economic development

BR&E Program Focuses on Perrysburg, Ohio Local Economy

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Perrysburg remains Wood County’s most economically diverse and thriving community and is one of Northwest Ohio’s best magnets for economic and business growth. It remains one of the best places to own real estate in the county and region. When it comes to “economic gardening,” no other community in Northwest Ohio is as successful in providing residents, business owners, and entrepreneurs with innovation-based economic development tools. Downtown Perrysburg Inc. and the Perrysburg Chamber of Commerce help to ensure the City’s B2B (business to business) networks thrive.

The City of Perrysburg sign

The City of Perrysburg – Wood County’s most economically diverse and thriving community.

The facts that support this claim are:

  • Perrysburg’s residential growth has increased 21.7% since 2000, and is the fastest growing community in the region. State average for residential growth in the last ten years was 1.7%.
  • According to a recent study, Wood County was ranked as one of America’s Top Ten Small-Sized Counties (FEC Inc., 2012.). The ranking considers several measures within five areas: Investment, Talent, Sustainability, Place, and Diversity. These five areas serve as a foundation for future economic success.
  • According to Stats America, Wood County has a 10-year per capita personal income (PCPI) growth of 7.3%, the highest in the region.
  • Residents spend $3,500 more per capita on retail items than state average. According to the US Census, per capita income is $37,813, a 32% increase from the state average.
  • Median household income from 2008-2012 averaged $69,341, a 30% increase from the state average, and one of the highest household incomes in the region.
  • Median value of owner-occupied housing is $192,600, a 30% increase from the state average; Perrysburg has one of the highest housing values in the region.
  • Over the last two years, Perrysburg has had more multi-family housing units under development than any other community in the region. This type of housing is extremely important in attracting young professionals and providing businesses with a diverse base of employees¹.

Recognizing the importance of its growing community, the Ohio Sea Grant College Program and Ohio State University Extension collaborated with the City of Perrysburg to conduct a Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) Program. Because of this applied research effort, local leaders are better equipped to assist business needs in the city to achieve their growth objectives and to improve the overall business environment for the City of Perrysburg’s business community.

The seal of Perrysburg.

As a result of the BR&E program, the City of Perrysburg learned that:

  • Forty businesses plan to expand, modernize or renovate their businesses with firms planning to add jobs within the next 12 months. These firms will add between 58-177 new full-time equivalent jobs.
  • 177 new jobs are estimated to represent $101,063 in additional income tax revenue and would contribute an estimated $6,737,505 in personal income to Perrysburg’s local economy.
  • Jobs are projected as being added in the professional services, retail and commercial service sectors. 116 businesses plan to retain up to 2,880 full-time equivalent jobs.

The BR&E program in Perrysburg aims to:

  • Identify and address concerns and issues of existing businesses by creating a value-chain of partners, including local and state government as well as private organizations and enterprises.
  • Identify opportunities to stimulate local job growth, and establish and maintain long-term relationships among public and private entities associated with the Perrysburg local economy.

To learn more about the City of Perrysburg BR&E program, see the final report. Click here to learn more about the Ohio BR&E Program.

 

¹City of Perrysburg website: https://www.ci.perrysburg.oh.us/index.php/economic-development

 

Joe Lucente is an Associate Professor for the Ohio Sea Grant College Program and Ohio State University Extension.

Economic Gardening: Changing Community Culture to Grow Entrepreneurs

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Who among us doesn’t want to live, work and play in a vibrant community? In addition to supporting local entrepreneurs, each of us can help to cultivate community vitality by understanding the larger strategies designed to assist small businesses to grow and thrive. Programs that help to develop business plans, obtain financing and market and manage enterprises are frequently included in a community’s economic “tool box.” Universities, Small Business Development Centers and local Chambers of Commerce often provide direct assistance that can range from one-on-one consultation to classroom instruction and group workshops.

Pioneered in Littleton, Colorado in 1987, and based on David Birch’s research at MIT, the concept of “Economic Gardening” recognizes that small businesses create most of the new jobs in local economies. While providing skill training for individual entrepreneurs is a very important component of economic gardening, it is only part of the picture. If entrepreneurs are to have their best chance to grow and thrive, being part of a community culture that understands, values and supports entrepreneurship is also important.

