Page 44 - Murfreesboro, TN Comprehensive Plan: Chapter 7, Economic Development

7.44 Chapter 7

DRAFT 12.02.15

individuals, and early risk-takers such as developers and institutions that can drive change but for whatever
respected entrepreneurs. Local staff must be attuned to reason have remained outside of the public decision-
their interests and priorities and look for ways to shape, making process.
accelerate and leverage them. Where private leadership Typical appointees would include high-level
and vision are lacking, local staff will be looked to representatives from both the Chamber and MTSU,
essentially “manufacture” opportunities from scratch as well as prominent CEOs, elected representatives
and help coax them into existence.
and members on the financial and entrepreneurship
Ideally however, the work of local staff will never communities. As the City moves more into the
happen in a vacuum or in “shotgun” fashion. A start- redevelopment sphere, this same group – perhaps
up economic development function will require both a augmented with more real estate expertise - may
strategic plan and oversight. Although this section of the eventually evolve into a quasi-public redevelopment
Comprehensive Plan can serve as a proxy for the former, authority and/or TIF commission. With limited city
an economic development commission consisting of staff and resources, having hands-on, project-level
mayoral appointees should be enlisted as a first step. involvement of commission members will be critical in
This group should consist of motivated, civic-minded standing-up a tenable economic development function
individuals who can help “push the agenda” (but yet in the early years.
not so self-interested that a conflict-of-interest would At the staff level, a highly functioning, economic
be presented). The commission invitation/selection development coordinator and assistant initially working
process is an opportunity to engage with people or
under the authority of the City’s Planning Department
FIGURE 7.12: NEW “ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ROLES”

Planning Department

Economic Development Chamber of Commerce

Ecosystem
Development
Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI)
Land Assembly Export Assistance

Small Business
Development
Main Street
Deal Structuring Coordination Workforce Training/
Development
MTSU

Business Recruitment
Developer Retention and Expansion
Recruitment
Marketing

REdevelopment Grants Business Development
(Buildings) (Businesses)