Marshall County - Quality of Life Plan

QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Demographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Arts & Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Transportation & Trails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Industry Growth & Entrepreneurship . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Education & Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Leadership Capacity Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Health & Wellness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Workforce Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Diversity & Inclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Public Engagement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

3

Quality of Life Pillars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Marshall County Crossroads regional planning team would like to thank the residents, businesses, and civic leaders in Marshall County. They also thank the following partners, organizations, individuals, and Crossroads Steering Committee members:

Marshall County Commissioners

o Kevin Overmyer, President County Commissioner

Marshall County Council

o Judy Stone, President County Council o Mandy Campbell, Marshall County Council

Argos

o Town Council o Jon Vanderweele o Argos Community Development Corporation

Bourbon

o Town Council o Les McFarland, Bourbon Town Council o Ward Byers, Bourbon Town Council President

Bremen

o Town Council o Trendy Weldy, Director of Operations, Bremen o Matt VanSoest, Bremen HCI o Bill Davis o Redevelopment Commission Scott Graybill, Health Care Consultant

Culver o o o o o o o

Town Council Jonathan Leist, Town Manager Ginny Munroe, President of Town Council Marty Oosterbaan, MCEDC Board Redevelopment Commission Amber Cowell, Park Superintendent Tracy Fox, Health and Wellness Consultant

LaPaz

o Town Council o Roger Ecker, President of Town Council

Plymouth o o o o o o

City Council Mayor Mark Senter Sean Surrisi, City Attorney Allie Shook, President Discover Plymouth Andy Hartley, Superintendent of Plymouth Schools Redevelopment Commission

Marshall County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) o Jerry Chavez, President and CEO o Pam Davis o Greg Hildebrand

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Marshall County Tourism

o Cori Humes, Director of Marshall County Tourism

Marshall County Community Foundation (MCCF) o

o

Linda Yoder, Executive Director, Marshall County

Community Foundation Angie Rupchock-Schafer, Director of Development and Communications

Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG)

o James Turnwald, Director o Zach Dripps, Deputy Director o Donny Ritsema, Senior Community Development Planner

Marshall County Council on Aging Marshall County Schools Marshall County Libraries Marshall County Museums Young Professionals of Marshall County Beacon Community Hospital St. Joseph Health Systems

o Michelle Peters, Vice President Community Health and Well-Being

Brent Martin, SRKM Architecture Ty Adley, Marshall County Planning Kerri Langdon Martin, Red Door Marketing Matthew Celmer, Moon Tree Studios Matt Davis, ITAMCO

WE REPRESENT

A LOT

armersʼM rF

ket ar

Culv e

5

OF ORGANIZATIONS

grown & cra ed ally loc

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The 2020 Marshall County Quality of Life Plan is a guiding document that outlines a vision for quality of life in Marshall County. It establishes quality-of-life goals for the County and the communities of Argos, Bourbon, Bremen, Culver, LaPaz, and Plymouth, and it includes specific actions to achieve those goals.

The Quality of Life Plan is the result of a collaborative, county-wide process that engaged dozens of leaders and 100s of residents who shared ideas to develop strategies and action plans to achieve the goals outlined in the plan.

The plan captures the spirit and energy of the Marshall County Crossroads Regional Planning Team’s shared vision for Great Hometowns: One Vision.

Great Hometowns: One Vision seeks to create healthy, livable, thriving, and sustainable communities that provide residents of all ages, races, and genders the highest quality of life. The Quality of Life Plan focuses on 3 sets of Quality-of-Life Pillars: Quality of Spaces, Quality of Economy, and Quality of Capacity. Within these are 10 pillars: • Quality of Spaces: Place, Housing, Arts and Culture, and Transportation and Trails • Quality of Economy: Workforce Development, Industry Growth and Entrepreneurship, and Health and Wellness • Quality of Capacity: Education and Skills, Diversity and Inclusion, and Leadership Capacity Building The Quality of Life Plan outlines the goals, strategies, champions, priorities, and timeframes that will advance quality of life as it relates to each of these pillars. It is the One Vision that will create Great Hometowns.

Why Should Communities Create and Use a Quality of Life Plan?

Quality of Life Plans create a unified vision and define the goals and strategies that will fulfill that vision. The plan empowers communities to create and prioritize projects that will achieve the vision. Quality of Life Plans include specific action items that help communities establish accountable ways to get work done and to measure the accomplishments of the work. Quality of Life Plans also empower people to develop relationships and partnerships that will have a lasting impact on the community, making the plan a living, continually evolving document. Action plans coupled with sustainable relationships will also develop leaders (new and established).

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

7

How Do You Use the Quality of Life Plan?

The Marshall County Crossroads steering committee of more than 30 people and 12 subcommittees made up of more than 100 people contributed to this plan. It also contains the ideas of residents, stakeholders from various industries and organizations, business leaders, civic leaders, and youth from across the County. The team’s mission is:

A collaboration of leaders from across the region that engages with and inspires our communities to

connect, collaborate, and create high-quality hometowns. This will be done by creating healthy, livable,

thriving, and sustainable communities that provide residents of all ages, races, and genders the highest

quality of life.

This plan has evolved from two years of collaborating, visioning, and planning. It includes detailed action plans that, as noted, explain the goals, strategies, priorities, champions of the work, and timelines for achieving the goals.

This plan should guide leaders from across the County and from various industries in understanding the types of projects and investments that best support the Great Hometowns: One Vision goals for quality of life in Marshall County over the next 20 years. Elements of this plan can be incorporated into other strategic plans in the communities, in neighborhoods, in businesses, and so on.

This plan can also serve to inform and guide investors who want to invest in Marshall County. It may attract partners who want to help achieve the goals within the plan or investors who want to leverage the outcomes.

Background History

Marshall County communities are making strides to become connected, unified, and vibrant. Symbolizing the unification of the communities are the crossroads that traverse the County from East to West along the US 31 corridor. These crossroads lead into gateways within each community. SR 10 creates a connection between Culver and Argos on the southern end of the County. US 30 connects Bourbon and Plymouth, and US 6 connects Bremen and LaPaz on the northern end of the County. People living in the County easily travel from one community to the others. US 31, a north-south highway intersects with each of these crossroads.

Local leaders in the communities have worked to create vibrant, thriving communities that take advantage of the natural assets in the region, which include parks and recreational amenities, biking and walking trails, lakes and rivers, museums, numerous art venues and organizations, libraries, community centers and gathering places, and top-rated public and private school systems. As over 700 Marshall County residents described in a 2018 survey, Marshall County is a great place to raise a family, it boasts of excellent schools, and rural living is enjoyable, affordable, and safe.

The Marshall County Crossroads team formed in 2018 after a long history of collaboration in Marshall County, which started with the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) quarterly County Development for the Future meetings that bring together local elected officials, county leaders, key stakeholders from across the county, school corporation leaders, and state and regional partners. The shared knowledge at these meetings coupled with the partnerships that developed from them created the momentum that drove the County’s participation in the 2015 Regional Cities initiative in north-central Indiana. The Marshall County Crossroads team continued to build on the foundation of regional planning and collaboration, resulting in a 2018 Stellar Communities application and a 2019 application, which resulted in a Regional Stellar Communities designation.

Throughout the planning process for the Regional Stellar Communities designation, the Marshall County Crossroads team emphasized the need to create a Quality of Life Plan that would take a longer-term vision than the four-year Stellar Regional Development Plan. Each of the communities contributed funding for the plan.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Goals of the Plan:

Outline of the Planning Process

o Research and Investigation

• Analyze existing county, city/town, and regional planning efforts.

• Research demographics and market conditions.

• Research case studies and quality of life trends.

o Stakeholder and Public Input

• Develop and distribute a public input survey.

• Meet with stakeholder groups including leadership from the county and its towns, cities, and townships, as well as representatives from the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation, Young Professionals Network, local business leaders, tourism/visitors center, chamber of commerce etc.

• Hold a public engagement workshop.

• Engage with the public at community events to seek additional feedback.

• Summarize feedback into simple infographics for presentation, while cataloging detailed results for

use in the plan.

o Prepare the Quality of Life Plan for Marshall County

• The plan would focus on core values fundamental to quality of life and their impact on the county, including arts and culture, community health and wellness, housing, mobility and connectivity, economic development, leadership capacity building, talent attraction and retention, and other key areas that are derived from the research and public engagement phase.

• The plan would include: Executive summary, vision, objectives, key components contributing to quality of life, supporting maps, graphics, recommendations, implementation projects, prioritization, progress evaluation metrics, summary, and appendices of supporting information.

• Conduct a public feedback session for the plan.

• Update the plan based on the feedback sessions.

• Present the final plan to County Council and its local jurisdictions for adoption.

9

The goal of the 2020 Quality of Life Plan is to develop a long-range plan that analyzes quality of life in Marshall County and provides a vision for how to improve or enhance quality of life. From honoring history, to embracing culture, arts, and people, to providing amenities and community assets, this plan will envision vibrant, growing communities that maintain a small rural charm. This plan will also provide a framework for further developing the theme, goals, and projects for the Stellar Communities Regional Development Plan, thus developing a plan to improve the quality of life for current and future Marshall County residents.

The Process for Creating the 2020 Marshall County Quality of Life Plan

While developing the Stellar Communities Regional Development Plan and this Quality of Life Plan, the team followed a process that drove the activities of the Steering Committee and the 12 subcommittees. The team defines the process as connecting, collaborating, communicating, engaging, creating, impacting, measuring, and repeating. Each step of the process emphasizes a best practice for regional planning. These best practices are: • Prioritize the region.

• Create a trusting team that will include everyone’s ideas.

• Communicate frequently and communicate with everyone, making communication a part of the engagement process.

• Always seek input.

• Create solutions that honor the process.

• Be intentional to have impact.

• Impact should be measured.

• Rely on the process and repeat it as necessary.

The Quality of Life Plan utilized this process and these best practices to ensure participation from the public, effective communication throughout the process, impactful goals and objectives that can be measured, and sustainability of the vision and work. With the completion of the plan, the regional planning team plans to continue regional planning work, implementing the goals in the Quality of Life Plan, seeking funding for projects related to the plan’s goals, and pursuing other regional planning opportunities.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Public Participation

To create the Quality of Life Plan, the team solicited participation and feedback from every age group and from each community in Marshall County—at many public events the communities hosted, via online Quality-of-Life surveys and paper surveys, through community conversations and subcommittee workshops, through stakeholder workshops, through youth engagement, and through targeted workshops among the underrepresented population. Creating a vision for quality of life in Marshall County began with conversations and assessment of needs. The team sought the collective voices of all citizens and made every effort to include everyone in the Quality of Life Plan. In 2018 and 2019, more than 1,500 people from across the County participated in one of the forms of public engagement.

This plan includes the results of the team’s findings from the public engagement activities. It also includes action plans to address the findings.

Summary

11

The Quality of Life Plan is intended to be a working plan that continues to evolve over time and as goals are completed.

It should be updated periodically. The Marshall County Crossroads regional planning team intends to monitor the plan, measure the results of achieving the goals, and update the plan as necessary.

Demographics Population Trends Marshall County is part of a larger region that has continually grown over the past seven decades, from a region of approximately 350,000 people in 1950 to a region of just over 600,000 residents in 2018. The highest growth of the region was between 1990 and 2000. In that time frame, the region saw population growth increase by 11%, which was the highest percentage increase since 1960. During that time, Marshall County grew at 7.5%. In the last decade, growth has slowed in Marshall County with a -1.2% population decline since 2010. Marshall County saw a .7 population increase in 2018. The population is approximately 47,051 with approximately 17,249 households. 17.9% of the population is over 65 years of age; 25% is under 18 years old; 6.3% is under 5 years of age; and 50.2% is female. 9.7% of the population has a disability and approximately 16% of the population is without health insurance.

