Improve community engagement.

Collaboration among local governments, planning agencies, and business entities is crucial for a coordinated response to growth and economic development. Communicating with the public about opportunities and challenges of planned growth will help the County and its partners to respond in equitable and sustainable ways.

Strategic Objectives

• Gaston County Tax Office will educate at least 5% of taxpayers regarding tax office programs by FY 2027.

• Gaston County Economic Development Commission will collaborate with all partners to grow the labor force by 2% by FY 2028.

• Gaston County Natural Resources will increase the average participant scores on Environmental Education Skills survey by 3% annually through FY 2028.

• Gaston County Tourism Development will distribute the client satisfaction survey link to 100% of Tourism clients by the end of FY 2024.

• Gaston County Tourism Development will achieve a 4.5 or higher client satisfaction rating by the end of FY 2024 and maintain a score of 4.5 or higher through the end of FY 2028.

• Gaston County Tourism Development will increase survey response rate by 5% annually through FY 2028.

One Gaston 2040

• Collaborate and build coalitions

• Welcome and value diversity

• Promote health and wellness

• Improve mobility, connectivity, and accessibility

• Enable broadband internet access

• Strengthen childcare and early childhood education

• Ready students for college and careers

• Strengthen targeted economic development

• Maximize housing options

• Provide adequate infrastructure

• Retain character and natural amenities

• Generate pride and positive perceptions

• Leverage arts and culture

Goal 3

The County will work to attract a variety of new businesses and support the growth of existing businesses. When businesses are successful, they create job opportunities for county residents. By gaining work experience, residents may increase their earning potential.

Strategic Objectives

• Gaston County Economic Development Commission will increase the industrial and/or commercial tax base by 3% by FY 2028.

• Gaston County Cooperative Extension (Horticulture and Livestock) will increase the number of new farm and garden enterprises in Gaston County by 20% by FY 2028.

One

2040

• Collaborate and build coalitions

• Welcome and value diversity

• Promote health and wellness

• Improve mobility, connectivity, and accessibility

• Enable broadband internet access

• Strengthen childcare and early childhood education

• Ready students for college and careers

• Strengthen targeted economic development

• Maximize housing options

• Provide adequate infrastructure

• Generate pride and positive perceptions

• Leverage arts and culture

Recreational, Cultural, and Life-Long Learning Opportunities

Gaston County boasts a wealth of opportunities for outdoor recreation in parks, along trails, and in the water, for sites of historic and artistic interest, and for personal enrichment, growth, and continuous learning. Preservation and enhancement of these assets create quality of life for residents and maintain the appeal of Gaston County as a great place for people of all ages and for businesses making investment decisions.

Goal 1

Improve equitable access and diverse representation in programming and resources.

The ability for all residents and visitors to easily access, feel welcome, and enjoy county amenities increases the value of the amenities to the community. Ensuring that all county residents feel included and represented in recreational, cultural, and personal enrichment opportunities is important to our growing county.

Strategic Objectives

• Gaston County Public Library will add six strategies to increase the provision of services to the unhoused by FY 2028.

• Gaston County Public Library will meet or exceed the iCurate Inclusivity averages for the categories reflective of our community by FY 2028.

• Gaston County Public Library will implement 80% of the Inclusive Access Team’s recommendations to remove barriers and increase inclusivity and accessibility to materials, programming, and services by FY 2028

• Gaston County Board of Elections will strive to increase the number of new registered voters by an average of 5% annually through FY 2028.

• Gaston County Cooperative Extension (Parenting Education) will initiate educational programs for non-mandated parents by FY 2025 and reach 100 parents with support annually from Triple P (levels 1-3) by FY 2028.

One Gaston 2040

• Collaborate and build coalitions

• Welcome and value diversity

• Promote health and wellness

• Improve mobility, connectivity, and accessibility

• Enable broadband internet access

• The Gaston County Museum will ensure that 50% of permanent exhibits include Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and other underrepresented groups in interpretations by FY 2028.

• Gaston County Parks and Recreation will increase Latinx and other underrepresented populations participation in Senior Games by 20% annually through FY 2028.

• Gaston County Parks and Recreation will increase partner participation from Latinx and other underrepresented populations during Cotton Ginning Days 10% annually through FY 2028.

• Gaston County Parks and Recreation will ensure 100% of playgrounds at Gaston County parks facilities are Americans with Disability Act (ADA) compliant by FY 2028.

