MANSFIELD — Hard work by members of the Long Range Planning committee of the Richland County Development Group is beginning to pay off for north central Ohio.
That group, along with movers, shakers, educators and others met Thursday at The Ohio State University-Mansfield to celebrate their successes and to look toward the future.
Progress has been made in all areas of a long-range strategic plan to make Mansfield more “user friendly.”
“Our vision statement is to be the most business friendly county in the state … ” said Richland County Commissioner Marilyn John, chairman. “We’ve had hundreds of participants, 95 percent who are volunteers, and they’ve put in thousands of man hours working toward that vision.”
The committee helped formulate a strategy targeting all aspects of life in Richland County: education, housing, entertainment, job training and more.
A recent success, in fact one announced this week, is $750,000 in grants, part of a pilot program to help residents who receive government assistance.
“They told us to think outside the box,” said Karen Seman, RCGD’s Workforce Development Director. “Our plan is to take 40 people who receive assistance, and move them off social assistance so they are able to live on their own.”
That group is also making available funding aimed at helping students become more cognizant of job opportunities available, and what they have to do to get ready to fill those jobs.
The planning group’s Talent Development committee’s vision states: “Now, more than ever, students must see a connection between what they are learning in the classroom and their future careers.”
One way to do that is to make available “career coaches” to help students.
Funding has also been used to help purchase and equip a Mobile Training Center that can be outfitted with interchangeable units to help students at North Central State College, Madison Adult Education and Pioneer Career and Technology Center.
Those efforts have already paid off as at least 39 students have found employment thanks to the group’s Industrial Readiness Training program.
Seman said there is reason to celebrate the progress the committee has made, but its work is far from over.
“Workforce development is not a dash. It’s a marathon,” she said. “But together, we have proved that we are stronger.”
Some areas take a little longer to realize tangible benefits.
The Richland County Land Bank takes possession of foreclosed-on properties and then spends money to make the property more attractive to buyers, who then purchase the real estate from the land bank. Those properties get to the land bank via sheriff’s auctions.
“Unfortunately, neighborhood development moves at the speed of foreclosure,” said Jeff Parton a member of the bank’s board of directors. “But we are making progress.”
In the past three years more than 1,300 properties have been foreclosed on in Richland County. Citing an increase in the number of buyers willing to buy foreclosed-on properties before they are given to the land bank, Parton said other ways to make money for the land bank are being considered.
“We’re now getting to the point where we may be able to develop some properties ourselves,” he said.
The group is targeting a home on Logan Road it believes could be fixed up for about $80,000 and then sold for up to $135,000. There also is money available for trees, shrubs and fencing to spruce up vacant lots.
“Anything is better than weeds, old sofas and tires,” he said.
Chuck Hahn, of Lincoln Financial Group, talked about the need for more upscale housing and rental properties in the county, and specifically mentioned a desire by residents to live in the downtown area.”
“Almost every building downtown could be used for living spaces,” he said. “We’re in the process of trying to determine how to make that a little easier.”
Another success has been the emergence of the downtown an entertainment venue.
“The Brickyard area has become our entertainment district,” Hahn said. “The Final Fridays concerts can draw 4,000 people. That is not something you would have seen 25 years ago.
The group also is also looking into traffic and parking issues in the downtown area, and changes that could make that part of Mansfield more user friendly.
Brian White, of OSU-Mansfield, talked about progress in efforts to make the OSU-NCSC campus more vibrant and a better place for students and the community.
“We finished the second phase of the Buckeye housing project, which meant more than 90 new students. There is a need for other things in the campus district, including fitness centers, athletic fields, bike trails. There is a lot of area that can be developed.”
Jodi Perry, president of the Richland Area Chamber of Commerce, talked about an effort to make paperwork more uniform throughout the county and to make it easier for residents to get permits.
“We need to make things more efficient,” she said. “If that meant staying open a little longer, or getting more help, we are doing what we can to speed things up.”