MARSHALL COUNTY

Source: Michiana on the Move Transportation Plan 2045

CITY OF PLYMOUTH

9,960

TOWN OF BREMEN

4,516

TOWN OF BOURBON

1,767

TOWN OF ARGOS

1,637

TOWN OF CULVER

1,422

TOWN OF LAPAZ

POPULATION ESTIMATES BY AGE, 2018

PCT. DIST. IN COUNTY

Preschool (0 to 4)

6.3%

6.3%

School Age (5 to 17)

18.7%

17.2%

College Age (18 to 24)

8.3%

9.8%

Young Adult (25 to 44)

22.5%

25.4%

Older Adult (45 to 64)

26.3%

25.6%

Seniors (65 and older)

17.9%

15.8%

Median Age Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

551

PCT. DIST. IN STATE

Median Age = 37.9

Race & Ethnicity The chart shows population estimates for each race in Marshall County. American Indian, Asian, Black, and Hawaiian or two-race groups make up less than 4% of the population. The Hispanic population makes up about 10% of the population and the remaining population is white.

NUMBER

POPULATION ESTIMATES BY RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN, 2018

RANK OF

PCT. DIST. IN COUNTY

PCT. DIST. IN STATE

American Indian or Alaska Native Alone

176

34

0.4%

0.4%

Asian Alone

324

35

0.7%

2.5%

Black Alone

407

42

0.9%

9.8%

Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone

38

26

0.1%

0.1%

White

44,617

31

96.5%

85.1%

Two or More Race Groups

686

29

1.5%

2.1%

Non-Hispanic

41,428

34

89.6%

92.9%

Hispanic

4,820

21

10.4%

7.1%

HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN (CAN BE OF ANY RACE)

13

MARSHALL COUNTY POPULATION OVER THE AGE OF 5

43,835 SPEAKS ENGLISH

SPEAKS SPANISH

88.9%

7.0% 3,063

38,971

SPEAKS SPANISH Speaks english “very well”

47.9% 1,466

SPEAKS SPANISH Speaks english less than “very well”

52.1% 1,597

Source: Michiana on the Move Transportation Plan 2045

Life Expectancy A community scan prepared for Marshall County Community Foundation by the Social Impact Advisors, the Northern Trust Company, includes a map that shows the estimated life expectancy for each census tract in Marshall County. Following is a picture of the map.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National vital Statistics System, Neighborhood Life Expectancy Project, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/usaleep/usaleep.html

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Households and Housing As of 2017, the County has 17,249 households with over 25% of those being occupied by people who live alone. 32.9% of households consist of married people who do not have children. Married people with children make up 21.4%. Single parents make up 7.5%. The chart shows the household types.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

HOUSEHOLD TYPES

NUMBER

RANK IN STATE

Households in 2017 (Includes detail not shown below)

17,249

33

100.0%

100.0%

Married With Children

3,690

31

21.4%

18.8%

5,680

33

32.9%

30.0%

1,290

40

7.5%

9.6%

4,437

35

25.7%

28.3%

Married Without Children Single Parents

15

Living Alone

PCT. DIST. PCT. DIST. IN COUNTY IN STATE

There are 20,353 housing units with 64.7% being owner-occupied. Since 2010, the rate of vacant homes has increased. In Marshall County, the number of vacant housing units has increased steadily since 2011. Second homes such as vacation homes are considered by the U.S. Census as vacant, so part of Marshall County’s vacancy increase is likely due to the number of lake homes in Culver, which are primarily second homes to many on the lake or they are rental properties. The median value of housing units is $130,100 with median selected owner costs with a mortgage at $1,044. The median rent is $537.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

HOUSING

NUMBER

RANK IN STATE

Total Housing Units in 2018 (estimate)

20,353

32

Total Housing Units in 2017 (includes vacant units)

20,107

32

Owner Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units)

13,018

32

Median Value (2017)

$130,100

29

Renter Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units)

4,231

34

Median Rent (2017)

$537

38

Housing Structures & Distribution The Northern Trust Company explains that the number of units in housing structures determines the feel of a neighborhood. The following graphs, prepared by Northern Trust Company, show the types of building structures and the distribution of building types across the County and the townships.

Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 2013-17, based on table DP04

86% of the units are in 1-unit detached structures or mobile homes. More than 50% of the housing units are in areas outside of the six population centers.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Residential Construction The graphs in this section show the historical distribution of building permits for new residential units compared to the number of units in the structure. For these, the 1-unit structures are detached units, as opposed to condos which fall into one of the other two categories. The source provides data by county, unincorporated areas, and five of the six population centers in Marshall County.

17

Source: HudUser, Office of Policy Development and Research, State of the Cities Data Systems (SOCDS). https://socds.huduser.gov/permits/index.html

Source: HudUser, Office of Policy Development and Research, State of the Cities Data Systems (SOCDS). https://socds.huduser.gov/permits/index.html

This information wasn’t available for LaPaz. Overall, new residential construction declined after 2000. The exception is Culver where new single-family permits have been increasing year-over-year since 2012. New multi-family construction has been sporadic and most permits were issued before 2000.

Transportation 1,100 households in Marshall County do not have vehicles. These households may need access to outside services, in-home services, or other assistance. The following table shows the number of vehicles available and unavailable by housing unit. Motorcycles and recreational vehicles are not included. Cars, vans, and pickup trucks (two-ton capacity or less) that are kept at the home are included.

Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 2013-17, based on table DP04

Economy EMPLOYMENT AND EARNINGS

BY INDUSTRY, 2017 Total by place of work

PCT. DIST. EARNINGS EMPLOYMENT IN COUNTY ($000) 24,901 100.0% $1,044,859

PCT. DIST. AVG. EARNINGS IN COUNTY PER JOB 100.0% $41,961

Wage and Salary

19,452

78.1%

$760,245

72.8%

$39,083

Farm Proprietors

778

3.1%

$3,695

0.4%

$4,749

Nonfarm Proprietors

4,671

18.8%

$84,075

8.0%

$17,999

Farm

961

3.9%

$9,581

0.9%

$9,970

Nonfarm

23,940

96.1%

$1,035,278

99.1%

$43,245

Private

21,667

87.0%

$928,906

88.9%

$42,872

Accommodation, Food Serv.

1,467

5.9%

$27,009

2.6%

$18,411

Arts, Ent., Recreation

338

1.4%

$4,775

0.5%

$14,127

Construction

1,073

4.3%

$42,300

4.0%

$39,422

Health Care, Social Serv.

2,093

8.4%

$89,996

8.6%

$42,999

Information

118

0.5%

$4,113

0.4%

$34,856

Manufacturing

7,110

28.6%

$420,623

40.3%

$59,159

Professional, Tech. Serv.

624

2.5%

$27,903

2.7%

$44,716

Retail Trade

2,578

10.4%

$67,656

6.5%

$26,244

Trans., Warehousing

640

2.6%

$31,730

3.0%

$49,578

4,830*

19.4%*

$160,005*

15.3%*

$33,127*

2,273

9.1%

$106,372

10.2%

$46,798

Wholesale Trade Other Private (not above) Government MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Note: These totals do not include county data that are not available due to BEA non-disclosure.

Economy

19

This map shows the number of individuals who receive cash public assistance: Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI), Food Stamps (SNAP), and/or cash public assistance income. The darker the shading, the more people who receive cash assistance.

Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 2013-17, based on table B09010

QUALITY OF LIFE PILLARS

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

QUALITY OF OUR

QUALITY OF OUR

SPACES

PHOTO CREDIT: THE TROYER GROUP

INVEST IN PURPOSE-DRIVEN PLANS FOR DEVELOPMENT, WORKFORCE RETENTIO EDUCATION AND SKILLS TRAINING TO R REGION, TO DEVELOP EMERGING TALEN TALENT TO MEET THE GROWING NEEDS

INVEST IN AND DESIGN QUALITY PLACES THAT PROMOTE HEALTHY, LIVABLE, THRIVING, AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES.

PLACE

ECONOM

WORKFORCE PHOTO CREDIT: THE TROYER GROUP

UNITE, STRENGTHEN, AND DIVERSIFY THE COMMUNITIES OF MARSHALL COUNTY THROUGH THE EDUCATION, ADVOCACY, AND NURTURING OF THE ARTS.

ARTS + CULTURE

PHOTO CREDIT: DANIELLE MAVRICK

MIDDLE SCALE HOUSING DUPLEX SMALL COURTYARD TRIPLEX APARTMENT/ APARTMENT AND FOURPLEX MULTIPLEX BUNGALOW COURT

TOWNHOUSE ROWHOUSE

MULTIPLEX LIVE/WORK SMALL MIXED-USE

DIVERSIFY THE HOUSING STOCK IN MARSHALL COUNTY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS, WORKFORCE, AND BUSINESSES.

HOUSING

PHOTO CREDIT: THE TROYER GROUP

ENSURE TRANSPORTATION IS AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE IN MARSHALL COUNTY, REGARDLESS OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, TYPE OF TRANSIT NEED, OR CURRENT BARRIERS ENCOUNTERED.

PHOTO CREDIT: THE TROYER GROUP

TRANSPORTATION + TRAILS

ART CREDIT: JONATHON GEELS, PLA, ASLA

INDUSTRY +

QUALITY OF OUR

MY

CAPACITY BUILDING

R WORKFORCE ON AND ATTRACTION, AND RETAIN TALENT IN OUR NT, AND TO ATTRACT NEW IN MARSHALL COUNTY.

A CURATED COLLABORATION OF LEADERS FROM DIVERSE FAITH-BASED, SOCIO-ECONOMIC, LANGUAGE, ETHNIC, AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS FROM ACROSS MARSHALL COUNTY, STRATEGICALLY ENGAGING WITH WOMEN AND MINORITY COMMUNITIES TO CREATE HIGH-QUALITY HOMETOWNS.

E DEVELOPMENT

DIVERSITY + INCLUSION

PROVIDE THE FRAMEWORK FOR INDUSTRY GROWTH AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR YEARS TO COME THROUGH ESTABLISHMENT OF PROJECT-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PHOTO CREDIT: THE TROYER GROUP

ADDRESS THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS TRAINING NEEDS OF OUR YOUTH AND ADULT POPULATION IN MARSHALL COUNTY BY INCREASING THE QUALITY OF EARLY EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHO RECEIVE EARLY EDUCATION, EDUCATING AND TRAINING OUR INCUMBENT WORKFORCE AND YOUTH COHORTS, AND DEVELOPING PROGRAMS THAT WILL PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP SOFT SKILLS AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS.

EDUCATION + SKILLS

21

ENGAGE AND INSPIRE MARSHALL COUNTY’S YOUNGER GENERATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN DECISIONMAKING PROCESSES THAT WILL UTILIZE THEIR PASSION, ENERGY, AND SKILLS TO BRING SOLUTIONS TO OUR CHALLENGES, THEREBY TRANSFORMING OUR YOUTH INTO LEADERS IN OUR COUNTY.

HEALTH + WELLNESS

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PHOTO CREDIT: DANIELLE MAVRICK

ART CREDIT: JONATHON GEELS, PLA, ASLA

PHOTO CREDIT: THE TROYER GROUP

LEADERSHIP CAPACITY BUILDING

Quality Of Life Pillars

Place

Quality of Place is defined as “the physical characteristics of a community, the way it is planned, designed,

developed, and maintained that affect the quality of life of people living and working in it and those visiting it both now and in the future” (HM Government, Communities and Local Government, 2009).

The Quality of Place Committee’s Mission

The Quality of Place pillar of the Quality of Life Plan focuses on how Marshall County will select, design, and implement projects that are based on the needs of current residents and future residents in the region. The Quality of Place Committee that worked on the goals and objectives of this pillar have the overall mission of: Creating dynamic and attractive spaces for the Marshall County region. These projects will reflect the goals and values of our entire community and they will invest in quality of place with the outcomes of increasing our population, regaining and attracting a talented workforce, growing our per capita income and the assessed values, improving educational attainment rates, improving opportunities to develop workforce skills, improving community health and wellness, promoting and showcasing arts and culture, and creating high-quality hometowns.