• Gaston County Parks and Recreation will ensure 85% of restroom facilities at Gaston County parks facilities are Americans with Disability Act (ADA) compliant by FY 2028.

• Maximize housing options

• Provide adequate infrastructure

• Retain character and natural amenities

• Generate pride and positive perceptions

• Leverage arts and culture

Goal 2

Optimize

The availability of recreational opportunities, cultural and historical collections, and personal enrichment opportunities is key to building well-rounded communities. Gaston County will continue to work with its municipal, state, federal, and community partners to plan and invest in areas of recreational, cultural, and lifelong learning to enhance the experiences for our residents and visitors.

Strategic Objectives

• Gaston County Public Library will work to increase staffing levels to achieve the NC Public Library Standards’ base tier of Essential by FY 2026.

• Gaston County Public Library will increase professional development levels for staff to achieve the NC Public Library Standards’ mid-level tier of Enhanced by FY 2028.

• Gaston County Board of Elections will relocate 25% of school voting sites to non-school locations by FY 2028.

• Gaston County Board of Elections will expand available early voting locations by 15% for the 2028 Presidential General Election.

One Gaston 2040

• Collaborate and build coalitions

• Welcome and value diversity

• Promote health and wellness

• Improve mobility, connectivity, and accessibility

• Enable broadband internet access

• The Gaston County Museum board will match 15% of operational budget through fundraising by FY 2028.

• The Gaston County Museum will work to increase gift shop sales 5% annually through FY 2028.

• Gaston County Parks and Recreation will work to increase participation in Seniorcise 10% annually through FY 2028.

• Gaston County Parks and Recreation will add 10 new programs by FY 2028.

• Maximize housing options

• Provide adequate infrastructure

• Retain character and natural amenities

• Generate pride and positive perceptions

• Leverage arts and culture

Goal 3

Creativity in programming, communication, and marketing will boost enjoyment and appreciation of the county’s assets for resident’s and visitors.

Strategic Objectives

• Gaston County Cooperative Extension (4-H Youth Programming) will increase the number of club and camp participants enrolled in 4-H online by 10% annually through FY 2028.

• Gaston County Cooperative Extension (4-H Youth Programming) will increase the number of youths participating in 4-H school enrichment programs (e.g. EFNEP, Healthy Harvest, and Embryology) by 10% annually through FY 2028.

One Gaston 2040

• Collaborate and build coalitions

• Welcome and value diversity

• Promote health and wellness

• Maximize housing options

• Provide adequate infrastructure

• Retain character and natural amenities

• Gaston County Cooperative Extension (4-H Youth Programming) will increase the number of Gaston County 4-H youth winning District or State 4-H awards for presentations and project record books by 10% annually through FY 2028.

• The Gaston County Museum will increase visitation rate by 40% annually through 2028.

• Generate pride and positive perceptions

• Leverage arts and culture

Goal 4

As Gaston County prepares for continued economic and residential growth, the preservation and enhancement of resources and amenities will be kept in mind. This mindfulness will enable ongoing cycles of growth and development as potential investors and residents seek locations with a robust quality of life.

Strategic Objectives

• Gaston County Natural Resources will work with Parks and Recreation to improve 10 acres of habitat by FY 2028.

• Gaston County Cooperative Extension (Livestock and Horticulture) will increase the number of clients gaining plant or animal production knowledge or skills through Extension programs and consultations to 2,000 individuals by FY 2028.

One Gaston 2040

• Collaborate and build coalitions

• Welcome and value diversity

• Promote health and wellness

• Strengthen childcare and early childhood education

• Ready students for college and careers

• Strengthen targeted economic development

• Gaston County Cooperative Extension (Environment and Natural Resources) will increase protected farmland in Gaston County by 15% by FY 2028.

• Gaston County Cooperative Extension (Environment and Natural Resources) will engage at least 100 Gaston County youth in implementing projects to protect or enhance the environment by FY 2028.

• Maximize housing options

• Provide adequate infrastructure

• Retain character and natural amenities

• Generate pride and positive perceptions

• Leverage arts and culture

Organization-Wide Focus

Through the development of the FY24-28 Strategic Plan, common issues were identified that impact departments across all three strategic focus areas. Because of this, the importance of a holistic approach was realized to address issues not limited to any single department and further promote organizational collaboration.