Economic development groups meet with consultant

MONTROSE  — City staff and participants in the Economic Development Restructuring Committee met Wednesday with consultants from the National Community Development Services, an outside firm hired to evaluate four main Montrose economic development organizations.

"They talked with that committee on how to move forward on a possible strategic plan on restructuring," said City Manager Mary Watt. "It was a good meeting with lots of conversations between groups."

The committee, comprised of representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, Montrose Area Merchants Association, Montrose Visitors and Convention Bureau, Montrose Economic Development Corporation and the City of Montrose, was used to help NCDS produce meaningful recommendations on a possible merger of some or all of the organizations. NCDS's recommendations will be implemented by the committee.

The city asked each organization to give a list of names that they would like the consultants to involve in the process. Project leader Howard Benson and NCDS Sr. Vice President Craig Glogowski conducted personal, confidential interviews with 44 of these listed opinion leaders and conducted two focus groups with 30 of the individuals on the lists.

Input gathered through the interviews and focus groups demonstrated a broad agreement on two basic points, according to a press release.

1. Difficult economic times demand that Montrose's civic resources perform at optimum levels despite budget constraints, operational difficulties and staffing issues.

2. Existing organizations would benefit from a restructuring or, at a minimum, more focus and operational effectiveness.

Other observations that will shape NCDS' recommendations, according to the release, include:

-Turf protection and personality conflicts are less important than the need for all organizations to play more productive and defined roles in Montrose's collective efforts to sustain and grow its economy.

-Rather than merely reshuffling the organizational structure of Montrose's primary development entities, potential exists to devise a new, more effective model for community improvement. This would involve converting to a strategic approach in which shared vision and compatibly organizational missions beget goals and measurable objectives.

-Shifting to a strategic operating style, versus an "activity/reactive" model can be accomplished. Adopting a "pay-for-performance" operating model is also a feasible transition to ensure that quantifiable return on investment results from the volunteer time and dollars invested.

-Any organization receiving financial support from local tax sources or from businesses must accept the challenge to achieve specific goals and outcomes that are part of a larger strategic plan. A shared "big picture" strategy for Montrose will increase the relevance of each organization and will also attract high caliber volunteers, and the necessary financial resources.

Findings from the interviews and focus groups will be used by NCDS to formulate specific recommendations. A report will be presented at the City Council's work session Nov. 19.