The Quality of Place Committee

The Quality of Place Committee is made up of a dozen representatives from across Marshall County. Most of the representatives are engaged in municipal work. All of them served on the Marshall County Crossroads Steering Committee when the Crossroads regional planning team applied for a Stellar Communities designation.

12 Individuals. 1 Committee.

Jonathan Leist (Committee Chair)

Mike Reese

Culver Rep on Marshall Co. Crossroads Committee

Troyer Group Consultant

Ward Byers

Mayor Mark Senter

Bourbon Rep on Marshall Co. Crossroads Committee

Plymouth Rep on Marshall Co. Crossroads Committee

Mandy Campbell

Allie Shook

Argos Rep on Marshall Co. Crossroads Committee

Special Projects Chair

Bill Davis

Sean Surrisi

Bremen Rep on Marshall Co. Crossroads Committee

Plymouth Rep on Marshall Co. Crossroads Committee

Roger Ecker

Jon VanDerWeele

LaPaz Rep on Marshall Co. Crossroads Committee

Argos Rep on Marshall Co. Crossroads Committee

Les McFarland

Trend Weldy

Bourbon Rep on Marshall Co. Crossroads Committee

Bremen Rep on Marshall Co. Crossroads Committee

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

What the Data Shows about Quality of Place in Marshall County In the Moving Forward Survey conducted in 2019, Marshall County residents ranked a list of goal statements. Following are the three statements that ranked the highest in that survey:

• #1: Enhance parks and recreation areas.

• #2: Enhance the character of my community.

• #3: Enhance the downtowns.

This shows that Marshall County residents rank the quality of places (parks, recreation areas, and downtowns) as high priorities in the County.

The Quality of Life Survey also confirms that residents would like to be more satisfied than they are with public spaces. When ranking their satisfaction with outdoor recreational spaces, parks, trails, and gyms, residents in the County scored satisfaction at a 3.6 out of 5. The Satisfaction scale rankings are: • • • • •

1 (Very Unsatisfied) 2 (Unsatisfied) 3 (Neutral) 4 (Satisfied) 5 (Very Satisfied)

Though a 3.6 ranking nears general satisfaction, the Quality of Place Committee recognizes that there is room for improvement.

Stakeholder and youth engagement idea workshops also reveal an interest in developing quality

places that emphasize connectivity, community identity, the arts, and better access to natural assets (lakes, rivers, and so on). Some of the common ideas generated at these workshops include: • Create more connectivity to natural assets via trails, waterways, greenways, blue ways, and recreational activities.

• Integrate arts (visual, performance, music, etc.), culture, and history into public place projects.

• Add more green spaces, community gardens, parks, and downtown areas, or make the current parks/public spaces better places to gather by improving amenities and upgrading them.

• Integrate health and wellness programming/activities into the public spaces and parks to promote overall health in the County.

• Add more events and programming to the public places we already have.

• Make our public places more accessible in the winter season: ice festivals, winter activities, winter sports center, and so on.

• Integrate technology into the public places and parks (technology hot spots, free Internet, tourists’ apps, etc.)

23

Quality of Place Worksheet

The following worksheet outlines the goals, objectives, champions, priorities, and timeline for the Quality of Place Committee.

Goal Connect with community members representing an array of ages, ethnicities, cultures, careers, interests, and backgrounds.

Engage with Marshall County high school students in round table sessions.

Improve public spaces through active engagement of residents, businesses, and visitors.

Encourage input from the Arts Council on public projects and develop reliable funding sources for public arts.

Obtain additional funding for and commit local matches to all prioritized projects in the Marshall County Crossroads RDP.

Construct quality-of-place projects that reflect the goals of Marshall County residents, using local and regional planning processes to guide project development.

Engage with community members to allow for thoughtful decision making, planning, and results— all based on inclusion and transparency.

Facilitate an annual student symposium.

Engage the community through public surveys, pop up presentations, and open house style events to allow for collaborative decision-making in our communities.

Assist with and support the formation of an Arts Council in Marshall County.

Research and implement best practices for funding public arts in small communities.

Reserve committed local funds as matches for approved projects.

Use existing regional and local plans to seek additional funding opportunities with state agencies, local charitable organizations, and local industry on collaborative projects.

Use experienced municipal staffs and professional consultants to construct projects.

Promote projects as Marshall County Crossroads Regional projects in press.

Promote and program successful projects locally and regionally as they are completed.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Champions & Partners

Strategies

Invest in marketing completed qualityof-life projects to existing and potential residents and visitors.

Support funding for programming in new public art and recreational venues.

Priority

Time

High

Annually May-September

• • • • • • •

Farmer’s Markets Festivals Cultural and social groups Chambers of Commerce MC Tourism Crowd-Gathering Events Main Streets

• • • •

Marshall County school systems Top 10 Seniors College-bound youth Career-bound youth

• • • • • • •

Farmer’s Markets Festivals Cultural and social groups Chambers of Commerce MC Tourism Main Street organizations Elected officials

• •

Arts Council Elected officials

• • • • • • • • • • •

Town Councils County Council City Council Elected officials OCRA INDOT MCCF Cultural and social groups Lilly Endowment USDA MCEDC

High

1 to 2 years

• • • • •

Elected officials Municipal staffs Consultants Grant Administrator MACOG

High

2 to 5 years

•

Indiana Office of Tourism Development Marshall County Tourism Visitor Centers Main Street organizations Marshall County Crossroads Marketing & Communications Committee Chambers of Commerce Elected officials Parks Departments

Medium

Ongoing as projects are completed, 1 to 4 years

• • • • • • •

High

Annually September

Medium

Ongoing May-September Public events

Medium

Ongoing

25

Quality Of Life Pillars

Housing

Quality of Housing refers to the diversity of housing options in Marshall County, the inventory, and the quality of inventory.

The Quality of Housing Committee’s Mission

The Housing pillar of the Quality of Life Plan focuses on how Marshall County will diversify the housing stock in Marshall County to meet the needs of residents, workforce, and businesses. More specifically, the goal is: Marshall County Crossroads Housing will provide and develop quality housing opportunities to meet the needs existing and future residences that allow the Marshall County Community to grow by 2% (625 units) each 5 years beginning in 2021. Types of housing opportunities include professional, workforce, special needs, downtown and market rate housing.

The Quality of Housing Committee

The Housing Committee is made up of representatives from each of the communities in Marshall County, the President and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation, an architect, and representatives from the real estate industry.

12 Individuals. 1 Committee.

Brent Martin (Committee Chair)

Committee Chair and Past PIDCO Board Member and Architect

Lana Ball

Jonathan Leist

Kevin Berger

Les McFarland

Ward Byers

Jay Stoneburner

Jerry Chavez

Sean Surrisi

Bill Keyser

Trend Weldy

Ball Auction & Realty President of Easterday Construction Elect Bourbon Town Council MCEDC President / CEO MCEDC Board Member

Culver Town Manager Bourbon Town Council Electric Superintendent for Town of Bremen Plymouth City Attorney Bremen Town Manager

What the Data Shows about Housing in Marshall County In the Moving Forward Survey conducted in 2019, Marshall County residents ranked a list of goal statements. Housing as a priority ranked number 6 out of 10; however, this isn’t an indication of the level of importance stakeholders and residents place on it. As noted with the other data collected, in general, the current Marshall County residents would like to see a more diverse offering of housing. The Moving Forward survey also shows how residents would prioritize the types of housing built. 79% ranked redevelopment and repairs of existing neighborhoods as the number one priority. 58.1% ranked singlefamily homes as the next highest priority. Building townhomes, condominiums, apartments, and seniorliving units ranked in the bottom three with neither category receiving more than 18% of the vote.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

In the Quality of Life Survey confirms that housing ranks at the bottom of the scores for satisfaction for housing. The ranking scale ranged from 1 (Very Unsatisfied), to 5 (Very Satisfied).

Residents were asked how satisfied they are with the diverse offering and availability of affordable housing in Marshall County. With a score of approximately 2.25, one can see the strong dissatisfaction Marshall County residents have with housing diversity and affordability. No other answer received a lower score than housing.

During community feedback sessions in each community, residents were asked about specific projects in their communities. In every community, housing as a priority received 100% positive response with only two residents in one community scoring it as “neutral.” Clearly there is a countywide desire for more diverse housing options and affordable housing options.

Finally, when the Marshall County Crossroads Public Engagement Committee conducted the Quality of Life Survey at the Neighborhood Center in Plymouth, residents who took the survey ranked housing as the second most important priority with drug addiction treatment being the number one priority. The Neighborhood Center provides residents of Marshall County with a food bank and clothing bank for those who need aid.

Stakeholder and youth engagement idea workshops reveal similar results to the other surveys with

• Create more workforce housing to meet the needs of those traveling to our County for work.

• Improve amenities in mixed use housing to connect people with services.

• Increase the number of available housing types to attract workforce and families.

• Provide more affordable options than just single-family homes.

• Incentivize builders with tax incentives or other programs, such as infrastructure cost help.

• Develop a “tiny house” project or a transitional housing development to aid those who are homeless, reentering the workplace after unemployment or jail, or low-income and high risk.

• Improve the permit process and make it easier for builders to build houses of various types.

• Make permits less expensive.

• Improve how housing is connected to community by making communities more walkable.

• Develop a grant program so that more people can afford to finance homes (like Habitat for Humanity).

• Invest in downtown housing.

• Create programs that keep people in their homes but provides repairs to homes, such as rehab grants, etc.

Youth ideas focus on: • Social relationships: Connect seniors to the community.

• Environmental concerns.

• Bringing art into homes and the environment.

27

a strong emphasis on the need for more diverse housing options and affordable housing. Stakeholder ideas focused on:

Housing Worksheet

The following worksheet outlines the goals, objectives, champions, priorities, and timeline for the Housing Committee.

Goal

A. Look for infill opportunities in existing neighborhoods as well as the development of new neighborhoods on greenfield sites.

Increase new dwelling unit creation from 67 units per year (2018) to 125 units on average per year (an increase of 85%) or 625 total dwelling units.

Definition: These dwelling Definition: dwellingunits unitswill will bebea acombination combinationof ofsingle-family single-family homes, townhomes, homes, townhomes,and andmultimultifamily units.family units

Champions & Partners

Strategies

B. Promote mixed-use developments and traditional neighborhood design (TND) with a variety of housing options for potential new neighborhoods.

C. Encourage local plan commissions to consider accessory dwelling units (AKA Granny Flats) as an approved land use in traditional single-family neighborhoods.

D. Require new housing to use municipal (public) utilities.

E. Enhance the quality of life in new neighborhoods by incorporating sustainable development practices and by integrating common open spaces, environmental stewardship, and social inclusion.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Local municipalities County Government Marshall County Habitat for Humanity Redevelopment Commissions Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority Marshall County Community Foundation Local Realtors Plan Commissions Private Business Non-profit Housing Groups (Garden Court, etc.)

Marshall County EDC Park Departments Board of Zoning Appeals

Priority

Time

High

January 2020toto June 2020 January 2025

High

January 2020toto June 2020 January 2025

A. Promote existing financing tools that allow housing development to occur.

B. Identify tracts of land suitable for owner-occupied housing development.

C. Develop and frequently update market information for Marshall County housing.

D. Create incentives to re-purpose older homes presently split into multiple rentals as single-family dwellings.

Recognizing that strong communities are built a Recognizing that on strong foundation of homeowners, communities are built on a increase the percentage of foundation of homeowners, Marshall County residents who are increase the percentage of Marshall homeowners by 2%. who are County residents homeowners by 2%.

