “They’re coming to us for the structure and the strength.”
“This organization has the credibility with the success of the Jamboree,” Martin said.
SHEDG owns and operates the annual Oregon Jamboree country music and camping festival that runs the first weekend in August. Proceeds from the Jamboree are used to fund local charitable and economic development projects.
The SHEDG board’s decision still leaves room for developing the structure of the arrangement, something that SHEDG can discuss with the steering committee later on.
“This is a big issue,” Martin said. “That’s why the city is putting money into this project.”
Moore said he was excited because depending on how things work out, SHEDG may have money to help out with this effort.
Getting groups such as SHEDG and the Chamber of Commerce involved in the new revitalization effort will be important, Martin said. Rather city actions that may appear as enforcement, groups like SHEDG and the chamber can bring a different approach with businesses and community members, working cooperatively with them.
Present at the SHEDG board meeting were Kevin Strong, Elmer Riemer, Carol Cromwell, Kellie Kem, Martin, Poirier and Moore. Absent were John Wittwer and Ed Spencer.