Communities are sometimes unaware of the depth and breadth of the local entrepreneur base and its contribution to their overall economy. They might not understand the support the community can provide and the importance of a supportive culture. “Culture is a mindset built on commonly held and shared beliefs …about starting, owning encouraging and supporting our own companies and entrepreneurs. It is a way of thinking that drives a group to act.” (EDA University Center/Center of Northern Iowa) The actions of local leaders and residents demonstrating their support for entrepreneurship are at the core of this mindset.

There are various dimensions to entrepreneur friendly communities and many players need to contribute toward its creation. It is not just the responsibility of local leaders or economic developers. Cultural change is broad in its scope and goes beyond positional leadership to less formal social networks embedded in the community. With that said, local leaders – private and public – can be “change masters” by championing initiatives and attitudes that support entrepreneurs. The following are some examples. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, but to describe supportive services that emerge from a community mindset that nurtures entrepreneurs:

  1. Risk tolerance: At the most basic level, entrepreneurial communities embrace a mindset that tolerates risk and does not see trying and failing at an enterprise as a character flaw. It supports and encourages innovators who are willing to try time and again before reaching success.
  2. Consumer support of local business: Supportive communities have a “buy local” initiative, encouraging residents to support and patronize their businesses and services first.
  3. Celebration of success: Economic development organizations such as the Chamber promote the successes of local entrepreneurs and small businesses. Start-ups and expansions are recognized and championed through media coverage.
  4. Commitment of Public Officials and Offices: Local elected and appointed officials set a tone of appreciation for business innovators. They take the lead in insuring that local governmental offices and agencies, often the first stop for entrepreneurial enterprises, cut through red tape, streamline approvals, and coordinate with each other, perhaps through a “one stop” center approach.
  5. Public and private financing alternatives: It is important to offer a variety of different financing avenues for entrepreneurs in recognition of their special need for start-up capital and a fast turn-around time for project implementation. Building partnerships between private and public financing sources to reduce/share risks and provide incentive financing, shows support for entrepreneurs.
  6. Networks: Entrepreneurs benefit greatly from opportunities to network with their peers. Facilitating the creation of an entrepreneur network which can then take on a life of its own provides a supportive and strategically beneficial environment.
  7. Supportive services and spaces: Incubators for start-ups and expansions help to reduce initial expenses for facilities and services. Maker spaces are community centers that provide access to tools, equipment and other technology needed to test and launch new products and ideas.
  8. Infrastructure: Entrepreneurs need access to markets and resources. Broadband Internet capacity is a critical component of an entrepreneurial friendly community.

In short, the challenge for communities is to create an environment that nurtures, appreciates and values entrepreneurs and their unique needs and contributions. An adaptation of a quote by Roger Blackwell, Professor Emeritus in Marketing at The Ohio State University, is as follows:

To create a community culture, mindset and initiatives that support entrepreneurship, and to realize the benefits and investment from this economic development approach, what does a community need to become?

The following resources provide additional information:

EDA University Center/University of Northern Iowa: eda.uni.edu/supportive-culture

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: kauffman.org/what-we-do/resources/policy/economic-gardening

Myra Moss is an Associate Professor and Extension Educator (Heart of Ohio EERA).

How Economic Developers Engage with Extension

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Smith Lever Act of 1914

Credit: www.archivesfoundation.org

Extension has long been an economic development partner involved in a wide range of issues, from water quality and agricultural practices to retail and energy. Since passage of the Smith-Lever Act of 1914, Extension has provided outreach and non-formal education to strengthen lives and communities across the country.

Over the last century, Extension has continued its original mission to extend university resources while also adapting to changing times, to address a wide range of challenges and opportunities in both urban and rural areas. Extension can be found in all 50 states, with about 2,900 offices nationwide. In Ohio, over 700 Extension professionals staff offices within all 88 counties, in addition to numerous regional and state offices, that enable this outreach arm of Ohio State University to engage communities, businesses, and organizations of any size and location.

How do local economic development organizations (EDOs) find out about and engage with Extension? Typically, they hear about services and contact Extension directly, or Extension professionals reach out through workshops and forums about their programs and resources. Extension professionals are frequent speakers at a variety of conferences and meetings at the local, state, and national levels. EDOs are also often in contact with Extension professionals as co-members on boards of community and economic development organizations.

