Silly Economic Planning For Allegan County

County Services Building
Allegan County 3283 – 122nd Avenue

Allegan, MI 49010
Board of 269-673-0203 Main Office

269-686-5331 Main Fax
Commissioners
http://www.allegancounty.org
Larry “Casey” Jones, Chairman

Mark DeYoung, Vice Chairman
DISTRICT 1
Terry Burns
BOARD PLANNING SESSION–AGENDA
616-403-0427 Thursday, August 6, 2009 – 9:30 a.m.
tburns@
allegancounty.org
Board Room – County Services Building
DISTRICT 2
Steve McNeal
9:30 a.m. CALL TO ORDER:
269-751-7271
smcneal@ OPENING PRAYER: Commissioner Campbell
allegancounty.org
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
DISTRICT 3
Paul VanEck ROLL CALL:
616-688-5619
pvaneck@
allegancounty.org
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:
DISTRICT 4 APPROVAL OF MINUTES: July 9, 2009 & July 23, 2009
Mark DeYoung
616-681-9413 ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEMS:
mdeyoung@
allegancounty.org APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
DISTRICT 5
Dean Kapenga
269-751-8586
dkapenga@ DISCUSSION ITEMS:
allegancounty.org
1) McKenna – Economic Development Plan
DISTRICT 6
Max R. Thiele 2) General Updates
269-673-4514 3) Courthouse Entrance
mthiele@
allegancounty.org 4) Downtown County Services
DISTRICT 7
Don Black
269-792-6446
dblack@ OTHER ITEMS:
allegancounty.org
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:
DISTRICT 8
Tom Jessup ADJOURNMENT: Thursday, August 20, 2009 @ 9:30 A.M. @ BOARD ROOM –
269-637-3374
tjessup@
allegancounty.org
COUNTY SERVICES BUILDING, COUNTY SERVICES COMPLEX.
DISTRICT 9
Fritz Spreitzer
269-673-4131
fspreitzer@
allegancounty.org
DISTRICT 10
Jon C. Campbell
269-694-4632
jcampbell@
allegancounty.org
DISTRICT 11
Larry “Casey” Jones
269-664-5362
lcjones@
allegancounty.org Mission Statement
“The Allegan County Board of Commissioners shall plan, develop, and evaluate the
necessary policies and resources to ensure our county continues to progress and prosper”
Allegan County
Economic Development Organization Plan
July 28, 2009
Prepared for Allegan County, MI
Prepared by:
235 E. Main Street, Suite 105

Northville, MI 48167
TEL 248.596.0920
FAX 248.596.0930
Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge the support and contributions of the following individuals, without whom this
planning effort would not have been possible.
Economic Development Project Team

Nora Balgoyen-Williams, Manager, Business & Employment Services, AAESA
Cathy Burton-Snell, Director, Technology Employment and Community Services, AAESA
Julie Cowie, Casco Township Clerk
Rob Hillard, Allegan City Manager
Valdis Kalnins, Allegan County LIS Director
Kevin Ricco, Allegan County Parks, Recreation & Tourism
Laurie Schmitt, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services, AAESA
Fritz Spreitzer, Allegan County Planning Commission & County Board of Commissioners
Erik Wilson, Plainwell City Manager
Paul Wylie, Director, Allegan County MSU Extension
Allegan County Board of Commissioners

Larry “Casey” Jones – Chairman
Mark DeYoung – Vice Chairman
Don Black
Terry Burns
Jon Campbell
Tom Jessup
Dean Kapenga
Steve McNeal
Fritz Spreitzer
Max Thiele
Paul VanEck
County Administrator
Robert Sarro
Workshop Participants
We would like to thank all of the participants who graciously donated their time and energy to attend the April
21 visioning workshop. Your input and contributions were critical in developing the goals and objectives and
recommendations of this economic development organization plan. We would also like to thank the Allegan
Area Educational Services Agency and the NAXOS Group for their work organizing the workshop.
Economic Development Organization Plan | July 28, 2009 i

Table of Contents
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................................................... I
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................................. II
1. INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................1
2. BACKGROUND CONDITIONS .........................................................................3

RESOURCE AND PROFILE ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................................... 3
Population.....................................................................................................................................................................................3
Workforce......................................................................................................................................................................................3
Industries.......................................................................................................................................................................................5
Geography and Natural Areas ................................................................................................................................................6
Transportation .............................................................................................................................................................................7
Entertainment and Culture......................................................................................................................................................7
ORGANIZATION BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES................................................................................................... 8
Legal Basis for County Economic Development Planning ...........................................................................................8
Statutory Authorities for Economic Development Programs......................................................................................8
Short History of County Economic Development Programs .................................................................................... 11
Post-Recession Best Strategic Management Practices ............................................................................................... 12
3. VISIONING WORKSHOP: DEVELOPING A WORLD CLASS COUNTY ..........13

ASSET MAPPING .....................................................................................................................................................13
Assets........................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Limitations ................................................................................................................................................................................. 15
FOCUSED TOPIC GROUPS ......................................................................................................................................16
Group Reporting Results ....................................................................................................................................................... 16
VISIONING WORKSHOP GRAPHIC RECORD ...........................................................................................................19
4. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES .............................................................................21

Goal: Coordinate Economic Development Programs and Services........................................................................ 21
Goal: Support Allegan County’s Agriculture and Tourism Sectors ......................................................................... 21
Goal: Support Business Retention and Development................................................................................................. 22
Goal: Workforce Education and Training......................................................................................................................... 22
Goal: Enhance Quality of Place............................................................................................................................................ 22
Goal: Develop 21st Century Infrastructure....................................................................................................................... 23
5. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION ...................25

Recommendation for an Economic Development Commission............................................................................. 25
MEMBERSHIP AND STRUCTURE OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION ............................................26
STAFFING AND FUNDING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ................................................................29
ii Allegan County
Funding.......................................................................................................................................................................................29
Staffing the Economic Development Program..............................................................................................................29
Organizational Location of the Economic Development Staff.................................................................................30
RELATIONSHIP OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO EXISTING COUNTY BOARDS AND
DEPARTMENTS ........................................................................................................................................................31
Relationship of the Economic Development Commission to the County Planning Commission ...............31
Recommendation ....................................................................................................................................................................33
Timeframe ..................................................................................................................................................................................34
FUNCTIONS AND EVALUATION METRICS ...............................................................................................................35
Functions ....................................................................................................................................................................................35
Evaluation Metrics ...................................................................................................................................................................35
6. IMPLEMENTATION ACTION PLAN ...............................................................37

IMPLEMENTATION ACTIONS BY CATEGORY ...........................................................................................................38
Organization Development..................................................................................................................................................38
Community Development....................................................................................................................................................40
Business Retention & Expansion.........................................................................................................................................41
Market Development..............................................................................................................................................................42
Workforce Development.......................................................................................................................................................43
IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX .....................................................................................................................................44
APPENDICES ................................................................................................... A.1

APPENDIX A: SWOT ANALYSIS FOR ALLEGAN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT..................................... A.2
APPENDIX B: VISIONING WORKSHOP PARTICIPANT MAP ................................................................................. A.5
APPENDIX C: TOPIC GROUP DISCUSSIONS - STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, AND ACTIONS ................................ A.6
Economic Development Organization Plan | July 28, 2009 iii

1. Introduction
Strategic Economic Development planning and leadership has always been an important factor in the success
of communities, but never before has it been more important than today. Right now, states, regions, counties,
and communities are supporting organized and sophisticated economic development efforts in greater
numbers than ever before. The speed of technological advancements is increasing, which in turn increases
the pace of change within the global business marketplace. Developing an efficient and effective organization
to coordinate economic development efforts in response to the new global business dynamic is imperative for
the future success of Allegan County.
The challenge of economic development today is establishing a fundamentally sound economic development
framework while maintaining flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances and to take advantage of
opportunities as they appear. The effective modern economic development organization must be nimble and
proactive, because economic development today requires a simultaneous focus on numerous issues:
Creating a business environment that allows companies to be more profitable relative to competitors.
Sustaining quality of place improvements to attract skilled workers and employers.
Providing a value-added environment for businesses.
Workforce development to continuously provide an employment-ready pool of workers.
Infrastructure that allows businesses to import and export goods and services throughout the global
marketplace in a timely manner.
Coordination of key stakeholders for collaborative action.
Most regions or counties today maintain an economic development organization. This means that regions or
counties that do not support an economic development organization are today at a competitive disadvantage
compared to their peers who do have an established economic development framework in place. In places
without an organization, economic development efforts will be piecemeal at best, and nonexistent at worst.
The purpose of this report is to examine Allegan County’s current situation and to identify the proper
organizational format for a County-wide Economic Development Organization to allow Allegan County to
compete for economic success on equal footing with other state and national regions and counties. As part of
this process, the Economic Development Project Team hosted a visioning workshop to bring together important
county stakeholders to identify a shared vision for Allegan County, and to develop a set of goals and objectives
for economic development in the County.
Economic Development Organization Plan | July 28, 2009 1

2. Background Conditions
Resource and Profile Analysis
Population
Population
From 1980 to 2007, the population of Allegan County increased by 50%, from just over 81,000 people to more
than 112,000. By 2020, the total population is projected to increase by another 29%, to more than 144,000.
Allegan County is one of the fastest growing counties in Michigan – a fact made even more notable by the
state’s projected population increase of just 4.8% by 2020.
Population Characteristics
As of the 2000 Census, the median age of Allegan County residents was 35.5 years, with higher proportions of
school-age children and adults age 35-44 than the state overall. The county contained more married-couple
family households (as a percentage of total households) than either the region or the state, while residents
between 18 and 34 were proportionally underrepresented. These data suggest that there may be few
opportunities (e.g., employment, entertainment, and housing) for young single adults and recent college grads.
Education
According to U.S. Census American Community Survey data, 19.5% of Allegan County residents held bachelor’s
degrees or higher in 2007, compared to 27% in the United States as a whole.
Workforce
Table 1. Allegan County Workforce, February 2009

Category Measure
Total Workforce 53,748
Number Employed 46,932
Number Unemployed 6,816
Unemployment Rate 12.7%
Source: Michigan Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth
The above table summarizes the workforce in Allegan County as of February 2009. Allegan County’s
unemployment rate of 12.7% is exactly the same as the State of Michigan’s overall unemployment rate.
Allegan County’s unemployment rate has recently been as low as 3% in 2000, and prior to 2009 had hovered
between 7.1% and 7.8% during the 2003-2008 period. The deep recession has clearly impacted employment
in Allegan County.
Jobs/Housing Balance
According to the American Community Survey, Allegan County had 41,815 households in 2007. The
jobs/housing balance is determined by comparing the number of households against the size of the workforce.
This identifies the number of workers for each household in the County. Allegan County has a jobs/housing

