Union County is vibrant and healthy. It is growing fast. At the same time, the community faces a vital choice: How will it maintain the good things it loves while addressing the challenges of growth and change? Notably, important work is already being done across the county to make growth work for the area and build a better future.
It’s time to double down. Union County can forge a shared path, one that meets people where they are and addresses issues that matter to them. One that reinvigorates the community’s civic culture, moves the area forward, and creates a new trajectory of hope.
This report includes the four main themes that emerged from the conversations and interviews; voices of the people from Union County; a snapshot and analysis of the fundamental structures, networks, and norms of Union County through the lens of The Harwood Institute’s Public Capital Framework; and key recommendations for investing in and growing the county's civic capacities and renewing a sense of possibility and hope.