E. Reduce barriers to new owner-occupied housing construction by incorporating local incentives as identified by each unit of government. Examples might include reduced permit and tap fees, allowing fees to be paid overtime, tax abatement, TIF funding, assistance with infrastructure expenses, and assistance with finding State and Federal grant funding.

F. Promote sustainable and affordable owner-occupied housing solutions like pocket neighborhoods, townhomes, and condominiums.

G. Establish a new Resident Welcome Program across Marshall County as the first step in communicating to new families how valued and important they are to the Marshall County community.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

• • • • • • • • •

Chambers of Commerce Indiana Landmarks Plan Commissions Marshall County Habitat for Humanity Local municipalities Non-profit housing groups (Garden Court, etc.)

Marshall County Community Foundation Private business Redevelopment commissions

Create a county-wide OwnerOccupied Repair (OOR) Program to improve existing neighborhoods and enhance residents’ quality of life.

Create 25 dwelling units per year for special needs populations including the elderly, low income, the homeless, and those with disabilities.

A. Assess and repair older housing stock and bring these dwellings up to current standards by renovating ten (10) homes per year for the next five (5) years.

B. Survey older housing stock identified for repair by identifying hazardous building materials and mitigating when discovered.

January 2020toto June 2020 January 2025

Non-profit housing groups (Garden Court, etc.)

Marshall County Neighborhood Center Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority Marshall County Community Foundation Local municipalities

High

January 2020toto June 2020 January 2025

Local Main Street organizations (for example, Discover Plymouth) Indiana Landmarks Indiana DNR Historic Preservation Division Local municipalities Marshall County Community Foundation Plan commissions Redevelopment Commissions

Medium

June 2020 January 2020toto January 2027

Marshall County Health Department Local building officials Local municipalities Marshall County Habitat for Humanity County government

Medium

January 2020toto June 2020 January 2027

Medium

January 2020toto June 2020 January 2027

•

Landlord association Local municipalities Marshall County Department of Health Local building officials

• • • •

Local plan commissions Local boards of zoning appeals Walkability committees Local municipalities

Medium

January 2020toto June 2020 January 2027

•

•

B. Work with local Main Street, historic organizations, and Indiana Landmarks to assess available funding for downtown rehabilitation projects.

A. Create a fund in each unit of government designed for the acquisition and demolition of dilapidated structures.

B. Establish incentives and work with local builders and developers to replace the demolished homes with newly constructed dwellings.

Time

High

B. Research available local, state, and federal funding available for this type of housing.

C. Encourage local governments to invest in housing for special needs populations.

Priority

County government Local municipalities Local building departments Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority Marshall County Community Foundation

•

C. Identify structures in downtowns that have potential for second and third floor housing units.

Purchase and demolish five Purchase and demolish five (5) (5) homes per year deemed homes per year deemed abandoned abandoned and too dilapidated and too dilapidated to be repaired. to be repaired.

• • • •

A. Encourage local non-profits currently serving these populations to seek to expand their housing portfolios.

A. Create local incentives for the rehabilitation of downtown buildings for the purpose of new dwelling unit creation.

Create a total of 25 new urban loft (downtown) dwelling units in historic central business districts on the second and third floors of downtown buildings.

Champions & Partners

Strategies

•

• • • • • • • • •

• • • • •

Promote projects as Marshall County Crossroads Regional projects in press.

Establish a county-wide program to inspect rental units to help ensure these units are habitable and meet life-safety requirements.

Invest in marketing completed quality-oflife projects to existing and potential residents and visitors.

Support funding for programming in new public art and recreational venues.

Enhance connectivity within neighborhoods and between neighborhoods to promote walkability.

A. Review existing sidewalks and curbs within the community and develop a feasible replacement / repair plan.

B. Require new housing developments to have sidewalks, curbed streets, tree lawns, and street lighting for attractive and safe neighborhoods.

• • •

29

Goal

Quality Of Life Pillars

Arts & Culture

Quality of Arts and Culture refers to the creative disciplines (visual arts, literary arts, and performing arts) in Marshall County and the values, history, and shared identity of the Marshall County region.

The Arts and Culture Committee’s Mission

The Arts and Culture pillar of the Quality of Life Plan focuses on how Marshall County will unite, strengthen, and diversify the communities of Marshall County through the education, advocacy, and nurturing of arts and culture. The Arts and Culture Committee that worked on the goals and objectives of this pillar have the overall mission of creating A thriving, interconnected, multi-cultural Marshall County made up of great hometowns with vibrant, diverse, and engaging arts and culture communities.

The Arts and Culture Committee of the Marshall County Crossroads regional planning team has identified six areas through which to work towards fulfillment of its goal. These six areas are: • Education • Presence • Engagement • Empowerment • Unity through diversity • Holistic health

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

The Arts and Culture Committee

The Arts and Culture Committee is made up of artists and art enthusiasts from across the Marshall County region. Some of them own businesses. Others work for private companies, nonprofits, local museums, libraries, or other organizations.

25 Individuals. 1 Committee.

Matthew Celmer (Committee Chair) Moon Tree Studio

Angel Balsley

Mindy Langdon

Mewsette Cartwright

Danielle Maverick

Marshall County Museum

Dance & Exercise Dir., Fitness Forum Sports & Wellness at LifePlex Dance Academy

Culver Lake Maxinkuckee Visitors’ Center

Patty Choquette

Curator & Coordinator of Visual Arts, Culver Academies

Fitness Forum

Randy Danielson REES Theatre

Janis Eberly

Plymouth Public Library

Debi Gidley

Encore Performing Arts

Marcia Heinzberger

Bremen Dance Instructor and Business Owner

Sonya Hernandez Bremen Public Library

Cori Humes

Dir. of Marshall Co. Tourism

Derek Jensen Historic Bremen

Anna Kietzman

Heartland Artists Gallery

Lane Laffoon REES Theatre

Robert Nowalk Nikki Pittman

Expressions Dance (Bremen)

Donna Pontius REES Theatre

Edgar Quiroz

Discover Plymouth

Linda Rippy

Exc. Dir., Marhsall Co. Museum & Crossroads Center

Barb Sauder Bike of Bremen

Susie Schaetzle

Owner CreateURCanvas, Bourbon

George Schricker Wild Rose Moon

Matt Sutton

Maxinkuckee Players

Lyn Ward

Encore Board member and REES Theatre

31

Marshall Co. 4-H Fair

What the Data Shows about Arts and Culture in Marshall County In the Moving Forward Survey conducted in 2019, Marshall County residents ranked a list of goal statements. Following are the three statements that ranked the highest in that survey. Under Arts and Culture, the following three topics ranked as the highest priorities: • #1: Community Festivals • #2: Historic Preservation • #3: Public Performance Venues Though art and culture as a category didn’t rank in the top three categories of the ten ranked, the breakdown of priorities within arts and culture shows that Marshall County residents rank the arts as an important part of quality of life in Marshall County. Ranking festivals, historic preservation, and performance venues as the priorities shows that residents want more opportunities for seeing art performed. The high ranking of historic preservation shows that residents value their unique identity and heritage; they may value prolonging the life of a building or artifact that has meaning to them culturally, socially, or historically.

The Quality of Life Survey confirms that residents would like to be more satisfied than they are with art and culture in Marshall County. When ranking their satisfaction with the availability of art and culture in their communities, residents gave this category a 3.25 on the following scale: • 1 (Very Unsatisfied) • 2 (Unsatisfied) • 3 (Neutral) • 4 (Satisfied) • 5 (Very Satisfied) The 3.25 ranking places satisfaction just above neutral and well below satisfied.

Youth in Marshall County express a strong dissatisfaction with the availability and accessibility of arts in their culture. Of the 73 who answered the question “Currently, how satisfied are you with the availability of art galleries/shows, local art venues, places for musical/theatrical performances?” only 7 said they were satisfied (1 of these 7 was very satisfied). 33 said they were not satisfied (with 10 being very unsatisfied).

The others who answered were either neutral or unsure about their level of satisfaction. This shows that Marshall County can appeal to younger people by improving the availability of arts in the County.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Stakeholder and youth engagement idea workshops reveal a strong interest in developing strategies

that emphasize identity, culture, and accessibility to the arts. Some of the common ideas generated at these workshops by stakeholders include:

• • • • • • • •

Create “arts all over” events that bring art to all communities at the same time.

Create art community centers across the County.

Create an Arts Council, Arts Director, or consultant position to make art a priority.

Integrate arts (visual, performance, etc.), culture, and history into public place projects, especially outdoors (roof canvases, parks, streets, trails).

Increase the number of art festivals in our downtowns and bring street music to each town.

Activate empty spaces (especially in downtowns) to showcase local and visiting artists or to create performance venues for local and visiting artists.

Create a marketing plan and hubs for information and resources that are related to arts (events, happenings, etc.)

Create one-stop centers or shops for arts programming and funding to diversify art exposure, share resources, market art, and elevate art.

Make art part of housing initiatives.

Provide opportunities to make art part of health and wellness (especially mental wellness).

Improve public spaces, such as alley ways and blighted properties with art murals.

Create more interactive art spaces and create art that can travel between communities (as exhibits, etc.).

Youth ideas focus on:

• Make town buildings and town objects (fire hydrants, poles, etc.) less dull looking with art murals, more color, and more vibrancy.

• Create opportunities for showcasing youth artists.

• Showcase the history of each town through education and art.

• Develop gardens of art sculptures.

• Increase the number of outdoor performances and art festivals, especially those that teach about other cultures or educate about the history of community.

33

• • • •

Arts and Culture Worksheet

The following worksheet outlines the goals, objectives, champions, priorities, and timeline for the Arts and Culture Committee.

Goal

Strategies

Champions & Partners

Priority

Time

Arts and Culture: Education and Skills Capacity Building To increase access and availability to arts and culture education and funding in Marshall County.

Increase art and culture education funding and programming in Marshall County.

Increase the number of jobs and opportunities for artists to receive compensation for their work in Marshall County.

Develop and support local policies that commit public funding.

Elected officials, schools, libraries, museums, art organizations

Create a county-wide art residency program.

Heartland Artists Gallery, Wild Rose Moon, and Moon Tree Studios

Activate unused local spaces for The REESREES, Theater, WildWild RoseRose Moon, artist showcases, sales, and Moon, municipal municipal leaders,leaders, and and employment opportunities. ownersof of vacant vacant spaces owners

Medium

Medium

High

Ongoing

1 - 3 years

Ongoing

Arts and Culture: Leadership Capacity Building To embrace the strengthening, unifying, and healing qualities of diversity in all its forms through arts and culture projects.

Increase the diversity of engaged artists in Marshall County.

Integrate arts and culture projects throughout Marshall County.

Assess and evaluate a baseline for arts & culture diversity in Marshall County in order to measure future progress.

Create and install indigenous art installations along trail systems and in other public spaces.

MCCF, MCCC, Heartland Artists Gallery Local Parks Departments, Local indigenous communities, and artists

High

Ongoing

Medium

Dependent upon trail system project timelines

Arts and Culture: Diversity & Inclusion Capacity Building To embrace the strengthening, unifying, and healing qualities of diversity in all its forms through arts and culture projects.

Increase the visibility of local art, artists, and arts & culture organizations in Marshall County.

Establish a permanent organization/position to nurture the growth of arts & culture in Marshall County.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Foster and develop decentralized media production centered on local arts & culture and artists

Wild Rose Moon, Heartland Artists Gallery, MoonTree Studios, schools, libraries, and museums

High

1 - 2 years

Form an arts council and create a position to oversee its work.

Community leaders, arts and culture committee members, and other organizations

High

1 - 3 years

35

Quality Of Life Pillars

Transportation &Trails

To consider the quality of Transportation and Trails, one must consider various components of transportation: connectivity, mobility, accessibility, safety, the environment, vehicular traffic and nonvehicular traffic, public transit, and users of these systems.