Background Conditions
ratio of 1.29, or 1.29 County jobs for each household. A jobs/housing ratio of 1.29 indicates that Allegan
County has a balanced housing market, and can support job growth without creating a housing shortage.
There is no ideal jobs/housing balance. An ideal jobs/housing balance will depend on one’s perspective. A
higher jobs/housing ratio will mean higher tax revenues and a lower cost of services per capita. A low
jobs/housing balance is indicative of a quiet bedroom community. Finally, a balanced jobs/housing ratio can
mean that a community has a vibrant, 24/7 character. Of course, when measured at a County-wide level, it is
difficult to make blanket assertions about the meaning of the overall ratio because different sub-regions of the
County can have very different jobs/housing balances.
Commuting Patterns
Not every worker who lives in Allegan County will work in Allegan County, just as not every job in Allegan County
will be filled by an Allegan County resident. The U.S. Census bureau collects County to Workplace flows during
the decennial census. While the most recent data we have on commuting patterns is from the 2000 Census, it
is likely that commuting patterns existent in 2000 still hold today.
Table 2. Workplace of Allegan County Resident Workers, 2000

Workplace Location Count Percentage
Allegan County 25,503 49.8%
Ottawa County 10,057 19.6%
Kent County 8,375 16.4%
Kalamazoo County 4,020 7.9%
Van Buren County 1,481 2.9%
Other 1,756 3.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Table 3. County of Residence of Allegan County Employees, 2000

Residence Location Count Percentage
Allegan County 25,503 57.2%
Ottawa County 8,717 19.6%
Kalamazoo County 3,110 7.0%
Kent County 2,791 6.3%
Van Buren County 1,949 4.4%
Barry County 1,213 2.7%
Muskegon County 509 1.1%
Other 762 1.7%
A total of 19,051 workers commuted into Allegan County in 2000, while a total of 25,689 Allegan residents
commuted out of the county for work in 2000. Allegan County is a net exporter of workers, which should come
as no surprise given its location between Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Holland. Ottawa, Kent, and
Kalamazoo Counties are the most common destinations for out-commuters from Allegan County, and in every
case more workers leave Allegan County for those counties than workers leave those counties for work in
Allegan County.
Major Employers
Major employers in Allegan County are listed in Table 4. Haworth and Perrigo are the two largest employers,
employing approximately 6,600 employees between the two companies (over 10% of all Allegan County
employment). The table indicates that Holland and Allegan are the largest centers of employment in the
County.
4 Allegan County
Table 4. Major Allegan County Employers, 2008

Company Name Location Employees Product Description
Haworth Inc. Holland/ 3,415 Manufactures office furniture; manufactures wood
Allegan/ office furniture
Douglas
Perrigo Co. Allegan 3,198 Manufactures pharmaceutical preparations;
manufactures cosmetics & toiletries; manufactures
medicinal & botanical pharmaceutical products
Parker Hannifin Corp. Otsego 700 Manufactures non machined brass bushings &
bearings; manufactures plumbing fixtures;
manufactures valves & pipe fittings
S2 Yachts, Inc. Holland 600 Builds & repairs fiberglass boats
Venturedyne, Corp. Holland 500 Manufactures environmental testing equipment
Johnson Controls Holland 350 Manufactures overhead conveyor systems
Interiors, LLC
USF Holland, Inc. Holland 300 Trucking operator – nonlocal
ABC West Michigan LLC Moline 270 Auto Auction
Allegan General Hospital Allegan 270 General Hospital
Corp.
Borgess Medical Center Plainwell 260 General Hospital
Optera, Inc. Holland 250 Manufactures glass products
Smithfield Beef Plainwell 250 Manufactures boxed beef from slaughtered meat
Johnson Controls Holland 230 Ret auto/home supplies
Interiors LLC
Trans-Matic Holland 230 Manufactures stamped automotive products;
Manufacturing Co Inc. stamps metal for the trade
Kandu Industries, Inc. Holland 200 Job training/related services
Gemtron Corp. Holland 200 Manufactures flat glass; manufactures pressed &
brown glass; manufactures glass products
Home Depot, Inc. Plainwell 200 Lumber & other building products
Meijer, Inc. Plainwell 200 Department store/gasoline service station
Source: Michigan Department of Economic Development
Industries
Overview
While the highest percentage of county workers is employed in manufacturing, the largest industries in Allegan
County are agriculture and tourism. The county leads the State of Michigan in the total value of agricultural
products sold, with nearly $400 million in sales in 2007; both Allegan County and neighboring Ottawa County
ranked in the top 100 counties nationwide for agricultural production. The primary farm products in the county
are poultry and livestock, with nursery plants, sod, and cut Christmas trees leading the non-animal agricultural
sector in the county.
Tourism is the second-largest industry in Allegan County, which ranked in the top 15% of Michigan counties for
total tourism spending in 1996. The county’s favorable geography, large areas of protected forest land,
charming downtowns, and proximity to major attractions combine to create a thriving tourist industry.
According to a 1996 study by Michigan State University, Allegan County enjoyed nearly $100 million in direct
tourism expenditures and ranked #1 statewide in the number of campsites available to the public. Lodging and
restaurant receipts, which show a marked increase during the summer months, and the high seasonal
population—1 in every 8 housing units is not occupied year-round—indicate a strong tourism industry in Allegan
County.

Employment and Establishments

Table 5 shows the number of employees and establishments located in Allegan County, and the average
income for each employee. The table shows that manufacturing remains the largest employment sector in the
County.
Table 5. Allegan County Employment and Establishments, 2006

Average Employees Establishments
Industry
Income Number Percent Number Percent
Manufacturing $40,708 13,115 38.3% 205 8.7%
Retail trade $21,963 3,759 11.0% 363 15.3%
Health care and social assistance $29,448 3,616 10.6% 173 7.3%
Accommodation & food services $12,350 2,592 7.6% 216 9.1%
Construction $46,092 1,785 5.2% 373 15.8%
Admin, support, waste mgt, remediation
$30,164 1,569 4.6% 108 4.6%
services
Other services (except public
$18,696 1,419 4.1% 282 11.9%
administration)
Wholesale trade $36,816 1,411 4.1% 113 4.8%
Management of companies & enterprises $71,603 1,363 4.0% 8 0.3%
Professional, scientific & technical services $37,087 883 2.6% 155 6.5%
Transportation & warehousing $39,005 843 2.5% 80 3.4%
Finance & insurance $30,257 491 1.4% 96 4.1%
Educational services $21,796 383 1.1% 20 0.8%
Arts, entertainment & recreation $17,204 329 1.0% 40 1.7%
Real estate & rental & leasing $28,330 288 0.8% 72 3.0%
Information $33,429 140 0.4% 29 1.2%
Utilities $60,080 113 0.3% 12 0.5%
Unclassified establishments $13,561 41 0.1% 12 0.5%
Agriculture
Under the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS), which is the basis for the data in the above
Table 5, most agricultural operations fall under “manufacturing.” The recently released 2007 Census of
Agriculture reports that Allegan County’s 407 farms employed a total of 4,747 hired workers. The aggregate
payroll for these workers was $45,309,000.
In total, the Census reports that there were 1,595 farms in the County, of which 696 were full time. Average
sales per farm were $250,000, and 300 farms sold $100,000 or more.
Geography and Natural Areas

Allegan County represents some of the best of Michigan geography. With tall sand dunes lining 24 miles of
Lake Michigan shoreline to the west, rolling hills and rivers in the east, and forests and farms in the central
portion of the county, it is easy to see how tourism is major industry in Allegan County. One-fifth of the county is
forested (including the large Allegan State Game Area) and 55% is agricultural and open land. Nearly 100
lakes are connected by 200+ miles of rivers and streams, which provide ample access for local boat and kayak
rentals. In the northwest corner of the county, Saugatuck Dunes State Park draws visitors from throughout the
6 Allegan County
region to enjoy a day of hiking, beach walking, or cross-country skiing in the winter months. Nearly 25 golf
courses, eight county-managed parks, and numerous municipal facilities throughout Allegan County provide a
diverse range of outdoor recreation options for area residents and visitors alike.
Transportation
Well-connected by road, rail, water, and air, Allegan County boasts myriad transportation options for both
passengers and industry. Interstate 196, US-31, and US-131 connect the county to communities north and
south, while M-89 runs east-west through the county toward Battle Creek. Twenty-four recreational marinas on
Lake Michigan provide home ports and lake access for pleasure craft, while the City of Holland in the
northwest corner of the county offers a convenient commercial harbor. Nearby airports include Kent County
International (Grand Rapids), Tulip City (Holland), South Haven Regional Airport, and municipal airfields in
Otsego/Plainwell, Allegan, and Wayland. Allegan County enjoys both freight and passenger rail access, with
direct passenger rail connections from Holland to Grand Rapids, Chicago, and the nation. Freight rail lines
traverse the western and eastern edges of the county, providing commercial and industrial service to Grand
Rapids, Kalamazoo, Chicago, and points beyond.
Entertainment and Culture

From the county-wide Heritage Trail to the arts and theater scene in Saugatuck and Douglas, one need not
leave Allegan County to experience some of the best in local culture and entertainment. Highlights of the
festivals and events that occur in every month of the year include the decades-old Tulip Time Festival in
Holland, the Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck, Allegan’s Riverfront Art Fair and Art on the Lawn, and the
harvest-season Goose Festival in Fennville. The Blue Coast Artists cooperative organizes an annual tour of
local art studios and galleries, while local orchards and wineries hold events ranging from fine cuisine tastings
to “u-pick” farm tours throughout the year. Lakeshore Harvest Country, Inc is an outstanding example of
locally-rooted agricultural tourism. Finally, local history speaks to the generations of today at area historical
societies, agricultural museums, maritime heritage sites, and preserved architectural treasures.

