On tonight’s Fort Collins City Council Work Session agenda is a presentation by area public sector economic developers. The purpose is a show of unity among the economic developers in the Larimer and Weld counties. They have been on the speaking circuit telling this story to city councils, county commissions and town boards.
It’s good to see this and follows the trend over the years of more and more regional cooperation. Recently the two county workforce development boards held their first-ever joint meeting. The community foundation is convening regular meetings of area mayors and city managers. And the area chambers have a long history of working together: Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance, Leadership Northern Colorado, periodic joint dinners with the executive committees, Fix North I-25 Business Alliance, and joint business after hours networking events.
Back on economic development, One NoCo, the two-county economic development program, is still functioning. We’ll know everybody is really serious about economic development when the public sector economic developers and One NoCo leaders are sitting around the same table developing a regional economic plan and a regional branding and marketing plan. I think that day is coming.
In the meantime, there is a sense of regional cooperation among the various economic players that is positive and good to see.