The Transportation and Trail Committee’s Mission

The Transportation and Trails pillar of the Quality of Life Plan focuses on how Marshall County address transportation and trail challenges. The Transportation and Trails Committee that worked on the goals and objectives of this pillar have the overall mission of: The Regional Transportation & Trails Team aims to provide safe and accessible routes for all non-vehicular and public transit users regardless of socioeconomic status throughout Marshall County and beyond.

The Transportation and Trails Committee

The Transportation and Trails Committee is made up transportation experts in the County, nonprofit members, trail experts, members of MACOG (Michiana Area Council of Governments), and representatives of the Marshall County Crossroads team.

18 Individuals. 1 Committee.

Allison Shook (Committee Co-chair)

Plymouth Parks and Rec; Discover Plymouth; Health

Ty Adley

Marshall County Planning

Brandon Berger

Assistant Director of Transp., Plymouth Schools

Ward Byers

Bourbon Council Elect

Amber Cowell

Park Superintendent, Town of Culver

Debra Friar

Owner, Small Wonders

Andy Hartley

Superintendent of Schools, Plymouth School Corp.

Janis Holiday (Committee Co-chair)

Transit Manager, Marshall Co. Council on Aging, Inc.

Jeannette Horvath

Pam Landesman

Vice President Adult Programs, Marshall-Starke Development Center

Brian Main

Park Superintendent, Town of Bremen

Alaina Parrish

Active Transp. Planner with the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG)

Adam Thada

Dir. of Ecological Relationships at The Center at Donaldson

Caitlin Stevens

Principal Transp. Planner, Michiana Area Council of Gov.

Dr.Todd Stillson

Family Physician and Plymouth Internal Medicine

Jackie Wright(Committee Co-chair) Executive Director, Council of Aging

Family Resource Worker & ERSEA Coordinator, MarshallStarke Head Start/Early Head Start

Indiana University South Bend

Bryan Howard

MSW Student Group

Young Professionals of Marhsall County MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Principal Transp. Planner, Michiana Area Council of Gov.

What the Data Shows about Transportation and Trails

The Quality of Life Survey confirms that residents would like to be more satisfied than they are with transportation. When ranking their satisfaction with outdoor recreational spaces, parks, trails, and gyms, residents in the County scored satisfaction at a 3.6 out of 5. The Satisfaction scale rankings are: • 1 (Very Unsatisfied) • 2 (Unsatisfied) • 3 (Neutral) • 4 (Satisfied) • 5 (Very Satisfied) Though a 3.6 ranking nears general satisfaction, residents ranked the availability of transportation options at 2.6, which puts it in the unsatisfied-to-neutral range of the scale.

37

In the Moving Forward Survey conducted in 2019, Marshall County residents ranked a list of goal statements. Transportation and trails ranked 5th among areas of concern for residents. In the same survey, residents listed these as priorities: • Multi-use trails within each community: #1 priority • Sidewalk improvements and sidewalk installations in the communities: #2 priority • Regional trails and connections: #3 priority In addition to this survey’s results, around the same time of the survey, stakeholders met at a Ball Statesponsored workshop. When surveyed about what stakeholders thought would be a game changer for the county, the number 1 response was “Trails.” These results show that Marshall County residents and stakeholders want to see more trails in communities and connecting communities. Coupled with the Quality of Space results, which showed people rank improving outdoor spaces and parks a number one priority, it is clear that Marshall County residents place heavy emphasis on improving outdoor amenities. Trails rank as a high priority for the County.

Stakeholder and youth engagement idea workshops also reveal an interest in developing public

transportation and trails to make resources more accessible and to connect people to experiences.

Stakeholders and youth offered these ideas: • Connect the communities via a regional trail system.

• Integrate arts (visual, performance, music, etc.), culture, and history into the trails.

• Develop a public transit system that connects people to key locations in the communities: schools, hospitals, food, and other critical resources.

• Follow Complete Street guidelines when developing roads and trails.

• Work with County and local departments to incorporate more bike signage and paths for pedestrian and bike trails when paving or improving roads.

• Create ride sharing programs, carpooling programs, and a bus transit system that would provide public transportation 24/7.

• Focus on inter-community programming and systems that enable people to get from one city to the other.

• Empower students through transportation to connect with other students across the County.

Slate Street

Culver Elementary School

Lake Shore Drive

Washington Street

Jefferson Street

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Main Street

Ohio Street

Cass Street

Transportation and Trails Worksheet

The following worksheet outlines the goals, objectives, champions, priorities, and timeline for the Transportation and Trails Committee.

Partner with academic institutions to provide safe and accessible routes for all youth and young adults to access “safe routes to school.”

Champions & Partners

Strategies Engage with leaders from schools and municipalities to assess the opportunities available for small incremental change and more significant Community Crossings and Safe Routes projects.

• • •

Schools (Ancilla, community high schools) Municipalities Marshall County Boys and Girls Club

Partner with The Center at Donaldson to identify routes of access to higher education and economic hubs within Marshall County.

Engage with The Center at Donaldson to identify available public transit to access their site.

•

The Center at Donaldson

Partner with healthcare facilities to encourage healthy and accessible transportation options to further address overall wellbeing.

Develop a ride share, public transit, and scheduling options.

• •

Marshall County Public Transit St. Joe Health Systems

• •

Marshall County Public Transit MC Crossroads Transportation and Trails Committee MC Crossroads Workforce Development Committee

Expand our workforce by providing alternative modes of transportation.

Provide connectivity to all municipalities and surrounding communities.

Pilot a fixed route system and expand on it.

Create a Bike/Ped Master Plan and develop a maintenance plan.

•

• • • •

Survey the transit groups.

Pool transit resources to better serve Marshall County.

Expand the route system.

Add bus stops to establish a fixed route bus system that addresses the needs in the County.

Encourage transit groups to collaborate, consolidate, and partner to expand transportation access.

After pilot of fixed route is established, expand in to neighboring towns.

Coordinate schedules, events, etc.

Establish a fixed route system using current school bus stops.

Build out bus stops in key locations in the city of Plymouth (to start) to transport people to critical need areas (access to medicine, healthcare, food, schools, and so on).

• • • • • • • • •

• • •

County Municipalities MC Crossroads Trails and Transportation Committee MC Crossroads Committee On My Way Pre-K schools Public Transit Health professionals Head Start Marshall-Starke Development Center MACOG Marshall County TTAC Marshall County Public Transit MC Crossroads Transportation and Trails Committee

Marshall County TTAC Marshall County Public Transit MC Crossroads Transportation and Trails Committee

Priority

High

Time

Ongoing

Medium

2020

High

Ongoing

Medium

June 2020 through December 2021

High

2020

High

Ongoing

High

Winter 2020 through 2021

High

June 2020 through 2021

39

Goal

Quality Of Life Pillars

Industry Growth & Entrepreneurship

Industry growth is defined as an industry or sector of the economy that has rapid growth (more than

average) compared to other industries or sectors. In some cases, the industry or sector didn’t exist before.

Entrepreneurs are people willing to take risks in order to start a business that will ultimately make a profit.

These two topics overlap and are paired together in the Quality of Life Plan because of their potential for growing Marshall County’s economy.

The Industry Growth and Entrepreneurship Committee’s Mission

The Industry Growth and Entrepreneurship pillar of the Quality of Life Plan focuses on how Marshall County will growth the economy and improve the per capita income of Marshall County residents. The Committee’s mission is: To provide the framework for industry growth and entrepreneurship for years to come through establishment of project-based economic development activities.

In addition, the Committee seeks to: Increase the average wage of the Marshall County workforce by 30%, moving wages from $18.50 to $24.05 per hour by 2025.

The Industry Growth and Entrepreneurship Committee

The Industry Growth and Entrepreneurship Committee is made up of the President and CEO of Marshall County Economic Development, the President of the Marshall County Commissioners, the President of the Marshall County Council, and representatives from the towns and city in Marshall County.

8 Individuals. 1 Committee.

Bill Davis (Committee Chair)

Kevin Overmyer

Terry Burkins

Chelsea Smith

Jerry Chavez

Judy Stone

Les McFarland

Sean Surrisi

Bremen Industry Leader

Software Developer, Fortress Grand

President and CEO, MCEDC

Bourbon Town Rep

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

President, County Commissioners

Retail Business Banker at 1st Source Bank

President, County Council

Plymouth City Attorney

What the Data Shows about Industry Growth and Entrepreneurship In the Moving Forward Survey conducted in 2019, Marshall County residents were asked to name three words or phrases that describe a good quality of life. Though many residents cited “Jobs,” “Good jobs,” or “Better paying jobs” as one of the three answers to this question, safety, good schools, and affordability were used more frequently.

In the same survey, residents were asked to pick the top two priorities for the County for economic development. Following are the areas that received the highest scores: Workforce Recruitment: 44.2% Downtown Center Development: 43.3% Small Business Incubators: 36.6% Broadband Connectivity: 36.4% Retail Corridor Development: 26%

The Quality of Life Survey shows similar results to the Moving Forward survey. In this survey, residents were asked about their satisfaction with economic and employment opportunities. The Satisfaction scale rankings are: • 1 (Very Unsatisfied) • 2 (Unsatisfied) • 3 (Neutral) • 4 (Satisfied) • 5 (Very Satisfied) Following are the categories ranked and their satisfaction scores: • Entrepreneurial opportunity and small business support: 2.8 • Availability of job trainings and skills trainings: 2.6 • Availability of living wage paying jobs with benefits: 2.6 • Diverse employment opportunities: 2.5

41

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Stakeholder and youth engagement idea workshops produced numerous ideas about industry growth and entrepreneurship. Stakeholder ideas included:

• Recruit businesses that hire college graduates.

• Diversify industry offerings to bring in higher paying jobs and college-educated jobs.

• Incentivize startups and entrepreneurs by offering grants, startup funding, etc. to bring new businesses to the County.

• Create mentoring programs that pair students with business leaders.

• Create career counseling programs that give students more opportunities to learn about local businesses.

• Develop skills training programs to introduce students to employers.

• Create a lifelong learning center where trainings can be consolidated.

• Recruit high-tech jobs and e-commerce businesses.

• Build an e-hub that has high-speed Internet access.

• Develop a small business incubator program.

Youth also provided ideas and input on this topic. These include: • Provide youth with more opportunities to connect to businesses.

• Create a job shadow program.

• Create career camps for students to learn how skills (resume, career prep, soft skills), etc.

• Create a vocational program and more vocations.

• Create an online location that shows us where all the local jobs are.

• Provide career counselors.

• Offer students more career-related fields trips, so we can learn about job opportunities while we are still in school.

• Provide places where we can develop the skills we need to enter the workforce.

• Provide opportunities to learn about how we can prepare for jobs.

• Survey students to gauge interests about various industries and then host jobs fairs that offer opportunities for students to meet people from those career fields.

• Create mentoring opportunities related to business.

Industry Growth and Entrepreneurship Worksheet

The following worksheet outlines the goals, objectives, champions, priorities, and timeline for the Industry Growth and Entrepreneurship Committee.

Goal Establish an economic development feedback and communication process with local government, businesses, and individual stakeholders.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Strategies Expand upon our existing communication plan that includes a quarterly newsletter and a county wide “Community Development for the Future” forum conducted quarterly. Expand communication to: • Workforce development • Minority businesses Quality of Life subcommittee •

Champions & Partners Industry Growth and Entrepreneurship Stellar (IGE) Marshall County Crossroads Marketing and Communications Committee

Priority

Time Ongoing

Expand and diversify the economy of the County by attracting new industry.

Champions & Partners

Strategies Market to best fit industries: • Food Processing • Metals Manufacturing • Products Manuf.