Organization Best Management Practices

Legal Basis for County Economic Development Planning
As noted in the introduction, most counties in the State of Michigan operate or support economic development
organizations. In this environment, operating an economic development organization to coordinate and lead
development efforts is no longer a luxury, but a requirement.
The principal law addressing county economic development planning is the “County or Regional Economic
Development Commission Act”, P.A. 46 of 1966. This act provides legislative authority for the formation of a 3
to 35 member county commission which is responsible for “to plan and direct the carrying out of an economic
development and expansion program”. This act also allows for the establishment of multi-county organizations
for this purpose.
As historically applied In Michigan, this law resulted in the formation of multi-county US Department of
Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) funded economic development planning efforts within
most of Michigan regional planning agencies. Allegan County is a member of the West Michigan Regional
Planning Commission (WMRPC - Region 8), which among other programs is responsible for EDA economic
development planning functions for the county, including preparation of the annual update of the
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the county and regional planning district.
There is no common organizational framework for county economic development actives in Michigan.
Economic development planning and program delivery varies among counties. However, all county economic
development programs are organized according to one of the follow authorities.
Regardless of the organizational framework chosen, a successful countywide economic development program
must:
1. Provide for full participation from citizens, governmental and private sector interests.
2. Create an easily communicated multi- year vision for the economic future of local economy.
3. Lay out a straight forward list of specific projects and actions that easily demonstrate the improvement
that can be accomplished.
4. Achieve “buy-in” participation of local governments who will be called upon to sponsor certain
implementation actions.
5. Establish a multi-year action program supported by “all” based on the need and positive impact of the
project upon the economy.
6. Show, by easily understood measures, that implementation progress is being achieved.
Statutory Authorities for Economic Development Programs

In Michigan there are three principal methods for county government to establish an economic development
program: 1) a formal commission or authority pursuant to state enabling legislation, 2) formation of an
independent nonprofit corporation and lastly, 3) appointment of a special committee. Each has distinct
advantages and disadvantages depending on the geographic area to be served, membership, interest group
representation, and the chosen form of operation and financing.
Michigan’s County or Regional Economic Development Commission Act

The County or Regional Economic Development Commission Act”, P.A. 46 of 1966, was enacted, in part, to
provide for specific designation of certain existing regional planning agencies with statutory powers to conduct
economic development programs in compliance with US Department of Commerce, Economic Development
8 Allegan County
Administration requirements. However, the act specifically provides authority for a county economic
development commission.
This commission governed by a board of directors of no less than 3 nor more than 35 members, is considered
a “separate county agency” eligible to apply for and accept state or federal grants.
Specifically the commission shall plan and direct the carrying out of an economic development and expansion
program including:
1. Investigation and study of conditions affecting the economy of the area

2. Technical studies, statistical research and surveys
3. Dissemination of information
4. Offering recommendations for elimination of restrictions, barriers and burdens adversely affecting
development and expansion of industry, commerce and agriculture
5. Offering advice on means and methods for economic development financing
6. Undertaking promotion and encouragement for product market expansion
7. Publicizing economic advantages of the county
8. Offering recommendations for the purposes of accomplishing coordinated and efficient development
of the county
Advantages Disadvantages
• Quick to form - approval of simple resolution • Requires funds to organize
starts the effort • Typically requires some staff or dedicated
• Accountable to the chief elected official and volunteer management
legislative body • Requires a dedicated means of operational
• Financed by local government budget funding
• Program of work directed by elected officials • Allows both private and public interest
representation at discretion of County Board
• Program may be subject to county and local
political influences

Michigan’s Economic Development Corporations Act

The Michigan legislature enacted P.A. 338 in 1974, the Economic Development Corporations Act (EDC), which
allows a county, city, village or township to form a public economic development corporation governed by a
board of directors of nine or more members to prepare and implement specific “project plans” designed assist
and retain local industrial and commercial enterprises as well as encourage the location and expansion of new
industries and commercial businesses.
Once a project plan has been prepared, the corporation may issue Tax Exempt Industrial Revenue Bonds to
finance the project plan. Typically, the EDC would finance and construct a building to house the business
creating new jobs within the community. The EDC would then either lease or sell the building to back to the
business to repay the revenue bonds. Because the Industrial Revenue Bonds are issued by a public entity, the
interest earned by the purchaser of these bonds is tax exempt. This results in project financing typically 2-4%
less than commercial bank financing, the saving which are passed on to the business as a financial incentive.
• Typically has a self financing tool • Requires funds to organize
• May establish basis for other private • Requires a certain number of board members
incentive programs • Requires the board to represent certain
• May qualify the community for specific segments of the community
federal and state funding programs • Typically requires staff management
• Delegates economic program duties to • Requires annual financial auditing and
“special purpose” organization of government Treasury Department reporting
• Authority may be geographically restricted
Michigan Nonprofit Corporations

P.A. 162 of 1982, the Michigan Nonprofit Corporation Act allows for organization of a private corporation which
can, among other activities serve as an economic development planning and implementation organization. As
with any corporation, the membership and operating rules are set forth in the corporation bylaws. Further,
Section 501 c (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, allows for a organization that conducts economic development
activities, to apply for and be designated as a public charity and receive tax exempt status with ability to accept
charitable tax deductible donations from businesses and individuals.
• General purpose, activities are defined by the • Requires funds to organize
corporation • Typically requires some staff or dedicated
• Not limited in geography volunteer management
• Membership is not restricted and defined by • Required a dedicated means for operational
the corporation bylaws funding
• Operation and management defined by • Required annual IRS and Michigan reporting
corporation bylaws • May not qualify for state and federal funding
• Allows both private and public interest programs
representation
• Removes program from “local politics”
10 Allegan County
Appointed Committee
Probably the simplest means to form an economic development program is to establish a special purpose
committee. While this may not grant some of the financing authorities or make the county or local
communities eligible to apply for certain financing assistance from federal or state sources, it can easily be
organized, funded and managed as part of routine activities of county government.
• Quick to form - approval of simple resolution • May not qualify for federal and state funding
starts the effort programs
• No required membership qualifications • No dedicated funding mechanisms
• Accountable to the chief elected official and • No ties to economic development incentive
legislative body programs
• Financed by local government budget • Places all responsibilities – both financing and
• Program of work directed by elected officials staffing - upon County government
Short History of County Economic Development Programs

Investigation into the history of countywide economic development programs finds that Allegan County has a
long history of involvement with economic development programs.
Allegan County (P.A. 338) Economic Development Corporation

Information recorded by the Michigan Secretary of State, Office of the Great Seal, discloses that in April 1981,
the Allegan County Board of Commissioners filed notice of the formation of an Economic Development
Corporation, pursuant to P.A. 338 of 1974. Discussion with steering committee members reveals there is no
known recent corporation activity nor does the County Board show recent appointments to the EDC Board of
Directors.
According Section 33 of the EDC Act, formal dissolution of an EDC requires adoption of a resolution by the
County Board of Commissioners and filing of a certified copy of the resolution with the Secretary of State,
Office of the Great Seal. An inquiry with the Office of the Great Seal did not disclose any dissolution action.
It can be concluded that Allegan County has an inactive EDC, which could be reactivated for use in
administration and conducting a countywide economic development program.
Allegan (nonprofit) Promotional Alliance aka Economic Development Alliance

Information recorded with the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth, Bureau of
Commercial Services and Corporations, finds the 1984 nonprofit incorporation of the Allegan County
Promotional Alliance. The original nonprofit corporation resident agent is listed as the Secretary of the Allegan
County Planning Commission with the office address being the Allegan County Courthouse. Records show
name changes were filed in 1991 changing the corporation name to “The Alliance Serving Business in Allegan
County” and another name change in 1996 to the “Allegan Economic Development Alliance”.
All Michigan corporations are required to file an annual report with the Bureau of Commercial Services and
Corporations. The last filing for the corporation occurred in 2003. The Bureau of Commercial Services and
Corporations deactivated and dissolved the corporation due to inactivity and non-filing of required annual
reports in October 2006.
It can be concluded this former nonprofit corporation is unavailable to be reactivated for use in administration
and conducting a countywide economic development program.

Post-Recession Best Strategic Management Practices

A recent survey of economic development practitioners, revealed concern by business and governmental
leaders that local communities cannot rely totally on the federal economic development stimulus to repair job
losses and disinvestment in their communities. These community leaders recognize that an active economic
development program will be necessary in the future to support and nourish the local economy.
In response to this concern, economic development

practitioners today are retooling their economic development Ten Post-Recession Economic Development
strategies, focusing on traditional and new economic Strategy Principles:
practices designed to be ready and implemented to “fast
track” growth of the local economy. Our research indicates 1. 80% of jobs are created by smaller
that contemporary economic development is founded on the businesses.
ten principles listed in the box at right. 2. It is easier to expand the job base of an
existing company than locate a new one.
In our opinion, a post recession economic development
strategy that is founded in the ten strategy principles will 3. Entrepreneurial “start-up” businesses
place a greater emphasis on: increase the “locally connected” job base.
4. Financing must be available to support
• Retention and expansion of existing businesses with “start-up” and “second stage” business
more visitations with local employers to discuss their growth.
specific needs. 5. Collaboration is needed for new business
• Intensified new business location marketing outreach recruitment efforts.
efforts, most likely partnering with other organizations 6. Partnering with others increases funds for
to increase funding for advertisements in site selection advertisement and promotion.
publications and sponsorship of business/site selector 7. Supply chain business recruitment is
visitation events. superior to “shot gun” recruitment
• Greater use of “area wide branding” to increase attempts.
identity of economic advantages for select geographic 8. Targeted business recruitment programs
areas. will change as new post recession
• More use of internet web sites and electronic business linkages form.
newsletters to increase reach and frequency of 9. Community preparedness; existing sites,
communications to prospective new businesses. buildings & workforce are no longer
• Greater attention to supplier/vendor recruitment optional.
programs. 10. Pre approved incentives increase chances
• A reexamination of “clustered” target business for success.
recruitment strategies updating specific targeted
businesses in anticipation of post recession business linkages
• Pre-packaging of economic development incentives including financing for companies meeting
established criteria.
• Obtaining “shovel ready” site/building approvals for certain economic development projects.
• Increased funding of economic development incentive programs tied to workforce development.
• Emphasis on small business and entrepreneur development programs.
Economic development leaders face new challenges as they seek to retool traditional economic development
programs for the post recession economic advancement effort. There is no doubt strategic economic
development planning today will generate more success in the future.
12 Allegan County
3. Visioning Workshop: Developing a
World Class County
Allegan County held a visioning workshop in
conjunction with the Allegan Area Educational
Service Agency on April 21, 2009. The title of the
workshop was “Developing a World Class County,”
and the purpose was to garner input from
economic development stakeholders from all
parts of Allegan County to identify goals,
objectives and action recommendations to further
County Economic Development. Those goals,
objectives, and recommendations form the basis
of this Economic Development Organization Plan.
The workshop included two activities designed to

gather public input and to identify priorities and
top goals for future economic development
activities. The activities were an asset mapping
exercise and a focused topic group exercise.
While the workshop was an event held in support

of this Organization Plan, it holds value far
beyond simply developing goals and objectives for
this plan. The workshop was predicated on the
assertion that contemporary economic
development activities must respond to the
changing demands and requirements of
businesses and residents in the 21st century. The
purpose of the workshop was to engage the
participants to identify ways to rethink, reinvent,
and transform Allegan County into a world class
county.
Asset Mapping
The purpose of the Asset Mapping exercise was to identify target assets to develop and limitations to overcome
for economic development in the County. The exercise was conducted in groups of 8 persons. Each group
identified what the County’s greatest assets/strengths and limitations/weaknesses for economic development
are. Each group identified 3 or 4 assets/strengths and 3 or 4 weaknesses/limitations and recorded those
onto a large map designed for the purpose. After all groups had identified their top 3 or 4 items in each
category, each participant voted for what he or she thought were the top 3 assets/strengths or
weaknesses/limitations. Each participant could vote for any combination of assets or weaknesses.
The table on the following page lists all of the identified assets and limitations, along with the number of votes
that each item received.