Extension has partnered with EDOs in pursuit of just about every imaginable economic development function. In Ohio, Extension was an early adopter of business retention and expansion practices, developing one of the first formal BR&E programs. Since 1986, Ohio State University Extension’s BR&E Program has developed capacity of community leaders via more than 140 programs in 77 Ohio counties, in both urban and suburban areas.

In terms of workforce development, OSU’s STEM Pathways program aims to increase youth curiosity, logical thinking, problem-solving skills, and team communication abilities, to ensure tomorrow’s workforce is highly skilled and globally competitive. Extension professionals teach the STEM program curriculum directly to students and in a train-the-trainer format for the teachers who will then deliver the program.

Energy development, including renewables and shale gas, is a focus area for Extension. New programs have been developed to help businesses and communities assess the costs and benefits of energy development. The commissioners of Wyandot County recently enlisted Extension to conduct a survey of residents and land owners on their feelings toward wind farm development. Survey findings enabled the county commissioners to decide whether wind development was a good fit for the county.

Most of Extension’s work is research-based, involving collecting, compiling, and analyzing original data through surveys, focus groups, and other outreach techniques. For instance, Extension professionals implement a variety of qualitative and quantitative tools to help communities better understand trends and conditions of their local and regional economies.

The Economic Impact Analysis (EIA) and Retail Market Analysis (RMA) programs are good examples of applied research in action. Both programs help communities measure change in their local economies to guide local decision-making. Extension professionals recently completed an EIA project to estimate the impact of tourism generated by the Lakeside Chautauqua in Ottawa County. RMA projects are frequently implemented, usually on the county level, to help inform EDOs about which retail sectors are growing and to identify gaps in the retail market.

Extension professionals and resources are also widely available online. Economic developers can find out more about Extension services on university websites, many of which have extensive links to fact sheets, blogs and social media sites. A somewhat new initiative, “eXtension,” is an internet-based portal with access to specialized information and research on a wide range of topics from land-grant universities across the country.

The pursuit of meaningful and productive partnerships is a core principle of Extension. Extension professionals seek out opportunities to collaborate on mutually beneficial projects and welcome new project ideas from economic developers and others. Economic developers can partner with Extension to leverage a wide range of useful university resources.

Nancy Bowen is an Associate Professor & Extension Field Specialist, Community Economics.

BIG Skies, BOLD Partnerships

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Visiting with a colleague recently, she shared that these uncertain times in our workplace, in our communities, and in the larger world around us require that we ask ourselves what we really are about.

For the past several days, nearly 350 practitioners, academics, and Extension professionals came together to share and learn and discuss how we can make a difference within the various communities we serve in the first-ever joint conference with NACDEP and the Community Development Society (CDS).

Big Sky, Montana, provided the conference venue for over 130 concurrent session presentations, 40 poster presentations and 3 IGNITE presentations. Five keynote presentations were included along with 8 mobile learning workshops focused on culture, local food, leadership and collaborative partnerships for economic development.

June conference surprise

Among the presentations were ten involving a dozen of Ohio’s Extension professionals. Topics and presenters (including those involving out of state collaborators indicated with an *) are listed below:

  • Credentialing Local Planning Officials: Master Citizen Planner Program (Wayne Beyea*, Myra Moss & Kara Salazar*)
  • Entrepreneurial Networking Competencies: Contemporary Perspectives on Social Capital (Julie Fox)
  • Energize Job Retention: Energy Management Strategies as a Component of Business Retention and Expansion Programs (Nancy Bowen, Eric Romich & David Civittolo)
  • Bold Partnering: Join a National Network on Leadership Programming (Brian Raison, Kyle Willams* & Elizabeth North*)
  • A New Tool for Increasing Marina Resiliency to Coastal Storms in the Great Lakes (Joe Lucente & Sarah Orlando)
  • Building Collaborative Partnership Around Critical Community/Stakeholder Issues: Watersheds, Agriculture, and a City’s Source Water Quality (Myra Moss)
  • Maximizing the Gains of Old and New Energy Development for America’s Rural Communities (Eric Romich, David Civittolo & Nancy Bowen)
  • Partnering for Community Health (Becky Nesbitt)
  • Exploring ways of using Community Arts, Cultural and Heritage businesses to stimulate Rural Community Economic Development (Godwin Apaliyah & Ken Martin)
  • Using Farmers Markets as a Tool for Economic Development: Increasing Healthy Food Access While Benefiting Small to Mid-Sized Farms (Amanda Osborne)
  •  A Dialogue Prompt for Housing and Land Use Policy in a New Administration (poster) (Anna Haines* & Myra Moss)

Three Ohioans were also installed as officers on the national NACDEP board: Nancy Bowen (re-elected Treasurer), David Civittolo (elected President-elect), and Brian Raison (elected north-central region Representative).