• Paper, Wood & Furniture Mfg. • Transportation and Warehousing

MCEDC

Develop individual work plans to assist Marshall County employers to establish their growth and workforce development needs.

South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership

Leverage marketing resources of the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership Industry Growth Initiative

County Commissioners

Identify and market to employers at or above the current $18.50/hr. wage scale.

Redevelopment Commissions

Assist the communities of Plymouth, Bourbon, and LaPaz with the planning and implementation of construction of a new manufacturing center in each.

• Identify property to develop in strategic locations.

• Secure the property with enough land for expansion over a 10 to 20-year time horizon.

• Develop an Infrastructure plan to bring services to the site to include Fiber, Water, Electric, Sewer and Rail where possible.

Priority High

Industry Growth and Entrepreneurship Stellar (IGE)

Time October 2020 and2019 Ongoing First Quarter 2020 Ongoing by 2025

IEDC

MACOG

Town Councils

Plymouth manufacturing center underway

Private businesses

Market the Ply. Manuf. Ctr. June 2020

Market the manufacturing centers to identified site selectors with emphasis on identified clusters.

Retain and assist in expansion of existing Marshall county businesses.

Enhance the Business Expansion and Retention (BEAR) program.

Use a formalized interview process for data collection.

Develop BEAR action plan for plant closures.

Influence and facilitate the successful startup of 5 new entrepreneurial businesses in the first 12 months with a target of 10 per year.

Conduct volunteer BEAR training.

Establishment of an Entrepreneurship Hub or E-Hub. Complete the existing project to renovate the 1875 Building (Plymouth Historic Firehouse) as the county Center for Entrepreneurship.

Establish a Micro-Loan program throughout Marshall County beginning with Culver.

MCEDC

Medium

Jan. 2020 2020

Industry Growth and Entrepreneurship Stellar (IGE) Community leaders

Done CEDC

High

June 2020

Industry Growth and Entrepreneurship Stellar (IGE) Plymouth Redevelopment Commission (PRC) IEDC USDA EDA Culver CRC

Development Construction plans Underway

Program Launch Jan. 2020

43

Goal

Quality Of Life Pillars

Education & Skills

Education and Skills, refers to the education and skills necessary to prepare people for the workforce.

Education and skills training can be relevant to all ages from pre-K to adulthood.

The Education and Skills Committee’s Mission

The Education and Skills pillar of the Quality of Life Plan focuses on how Marshall County will prepare youth for the workforce. The mission of the Build partnerships through our public high schools and local industries to create life and career connections, showing students their dream career exists in Marshall County and revealing a path to achieve it.

The Education and Skills Committee

The Education and Skills Committee is made up of superintendents from Marshall County schools, industry leaders, the Director of North Central Area Vocational Cooperative, the Director of the Marshall County Boys and Girls Club, the Director of Community Corrections, Ancilla College representation, and preschool representation.

16 Individuals. 1 Committee.

Matt Davis (Committee Co-chair)

Albert Hanselman

Andy Hartley (Committee Co-chair)

Jennifer Houin

ITAMCO

Plymouth Schools Superintendent

Ward Byers

Community Corrections

Jim Cawthon Ancilla

Jerry Chavez EDC

John DeSalle Hoosier Tire

Andrew Fitzpatrick B&G Club

Don Fox CMA

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

CTE Director

Fitness Forum & Preschool

Mitchell Mawhorter

Union North Superintendent

Kristi Nate Preschool

Jeremy Riffle

Triton Schools Superintendent

Karen Shuman

Culver Schools Superintendent

Ned Speicher

Argos Superintendent

Jim White

Bremen Public Schools Superintendent

What the Data Shows about Education and Skills In the Moving Forward Survey conducted in 2019, Marshall County residents ranked a list of goal statements. Though education and skills training were not included in the Moving Forward list, the Education and Skills Committee were still able to assess how residents rank education and skills training through the Community Engagement input sessions. These feedback sessions were conducted at community-wide events at which residents gave feedback about specific projects in their community and about potential county-wide initiatives. The potential county-wide initiatives included education and skills training. Residents were asked to pick the top 3 priorities that the County should focus on. Education and skills training ranked #1 out of 9 initiatives. Following is a summary of the number of responses residents chose as top priorities: Education and Skills Training: 62 responses Health and Wellness: 56 responses Regional Trail System: 55 responses High-speed Internet: 53 Drug/Alcohol addiction treatment: 50 Housing: 44 Workforce Development: 43 Main Street initiatives: 26 Arts and Culture: 23

The Quality of Life Survey shows that in general, residents are satisfied with quality of public schools, private schools, and educational institutions. Following is the scale used: • 1 (Very Unsatisfied) • 2 (Unsatisfied) • 3 (Neutral) • 4 (Satisfied) • 5 (Very Satisfied) Residents were asked how satisfied they are with the quality of public schools, private schools, and other educational institutions. Residents ranked this category a 3.9, which means that residents are satisfied.

Though they are not “very satisfied,” they are also not generally unsatisfied.

45

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Stakeholder and youth engagement idea workshops show that stakeholders and youth alike would like to see the development of soft skills, leadership skills, and workforce skills increase.

Following are some of the ideas and areas of focus that stakeholders and youth documented: • Create trade schools or invest in educating kids about the trades.

• Remove the barriers between the schools and businesses. Collaborate to give more opportunities to learn about jobs and businesses.

• Create career centers and places where kids can learn the skills they need for various jobs (not just manufacturing).

• Develop more mentoring programs, job shadowing programs, and internships that will expose youth to jobs, careers, and businesses sooner versus later.

• Introduce youth to careers at a much earlier age by developing programs that do this.

• Expand more adult education opportunities and programs to support adult learners.

• Bring career counselors into the schools.

• Focus more training on soft skills and leadership training.

• Incorporate the voice of youth in education and skills training initiatives.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Pillar: Education and Skills Overall Arching Goal: Build partnerships through our public high schools and local industries to create life and career connections, showing students their dream career Education and Skills Worksheet exists in Marshall County and revealing a path to achieve it.

The following worksheet outlines the goals, objectives, champions, priorities, and timeline for the Education and Skills Committee.

Goal Strategies Champions/Partners Priority Timeframe Strategies

Establish partnerships between at least 20 local industries and every community high school in Marshall County.

Engage with local industries regarding potential high school students participating in job shadowing, internships, work‐based learning experiences, or apprenticeships.

Engage with community high schools and the area vocational cooperative to commit to counseling students into job shadows, internships, work‐based learning, or apprenticeship experiences within their career pathways.

Engage classroom teachers in industry externship opportunities to build a stronger connection between the classroom and future career opportunities for students.

Expand curricular and skill‐ based training opportunities for high school and adult education students linked to industries in Marshall County.

Research skill gaps within the local workforce based on industry feedback.

Marshall County Lifelong Learning Network (LLN)

(High, Mid, Priority Low)

Time

High

2020

High

2020

Mid

January 2021 to August 2021

High

2020

High

June 2020 to June 2021

Marshall County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) Local Chambers of Commerce LLN Community high schools in Marshall County North Central Area Vocational Cooperative (NCAVC) LLN MCEDC Community high schools in Marshall County LLN MCEDC

Research and implement new LLN vocational curricular opportunities in high demand, high wage sectors MCEDC linked to feedback provided by local industries.

Marshall County Adult Education NCAVC

47

Goal

Champions & Partners

Quality Of Life Pillars

Leadership Capacity Building

Leadership Capacity Building refers leadership capacity in Marshall County.

The Leadership Capacity Building Committee’s Mission

The Leadership Capacity Building pillar of the Quality of Life Plan focuses on how Marshall County will develop leadership capacity. The Leadership Capacity Building Committee seeks to bridge the gap between decision makers and Marshall County youth and to build leadership capacity in the County by engaging youth in a way that makes them part of the decision-making process and simultaneously builds their leadership skills. Currently, leadership opportunities for youth in Marshall County are limited. Formalized leadership training isn’t part of school curriculums; however, it is part of some clubs and after-school organizations. In these cases, it may be a sub-objective of the overall mission of that club or organization.

Examples of where youth may find leadership opportunities include Boys and Girls Clubs, participation on sports teams, participation in Future Farmers of America, Business Professionals of America, Key Clubs, Scouts, and other youth-related organizations. Though Marshall County Leadership and YPN (Young Professional Network) have had success with leadership-focused programming, these are primarily adultbased programs. The Leadership Capacity Building Committee seeks for ways to ensure youth can learn about and practice leadership.

The mission of the Leadership Capacity Building Committee is: Engage and inspire Marshall County’s younger generations (teens to 20 something-year-olds) to participate in decision-making processes that will utilize their passion, energy, and skills to bring solutions to our challenges, thereby transforming our youth into leaders in our County.

The Leadership Capacity Building Committee

The Leadership Capacity Building Committee is made up of representatives from the Marshall County Crossroads regional planning team. Some of these members are chairs for Crossroads’ subcommittees, including: Transportation and Trails, Public Engagement, Marketing and Communications, Education and Skills, and Diversity and Inclusion. The Committee also includes two participants from the Leadership Marshall County program.

9 Individuals.

1 Committee.

Ginny Munroe (Committee Chair) Culver Town Council President

Mandy Campbell

Argos Rep and Young Professionals of Marshall County

Amber Cowell

Park Superintendent, Town of Culver

Matt Davis

Committee Chair for Education and Skills

Bryan Howard

Young Professionals of Marshall County

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Marty Oosterbaan

Committee Chair for Marketing and Communications

Angie Rupchock-Schafer

Diversity and Inclusion Committee Chair

Allie Shook

Young Professionals of Marshall County

Matt VanSoest

Director of Bremen Main Street; Committee Chair for Public Engagement

What the Data Shows about Leadership Capacity Building The Moving Forward Survey and Quality of Life Survey did not include survey questions related to leadership capacity building. Data collection on this topic is an area of focus that the Leadership Capacity Building Committee may prioritize.

Stakeholder and youth engagement idea workshops did include discussions about • Create programs that pair youth with leaders (seniors, municipal leaders, business leaders, and so on).

• Ensure programs help develop life skills (balancing a checkbook, etiquette, etc.).

• Ensure programs develop soft skills (writing resumes, interview skills, professionalism, etc.).

• Create opportunities for youth to practice leadership by giving them responsibilities in local government, business internships, etc.

• Develop a mentoring program that pairs youth with leaders from various industry sectors.

• Ensure youth are engaging in project-based learning to learn how to deal with real-world problems and develop professional skills, such as communication, critical thinking, confidence, and so on.

• Set up positions of leadership in each community that can be filled by local youth.

• Educate and/or train current leaders to understand why developing future leaders is important to Marshall County.

Youth ideas focused on these ideas:

• Schedule more government-based meetings and events during evenings, so that students can participate.

• Invite youth to participate in your meetings and decision-making so that they can have a voice in the process.

• Allow students to be part of committees and organizations, so that they can learn and practice how to be leaders.

• Provide career counselors, mentors, and internships, so that students can build career paths earlier or learn skills needed for jobs.

• Give students representation on school boards, so that they can be a voice at their school.

• Improve communication between leaders and decisions makers and youth so that youth know what is going on and how they might participate.

49

leadership. Stakeholders focused on these ideas:

Leadership Capacity Building Worksheet

The following worksheet outlines the goals, objectives, champions, priorities, and timeline for the Leadership Capacity Building Committee

Goal

Strategies

Define what it means to be a leader and what we mean by leadership capacity building.

Understand and be able to communicate to others what we mean what we communicate about leadership and leadership capacity building.

Identify the gaps in building leadership capacity in Marshall County.

• Research and document existing leadership programs and opportunities in the County.

• Determine the pros and cons of existing leadership programs to determine gaps; keep in mind that existing programs may lead to partnerships, pilot programs, or implementation partners.