Visioning Workshop Results
Assets
Agriculture #1 400M greenhouse, livestock, dairy processing, crops, orchards 20
Recreational Opportunities (golf, skiing, camping, paddling, motorsports hunting, fishing) and
18
Tourism
Quality of life – small towns, recreation, good schools 10
Natural Resources (state game areas / parks) Water Resources = rivers, lakes, shoreline 6
Infrastructure Energy / transportation / towers & wind potential 4
Casino 2
Location – between Chicago / Detroit, 131, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo 2
Employers – Small and Big 2
Retail agriculture (farm markets, wineries, u-picks) 1
Major corridors (131/31 / M-40 / M-89 / M-222) 1
Safety 1
Industrial Clusters 1
Assets Identified, But Not Receiving Votes:

Allegan Area Educational Service Association
Allegan State Game Area
Education System
Excess Infrastructure Cap
Excess Manufacturing Facilities
Hospitals
Infrastructure
Life sciences – Health corridor
Schools
Transportation Infrastructure (Corridors - M-40/89 and 131, Railroads, North-South Main Roads,
Airports – Allegan, Holland, Plainwell)
Conclusions
Agriculture and Recreation are widely recognized as the County’s key assets, and Natural Resources are also a
key asset. Any economic development efforts must take these key existing assets as a starting point, and
ensure that any future activities will not harm these key assets.
Leveraging existing assets is a cost-effective and common-sense way to jumpstart economic development
activities, so any new economic development organization should concentrate on promoting agriculture,
tourism, and agricultural tourism. In particular, high-value agriculture such as orchards and wineries offer a
promising opportunity to promote both agriculture and tourism simultaneously.
14 Allegan County
Limitations
Lack of continuing education opportunities – no 2/4 yr. college within the county 26
Wireless access/high-speed internet 14
Lack of cooperation and focused vision among communities – communication and connections are
13
difficult
Opposition to development/resistance to change 5
Limited mass transportation, lack of a major NE → SW corridor, center of County not easily
5
connected
Uncoordinated zoning 4
Lack of central information center for building opportunities / inventory (planning/development) 3
Limited sewer & water availability 1
Economy: gas, unemployment, workforce 1
Limited coordinated marketing plan 1
River pollution 1
Limitations Identified, But Not Receiving Votes:

$ coming into the county
Dining, shopping with specialty stores, entertainment
East West access highway
East-West highway
Excess manufacturing facilities
Health care
Housing assistance (renovation) funds, historic preservation
Inadequate Railway
Jobs Training
Lack of diversity
Lodging (more please)
Media, lack of centralization
Pollution (water)
Sense that community is in decline
Transportation
Conclusions
Lack of higher education opportunities and lack of communication were identified as the most important
limitations facing the County. In general, infrastructure is not seen as a limitation, except for the lack of
wireless internet access and high speed internet access.
The County’s limitations are related to its strengths. Higher education institutions are often, but not always,
located in or on the periphery of major population centers, and high-speed communication infrastructure
requires a certain level of population density to induce the private sector to provide services. Allegan County’s
strengths are its agricultural and recreational amenities – not its concentration of population. Therefore,
supporting higher education institutions or communication infrastructure will require government involvement.

Focused Topic Groups

The second part of the workshop was a focused topic group discussion. The purpose of the topic groups was
to concentrate on actions to foster growth, health and development of particular economic sectors. There
were 8 designated topics distributed at different tables, with each topic representing a different sector of
economic development. Participants self-selected their topic. The topics were:
• Agriculture • Tourism
• Downtowns • Education
• Manufacturing/Industry • Workforce Development
• Agricultural Tourism • Public Officials/Local Government
The purpose of the focused topic group discussions was to develop recommendations for promoting economic
development in each sector. After brainstorming, each group reported its observations and recommendations
to the full assembly. We provided each topic group with a set of starter questions intended to guide and
inspire the brainstorming discussions. Those questions were:
• Identify strengths and weaknesses of the sector; consider the assets and limitations identified in
the earlier session.
• What would help this sector to compete and thrive in today’s market?
• What could be done to better capitalize on the assets or overcome the limitations in this sector of
the County?
• In other words, what does this sector need for economic development, and how can it best be
facilitated in the County?
Group Reporting Results

Agriculture
Help Compete and Thrive
• Technical training and education
• Coordination
• Practical regulations – zone to protect agriculture
• Need high-speed internet
Hog slaughter processing facility
• None in Michigan
Downtowns
Strengths
• Historic nature of the towns
Weaknesses
• Historic nature of the towns (need new blood)
What Should Be Done?
• Adhere to Master Plan for downtown areas
• Plan together across the County for the betterment of all
• Develop niche businesses & entrepreneurial spirit
• Fill empty businesses
16 Allegan County
Manufacturing/Industry
Strengths
• None reported
Weaknesses
• Need more jobs
• Need diversity in job-seekers
• Need entrepreneurship
• Unified point of contact and resource center for expansions and those looking to locate in the
County
• Branding/identity of County
• Diversification of employer base – in both type and location
Agricultural Tourism
Strengths
• Farm markets, orchards, vineyards, u-picks
Weaknesses
• Marketing
• Weather
• Unified marketing
• Central clearinghouse for information
• Festivals to attract visitors to the area
Tourism
Strengths
• Allegan County Tourist Council
• Year-round resources & attractions
• Festivals and events
• County Heritage Trail
Weaknesses
• Lack of communication within the County (see all as competitors)
• Lack of support for leaders
• No major media outlet in County
• Build a Travel Michigan campaign and website
• Increase distribution of County-wide guide
• Tap into social networking
• Reach out to travel media

Education
Strengths
• Parent support
• Proud of existing schools
Weaknesses
• No college presence
• Funding issues
• Pilot for remote campuses in existing schools
• Use technology to deliver material
• Remote campuses – population should not have to leave the county for training
• Transitioning & life skills in the work force
Workforce Development
Strengths
• Population
• Near-term government subsidies
Weaknesses
• Institutions to train are lacking
• Lack of awareness of what skills are needed to be successful
• Lack of subsidies for single parent families to gain skills
• Flexibility with regulations
• Mentorship/apprenticeship program
Public Officials/Local Government

Strengths
• Many government officials are great
Weaknesses
• No County presence in Economic Development
• Lack of County buy-in
• Lock of County forum
• No coordination/facilitation
• Economic Development activities opposed, not promoted
• Recruit
• Be proactive
Conclusions
Agriculture and Tourism are key strengths. Agricultural Tourism is an area of promise. Capitalizing on the
County’s strong agricultural position and its existing tourism draws must be a key component of any economic
development program.
Many weaknesses relate to voids in the County – voids in communication, coordination, facilities, and funding.
Some of these voids can be rectified through organizational and outreach activities, others will require funding.
18 Allegan County
Visioning Workshop Graphic Record

Following are graphic records of the Economic Development portion of the visioning workshop. These graphics
summarize the proceedings and input received from participants:

4. Goals and Objectives
The Visioning Workshop helped to identify strengths, weaknesses, and actions to facilitate economic
development in the County. This chapter translates the input received at the workshop into a series of goals
and objectives, which together form a vision for economic development. These goals and objectives will form
the framework for future implementation actions by the Economic Development organization.
Goals are general in nature and are statements of economic development ideals toward which the County
wishes to strive. They represent the ultimate purpose of an effort stated in a way that is both broad and
immeasurable. Goals also express a consensus of direction among public agencies, elected and appointed
officials, private agencies, groups, and individuals. Goals are long-range considerations that should guide the
development of specific objectives.
Objectives are a means to achieve the overall goals. Objectives take the form of more measureable standards,
or identify the methods by which the goals of the plan may be realized. In some instances they are specific
statements which can be readily translated into detailed program proposals or action recommendations.
Together, the following goals and objectives provide the foundation for future implementation strategies.
Goal: Coordinate Economic Development Programs and Services

Objectives:
• Establish, empower, and support an economic development organization.
• Create a unified marketing effort to promote County businesses, facilities, and advantages.
• Develop an Allegan County brand or brands to guide economic development efforts.
• Develop a database of available developable land and buildings. Structure the database to be
searchable online with an interactive map browser.
• Coordinate economic development efforts and develop relationships among governmental, quasi-
governmental, and private groups and organizations.
• Found and endow a community foundation (similar to the Allegan County Community Foundation)
to support arts, entertainment, and cultural activities and institutions in the County.
• Identify one person in County government to coordinate local Master Plans and Zoning
Ordinances.
Goal: Support Allegan County’s Agriculture and Tourism Sectors

Objectives:
• Assist local communities and agricultural operators.
• Identify appropriate locations for livestock and production agriculture facilities.
• Create an agricultural tourism plan to develop and support Allegan County’s retail agriculture
industry (agricultural tourism, orchards and vineyards, u-picks, and farmer’s markets).
• Support new agriculture enterprises with funding and training programs.
• Implement the County’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan.

Goals and Objectives
• Coordinate and support Tourism Council marketing efforts with broad economic development
efforts.
Goal: Support Business Retention and Development

Objectives:
• Reduce the costs to businesses of development and operation in the county to create
comparative advantage for local firms.
• Establish a retention program to continuously monitor the needs of Allegan County businesses
and to help provide programs and services to meet those needs.
• Create a marketing plan and business attraction strategy to identify and attract desired
businesses to the County.
• Create business skills and management training for small businesses and businesspersons.
• Create an Allegan Venture Fund and/or a revolving loan fund to provide seed funding to start-up
businesses that may not qualify for conventional financing.
Goal: Workforce Education and Training
Objectives:
• Establish an Allegan County Community College or work with an existing area Community College
to provide in-district access to continuing education opportunities for Allegan County residents.
• Create remote campuses of Michigan 4-year colleges in Allegan County.
• Establish new and/or expand existing workforce training programs to develop a supply of skilled,
in-demand workers.
• Increase the percentage of County residents with bachelor’s degrees to 25% within 10 years.
Goal: Enhance Quality of Place

Objectives:
• Establish and promote incubators in downtown centers to support entrepreneurialism.
• Establish planning and regulatory policies that encourage a vibrant atmosphere and walkable,
urbane development in traditional downtown centers (as opposed to promoting dispersed,
greenfield development patterns).
• Continue and/or expand the use of Michigan authorized economic development or other funding
methods to support the revitalization and improvement of the County’s traditional downtown
centers.
• Maintain rural character in undeveloped or lightly developed areas of the County and funnel new
development to areas defined in local master plans.
• Preserve valuable farmlands from development through the use of innovative land use
regulations such as transfer or purchase of development rights programs that allow landowners
to unlock the value of their land without having to sell it for development.
22 Allegan County
Goals and Objectives
Goal: Develop 21st Century Infrastructure

Objectives:
• Treat the development of high-speed and wireless internet services as a public good on an equal
footing with roads, sewers, bridges, and other physical infrastructure elements.
• Make high-speed internet access available in all parts of the County.