Two OSUE NACDEP members were also recognized with national and regional awards. Raison received regional and national recognition for using educational technology in developing  ‘A Virtual Farm Market Pilot’ and creating materials for ‘Top 10 Ways to Improve Online Teaching and Learning.’  He received regional recognition in the category ‘Excellence in CD Work’ for his effort, ‘Establishing an Impactful Local Food Council.’ Romich received regional recognition (honorable mention) in the category ‘Distinguished Career.’

Sunrise over Big Sky

Leadership, teamwork and collaboration were celebrated and cultivated throughout the conference. And after a very moving final keynote address by Sarah Calhoun of Red Ants Pants, we were reminded again that working together we truly can move mountains. See you next year in Cleveland, June 10-13!

 

 

Greg Davis is a Professor and Assistant Director for OSU Extension Community Development.

Time to Hit the Road: Business Retention and Expansion Heads South

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What do Macedonia and the Ukraine have in common and how are these countries similar to Indiana, New York, South Dakota and Florida? For good measure, let’s add Guam too (the tiny U.S. island territory in Micronesia in the Western Pacific).

Still not sure?

Answer: Ohio State University Extension Community Development professionals have delivered, shared and taught Ohio’s Business Retention and Expansion program curriculum in all of them!

As recently as two weeks ago, Extension CD professionals David Civittolo and Joe Lucente visited with colleagues at the University of Florida to deliver a three-day train the trainer program. Twelve University of Florida Extension agents learned the nuts and bolts of the traditional BR&E program and were also introduced to a newly-revised curriculum module: BR&E for Agri-business.

Since the 12 attendees were mostly Agriculture agents, the curriculum enabled them to better understand how to conduct a BR&E program focusing exclusively on agri-business clusters.

A highlight of the program was that the agents conducted actual business visits using an agribusiness questionnaire that they helped create. After the business interviews, the agents presented the information that would be most useful to the local stakeholders and the business community they surveyed.

For example, one business indicated during an interview that they needed assistance purchasing more locally grown vegetables for their high-end restaurant. As a result of the interview, Florida Extension agents were able to put the owner in touch with a local greenhouse that is in a position to provide more locally grown vegetables.

Since 1986, OSU Extension has partnered with local officials and residents in 155 communities located in 80 of Ohio’s 88 counties to better inform community decisions and help existing businesses grow and expand. To learn more about the program, the BR&E materials and how we can help your community contact David Civittolo or go.osu.edu/BRnE.

David Civittolo is an Associate Professor and Field Specialist, Community Economics. He co-leads OSU Extension’s Community Economics Team.

Vibrant Downtowns Key to Community Development

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Prior to World War II, many communities in the U.S. were centered around downtowns for living, shopping, entertainment and work. The quintessential downtown was typically home to a bank, a post office, government offices, a library, clothing stores, a music store, a cinema, a grocery and a diner. Most of the buildings offered apartments on the second, third and fourth floors. Downtowns were the hearts of communities.

Since the post-war suburban boom, downtowns have changed and continue to evolve. With the emergence of shopping centers, malls, one-stop shops and improved transportation, many of the small businesses lining the downtown streets have been forced to close. Downtowns all over America lost that spark that made them special, some turning into local government offices, some with a few shops and a lot of boarded buildings. In some places, they have been completely abandoned as neglect and apathy took over. In the age of 70 mile per hour highways, constant sales and advertising, Internet shopping, and an always-on-the-go mindset, the glory days of downtowns are lost on many.

