They're mobilizing to make our area 'hometown competitive'
Rochester Sentinel

Ann Allen, Sentinel Correspondent

Published April 15, 2009

A movement to make Fulton County hometown competitive by drawing young people back to the area will kick off at a Tuesday public meeting from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Community Center, 625 Pontiac St.

While the drive is still in the assessment and brainstorming phase, focus groups have been formed, surveys made and a Web site begun.

"This isn't going to be one of those studies that draws input from outside sources and then sits on a shelf," said FEDCO director Shane Blair. "Public participation is the key to solving our own problems. We want information gleaned from the public. We want and need new leaders. We want to encourage people to create their own jobs."

Leading the four pillars of the project are Blair, entrepreneurship; Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. Curriculum Director Angie Miller, youth; Rochester and Lake Manitou Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Alison Heyde and Purdue Extension Educator Mark Kepler, leadership; and Brian Johnson of the Fulton County Community Foundation, wealth capture. Other members of the steering committee include Terri Johnson of the Northern Indiana Community Foundation, County Commissioner Mark Rodriguez, and Matt Sutton, vice president of sales and marketing for RapidView.

"This is going to be a lot of work," said Angie Miller, "but we hope it is a labor of love. We want to give young people something they can work on, something that gives them a sense of purpose, a sense of community."

Fulton County isn't working alone on its "bring them back home" push. The tool was established by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs along with Ball State University's Building Better Communities, Indiana Grantmakers Alliance, Indiana Rural Development Council, Purdue University's Center for Regional Development/Extension Service, University of Southern Indiana Extended Services and USDA-Rural Development.