Regional News & Views

We are just days away from a new event that illustrates why working together will always make our region more successful. On December 7, 2012, Economic Development 411 or ED411 will bring together elected and public officials from our communities, schools and businesses to gain a better understanding of economic development and how they play a key role in creating a vibrant local economy.

MORPC is partnering with the Mid-Ohio Development Exchange (MODE) and Columbus 2020 to host the half-day economic development training session at The Ohio State University. ED411 is designed in the theme of 411 directories that provide easy and fast access to information and resources in a community. For this event, we are bringing together local, state and national speakers to discuss why it is important for communities to invest in economic development; best practices and strategies in economic development; and what resources are available to help our local companies grow and prosper in the region.

The ED411 program includes notable state and national speakers: Christiane Schmenk, Director of Ohio Development Services Agency; Jeff Finkle, President and CEO, International Economic Development Council; and William Fruth, President of POLICOM Corporation and a nationally recognized speaker on creating prospering local economies and communities.

Whether you are attending ED411 as a school board member, city manager or business manager, we all play a role in our region’s economic prosperity. Together we bring unique perspectives and responsibilities to ensuring job creation and prosperity in our region.  It is also key for our leaders to think about economic development on a regional scale.

I hope to see you at ED411 this Friday. If you are not able to make the forum, don’t worry! We are already setting the plans in motion for next year’s event.

After nearly two years of planning, the international EcoSummit 2012 is finally coming to Columbus, Ohio, September 30 through October 5. That week, Columbus will host over 1,500 delegates from 76 countries for a week of amazing presentations, symposia and workshops by the world’s most highly regarded ecologists and environmental scientists.

EcoSummit has been hosted all around the world, in Denmark, Canada and China, and the fact it will make its US debut in Columbus is largely due to the partnership between MORPC and The Ohio State University.

Members of the EcoSummit Local Host Committee are recognized on stage at MORPC's 2012 State of the Region Luncheon

Partnerships and collaboration have been vital to putting on this massive event. Through the leadership at MORPC and Ohio State, we worked with co-hosts Ecological Society of America, Intecol and the Society for Ecological Restoration to showcase central Ohio as a region with great biological diversity, productive soil, long growing seasons and plentiful fresh water. Our community provides a fitting backdrop for an international conference designed to advance the implications of ecology, the study of organisms and the environment.

Recognizing the scale of this incredible conference, the first step was convening the Local Host Committee. Comprised of leaders from around the region, the Committee has worked to ensure central Ohio exceeds our guests’ expectations. Subcommittees worked tirelessly over a year and a half for that purpose, focusing on Public Relations & Marketing, Fundraising, Hospitality, Tours & Logistics, Security, Volunteers and Exhibits. With additional support from gracious private and public sector sponsors and a stellar volunteer force, we can be confident the event will go off without a hitch!

The EcoSummit 2012 Exhibit Hall itself is a product of collaboration amongst the Exhibit Hall Subcommittee, but also represents collaboration on a greater scale. Guests will be greeted by the all-encompassing Destination Columbus Pavillion, made up of representatives from Experience Columbus, Downtown Columbus, Columbus 2020, the Columbus Chamber, the Columbus Partnership, ECDI, the Columbus Regional Airport Authority and Franklin County. These worthy ambassadors are working together to illustrate the allure of the region to an audience that may have never heard of Columbus.

Central Ohio is rich in its array of scientific and ecological assets, its attractiveness to businesses and economic investment, and its quality of life. We were even praised by USA Today this year for our amazing food scene! Through careful planning and a collaborative approach, EcoSummit 2012 will facilitate an important discussion on ecological sustainability, while bringing to light the vitality and charm of our region to an international audience.

When MORPC joined forces with the Educational Services Center of Central Ohio (ESC of Central Ohio), I was excited at the prospect of bringing people together to collaborate and share services, especially at a time when funding sources are limited.

A year later, the Central Ohio Regional Shared Services Steering Committee (CORSSSC) is in full swing, laying the foundation for shared services resources and strategies in the region. I’m proud to serve as Committee Co-Chair along with Franklin County Metro Parks Director John O’Meara.

I think a notable benefit of the Committee is its diverse membership. You certainly do not see the usual suspects around the table.  Membership in the Committee is open to local government officials, school district leaders, non-governmental organizations, business executives, institutes of higher education, and citizens. Our members share an interest in having a deeper dialogue about how to increase efficiency, reduce costs and cooperate to provide higher level services to our constituents.

