The findings from a community wide survey done in 2017 show most residents hope for growth, continued economic development, and the creation of opportunities and good paying jobs to help the area continue to move in a positive direction.
At a joint meeting between the Caldwell County Fiscal Court and Princeton and Fredonia City Councils, Susan VanHooser, Chairman of Ignite Caldwell, presented the findings of a survey facilitated through the University of Kentucky and the grassroots project, Igniting Voices. She stated the purpose of the survey was to discover common goals within the community.
Before presenting the results, VanHooser added that the gathered county and city officials should already be commended because they had already addressed a major desire that was expressed in the survey.
VanHooser explained that there were several hundred survey participants that were pretty evenly spread across all age groups.
She noted that participants were asked four specific questions.
According to the results compiled by the University of Kentucky’s Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky (CEDIK) Program the top answers for each question were overwhelmingly economic and workforce development, which citizens hoped would lead to better paying jobs, increased tourism and downtown development, affordable housing options, engaged leadership, and educational excellence.
VanHooser stated that the answers were summarized in a word bubble that included the 23 most commonly used words, with growth, opportunities, jobs, and development used the most by citizens of the community.
Also during the presentation VanHooser indicated that UK’s CEDIC program suggested three main action goals that elected officials could implement based around the results of the survey. Those included attracting targeted small business and expanding existing small business development and growth, creating an environment that promotes population growth while encouraging healthy living and lifestyles for existing citizens, and strengthening the sense of community while continuing the promotion of economic development and growth.
Following the presentation Princeton Mayor Kota Young expressed that he believed officials were already taking steps to move in the direction suggested by those at UK, citing the recent approval of an unprecedented amount of investment in the community in Princeton’s budget for Fiscal Year 2020. Caldwell County Magistrate District 1 Elbert Bennett echoed these sentiments adding that Lake Barkley Partnership for Economic Development Executive Director Amanda Davenport was already making leaps and bounds in the push for economic and workforce development within the area. Fredonia Mayor Jimmy Seibert also spoke up asking for people willing to volunteer within the community as Fredonia is also working to make updates to benefit the community.
VanHooser did comment, stating that those in Ignite Caldwell where there to help back elected officials as they begin to implement these, and other, goals to move the community in a positive direction.