• Seek public input via surveys and in-person interviews to determine gaps.

• Engage with leaders from schools, businesses, municipalities, and other organizations to assess what opportunities might exist for youth to engage in decision making.

• Engage with youth to determine their interest in leadership.

• Evaluate the gaps.

• Seek public input on what a comprehensive vision/solution might look like.

Develop an overall vision for a leadership capacity building program in Marshall County that addresses the gaps in leadership capacity building, and/or develop a strategy for filling these gaps via existing organizations.

Create a strategic plan for scaling, funding, and sustaining a leadership capacity building program.

• Engage stakeholders and potential partners who have a vested interest in the overall vision.

• Partner with organizations that want to play a role in developing a strategic plan for scaling, funding, and sustaining a program.

• Build consensus with youth and stakeholders.

• Write an action plan for the plan.

Determine resources needed to roll out a pilot program or implementation of the strategic plan and obtain resources needed.

• Obtain resources through partnerships, grants, and so on.

• Implement fundraising.

Develop a pilot program that implements the vision and strategic plan.

• Select an organization or community in which to pilot a program.

Champions & Partners

Priority

Time

Marshall County Crossroads Leadership Capacity Building Committee

High

20202020January March 2020

Existing leadership programs in Marshall County: schools, Leadership Marshall County, Boys and Girls Club, Mayor’s Youth Council, BPA, etc.

High

20202020January October 2020

High

October 2020June 2021

High

June 2021December 2021

Public engagement resources: residents, parents, potential partners, leadership program leaders Marshall County Crossroads Leadership Capacity Building Committee Business leaders Municipalities Marshall County Schools Boys and Girls Club Mayor’s Youth Council MC Crossroads Public Engagement Committee Marshall County Crossroads Leadership Capacity Building Committee Leadership Marshall County Marshall County Schools Youth groups Potential Partners: businesses, municipalities, youth organizations, etc.

Marshall County Crossroads Leadership Capacity Building Committee

Medium

June 2024June 2025

Municipalities Marshall County Schools Boys and Girls Club Marshall County Crossroads Leadership Capacity Building Committee Business leaders

Marshall County Schools Boys and Girls Club Mayor’s Youth Council QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

January 2022January 2024

Business leaders

Municipalities

MARSHALL COUNTY

Medium

51

Quality Of Life Pillars

Health andWellness

Quality of Health and Wellness refers to the long-term health and wellness of residents in Marshall County.

The Health and Wellness Committee’s Mission

The Health and Wellness pillar of the Quality of Life Plan focuses on how Marshall County will foster programs and projects that encourage residents to make lifelong healthy decisions.

The overarching mission of the Health and Wellness Committee is: Create a Culture of Health throughout Marshall County through comprehensive strategies that include acting across multiple areas to influence and improve the health of Marshall County residents. Efforts will be modeled after the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize (https://www. rwjf.org/content/rwjf/en/library/funding-opportunities/2019/2020-culture-of-health-prize.html) that “recognizes communities working together to transform neighborhoods, schools, businesses, and more—so that the opportunity for better health flourishes for all.”

The coalition efforts focus on the needs identified through Beacon Health System and Saint Joseph Health System community needs assessments and through dozens of community engagement efforts. In particular, the focus areas are: • Nutrition education • Physical and recreational health • Mental health and wellness • Drug and alcohol addiction A key component of the Culture of Health comprehensive strategies is Behavioral Health, which encompasses prevention, early intervention, treatment, engagement, and rehabilitation and recovery supports for individuals who experience mental illness and/or substance use disorders, especially those who experience or are at risk of experiencing serious disorders and their consequences.

The vision driving the Behavioral Health component is to create a cohesive community that: • Understands the importance of behavioral health in the life and health of individuals, families and the community as a whole • Implements outcome-oriented, evidence-based behavioral health initiatives • Aligns its resources and advocates for additional resources to address the priority needs of its most at-risk members • Focuses on prevention and early intervention to mitigate the adverse impacts of childhood trauma • Incorporates an individual and family-centered approach that provides efficient access to services at each step in the behavioral health service delivery continuum and supports an integrated transition from one step to the next MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

The Health and Wellness Committee is also focused on creating healthy sewer and water systems through a Regional Sewer District in Marshall County that would address in a comprehensive and coordinated way the areas in Marshall County that have failing or under-performing on-site sewage systems. Establishing this as one of the key components of their vision will involve: • Forming a district to enable county leaders to prioritize areas in greatest danger for failing systems and to put together a comprehensive, logical approach that leverages the existing sewer districts and conservancies and provides the County with the ability to apply for funding to implement a county-wide approach.

• Addressing issues on a county-wide basis to best position the County to apply for funding and to provide the oversight and coordination capabilities that are essential to ensure resources aren’t duplicated and leaders have success.

The Health and Wellness Committee’s efforts also complement and build upon the Marshall County Crossroads Regional Stellar Health and Wellness projects and county-wide initiatives. Rural health initiatives will focus on the following approaches: • Regional community input will drive the conversations around health-related issues.

• Health professionals will be engaged to provide expertise and guidance.

• Cooperation and collaboration among municipalities, organizations and agencies across the region and the state will be fostered to promote and sustain a dedication to improving health in rural communities.

The Health and Wellness Committee

26 Individuals. 1 Committee.

Linda Yoder (Committee Co-Chair)

Executive Dir., Marshall Co. Community Foundation and United Way of Marshall County

Ginny Munroe

Tracy Fox (Committee Co-Chair)

Dr. Jason Marker

Scott Graybill (Committee Co-Chair)

Rennell Finke

MC Health Board; President, Food, Nutrition & Policy Consultants Former CEO of Bremen Hospital; Indiana Hospital Assoc. Board; Council on Rural Health

David Bailey

CEO Community Hospital of Bremen

Elizabeth Cobb

Riverside Social Worker

Nate Crawford Here Hear

Sheryl Decker

Troyer Group/Culver M.D. , President, St. Joseph Board of Health Community Wellness Coordinator

Michelle Peters

Vice President, St. Joseph Health Systems

Ward Byers

Community Corrections

Allie Rans

Licensed Therapist

Angie Rupchock-Shafer

Michiana Behavioral Health

MCCF/Lilly Gift VII; Hunger Prevention Expert; Diversity Rep on SBElkhart Partnership / YPN

Gregg Erikson

Loretta Schmidt

Dr. Dan Franz

Allie Shook

Kelly Erickson

Dr. Tod Stillson

Dr. Byron Holm

Ashley Garcia

Marshall County Health Depart. , Health Officer

Marshall County Health Department

Eric Holsopple

Patty Willaert

St. Joseph Health Systems

Executive Director, Community Health, Beacon Community Impact

Lindie Leary

Donn Yoder

David’s Courage

Licensed therapist & Owner of a New Direction Counseling David’s Courage

Bowen Center

Chief Nursing Officer, St. Joseph Health System Plymouth Parks & Rec; Discover Plymouth; Health Board/YPN MD, St. Joseph Regional Family Physician

Therapist with Juvenile Probation

53

The Health and Wellness Committee is made up of doctors, administrators, and leaders from Community Hospital in Bremen and St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, members of the Marshall County Health Department and its board, members from the Bowen Center, licensed health experts, a licensed nutritionist, and members of numerous other health-related organizations and practices. In addition, several members of the Marshall County Crossroads regional planning team are represented on the team.

What the Data Shows about Health and Wellness The Moving Forward Survey and Quality of Life Survey included questions about health and wellness.

In the Moving Forward survey, residents ranked “Improving community health and wellness” as the #4 priority of 10 priorities. In the same survey, trails ranked #1 among biking and walking initiatives, and parks and playgrounds ranked #1 among assets and amenities. These show that residents want access to amenities that emphasize a wellness aspect (physical exercise and recreation).

In the Quality of Life Survey, residents were asked how satisfied they are with healthcare issues. Following is the scale that was used: 1: Very unsatisfied 2: Unsatisfied 3: Neutral 4: Satisfied 5: Very Satisfied Following are the healthcare issues residents ranked and the average score for each area: • Access to doctors and services: 3.4 • Educational programs and opportunities for recreational and physical activities/fitness: 3.3 • Number of health care options in your community and the costs: 3.2 • Educational programs on Diabetes/Blood pressure education: 3.0 • Access to mental health services (mental illness, drug addiction, and suicide prevention): 2.7 The results show that residents are not generally satisfied or very satisfied with any of the healthcare issues in the County. They appear to be least satisfied with access to mental health services.

Stakeholder workshops included discussions about health and wellness in Marshall County. Stakeholders focused on these ideas:

• Attract more healthcare professionals through current healthcare facilities.

• Encourage and incentivize healthier restaurant options and healthier choices at restaurants that already exist.

• Use the arts to address mental wellness.

• Increase treatment options for opioid, drug, and alcohol addiction.

• Target younger children and teens to address health issues that start young.

• Make the public aware of the current options for health and wellness.

• Expand amenities that will bring more opportunities for health education and physical exercise.

• Expand outdoor activities and programming to encourage physical exercise.

• Create a telehealth program that will bring resources to communities.

• Expand mental health services in schools and communities.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Health and Wellness Worksheet

The following worksheet outlines the goals, objectives, champions, priorities, and timeline for the Health and Wellness Committee.

Goal

Champions & Partners

Strategies

Priority Time

Behavioral Health Get all Marshall County schools (k-12) to share the same mental health curriculum.

Encourage schools to collaborate and select one curriculum.

Marshall County School leadership

High

3-6 years

Ensure Marshall County has the same suicide awareness/response training (QPR, Safetalk, and so on).

Select and train all schools, doctors’ offices, and other relevant community organizations so that all are communicating a similar message.

Marshall County School Leadership

High

1-2 years

Ensure food banks are receiving more vegetable and fruit contributions.

Work with schools with strong FFA groups to be growers, such as auto trades or beauty schools.

Mid

2-5 years

Ensure Marshall County residents are more informed about trauma and its effects on people.

Provide ACEs training throughout the County.

Beacon Health System

High

1-2 years

Provide a secure and safe place (such as a Community Center) for individuals and/or families to go for a multitude of health-related needs.

Use already existing places like schools to build a Community Center.

Schools

Mid

5-10 years

Low

2-3 years

High

1-5 years

High

3-7 years

Better connect teens and senior citizens.

Bowen Center Hear Here Schools with strong FFA groups Purdue Extension

Bowen Center

55

Internet providers Parks departments

Create programs at schools for teens to mentor senior citizens and vice versa.

Schools Group homes Nursing homes

Improve communication about Marshall County events.

Prevent overcrowding in the jail and reduce recidivism.

Create strategies that use email blasts, social media, message boards, and other communication methods to improve communication at events.

Start a work release program that has on-site treatment.

Communication teachers at schools Program administrator to oversee and review what is being shared with the County Sheriff Department Community Corrections Probation Bowen Center

Goal

Strategies

Champions & Partners

Priority Time

Behavioral Health (Continued) Project HOPE will lead to hard-wired community infrastructure that allows all participants in the recovery network to see in real-time where known patients are in the system, where capacity is under- or overutilized, and who is available, today to help any patient take their next steps forward in recovery.

With central coordination and advanced data management, all of the organizations involved in recovery can monitor the long-term outcomes for patients they’ve “touched” and do internal Quality Improvement activities whose results can be seen promptly.

Data on outcomes will be robust, region-leading, and compelling enough to be a role model for other similar communities. This will stimulate additional funding for expanded services through grant programs and private donors, as well as from public funds.

Data on outcomes will be robust, region-leading, and compelling enough to be a role model for other similar communities. This will stimulate additional funding for expanded services through grant programs and private donors, as well as from public funds.

Prevention activities will show an impact through lower utilization of the now easily accessed treatment and recovery services.

The time from “crisis to aftercare” will be shorter due to broader community education, more prompt identification of SUD, and more efficient referral through the systems of recovery care.