For a change of pace, I thought I would try a fun approach to portray the benefits of participating in CORSSSC, in the style of Late Show host David Letterman’s “Top Ten” list:

#10  Copycats
Committee members freely share their best practices and latest efforts in collaboration and shared services. Borrowing and stealing others’ ideas are highly encouraged. If you do not attend a meeting, you can always share online at www.forum.sharedservices.org.

#9   Trendsetters
I applaud our committee members for practicing what they preach.  Outside our meetings, members have become ambassadors of collaboration in the region.

#8   Resources
The Committee is a forum for discussion not only for shared services opportunities amongst members, but also for outside resources available to members. In a recent meeting, members learned about the Ohio Department of Development’s Local Government Innovation Fund which awards financial assistance to political subdivisions for shared services projects.

#7   Sounding Board
As a member of the Committee, you have a sounding board of esteemed peers with which to discuss ideas. With representatives from over 50 local jurisdictions and organizations, these discussions have great potential.

#6   Outlook
The exchange of dialogue keeps us in touch with our neighbors around the region. By looking at the big picture and understanding fiscal situations throughout the region, we can better plan for the future together.

#5   Networking
Every Committee meeting begins with a buzzing chatter amongst our many members. This important ritual is a fun way to create new relationships that can become lasting partnerships.

#4   Hearing Success Stories
Creating new partnerships and ways to deliver services is often harder than it looks. We openly share the details of success, such as in the case of the new information technology collaboration between the City of Marysville, Union County and the Marysville Schools.

#3   Opportunities
Opportunities abound in the Committee, where members are constantly seeking solutions in trying financial times. A good example of collaboration and cost-savings amongst members is sharing ways to increase joint purchasing for supplies and services.

#2   Support
When you join the Committee, you are joining a support network of regional peers, where you can both seek and share opportunities. Many of our members share similar struggles, and through coming together we can also share solutions.

#1   Relationships
The relationships formed in the Committee are invaluable. Through regular meetings, there is ongoing dialogue between members. Our struggles and strengths are magnified to an audience of regional peers, and opportunities begin to surface.

The next meeting of the Central Ohio Regional Shared Services Steering Committee is Wednesday, August 29 at the ESC of Central Ohio, 2080 Citygate Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43219. Join us and see for yourself what it’s all about.

Visit www.sharedservices.org for more info, and join the discussion at www.forum.sharedservices.org.

This will be both my first and my last post to this blog. After three years directing MORPC’s Center for Energy and Environment I have accepted an appointment to be Denver’s first Chief Sustainability Officer. I wanted to take the occasion of my departure as an opportunity to reflect on regionalism and to compare and contrast central Ohio with the Front Range of Colorado.

I came to MORPC as a novice to regional planning, so all of my impressions of regionalism have been developed exclusively through my work at MORPC. Over the past three years I’ve developed a technique of analyzing regional sustainability by first thinking about the region as if I were looking down from outer space. From up there no boundaries can be seen; you can see the entire landscape from central city to rural communities. You can think about how the people across that landscape would best provide for their needs and security.

At some point, however, you mentally need to add the boundaries back in. Boundaries create political subdivisions and trigger human tribal instincts that spur competition. The “us” of a unified region can become the “us and them” of competition between individual communities in that region.

A map representing MORPC's current members. Click to enlarge.

One could adopt a knee-jerk response and say that boundaries make regional operations inefficient and thus should be eliminated. But while boundaries can reduce efficiency, they also foster democracy. People can have a city, village or township hall that is relatively close, where they can have more direct influence over the policy decisions that affect their lives. To me it’s a worthwhile tradeoff.

The key to reconciling regionalism with community democracy is development of a shared recognition that a rising regional tide lifts all community boats. Certain types of infrastructure – roads, public transit, water and sewer systems, energy systems, waste disposal, food systems – require regional cooperation, without which everyone, regardless of community, loses. When the communities and their leaders in a region recognize this, they can cooperate when necessary while still preserving the individual identities of their respective communities.

From outer space what you notice about central Ohio is that there’s plenty of water, productive soil, relatively clean air, flat land that presents few barriers to mobility and development, and relatively close proximity to other metro areas. The natural landscape presents few barriers to sustainable operation.

