Council eyes greater role in attracting development

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This article was published 12/02/2019 (1899 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The City of Steinbach should be taking a more hands-on approach to job creation and development in the view of city council, which embraced plans on Tuesday to develop a new marketing strategy through the city’s community development corporation.

“This packages what we’re already doing in a professional, user friendly, attractive way,” said Councillor Susan Penner, who presented the plan to council.

Penner’s economic readiness plan was comprised of points she said council should be able to achieve within the first year of its mandate.

Where the city is at and where it needs to be formed the two main thrusts of the plan, which will be allotted a $10,000 budget.

Penner noted much of the work assessing the current state of the city has already been completed, though a survey of developers and contractors would add to the information already at hand.

Implementing customer service objectives, increasing the mayor’s accessibility, developing a website as a communications hub, and creating a promotions strategy were all important if the city is to move forward, the plan suggested.

Mayor Earl Funk welcomed the plan’s adoption. During last year’s election campaign, job creation was a major focus of his campaign.

“We do have a great climate for business in our community but nobody knows it. We’re probably the best kept secret in the country but now we’re going to get the word out,” Funk told The Carillon.

City manager Troy Warkentin said during the meeting that the new focus would be a different approach to what has happened in the past.

“Typically the city has chosen not to chase because the chase is never over. Rather than looking for specific businesses, previous city councils have tried to create an environment that is ready and available,” Warkentin said.

“I’m not sure if there’s enough incentive in the world that can consistently attract specific operations, if that’s really the direction that council is interested in,” he added.

The mayor, however, said he saw the plan as a good starting point which puts the city in line with what many other communities are already doing.

He said he also looked forward to engaging the Steinbach Chamber of Commerce in discussions. Last fall the chamber advocated strongly for the idea of an economic development officer position being created in the city.

Part of the marketing efforts could include exploring the idea of a new city slogan, though Funk said he hasn’t grown tired of sharing the chamber’s “More For You Here” branding.

Funk said he also liked the idea of taking an active role in economic development discussions himself.

“When a business knows that the mayor, like the head person of the community wants them there and is eager to see them develop and grow in this community, I think that speaks volumes,” Funk said.