Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy TWO RIVERS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT Serving Adams, Brown, Cass, Morgan, Pike, Schuyler and Scott Counties 2017 CONTENTS Introduction and Executive Summary .................................................................................... 3 CEDS committee membership ................................................................................................... 5 Chapter 1 –Background-General Description of Area .......................................................... 8 Natural Resources......................................................................................................................... 9 Mining ........................................................................................................................................... 10 Renewable Energy ..................................................................................................................... 11 Wild Game .................................................................................................................................. 11 Environmental Issues ................................................................................................................... 11 Asian Carp ................................................................................................................................... 12 Hazardous Waste Sites ............................................................................................................... 12 Bioaccumulation ........................................................................................................................ 12 Solid Waste Disposal ................................................................................................................... 13 Commercial Recycling .............................................................................................................. 13 Municipal Recycling ................................................................................................................... 14 Regional Landfill Capacity ........................................................................................................ 14 Sewage Treatment ..................................................................................................................... 15 Water Resources ......................................................................................................................... 15 Political Geography ................................................................................................................... 17 Population Characteristics ........................................................................................................ 19 Poverty & Housing ...................................................................................................................... 21 Regional Economy, Analysis .................................................................................................... 23 Hospitals, Other Industries, Per Capita Income ...................................................................... 32 Labor Force ................................................................................................................................. 35 Transportation Infrastructure ..................................................................................................... 44 IDOT Average Daily Count Maps ............................................................................................. 49 Public Transportation .................................................................................................................. 53 Achievements of 2012 CEDS Goals ....................................................................................... 57 Chapter 2 - Analysis of Economic Development Opportunities and Threats ................... 60 Opportunity and Threat Analysis .............................................................................................. 60 Regional Cluster Analysis ........................................................................................................... 61 TREDD Employment Changes ................................................................................................... 67 Location Quotients ..................................................................................................................... 68 Earnings Growth Rate ................................................................................................................ 70 Chapter 3 - Goals and Objectives ........................................................................................ 78 Logistics Hub ................................................................................................................................ 78 Business Retention & Expansion ................................................................................................ 78 Job Creation ............................................................................................................................... 79 Infrastructure ............................................................................................................................... 80 Retail & Tourism ........................................................................................................................... 80 Historic Preservation ................................................................................................................... 81 Use of Economic Development Resources ............................................................................ 81 Environment & Renewable Energy .......................................................................................... 82 Development of safe agriculture ............................................................................................. 82 1 Chapter 4 – Economic Resilience Planning .......................................................................... 83 Chapter 5 – Strategic Projects, Programs, and Activities………………………………………91 Adams County ............................................................................................................................ 91 Brown County .............................................................................................................................. 93 Cass County ................................................................................................................................ 96 Morgan County .......................................................................................................................... 99 Pike County ............................................................................................................................... 100 Schuyler County ........................................................................................................................ 103 Scott County ............................................................................................................................. 105 Quincy/Adams County Projects ............................................................................................. 107 Other Regional Economic Development Projects .............................................................. 108 Chapter 6 – Implementation ................................................................................................ 109 CEDS plan of Action ................................................................................................................. 112 Local Planning Process ............................................................................................................ 112 Implementation of CEDS Goals .............................................................................................. 113 Economic Opportunities That Result ...................................................................................... 120 Telecommunication ................................................................................................................. 120 Job Creation ............................................................................................................................. 122 Implementation Strategy ........................................................................................................ 128 Chapter 7- Performance Measures ..................................................................................... 121 Measurement Criteria .............................................................................................................. 121 Appendices Two Rivers District SWOT Analysis ........................................................................................... 123 Two Rivers District Cluster Analysis .......................................................................................... 125 Workforce Investment Area Strategic Plan – Chapter 1 ..................................................... 126 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This update of the Two Rivers Economic Development District’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) includes several significant changes. These include: The involvement of Morgan County as an active member Closer collaboration with the Workforce Investment Areas Better coordination of the CEDS and Workforce objectives leading to more effective identification of workforce issues and more effective solutions Incorporation of the Two Rivers Resource Conservation and Development