Many communities, however, have not given up on the importance of downtowns in community development. Many of these communities have joined Main Street America, an organization dedicated to revitalizing downtowns in a way that does not damage the historic integrity while ensuring economic vitality. Many communities in Ohio including Cleveland, Delaware, Greenville, Medina, Portsmouth, Van Wert, Wooster and others have become accredited Main Street America programs. The Main Street Approach is used by member programs to provide structure and stability to the revitalization efforts of downtowns. The approach includes inputs, transformative strategies and outputs.

Downtowns - Jones 2016-08-04

Jeff Speck, an urban planner and designer, has determined that the singular factor of community success is walkability, which is best accomplished in the downtown area of communities. In his 2012 book, Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, Speck writes, “The General Theory of Walkabilty explains how, to be favored, a walk has to satisfy four main conditions: it must be useful, safe, comfortable, and interesting.” Speck explains how decisions have long-lasting and far-reaching effects and what decisions need to be made to have such effects on downtowns.

Walkable City - 2016-08-04Communities across the nation have seen the positive impacts a thriving downtown has on community development. If you believe your downtown could use a little TLC, suggest to your community development leaders consider strategies for revitalizing your downtown.

Revitalizing downtowns is not a ‘flavor of the month’ experiment, but rather a proven means to developing communities and stimulating local business. Additionally, revitalizing downtowns into walkable community areas will improve community health.

Check out Speck’s books and his TED Talk, contact Main Street America, and be sure to look over the variety of ready-to-use tools created by OSU Extension, UWEX, and University of Minnesota Extension that can be used to create vibrant downtowns.

Caitlin Jones is the Program Coordinator for OSU Extension Community Development in Van Wert County & the Maumee Valley EERA.

Retail Market Analysis Program: Community assessment and considerations

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What economic sector employs more than 1 million Ohioans in over 120,000 establishments and either directly and indirectly supports 1 in 4 Ohio jobs ? That would be the Ohio retail sector which is also directly and indirectly responsible for almost 18% of Ohio’s Gross Domestic Product.

An economic sector of such importance should be the focus of ongoing attention and, as discussed in a prior blog post, can benefit from a Retail Market Analysis (RMA). RMA is a tool that identifies retail market trends within a local community and informs local and regional development strategies designed to build and strengthen this critical economic sector.

Does your community need an RMA? Review the checklist below to determine if so. While there is no correct score to help you decide whether it is time to conduct an RMA, the conversation stimulated by this checklist should be fairly informative.

  • RMA 2016-03-10Does your community’s main street have empty retail store fronts?
  • Have retail businesses closed and no one is sure why? Was it possibly preventable? What could have been done?
  • Are retail jobs created and/or retained by local businesses being tracked, measured and reported? How?
  • Does your community have a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy? If yes, is an RMA included?
  • Is there an identified person who acts as the economic development coordinator that could lead and conduct an RMA? Who is it (are they)?
  • How would you describe the working relationship between elected/appointed officials and the retail merchants?
  • Are new retail businesses moving into or being created in the community?
  • How and to what extent is data relevant to the local economy being collected from retail businesses on a regular basis?
  • To what degree is existing data being analyzed to assess trends?

After reviewing responses to this list, it may soon become apparent that your community is not paying enough attention to the retail sector.

If you want to learn more about Retail Market Analysis and how it can help your community, contact: David Civittolo (civittolo.1@osu.edu), Associate Professor and Field Specialist, Community Economics.

Financing Entrepreneurship and Business Expansion

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Revolving Loan Fund - cropped

In 2015, the Van Wert City Revolving Loan made five loans totaling over $252,000, which supported the creation of 12 jobs.

Entrepreneurship is a critical component of any community. So, how can we support entrepreneurial growth? One tool available to communities interested in helping entrepreneurs start businesses and facilitating the expansion or relocation of existing businesses is a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF). The principal goal of the RLF is to create and retain private sector jobs, of which 51 percent must be held by persons from low-to-moderate income households. Applicants must document job creation for any RLF money borrowed and one (1) full time equivalent job must be created for every $25,000 increment borrowed. Applicants have two years to fulfill the job requirements. Loans can be made to businesses for land and building acquisition, new construction, building renovations and improvements, machinery and equipment purchases, and working capital. Loans involving construction and building renovations and improvements are subject to national prevailing wage requirements should the labor exceed $2,000.