In contrast, while the Front Range certainly has spectacular scenery, it has greater challenges in terms of soil, water, topography and isolation from other metro areas. To put it another way, just because scenery draws people to a region doesn’t mean the region can easily support them. If anything, the conditions in and around Denver place an even greater premium on regionalism, because no individual city can overcome these challenges on its own.

I have enjoyed working with community leaders, businesses and citizens across central Ohio to develop a more sustainable region. Hopefully what I’ve learned about regionalism will help me to address the substantial challenges that await me on the other side of the Great Plains.

Ten years ago, I was an employee at MORPC, working from the offices at 285 East Main Street. That year our Greenways Program launched the first ever Riverfest in partnership with Metro Parks. Riverfest is a celebration of central Ohio’s rivers and waterways, educating our residents about the vital role they play in our environment. This year, Riverfest marks its 10th anniversary, continuing the widely beloved tradition of bringing important and entertaining activities to our region.

Riverfest has come a long way since its humble beginnings. MORPC began organizing river cleanups in the 1990s, and it quickly became apparent that there was a real appreciation of waterways among members of the community. Along with Metro Parks, local watershed groups and environmental organizations, MORPC launched Riverfest in 2002 at Three Creeks Metro Park, inviting the central Ohio community to take part in free activities such as a water-themed photography contest, canoeing and a river cleanup.

Volunteers cleanup the Scioto River and prepare for a kayak ride

In 2009, Riverfest became Riverfest On Tour!, a month-long celebration that expanded activities to locations around the region. Through collaborating with partner organizations and communities, Riverfest On Tour! brought activities to places like Dawes Arboretum, Sharon Woods Metro Park and Alum Creek State Park. Riverfest On Tour! culminates each year with a Grand Finale Celebration that draws around 2,000 people.

Today Riverfest continues to inspire and educate central Ohioans on the importance of our waterways. That sentiment thrives throughout the region, with new initiatives arising everyday aimed at improving our waterways. The Scioto Greenways Project, to which MORPC has committed funding, is one such project that will transform the downtown Columbus Scioto riverfront.

The collective appreciation for our waterways found in individuals, communities and organizations across the region is priceless. Here’s hoping that Riverfest will always continue to live out the mission of facilitating restoration, preservation and enhancement of central Ohio’s waterways.

The Riverfest On Tour! Grand Finale will take place Friday, July 29 at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in downtown Columbus. For more information, visit www.riverfestcolumbus.org.

written by Marilyn Brown, Franklin County Commissioner and Board Chair at the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission

Members of the public were invited to MORPC's 2012 MTP Open House

The 2012-2035 MTP was approved by the MORPC Policy Committee May 10 after months of consultation with local governments, state and local agencies, neighborhood associations, environmental groups, transportation committees, the general public and other stakeholders. The MTP is a very important document for central Ohio.  Only projects and strategies contained within it or consistent with it are eligible to receive federal highway or transit funding.  Typically, $250 million in federal transportation funds are spent in the MORPC transportation planning area each year. The MTP is a prime example of meeting goals through collaboration.  Each step of the process is influenced directly by collaborating forces, starting with the public. MORPC conducted over 50 focus groups and collected over 6,000 survey responses regarding goals.  Once the goals were adopted, staff worked with local governments and other stakeholders to identify objectives for the region’s transportation system.

Staff visited each community in the transportation planning area to understand their growth plans and desired projects. MORPC used this information along with Census and other data to forecast growth, including land use, housing and jobs, and ultimately, transportation needs.

MORPC's 2012-2035 MTP Project Location Map (click to enlarge)

The entire process is monitored by three committees: the technically based Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC), the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), and the MORPC Policy Committee. Collectively these groups comprise community officials, transportation engineers and planners, and representatives from active transportation organizations all working together toward the common goal of planning the region’s transportation system.

At the conclusion of this thoroughly collaborative process, the completed MTP was adopted by the MORPC Policy Committee and forwarded to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the Federal Transit Administration for their concurrence.

Among the awards presented at the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC)’s 2012 State of the Region Luncheon was the William C. Habig Collaborative Achievement award, honoring an individual or individuals who have achieved an effective effort or innovative collaborative in central Ohio.

Cleve Ricksecker with MORPC Officers Matt Greeson, Marilyn Brown and Eric Phillips

This year the award went to Capital Crossroads and Discovery Special Improvements Districts. Under the direction of Cleve Ricksecker, the two organizations collaborate with more than 750 property owners in downtown Columbus for improvements to the area.  We recently sat down with Cleve to find out more about the SIDs and how collaboration has helped reach their collective goals.