5. Economic Development Program
Recommendation
This section presents our and the Project Team’s recommendation to:
1. Establish an Economic Development Commission.
2. Staff the Economic Development Commission with at least 1 full-time position. The staff person may
be an existing county employee, or a new hire, as resources and staff capabilities permit.
3. Identify the functions and evaluation metrics for the economic development program.
Recommendation for an Economic Development Commission

The purpose of the section of the Allegan County Economic Development Organization Plan is to recommend
the type of formal economic development organization required to achieve stated economic development
goals. Having carefully considered the options identified in Section 2 (see the Organization Best Management
Practices on page 8), the Project Team recommends that a new County Economic Development Commission
be established pursuant to the provision of P.A. 46 of 1966, as amended. The Project Team recommends that
the Economic Development Commission be established as a new body with its own staffing resources.
An Economic Development Commission is the most appropriate County-level organization because it will:
1. Provide operational transparency where the Economic Development Commission work program and
periodic progress evaluations are routinely communicated to both County Board and Economic
Development Commission members as well as the general public.
2. Be easily recognized by local and state governments, private businesses and other cooperating
economic development organization as the single purpose countywide economic development
organization representing Allegan County.
3. Be accepted by various public and private funders as the supplier of countywide economic
development programs.
4. Be programmatically responsible to a special County Board of Commissioners appointed economic

development body representing a wide spectrum of countrywide interests with budgetary and other
financial management overseen by the County Board of Commissioners.
5. Have the ability to enter into to formal cooperative agreements with other economic development
partners in furtherance of the economic development organizational goals.
6. Provide a flexible organizational framework that allows resident and non-resident stakeholders to
participate as part of the Commission.
This section describes the recommended membership, staffing, and funding for the Economic Development
Commission, and also describes why, after careful consideration and analysis of the alternatives, the Project
Team chose to recommend a new Economic Development Commission.

Organization Recommendation
Membership and Structure of the Economic

Development Commission
Pursuant to P.A. 46 of 1966, the County Board of Commission may create a county economic development
commission consisting of not less than 3, nor more than 35 members. Additionally with this action, the County
Board of Commissioners must:
1. Establish rules and regulations governing the operation of the commission.
2. Appoint such employees it deems advisable to carry out the activities of the commission.
3. Provide each year in its annual budget for the expenses of the commission.
Therefore, to form the Allegan County Economic Development Commission, a resolution must be adopted by
the County Board of Commissioners containing, or otherwise referencing established rules and regulations
addressing the number of members, “stakeholder” interest represented plus the rules and regulations for
operation of the Economic Development Commission.
The Economic Development Commission should meet a minimum of once yearly, although quarterly meetings
to review progress towards goals and the status of implementation actions is preferable.
Membership of the Economic Development Commission

A successful economic development initiative will have to balance county interests, local government interests,
and stakeholder interests. With this in mind, the study team recommends an Economic Development
Commission consisting of 11 members. The membership of the EDC will include:
• One representative for each of the 6 county economic development districts. These representatives
will be selected based on geography and are meant to ensure that local interests are represented on
the EDC. Note that the economic development districts do not match the County Commission
districts.
• 5 at-large representatives representing stakeholder interests and the County Commission.
Not less than one but not more than 2 of the at-large representatives should be County Commissioners. The
geographic representatives should not be County Commissioners. The membership of the EDC should be
drawn from government, business, and nonprofit groups. All of the EDC members will be approved by the
County Board of Commissioners.
26 Allegan County
Economic Development Commissioner Districts
District 1 District 2
Dorr Township Monterey Township Gunplain Township Otsego Township
Hopkins Salem Township Martin Plainwell
Hopkins Township Wayland Martin Township Watson Township
Leighton Township Wayland Township Otsego
Allegan Trowbridge Township Casco Township Ganges Township
Allegan Township Valley Township Clyde Township Lee Township
Cheshire Township
Douglas Saugatuck Fillmore Township Laketown Township
Fennville Saugatuck Township Heath Township Overisel Township
Manlius Township Holland

Economic Development Focus Areas

The study team has identified 9 focus areas that will drive and be involved with County economic development
activities. These focus areas include (in alphabetical order):
• Agriculture
• Arts and Culture
• Downtowns
• Education – K-12 and post-secondary
• Manufacturing/Industry
• Real Estate/Development
• Recreation
• Tourism
• Workforce Training
The membership of the EDC need not include members that specifically represent each focus area, although
the County Commission should strive to ensure that a broad cross-section of interests is represented on the
EDC. The purpose of the EDC is to serve as a broadly-focused coordinating body that can balance the
economic development needs of a wide range of county constituencies.
Stakeholder Involvement in Task Groups

The project team envisions a process where stakeholder interests will partner with the EDC to complete and
implement economic development projects. Groups or individuals that represent stakeholder interests will be
incorporated in economic development activities as members of short-term, project-specific task groups.
These task groups will be formed on an ad-hoc basis to complete specific tasks, and will bring stakeholders
into partnership with sub-committees of the EDC to complete specific projects. In this manner, the EDC can
benefit from the knowledge, expertise, and insight of stakeholders that are involved in one of the economic
development focus areas, while maintaining the generalist focus of the EDC as a whole.
28 Allegan County
Staffing and Funding the Economic Development

Program
Adequately staffing the economic development program to achieve measurable results will require at least one
full-time staff position, with administrative support. Expanding economic development staff to 2-4 full time
positions should be a medium-term priority, based on the staffing levels of comparable county-level economic
development organizations in Indiana and Michigan. Anything less than these staffing levels will not suffice
given the importance the County has placed on economic development as its number 2 priority. These staff
persons could be housed in a new Economic Development Department, but more likely should be located in a
combined department that houses economic development and complimentary activities such as planning,
parks and recreation, tourism, etc.
Funding Funding the Economic Development Program

An effective Economic Development Commission
will require consistent and reliable funding The Project Team was keenly aware that limited funding
resources currently exist to support an economic
resources. To operate a successful and effective development program. This awareness informed the
economic development program, a minimum of recommendations of this report in the following ways:
one full-time staff person should be wholly
dedicated to economic development activities. 1. A flexible approach to providing economic development
This staff person can be an existing County staff. The essential recommendation of this report is to
employee, or a new hire. dedicate at least one full-time position to economic
development. The full time person may be an existing
In addition to supporting a full-time staff person, County employee, or a new hire, or some combination of
the County should commit to providing necessary the two, but this recommendation does not require the
County to create a new position or to increase payroll.
funding resources to support marketing, printing, See page 30.
website hosting, and other costs of doing business
for the first four years of the Economic 2. A flexible approach to the County’s organizational
structure. The County need not create a new Economic
Development Commission’s existence. Note that
Development Department. In fact, a likely option may be
the implementation program has been designed to combine existing departments that relate to the
with the understanding that limited funding will be physical development of the county into a combined new
available and the implementation actions will department, better capitalizing on existing County
require negligible funding outside of staffing costs. resources. See page 30.
3. A focus on non-capital intensive implementation steps.
If the Economic Development Commission is not The implementation action plan focuses on coordination,
adequately funded by the County, staff will have to communication, and capacity building efforts that can be
secure funding from other outside sources. completed by the Economic Development Commission
However, every moment spent securing funding to and County staff. Implementation steps that require
sustain its operations will reduce the Economic financial support will occur after the economic
Development Commission’s ability to focus on its development program is established and able to secure
primary mission of increasing economic well-being outside sources of funding for capital projects. See page
39.
in Allegan County.
Staffing the Economic Development Program

Economic Development Staff
There are two potential staffing scenarios for the economic development program. The scenarios are as
follows:

1. 1 - 1.5 Staff Persons. The County hires or assigns one full-time economic development coordinator
and up to a half-time support person to serve as staff to the Economic Development Commission, and
provides limited operational funding to support Economic Development Commission organization
activities. This is the most likely short-term staffing scenario.
2. 2 Staff Persons. The County hires or assigns two full-time economic development persons to serve as
staff to the Economic Development Commission and provides operational funding to support
Economic Development Commission organization activities. One staff person would be the economic
development coordinator, and one staff person would serve under the coordinator. This should be a
medium-term goal over the next 2-5 years, and should be considered once the economic development
program is established and operational.
Staffing Options
1. Option #1: Hire New Economic Development Coordinator. If the County chooses to hire a new
economic development coordinator, the qualifications for the position should include a bachelor’s
degree in a related field and relevant experience in economic development. Certified Economic
Developer credentials from the International Economic Developers Association would be desirable, but
the County should be willing to consider non-certified individuals on the condition that they achieve
certified status within 3 years of the date of hire. The qualifications for the assistant or deputy
economic development coordinator should include a bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent
experience.
2. Staffing Option #2: Reallocate Existing Staff. The County may choose to designate an existing County
employee as the economic development coordinator. If this option is chosen, the coordinator should
be assigned full-time to economic development efforts if the economic development program is to be
optimally successful. This would require a reassignment of responsibilities among County employees,
and/or using already budgeted economic development funds to hire a lower-level employee to assume
some or all of the current responsibilities of reassigned County staff persons. This option can provide
the County with a cost-neutral method of staffing economic development activities.
Organizational Location of Economic Development Staff

The Economic Development staff could be located in a new County Economic Development Department, but as
it will initially consist of 1-2 employees, the ED department should be housed either within an existing County
department or as part of a new department that combines two or more existing departments. Combining
existing departments may make sense if an existing County employee is selected as the economic
development coordinator because a combined department can place the ED Coordinator in the same
department as the person or persons assigned or hired to assume his or her former duties. This can provide a
level of institutional continuity that eases the transition to the new organizational structure.
One potential option the County could consider would be to combine Land Information Services, Parks, the
Tourist Council, and Economic Development into a new department. These departments relate to the physical
development of the County, and could coexist as specialty areas within a new department.
This new department could be called the Planning and Economic Development Department, the Community
Development Department, or a similar title. This department would, at a minimum, provide staff for the
Planning Commission, the Economic Development Commission, the Farmland Preservation Board, and the
Parks Commission. These functions are cross-disciplinary, and combining these departments could allow
better utilization of county staff, synergy between planning and development efforts, and a unity of vision that
ensures that different boards and departments do not work at cross-purposes.
30 Allegan County
Relationship of the Economic Development