This program allows businesses to secure fixed low interest rate loans. Two types of loans exist: Economic Development loans and Micro loans; however, each community may not offer both loan types. Most businesses apply for an Economic Development loan, which is a combination of owner equity, private funding (bank loan), and RLF money, to secure their project financing. Economic Development loans can be made for up to 50 percent of the project total. The Micro Loan option allows for RLF money to be the sole funding source for businesses with five or fewer employees undergoing projects less than $35,000 and capable of meeting the income requirements.

For more information, please visit the Ohio Development Services Agency Community and Economic Development Programs page. Communities interested in starting a revolving loan fund should review the information on the PY 2016 CDBG Community Development Program Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and Training Forum announcement and submit their application by Friday, June 17, 2016.

(Submitted by Caitlin Jones, Program Coordinator, Van Wert County & Maumee Valley EERA)

Is it time for your community to conduct a Business Retention and Expansion Survey?

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Has a company recently closed or downsized?
Does your downtown district have vacant buildings?
Has unemployment increased?

If you answered yes to any of the questions, perhaps it’s time for your community to conduct a Business Retention and Expansion survey.

A Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) survey is a structured, locally implemented, action oriented economic development project aimed at stimulating economic development and growth by helping existing businesses. Research has shown that 60-80% of all new jobs come from existing businesses. Communities should review the checklist below to determine if it is time to conduct a BR&E. Note:  there is no correct score to determine if it is time for BR&E; rather, communities should have conversations pertaining to these items. That will let them know if it is time to conduct a BR&E survey.

  • Has your community ever conducted a BR&E? If yes, when was the last time?
  • Does your community have a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy?
  • Has there been a change in elected officials/appointed officials?
  • Will the legislative body support a BR&E?
  • Has the financial condition of the community changed (high unemployment, many business cures)?
  • Do community officials have a working relationship with the top ten employers in the community?
  • Have businesses closed and no one is sure why?
  • Is there a local economic development agency that could help with the BR&E?
  • Are new business sectors moving into the community?
  • Has the State of Ohio created new Economic Development Tools?
  • Are new business technologies being maximized?
  • Has your zoning code had major modifications?
  • Have there been major changes in adjacent communities (business, farmland, unemployment)?
  • Has the social status of your community changed?
  • Have business transportation needs changed?
  • Does the community have sufficient open space for Economic Development?

After you review and discuss the list above, you can contact Ohio State University Extension, Community Development to learn more about the Business Retention and Expansion Program. Visit us at go.osu.edu/BRnE.

(Submitted by David Civittolo, Associate Professor and Extension Field Specialist, Community Economics)

Roundtable Discussions: Forum for economic development of our local communities

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Community economic development roundtable discussions are designed to create a level of dialogue necessary to explore the potential for creating manufacturing, industrial and trade jobs that will impact the lives of the unemployed and underemployed in communities.

Community Forums 2015-06-04

Photo credit: recordherald.com

Such a roundtable discussion was recently held in Fayette County, Ohio, the second in the past 12 months, aimed at promoting social and economic equity using state, regional and local resources in the forging of new and sustainable communities. The event brought together local stakeholders with state and regional economic development players to address significant community and economic development challenges; with the goal of cultivating a broader collaboration among business, government and civil society communities.

Topics discussed ranged from gas pipeline projects and how the counties can work together for the benefit of the region, to ways to recruit and attract business to the area. Conversation also focused on job creation and retention strategies, workforce and skills development issues, and state policies that undermine local economic development growth.

As Extension professionals, the roles we play in such community conversations can vary depending on the issues and the stages of the educational process. At times we are “conveners” who identify a public issue(s) and key stakeholders, gain their support and cooperation in the educational process, and work with them to design and carry out a process to achieve a mutually satisfying outcome. As “networkers,” we identify and link people and resources to increase people’s knowledge of public issues and their ability to participate in public decision-making. And finally, at times we are “diplomats” who move tactfully between stakeholders to encourage them to work together through an educational process. Ultimately we are educators focused on strengthening individual and family lives through research-based educational programming in collaboration with individuals, families, communities, business and industry, regional and state agencies, for example.

For more information, please view the material posted at pittsburghmovingforward.org or recordherald.com/news/home_top-news/152050297/County-hosts-economic-roundtable.

(Submitted by Godwin Apaliyah, County Extension Educator, Fayette County & Miami Valley EERA; Fayette County Community Development Director)