Q: Can you tell us about the work being done at Capital Crossroads and Discovery Special Improvements Districts?

A: People in Capital Crossroads and Discovery Special Improvement Districts (SIDs) have a real passion for downtown.  Downtown property owners created the SIDs in 2002 and 2007, respectively, to manage the public realm and compete better with suburban commercial centers.  Property owners wanted to manage public space in downtown the same way that common areas are managed in private shopping centers and mixed-use developments.

They raise money by asking the City of Columbus to levy assessments on all private properties within the SID boundaries.  Enlightened self interest has prompted a total of 750 property owners to pay mandatory assessments.

Q: What kinds of projects are the SIDs involved in?

A: Owners have developed a number of programs, including a supplemental safety program that is essentially a professional block watch.   Safety “ambassadors” work closely with Columbus police officers to execute a policy of strict enforcement in downtown to prevent crime and disorder.  The SIDs also employ an outreach specialist to connect street people with services and housing.

One of the best deterrents to crime is a clean and orderly environment.   Capital Crossroads SID controls litter, weeds, and first-floor graffiti.   It washes public sidewalks and fixtures, and maintains pole-mounted flowers and traffic islands on Gay Street.  The SID is apparently effective because a visitor from New York City once described downtown as “unnaturally clean”.

The SIDs have created an incentive for development by making downtown clean and safe.  An orderly environment has especially helped stimulate new housing units by more than 20 different developers.

Q: What can you tell us about the importance of collaboration in your projects?

A: Collaboration is essential to maintaining healthy, urban neighborhoods.   No single property is an island.

Columbus neighborhoods that successfully empower many people to actively collaborate, invest, and take responsibility for the public realm do well, including German Village and the Short North, to name two.  Given the level of collaboration in downtown, its prospects are bright.

Congratulations to the Capital Crossroads and Discovery Special Improvement Districts as well as all of our nominees of the William C. Habig Collaborative Achievement award. Bringing people together to focus on shared success is neither easy nor simple. Yet they have created examples that we can all learn from to see that you truly can get farther ahead when working together.

Today’s metropolitan areas contain not one but several political jurisdictions.  Communities in a given region are connected in many ways, through transportation planning, land use, economic goals and more.  Communities also share many challenges, such as budget cuts and limited funding.  Today more than ever, a regional approach is essential in working toward economic vitality for every community.  Through collaboration, communities may prosper individually and together as a region.

The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) has been a regional voice for the region since 1969, and continues to endeavor towards securing a competitive advantage for the central Ohio region.  We consist of 47 member governments that together address the issues and challenges facing the region.

And there are other great examples of collaboration in our region:

• The Global Report is a catalog of international assets in central Ohio created through the collaborative efforts of the Columbus Council on World Affairs, Columbus2020, Columbus Foundation, Community Research Partners, MORPC and others. The report aims to provide a greater understanding of our significant international dimensions so that we may adapt to them and ultimately leverage them.

• Columbus2020 is a regional public-private partnership that aims to leverage central Ohio’s institutions and industries for greater economic development.  Their goals include adding 150,000 net new jobs by 2020, increasing personal per capita income 30%, and adding $8 billion dollars of capital investment to the region.

• In 2010, Franklin County Metro Parks assisted the City of Columbus by taking over the Greenways Trail system, resulting in saving the city money, and an improved trail system for the public.

• The Ohio Department of Development introduced the Local Government Innovation Fund this year, making $45 million available to Ohio communities, with special consideration given to collaborative partnerships.  The program seeks to promote efficiency, collaboration, merger and shared services among local governments, and to facilitate improved business environments and promote community attraction.

• The Educational Service Center (ESC) of Central Ohio promotes shared services between the region’s school districts by forming shared purchasing consortiums or contracted services that could not be offered economically on a local basis, saving area districts thousands of dollars.

Regionalism is becoming more widely embraced every day, as communities discover that collaborating not only makes the best use of limited local government budgets, but also drives economic prosperity locally and throughout the region.

Regional News & Views was created as a community resource and will share examples of and opportunities for regionalism, collaboration and shared services in the central Ohio region and around the country. Be sure to subscribe to this blog and check back often to participate in discussions and hear from MORPC’s own experts on regionalism.