Commission to Existing County Boards and
Departments
There must be a clearly defined role for the Economic Development Commission and its relationship to other
County boards and departments.
The Economic Development Commission will serve as the coordinator and information broker for economic
development activities in Allegan County. As such, it is best conceived of as an independent body that will
work with county departments and commissions on projects that impact or relate to the various existing
departments and commissions. However, existing county departments and bodies may serve as part of the
short-term project-specific task groups under the umbrella of the Economic Development Commission.
Relationship of the Economic Development Commission to the County

Planning Commission
There are two options for defining the relationship of the County Planning Commission (CPC) to the new
Economic Development Commission:
• Create a new Economic Development Commission that is separate and distinct from the County
Planning Commission, or
• Designate the CPC as the Economic Development Commission.
Public Act 46 of 1966 allows the County to designate an existing body or commission as the Economic
Development Commission. This means that the Planning Commission could be designated as a dual-role
commission.
Organization
Structure
Allows each commission to focus on Commissions can be ineffectual if
a specialty area – a benefit when the roles and duties are not clearly
Planning Commission is very active defined
Diversity of thought Requires staffing leadership for two
Separate EDC and commissions. This can be combined
CPC in one person or department, but
staff must have sufficient knowledge
and ability to advise both bodies.
This is difficult to accomplish with
very limited staff.
Can simply designate CPC as the Membership of the EDC is
EDC constrained by PA 33
County only has to maintain and staff Will require adjustments to existing
one commission makeup of the PC, which can take up
Dual EDC/CPC to 3 years to complete
May be difficult to attract best quality
economic development
commissioners due to planning
responsibilities

In the course of considering the option to create a dual Economic Development Commission/Planning
Commission vs. the option of creating a separate Economic Development Commission, the Project Team
considered the enabling legislation for Economic Development Commissions and the Planning Commissions to
evaluate the statutory duties and membership requirements for each.
Summary of the County or Regional Economic Development Commission Act (PA 46 of 1966)
Duties and Abilities. An Economic Development Commission has certain duties and abilities under PA 46
of 1966. The Commission may:
• Investigate and study of conditions affecting the economy of the area, complete technical studies
and statistical research and surveys necessary or useful for the expansion of the economy, and
collect and disseminate such information.
• Offer recommendations to the board or boards of supervisors for the study and elimination of
restrictions, barriers and burdens imposed by law or otherwise, which may adversely affect or
retard the development and expansion of area industry, commerce or agriculture.
• Study and advise the board or boards of supervisors, industry and interested organizations and
associations as to means and methods of providing financing for economic expansion in the
county or region.
• Promote and encourage the expansion and development of markets for products of the county or
region.
• Publicize the material, economic and cultural advantages of the county.
• Conduct research and make recommendations to the board or boards of supervisors for the
general purpose of guiding and accomplishing a coordinated and efficient development of the
county or region in accordance with present and future needs and to best utilize the county's or
region's resources.
• Accept, with the approval of the board or boards of supervisors, grants of funds made by the state,
the United States, or any department or agency thereof, or other public or private agency or
individual.
• Enter into contracts with boards, commissions and agencies, both public and private, and with
individuals to carry out the purposes of this act.
• Act as the county's or region's official liaison agency with state and federal agencies concerned
with economic development programs.
Membership. The membership requirements for an Economic Development Commission organized under
PA 46 are very simple. The commission must have between 3 and 35 members. There are no residency
restrictions, nor must the commissioners represent specific interests.
Summary of the Michigan Planning Enabling Act (PA 33 of 2008)
Duties and Abilities. The CPC has certain abilities, rights and responsibilities under Public Act 33 of 2008
(the Michigan Planning Enabling Act).
• Prepare Master Plan: The CPC may prepare a county-level master plan to serve as a guide for
long-range physical development of the county and fiscal plans for such development.
• Coordinate Local Government Plans: The CPC may coordinate and comment on local jurisdiction
plans, and also may coordinate all related planning activities among the state and local
32 Allegan County
governmental agencies. Local governments are required to submit local master plans to the CPC
for review and comment. If there is no CPC, this duty falls to the Board of Commissioners.
• Capital Improvements Programming: Prioritizing capital improvements based on relative urgency,
along with definitive financing plans for the improvements to be constructed in the earlier years of
the program. This power is specifically granted to CPCs that are designated “Metropolitan County
Planning Commissions” by the Board of Commissioners. PA 33 does not define what constitutes
metropolitan, and so it is possible that a rural or semi-rural county could still have a
“metropolitan” CPC.
• Advise on County Projects: The CPC shall report and advise to the Board of Commissioners and
the county board, department or agency submitting a proposal to acquire land; erect structures; or
extend, construct, or improve any physical facility. The board, department, or agency must submit
a full description of the project, including its location and extent, to the CPC. (61(2))
The statute-defined duties for a County Planning Commission are limited. In practice, most County
Planning Commissions act in advisory or advocate roles. Further, all of the statute-mandated County
Planning Commission duties can be accomplished by other County departments and/or boards.
Membership. The membership requirements for a Planning Commission are specific. A county Planning
Commission may consist of 5, 7, 9, or 11 members that are appointed for 3-year terms. The membership
shall be representative of important segments of the community, such as the economic, governmental,
education, and the major interests that exist in the County (such as agriculture, natural resources,
recreation, education, public health, government, transportation, industry, and commerce). The
membership shall also be representative of the entire geography of the County, and all members must be
qualified electors of the County.
Recommendation
After considering the two options, the Project Team recommends that an independent Economic Development
Commission be established. This is the best course of action for the following reasons:
• Enabled Activities. Establishing a separate Economic Development Commission will allow it to

focus solely on economic development issues. PA 46 provides the Economic Development
Commission with a wider range of statute-enabled economic development abilities compared to
those enabled by PA 33. PA 33 addresses economic development tangentially, and does not
provide any additional abilities from an economic development standpoint. Creating a dual
commission will not provide additional abilities for the Economic Development Commission
compared to a separated structure.
• Clarity of Focus. While the mandated responsibilities of a County Planning Commission are
limited, it is likely that an economic development focused board will not want to deal with
reviewing local government rezoning decisions or master plans. Creating separate commissions
will allow the Economic Development Commission to maintain its sole focus on economic
development activities.
• Membership Advantage. The membership requirements for a county Economic Development

Commission established under PA 46 are very liberal – the Economic Development Commission
must contain between 3 and 35 members with no other restrictions. This offers great flexibility to
the County to secure the services of the most qualified individuals for the Economic Development
Commission.
The membership requirements of PA 33 are much more restrictive, and would apply if a dual
commission was envisioned. This would limit the County’s flexibility to secure the services of the
best range of Economic Development Commissioners because PA 33 requires Planning
Commissioners to be qualified electors of the County, which may limit participation by important
stakeholders in Allegan County’s economy that do not reside in the County. Further, PA 33 limits

membership to 5, 7, 9, or 11 members.
Our recommendation is for an 11-member Economic Development Commission, so initially the

dual structure would be feasible, but it would deny the Economic Development Commission the
flexibility to adjust its membership in the future. Also, adjusting the membership of the Planning
Commission to comply with the recommendations of this report would likely be a time-consuming
and somewhat difficult process. It is unclear if the existing membership sufficiently represents
economic development interests, or the economic development commissioner districts, and as
Planning Commissioners are appointed for 3-year terms, it could take up to 3 years to complete
the adjustment process. This will also very likely result in existing Planning Commissioners not
being reappointed, and will impact the existing Planning Commission.
• Staffing Quality. Maintaining dual commissions will facilitate better professional staffing. The
county will have limited resources to staff the Economic Development Commission for the
foreseeable future, so it is important that the staff person for the Economic Development
Commission be able to focus on economic development without also having to provide planning
staff support. Typically, Counties that maintain a dual-role department or commission have staff
members that focus on planning or economic development roles. Finding a dual-role staff person
who will be able to provide the level of economic development leadership and support that the
County expects will be difficult, and probably more costly.
Timeframe
Establishing an effective Economic Development Commission will require a minimum 4-year commitment from
the County. The initial steps of building an effective organization, making the necessary contacts, and laying
the foundation for future economic development efforts will likely consume the organization’s energies during
the first 18-24 months of existence, so demonstrable results should not be expected until years 3 and 4. It is
important that the County have realistic expectations of the type of results that are likely during the Economic
Development Commission’s incubation and capacity building period.
34 Allegan County
Functions and Evaluation Metrics

Functions
Most modern economic development programs focus on five “cornerstone” functions for the organization.
These five functions are:
Organization and Planning

Community Development
Business Retention and Expansion
Market Development
These five cornerstone functions provide a structure to organize a specific work program, allocate financial
resources and provide a means to quantify or measure achievement of goals. Each function has its own set of
metrics that define program success. Finally, it should be noted that the five cornerstone functions include a
wide variety of possible activities, and most economic development organizations have limited human and
financial resources that limit activities to certain high priority goals. Other high priority projects may be
assigned to partner organizations for completion by the Economic Development Commission, which retains a
coordinating interest in such projects.
Refer to the Short-Term Implementation Plan for a description of actions and activities in each of the five
function categories.
Evaluation Metrics
One of the most critical elements of a successful economic development program is finding actionable and
meaningful measures for assessing economic development performance. What happens in regional
economies is the result of complex interactions among multiple actors, making evaluations of the impact of
economic development programs difficult. Yet, economic development programs come at great expense to
taxpayers, so strong and meaningful global evaluation metrics must be established at the founding of the
Economic Development Commission and project metrics must be identified at the initiation of each
implementation project. These metrics are critical to evaluate program and project success, and to
demonstrate value to elected officials, local communities, and Allegan County residents.
Focusing solely on fiscal metrics to evaluate organizational performance neglects many functions of an
economic development organization that are difficult to measure from a purely fiscal standpoint. For instance,
how does one evaluate the value of networking or information sharing? Effectively measuring organizational
performance requires a balanced approach that takes into account the additional dimensions of performance
critical to an organization’s success. This approach is called the Balanced Scorecard, and originated in a 1992
Harvard Business Review article by Dr. Robert S. Kaplan. The Balanced Scorecard approach uses different
dimensions, or performance perspectives, to assess an organization’s performance, with the performance
perspectives being tailored to the organization’s mission. The Balanced Scorecard approach has gone through
a number of iterations and has been modified numerous times as it has been implemented for different types
of organizations.
The overall effectiveness of the Economic Development Commission should be evaluated based on metrics
that evaluate the organization’s progress towards making Allegan County a more prosperous place, while each
Economic Development Commission action program should be evaluated using a set of metrics that are
defined at the initiation of each project.

