SR 05:056 - Laserfiche WebLink

Council supported the "Enhancement of Open Space, Agriculture and Environmental Quality" goal of that project by appropriating $25,000 in FY 2001-02 to advance development of the Agricultural Enterprise Plan, and then in June 2003, the Council contributed $25,000 to assist with the implementation of that same plan. DISCUSSION The Tri-Valley Business Council undertook its last comprehensive analysis of the Tri-Valley economy in 1997. That report helped mobilize business, community and government leaders to work together to promote the economic vitality and quality of life of the region. From that study, a regional vision was created and teams were formed to take action on agricultural and open space preservation, housing, transportation, economic vitality, education, and other issues. Periodic updates of regional indicators have helped chart progress towards this 2010 vision. Noting that in recent years much has changed in the Tri-Valley, the Business Council is coordinating the Tri-Valley Preserving Prosperity Project. This project's focus is to understand how industry clusters have evolved, what new economic opportunities are emerging, how the role of the Tri-Valley is changing in relation to its neighbors to the west and east, and how to respond to these changes in ways that preserve the region's prosperity. The Preserving Prosperity Project, conducted by Collaborative Economics, with whom the Business Council worked on the 1998 study, will investigate the collaborative actions necessary to address challenges and capitalize on opportunities created by Tri-Valley's changing economy. The study will be undertaken in two phases. Phase I (November 2004-February 2005) will describe and analyze several aspects of the Tri-Valley's changing economy, including employment and income, evolving industry clusters, patterns among Tri-Valley Businesses, and the changing role of the Tri-Valley economy in relation to the greater Bay Area. The end product will be a "call to action" report highlighting key trends, challenges and opportunities to preserve prosperity in the Tri-Valley, along with examples of relevant "best practices" from other regions. Phase II (February 2005-April 2005) will convene a team of business, government and community leaders to determine priorities that need to be pursued to preserve the region's prosperity. Smaller action teams will then be mobilized around those priorities to develop a written compact describing approach, initiatives, and measurable outcomes. During this phase, joint ventures among businesses, the Labs, and education will be identified. Tri-Valley Business Council President, Tom O'Malley, spoke to the City's Economic Vitality Committee in October 2004, discussing the Business Council's belief that developing regional strategies was the best approach to achieving economic benefits. He outlined the Preserving Prosperity Project and a related partnership, the Alliance for Convergent Technologies. The EVC indicated their support for the study. SR:05:056