BUCYRUS, Ohio — Like many rural counties, since 1980, Crawford County has been working itself out of a hole, said Gary Frankhouse, Economic Development Coordinator for Crawford County Partnership for Education and Economic Development.
“Economic development is like farming,” Frankhouse said. “You don’t cram farming, do you? You don’t stick seeds in the ground in September and get a harvest in the end of September. It just doesn’t happen.”
Frankhouse said when the recession began in 2008 a group of 600 Crawford County residents, business leaders and investors banded together to begin seriously talking about how they would work to get out of the 35-years-deep hole.
From that meeting, stemmed the CCEEDP, a group of financiers, educators and communications experts, devoted to making the county one in which families seek to work and live.
“And then we looked at the ‘how,’” Frankhouse said.
In 2010, the group stitched together the Crawford: 20/20 Vision plan, one that includes five action teams equipped with leaders and volunteers to execute their respective missions. The five action teams include representatives from the education field, public safety, quality of life, leadership and business success.
Some of those missions have already produced tangible results.
The Crawford Success Center, which is a joint effort along with North Central State College, opened its doors to students seeking to start higher education. Students have 12 course options to choose from. The building is located near the Crawford County Courthouse in Bucyrus.
“The education piece is a very important piece in our community,” said Steve Crall, CCEEDP community development coordinator.
The percentage of Crawford County high school graduates entering a two- or four-year college program has stabilized since 2008, according to Ohio Department of Higher Education.
Frankhouse and Crall like to believe they had a part in that because of the partnership’s focus on education since their formation.
The group also coordinates with county school districts to expose eighth graders to various manufacturing companies throughout the area.
On the quality-of-life front, the partnership is working with the National Association of Sports Commissioners to see if a 75,000 to 100,000 square feet sports complex facility would be feasible in Galion.
“It’s in its infancy stages still, but all signs are pointing to yes, it would be feasible,” said Frankhouse.
The group hosts regular leadership training courses and conferences, including a simulcast in which Crawford County business leaders have the opportunity to network with others from across the world, said CCEEDP Communications and Administrative Coordinator Michelle Failor.
In an effort to decrease turnover in businesses within the county, the partnership hosts what it calls a Supervisor Bootcamp.
Public safety is another area of focus for the partnership. The public safety team created a web-based resource — wonthappen2me.org — for community members to peruse for information regarding their community as it relates to substance-abuse prevention and treatment options.
The partnership began a capital campaign for 2016 with a $500,000 goal earlier in the summer.
“Anyone can give,” said Frankhouse, noting the organization’s 501-c3 status. Frankhouse said the funds go back into community development and economic efforts.
To learn more about the CCEEDP visit the website or call 419-563-1809.