Global Economic Development Commission Metrics

Global Economic Development Commission metrics should measure overall outcomes of the organization’s
efforts. As noted, regional economies are complex, so measuring overall job creation or county GDP change
will not reflect the impact of the Economic Development Commission organization. It is impossible to isolate
the impact of Economic Development Commission programs from overall economic trends and influences.
Therefore, global Economic Development Commission metrics should follow the Balanced Scorecard approach.
Specifically, we recommend that the global Economic Development Commission metrics be as follows:
Organizational Mission: The Economic Development Commission’s mission is to make Allegan County a more
prosperous place. This overarching goal will inform all of the activities and evaluations of the Economic
Development Commission. An appropriate evaluation metric is the number of jobs created or retained on an
annual basis by the Economic Development Commission.
Customer Perspective: The Economic Development Commission will deal with a number of different
customers, ranging from the general public to businesses in the region to local and county government. Each
of these customers must be satisfied if the Economic Development Commission is to adequately achieve its
mission and continue to exist. Therefore, customer satisfaction surveys should be solicited from all local
governments, County government, and all local businesses and institutions that the Economic Development
Commission interacts with during a given year.
The customer satisfaction survey may be administered through the Economic Development Commission’s
website. 1
Financial Perspective: The Economic Development Commission should be evaluated to ensure that it is
effectively raising money, completing projects within budget, and using county and Economic Development
Commission funds to leverage additional funds from other sources. This perspective must not dominate the
Economic Development Commission evaluation process, but responsible use of funds must be a consideration.
Internal Process Perspective: Internal processes refer to the evaluation metrics applied to each Economic
Development Commission project individually. This perspective should be evaluated as the aggregate
performance of the Economic Development Commission in meeting individual project evaluation metrics. For
more information on project evaluation metrics, refer to the next subsection (Program Specific Metrics) and the
example evaluation benchmarks described for each project in Section 6 – the Implementation Plan.
Organizational Learning and Growth Perspective: The organizational learning and growth perspective
evaluates the capacity and performance of the Economic Development Commission organization. This
includes staffing, infrastructure and technology that go into executing internal processes. These metrics will be
established on a year-to-year basis in the form of performance objectives for the organization. For instance,
the implementation section includes a number of Organization Development action steps that can be used as
evaluation metrics for this perspective in the beginning years of the Economic Development Commission.
Program Specific Metrics

Program specific metrics may not be directly related to the overall job and investment metrics used for the
global program evaluation. Program specific metrics must be related to the purpose of each program, with the
understanding that each program undertaken by the Economic Development Commission is intended to
further the overall purpose of increasing Allegan County’s prosperity. We have identified basic program-
specific metrics in the project descriptions in the Implementation section, although the Economic Development
Commission should review and identify evaluation metrics when each project is initiated.
1 Examples of Economic Development customer satisfaction surveys can be found online at:
http://www.atikokaninfo.com/aedc/employmentCentre/customerSatisfactionSurvey.php
http://www.budaedc.com/CustomerSatisfactionSurvey.htm
36 Allegan County
6. Implementation Action Plan
The following section presents short-term economic development implementation actions. Implementation
actions will generally be one of three kinds of action:
• Coordination – where the organization facilitates connections between businesses or workers and
available resources or opportunities.
Communication – where the organization facilitates the sharing of knowledge or information between
entities
Facilitation – where the organization provides financing or monetary support for projects or activities.
The implementation action plan focuses on coordination and communication activities. Building organizational
capacity to conduct coordination and communication activities will be the initial task of the Economic
Development Commission. It is assumed that, in the short term, reliable funding sources will not be available
to support facilitation activities. The cost to implement the following implementation plan is the cost to support
1 to 1.5 full-time economic development staff professionals and the Economic Development Commission. As
noted in part 5 – Organization Recommendation, the economic development department and staff may be
assembled from existing county employees and resources, or may be new hires, depending on available
County human and capital resources.
Once the organizational capacity of the new Economic Development Commission is in place, securing
additional sources of funding to undertake facilitation activities will be a higher priority activity.
The implementation actions are categorized into five groups, based on the cornerstone functions of Economic
Development described in the preceding section. Those groups are:
• Organization Development
• Community Development
• Business Retention & Expansion
• Market Development
• Workforce Development

Implementation Action Plan
Implementation Actions by Category

Organization Development
This cornerstone addresses creating and maintaining a recognized economic development organization for the
exchange of ideas and to carry out a specific program of work, including the preparation of a strategy, securing
staffing, fund raising, and collaboration with partners for strategy implementation.
Organization development also includes capacity building within the new Economic Development Commission
itself, through efforts such as networking, data analysis and collection, and awareness-building activities. The
first task for the new organization should be to establish itself as a widely recognized resource for economic
development in the county.
Organization Development Action Steps
1. Form and staff the Economic Development Commission. The first step will be for the County Board of
Commissioners to form the Economic Development Commission, appoint members, and hire a full-time
staff person.
Benchmark: Establish and staff a functioning Economic Development Commission
Time Frame: By December, 2009
2. Build communications capacity. The Economic Development Commission should build communication
capacity by creating and maintain a website to provide access to all Economic Development Commission
resources, services, and information, and by establishing an email system to communicate with internal
county staff and departments and external stakeholders and businesses. The website may initially be a
passive information dissemination website, but over time interactive functionality should be introduced as
new Economic Development Commission resources and programs come on-line.
Benchmark: Develop a contemporary, user-friendly website that incorporates current best-practices in

web design and functionality.
3. Establish the Economic Development Commission as the single stop location for county economic
development inquires. Once the organization is formed and staffed, the first implementation task should
be to publicize the existence, purpose, and function of the Economic Development Commission to all
stakeholder groups, local governments, businesses and development constituencies in the county. This
step will include the use of collateral marketing materials, as well as networking with business and
government leaders.
Benchmark: Develop Economic Development Commission promotional material and meet face-to-face to
introduce the purpose and resources offered by the Economic Development Commission to each local
government, the top 10 county employers, State economic development agencies, and major
stakeholders.
Time Frame: By June, 2010
38 Allegan County
Organization Development Action Steps
4. Create community profile and employment/workforce profile. These profiles will serve as background
information that can be made readily available to interested parties. These profiles may be distributed in
hard copy format, or via the Economic Development Commission website.
Benchmark: One-page profiles for the County and local municipalities identifying key economic
development indicators and opportunities.
5. Create and maintain a development site/available building database. The Economic Development
Commission should create a database of available sites or buildings that are appropriately located for
development or lease. The database should include developable parcels that are appropriately zoned and
serviced by utilities, with information about developable sites to be submitted by local municipalities.
Data about existing buildings should be solicited from local real estate brokers. The database must be
continuously maintained and updated, and should be searchable online via the Economic Development
Commission’s website.
Benchmark: A functioning, searchable database available through the Economic Development

Commission website.
6. Prepare annual Economic Development Commission reports.
Benchmark: Prepare annual reports identifying all accomplishments and progress towards goals and
tasks, along with benchmark analysis to evaluate the success of programs and efforts as measured
against evaluation metrics.
Time Frame: Annually
7. Develop and update an Economic Development Action Strategy. This organization plan includes initial
action and program recommendations for the Economic Development Commission. The Economic
Development Commission should use these recommendations as the basis for completing a formal
Economic Development Strategy and list of implementation actions once the Economic Development
Commission is up and running.
Benchmark: Prepare an Action Strategy and update it every 2 years
Time Frame: By December 2010

Community Development
This cornerstone function address completing capital improvements to improve the community; including
infrastructure investments, redevelopment and appearance improvements to business and neighborhood
areas, developing business parks and sites, construction of speculative buildings, etc. These activities create
the necessary infrastructure to support businesses, and also create quality of place advantages that make the
county an attractive place to both businesses and workers.
Community Development Action Steps
1. Support Local TIF Authorities. Tax Increment Financing is an important local government financing tool to
support infrastructure and community development activities. Many different authorities may use TIF,
such as Downtown Development Authorities, Corridor Improvement Authorities, and Local Development
Finance Authorities.
Benchmark: Support local TIF authorities.
Time Frame: Ongoing
2. Coordinate Infrastructure Investment. The Economic Development Commission should be the

coordinating entity for infrastructure improvements within the County. There are numerous funding
sources and implementers for infrastructure investments, with funding sources including federal, state,
county, and local governments; the private sector; and public-private partnerships. The Economic
Development Commission should serve as a clearinghouse for infrastructure funding sources, and should
coordinate improvements.
Benchmark: Create an infrastructure investment program identifying funding sources, publicizing funding
opportunities to implementers via the website, and coordinating infrastructure investments.
Time Frame: By June 2011
3. Found an Allegan County Cultural Foundation. The Economic Development Commission should promote
the founding of an Allegan County Cultural Foundation as an endowed organization to support arts and
culture in the County.
Benchmark: Found the Cultural Foundation.
40 Allegan County
Business Retention & Expansion

Business retention, expansion, and growth programs nurture existing businesses and support start-up
businesses in the County. The purpose of this cornerstone is to identify needs or changes that may cause
existing businesses to consider moving or expanding, and to provide targeted solutions to retain those
businesses in the County by meeting their needs. The primary purpose of the BR&E program is to ensure that
Allegan County meets existing businesses’ current and future needs.
Business Retention & Expansion Action Steps
1. Retention Visits. Establish a partnership with state economic development agencies such as the
Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Michigan Works! to conduct business retention visits.
The retention team should identify resources and opportunities for business expansion, and should assist
Allegan County businesses in remaining competitive in their current location. Services offered by the
team may include assistance in identifying financing and incentives, permitting, training, site searches,
and the like.
It is important that the economic development coordinator have the ability to respect businesses’ need to
maintain confidentiality about sensitive projects until an appropriate time to make the information publicly
known. Economic Development Commission and County government officials must respect this need for
confidentiality to create a level of trust between the County and the business community necessary to
allow the retention and expansion program to be successful.
Benchmark: Conduct semi-annual retention visits with Allegan County’s top 5 employers, annual retention
visits with top 10 employers, and on-demand visits as requested by other county employers.
Time Frame: Ongoing
2. Develop a small business support program. The Economic Development Commission should develop a
small business counseling program to assist start-up and small businesses in the county to be successful.
A potential partner for this program is the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center
through Grand Valley State University and Western Michigan University. Services offered through the
small business support program might include counseling, workshops, review of business plans, and
assistance in securing a loan, market research, financial planning, and management training.
Benchmark: Identify a partner organization for small business support, and provide assistance to at least
20 county businesses annually.
Time Frame: Establish program by June, 2010; ongoing from the date of establishment.
3. Develop an Allegan Venture Fund. The Economic Development Commission should serve as the
coordinating entity to develop an Allegan Venture Fund to provide venture capital or loans for seed
funding for start-up businesses that may not qualify for conventional financing, or to provide gap
financing.
Benchmark: Establish a Venture Fund and make loans or fund 5 small businesses in the first year of
operation

Market Development
This cornerstone addresses activities that focus on recruiting businesses and new population with certain skills
for specific “targeted” businesses.
Market Development Action Steps
1. Coordinate Allegan County wind energy implementation efforts. Allegan County is identified as one of
Michigan’s top 4 locations for wind energy potential. 2 Realizing Allegan County’s full potential will require
a careful coordination of land use and zoning policies. The Economic Development Commission should
work with local municipalities and appropriate County departments to develop a county-wide approach to
locating and permitting wind energy infrastructure. Specifically, the report identifies Casco, Clyde,
Fillmore, Ganges, Laketown, Lee, and Manlius Townships as having outstanding utility-scale wind energy
potential.
Benchmark: Completion of a wind energy siting policy and a unified permitting process adopted into all
county and local zoning ordinances for all local governments in Allegan County.
2. Create an Allegan County brand identity or identities to guide economic development efforts.
Benchmark: Develop an Allegan County brand identity for all external communications
3. Support Allegan County’s retail agriculture industry. The Economic Development Commission should
serve as the coordinating entity to develop a marketing program supporting Allegan County’s retail
agriculture industry. The program should include print and online materials identifying County retail
agriculture opportunities, and may include media advertisements if funding exists.
Benchmark: Develop a County-wide agricultural tourism marketing program
4. Complete a regional cluster analysis.
Benchmark: Complete the regional cluster analysis
5. Create an Allegan County marketing and business attraction program.
Benchmark: Create the marketing and business attraction program, and attract 5 businesses to Allegan
County in the first year of operation
Time Frame: By December, 2011; evaluate business attraction success annually thereafter
2 Refer to the Report of the Michigan Wind Energy Resource Zone Board, available online at
http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/mpsc/renewables/windboard/werzb_proposed_report_june_2_2009.pdf
Note that the above link was verified at the date of this report, but it may have since changed. The reader is encouraged to refer to the
Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth website for the final version of the report.
42 Allegan County
This cornerstone addresses programs that increase educational achievements and builds technical skills of
the local workforce.
Workforce Development Action Steps
1. Identify workforce development opportunities. The Economic Development Commission should be the
single point of contact for information about workforce development opportunities that are available in the
County.
Benchmark: Identify workforce development programs and providers serving the County and prepare
collateral for distribution to residents and businesses
Time Frame: By December 2009
2. Provide in-district Community College access for Allegan County residents. The Economic Development
Commission should work with existing area Community Colleges to provide in-district access to continuing
education for Allegan County residents. Community Colleges are a critical workforce development
partner, so the Economic Development Commission should work with local Community Colleges to
develop customized training geared towards the needs of local employers.
Benchmark: In-district Community College access for Allegan County residents
Time Frame: June, 2011
3. Expand post-secondary education opportunities in Allegan County. The Economic Development

Commission should work to establish remote campuses for 4-year institutions in locations convenient to
Allegan County residents.
Benchmark: Establish remote campuses for 4-year institutions in Allegan County
Time Frame: June 2014

Implementation Matrix
The implementation matrix on the following page summarizes all of the implementation actions from the five
cornerstone functions of the Economic Development Commission. The matrix shows the action, along with the
expected timeframe for completion. This matrix is intended to serve as a visual summary of the expected
accomplishments of the Economic Development Commission during the next 5 years.
44 Allegan County
Allegan County Economic Development Commission

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Project
Dec June Dec June Dec June Dec June Dec June
Organization Development Actions
1. Form and Staff the EDC
2. Develop EDC website
3. Develop EDC collateral, outreach to key
stakeholders and constituents
4. Create county and municipal profiles
5. Create site/building development
database
6. Prepare annual Economic Development
Ongoing Î
Commission reports
7. Prepare economic development action
strategy and update it every 2 years
thereafter
Community Development Actions
1. Support local TIF authorities Ongoing Î
2. Create an infrastructure investment
program 3
3. Found an Allegan County Cultural
Foundation
Business Retention & Expansion Actions
1. Retention visits Ongoing Î
2. Develop small business support program Ongoing Î
3. Establish an Allegan venture fund
Market Development Actions

1. Complete a wind energy siting policy and a
unified permitted process 4
2. Develop Allegan county brand identity
3. Create an agricultural tourism marketing
program
4. Complete a regional economic cluster
analysis
5. Develop a marketing and business
Ongoing Î
attraction program
Workforce Development Actions
1. Identify workforce development
opportunities
2. Secure in-district Community College
access for Allegan County residents
3. Establish remote campuses for 4-year
institutions in Allegan County
3 In consultation with the County Planning Commission or its successor organization

4 In consultation with the Tourist Council and the County Planning Commission or its successor organization

Appendices
Economic Development Organization Plan | July 28, 2009 A.1

Appendices
Appendix A: SWOT Analysis for Allegan County

Economic Development
A.2 Allegan County

Appendices
A.4 Allegan County

Appendix B: Visioning Workshop Participant Map
The following map shows the geographic location of participants at the visioning workshop. Note that some
participants did not indicate their geographic location, and so some participants’ locations are not reflected on
the following map.

Appendices
Appendix C: Topic Group Discussions - Strengths,

Weaknesses, and Actions
The following table lists discussion notes compiled by the 8 groups during the Focused Topic Group exercise at
the Visioning Workshop. These notes are included to provide the reader with a flavor for the discussions that
occurred at the workshop meeting.
Strengths Weaknesses What Would Help?

City manager meetings Need more mtgs. like this A feasible and appropriate ED plan
Michigan Twp. Assoc. meetings County level presence missing from A coordinating / facilitative entity
economic development
Some strong local partnerships Lack of forum for meeting and A small leap of faith
exist (although often based on key discussing matters of greater than
individuals) local importance
Group hugs everyday Lack entity to coordinate and A clearinghouse / point of contact
facilitate ed. for ED information
Farm markets Attendance and engagement in Unify marketing
meetings
Orchards General failure to recognize broad Website – link to PURE MICHIGAN
benefits of local projects (ripple-
effect) – not zero sum
Vineyards Focus on cuts not increasing Formal community (calendar)
revenue “growing the pie” (not user
fees or milage)
Tree farms Short tenure of elected officials County central clearing house for
may hinder work on long-term information
projects
U-picks Reactive not proactive Festival – blueberry- tulip time,
organized attractions
Nursery Marketing Sports / trade shows (passport) -
marketing
Greenhouses Economy Delivery of material
Economic struggles Weather High speed internet
Pilot for remote campus No college presence Access and training
Strong K-12 in place Funding Remote campus
Parent and community support Zoning / expansion Market to employees
#1 county in state Access to labor (hand That we have well trained world
labor/production) force
Top 100 in U.S. – for pork Infrastructure (E/W roads) Training on technology
production
142 food / fiber products High speed internet / wireless Coordination of resources they are
underutilized
AG 33,800 acres in last 5 yrs. of Lack of for pork production more Zoning and regulation – enforced
263K acres markets – cannery slaughter more practical
houses
Productive soil Milk production facility High speed internet
Good climate Regulations not practical result in Recruit processing facilities (live
over-regulation done in response to stock – hog slaughter)
offenders
Lake effect
A.6 Allegan County

Community Planning – Urban Design – Landscape Architecture
235 East Main Street, Suite 105
Northville, Michigan 48167
Telephone: 248-596-0920
Fax: 248-596-0930
Website: www.mcka.com
Phillip C. McKenna, PCP, AICP ...................................................................................President

James C. Breuckman, AICP ............................................................................Project Manager
Sara J. Hodges, AICP ................................................................................. Public Participation
Charles R. Eckenstahler, AICP .....................................................................Senior Consultant
Sabah Aboody-Keer .............................................................................................. GIS Mapping
Andrew Robertson ........................................................... Graphic Support and Cover Design
Kacy Smith ........................................................................................... Administrative Support

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County Services Building

Allegan County 3283 – 122nd Avenue

Board of 269-673-0203 Main Office

Larry “Casey” Jones, Chairman

July 28, 2009

Prepared for Allegan County, MI

235 E. Main Street, Suite 105

Economic Development Project Team

Allegan County Board of Commissioners

Economic Development Organization Plan | July 28, 2009 i

2. BACKGROUND CONDITIONS .........................................................................3

3. VISIONING WORKSHOP: DEVELOPING A WORLD CLASS COUNTY ..........13

4. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES .............................................................................21

5. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION ...................25

6. IMPLEMENTATION ACTION PLAN ...............................................................37

APPENDICES ................................................................................................... A.1

Economic Development Organization Plan | July 28, 2009 iii

Economic Development Organization Plan | July 28, 2009 1

Table 1. Allegan County Workforce, February 2009

Economic Development Organization Plan | July 28, 2009 3

Table 2. Workplace of Allegan County Resident Workers, 2000

Table 3. County of Residence of Allegan County Employees, 2000

Table 4. Major Allegan County Employers, 2008

Economic Development Organization Plan | July 28, 2009 5

Employment and Establishments

Table 5. Allegan County Employment and Establishments, 2006

Geography and Natural Areas

Entertainment and Culture

Economic Development Organization Plan | July 28, 2009 7

Organization Best Management Practices

Statutory Authorities for Economic Development Programs

Michigan’s County or Regional Economic Development Commission Act

1. Investigation and study of conditions affecting the economy of the area

Economic Development Organization Plan | July 28, 2009 9

Michigan’s Economic Development Corporations Act

Michigan Nonprofit Corporations

Short History of County Economic Development Programs

Allegan County (P.A. 338) Economic Development Corporation

Allegan (nonprofit) Promotional Alliance aka Economic Development Alliance

Economic Development Organization Plan | July 28, 2009 11

Post-Recession Best Strategic Management Practices

In response to this concern, economic development

The workshop included two activities designed to

While the workshop was an event held in support

Economic Development Organization Plan | July 28, 2009 13

Assets Identified, But Not Receiving Votes:

Limitations Identified, But Not Receiving Votes:

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Focused Topic Groups

Group Reporting Results

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Public Officials/Local Government

Visioning Workshop Graphic Record

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Goal: Coordinate Economic Development Programs and Services

Goal: Support Allegan County’s Agriculture and Tourism Sectors

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Goal: Support Business Retention and Development

Goal: Workforce Education and Training

Goal: Enhance Quality of Place

Goal: Develop 21st Century Infrastructure

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1. Establish an Economic Development Commission.

Organization and Planning