Handoffs within the continuum of care will be smooth and preplanned with enough overlaps in care to negate recidivism risk.

Prevention activities will be coupled to “healthy living strategies” that move the community from a culture of “we’re treating a problem” to “look at us getting healthier.”

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Project HOPE consortium Treatment organizations

Mid

Within 10 Years

Goal

Strategies

Champions & Partners

Priority Time

Behavioral Health (Continued) The treatment and recovery care systems that began as a 2019 consortium effort are an efficient safety net that hangs nearly invisibly under a community that now less frequently needs their services, allowing prevention and health promotion strategies to predominate as the most visible sign that SUD is still a risk to be avoided.

Project HOPE consortium Treatment organizations

Mid

In the next 15 Years

Local employers take an active role supporting the systems of prevention, treatment, and recovery that are vital to their skilled workforce in a community that is an expanding destination for workers and their families because of its safety, prosperity, and opportunities for recovery support when it is needed.

When inevitable new trends in SUD become apparent, they are identified promptly, strategies for management are implemented efficiently within the safety net, and the negative community impact is minimized.

Surrounding communities are also healthier through implementation of similar strategies resulting in a regional and state-wide uptick in all measures of general health and wellness.

57

Project HOPE will have resulted in a new “normal� for managing what may be, by then, a small problem with a successful solution.

Goal

Strategies

Champions & Priority Partners

Time

Substance Use Disorders Improve community coordination of the services needed to help patients with substance use disorder (SUD)of Improve community coordination navigate efficiently the services neededtoward to helprecovery. patients with substance use disorder (SUD) navigate efficiently toward recovery.

Highlight those parts of our SUD community that don’t receive service, including children andoffamilies in foster Highlight those parts our SUD care. community that don’t receive service, including children and families in foster Address points in the recovery process care. where the opportunity for recidivism is high suchpoints as upon therecovery release from jail.

Address in the process where the opportunity for recidivism is Make prevention visible all high such as uponactivities the release fromtojail. and reset the community culture and norms around theactivities use of addictive Make prevention visible to all substances. and reset the community culture and norms around the use of addictive substances.

Educate key stakeholders and raise awareness about the importance of developing comprehensive Educate keyastakeholders and raise approach toabout promoting clean water awareness the importance of throughout athe County. developing comprehensive approach to promoting clean water throughout the County.

Create a MC Sewer District to develop a detailed plan of action to address failing inadequate septic/sewer Createand a MC Sewer District to develop and create solutions. asystems detailed plan of action to address failing and inadequate septic/sewer systems and create solutions.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Strengthen ties between organizations, create streamlined referral patterns for patients, decrease the number of places where Strengthen ties between organizations, patients can “slip through cracks,” create streamlined referralthe patterns forand achieve adecrease faster throughput of patients patients, the number of placesinwhere recoverycan that“slip improves thethe pace at which patients through cracks,” andSUD patientsacan re-integrate intoofproductive achieve faster throughput patients insociety By continuing to meet regularly recovery that improves the pacetoatshare whichbest SUD practicescan andre-integrate talk about joint patients into communityproductive society needs-focused planning, Project By continuing tostrategic meet regularly tothe share best HOPE consortium will be able to better steward practices and talk about joint communitylimited resources and avoid duplication of their needs-focused strategic planning, the Project work while building capacity to serve the HOPE consortium will be able to better steward evidence-acquired needs of duplication the community. limited resources and avoid of their work while building capacity to serve the By always asking patients in the recovery “where evidence-acquired needs of community. are we succeeding” and “where are we failing you”, Project HOPE can monitor for care gaps in By always asking patients in recovery “where realwe time and respond to are changing are succeeding” andnimbly “where we failing trendsProject in the needs of the SUD recovery you”, HOPE can monitor for care gaps in population. real time and respond nimbly to changing trends in the needs of the SUD recovery Intense activity and community engagement population. aimed at helping patients in need of recovery services find proper entry pointsengagement will be Intense activity and community noticeable and perhaps uncomfortable to aimed at helping patients in need of recovery some. find proper entry points will be services noticeable and perhaps uncomfortable to some.

Sewer-Water District

Complete the Engineering Study and share results with County leaders and other key stakeholders.

Complete the Engineering Study and share results with County leaders and other key Engage with leaders from public health stakeholders. (including the MC Board of Health), homeowners, sewer from and septic Engage with leaders publicexperts, health members of Force, Marshall (including thethe MCWater BoardTask of Health), County Commissioners, theexperts, County Council homeowners, sewer andand septic to share findings from the comprehensive members of the Water Task Force, Marshall Engineering Study beingand conducted

by JPR County Commissioners, the County Council Consulting Firm. to share findings from the comprehensive Engineering Study being conducted by JPR Consulting Firm.

Outline specific steps, develop a short-, mid-, and long-term timeline, and determine funding requirements and organizational responsibility Outline specific steps, develop a short-, mid-, to comprehensively and collaboratively address and long-term timeline, and determine funding failing and inadequate septic/sewer systems. requirements and organizational responsibility to comprehensively and collaboratively address failing and inadequate septic/sewer systems.

Project HOPE consortium Project HOPE consortium

High

Project HOPE consortium Project HOPE consortium

High

Engineering Study leaders Engineering Study Public leadershealth experts

High

High

Within next 5 years Within next 5 years

Within next 5 years Within next 5 years

2020 2020

Homeowners Public health experts Water Task Force Homeowners MC Commissioners Water Task Force MC Council Commissioners Board of Health MC Council

Engineering Study leaders Public healthofexperts MC Board Health Homeowners Engineering Study leaders Water Task Force Public health experts MC Commissioners Homeowners MC Council Water Task Force MC Board of Health MC Commissioners MC Council MC Board of Health

2020-2021 2020-2021

Goal

Strategies Goal

Create a Culture of Health through coalition building and collaboration.

Champions & Partners

Priority

Time

Culture of Health Form a Healthy Marshall County Coalition.

Marshall County Crossroads Health and Wellness Committee

High June 2020 to June 2021

Project HOPE Public health representatives Medical/health center community Practitioners (physicians and nurses) Purdue Extension Community leaders (elected and otherwise) Transportation representatives

Create Marshall County Health and Wellness Assessment Chart to form the basis (and evidence base) for the follow-on development of a Marshall County Quality-of-Life Action Plan.

Develop a Marshall County Quality-of-Life Action Plan to prioritize activities, initiatives and policy agenda as well as funding and other resource needs.

Outline high need areas throughout the County based on timely data from (but not limited to) the following data sets: • Community Needs Assessment • Community Engagement Convenings outcomes • Indiana Life Expectancy site: https://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/usa/indianaheart-disease • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) /University of Wisconsin County Health Ranking for Marshall County In addition to health-related data points, analyze other data (to the degree it is accessible): graduation rates, teen pregnancy, smoking/vaping rates, addiction/jail/correctional facility stats; food pantry and other nutrition programs participation trends, and others.

The Marshall County Quality of Life Action Plan will be created based on findings and analysis from the Marshall County Health and Wellness Assessment Chart and will be updated at least yearly.

RWJF Culture of Health priority areas will be considered as the Action Plan is developed. Priority areas include: • Defining health in the broadest possible terms.

• Committing to sustainable systems changes and policy-oriented long-term solutions.

• Creating conditions that give everyone a fair and just opportunity to reach their best possible health.

Marshall County residents.

Members of the Healthy, Marshall County Coalition and others based on priority areas identified.

High

Sept 2020Ongoing

High

Sept 2020ongoing

Potential collaboration with Blue Zones.

Members of the Healthy, Marshall County Coalition and others based on priority areas identified.

Potential collaboration with Blue Zones

59

Social service programs

Goal

Strategies Goal

Champions & Partners

Priority Time

Culture of Health (Continued) • Harnessing the collective power of leaders, partners, and community members.

• Securing and making the most of available resources.

• Measuring and sharing progress and results.

Analysis and action plans will incorporate promising and best practices implemented in similar communities and may include resources such as Blue Zones Communities that focuses on areas in which city/town governments can make a difference, places where people spend their days, and creating new social networks.

Identify funding sources to accomplish action steps identified above.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Investigate funding opportunities as well as ways to leverage existing funding and resources to implement and monitor Quality of Life Action Plan. Examples may include county and town commitments, grant opportunities, health center investments.

Members of the Healthy Marshall County Coalition and others based on funding areas identified.

High

Sept 2020ongoing

61

Quality Of Life Pillars

Workforce Development

Quality of Workforce Development refers to the strategies used to develop the workforce needed in Marshall County.

The Workforce Development Committee’s Mission

The Workforce Development pillar of the Quality of Life Plan focuses on how Marshall County will foster programs and projects that develop the skills of its workforce.

The overarching mission of the Workforce Development Committee is: Invest in purpose-driven plans for workforce development, workforce retention and attraction, and education and skills training to retain talent in our region, to develop emerging talent, and to attract new talent to meet the growing needs in Marshall County.

The Workforce Development Committee

The Workforce Development Committee is made up of the President and CEO of Marshall County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), town representatives, and others involved in workforce issues in the County.

8 Individuals.

1 Committee.

Jerry Cavez (Committee Chair) President and CEO, MCEDCr

Terry Burkins

Software Developer, Fortress Grand

Bill Davis

Bremen Industry Leader

Les McFarland Bourbon Town Rep MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Chelsea Smith

Retail Business Banker at 1st Source Bank

Sean Surrisi

Plymouth City Attorney

Judy Stone

President, County Council

Kevin Overmyer

President, County Commissioners

What the Data Shows about Workforce Development The Moving Forward Survey and Quality of Life Survey included questions about workforce development and economic development. In the Moving Forward survey, residents were asked to rank the top two priorities for commercial and employment development. They ranked them as follows: 1. Workforce recruitment 2. Downtown center development 3. Small business incubators 4. Broadband connectivity 5. Retail corridor development With workforce recruitment and downtown center development, residents see a new for more workers and for the development of downtown areas in their communities.

In the Quality of Life Survey, residents were asked how satisfied they are with the economic and employment opportunities. The Satisfaction scale rankings are: • 1 (Very Unsatisfied) • 2 (Unsatisfied) • 3 (Neutral) • 4 (Satisfied) • 5 (Very Satisfied)

All of the scores fall between unsatisfied and neutral. The results show that residents are not generally satisfied or very satisfied with any of the of these economic areas.

Stakeholder Workshops included discussions about workforce development and economic development.

Ideas from the stakeholder workshop include: • • • • • • • • • • • •

Bring new types of businesses/entrepreneurs to Marshall County.

Develop new incentive programs to bring businesses to Marshall County.

Marketing our lifestyle (lakes, parks, quality of life).

Work with companies to better educate students about career opportunities and job placement.

Bring companies that pay more competitive wages.

Create more affordable housing.

Develop a trade skills program to provide an alternative to college.

Invest more in educational programming to encourage tech, entrepreneurship, and so on.

Create a mentoring program.

Introduce more microloan and startup loan programs.

Establish an internship program to place young people in companies before they graduate high school.

Work with the schools and businesses to develop a career coaching program.

The Youth Workshop also included ideas, such as: • Develop ways to expose youth to careers.

• Designate time in school for college applications and job applications/career days.

• Increase programs to help students job shadow, intern, and so on.

• Create field trips related to career development.

• Create a career club in the schools.

• Connect us to communities and jobs in those communities.

• Create a vocational center or program.

• Help students better prepare (resumes, interviews, and so on).

63

The following indicates the scores: • Entrepreneurial opportunity and small business support: 2.8 • Availability of job trainings or skills trainings: 2.5 • Availability of living-wage paying jobs with benefits: 2.55 • Diverse employment opportunities: 2.5

Workforce Development Worksheet

The following worksheet outlines the goals, objectives, champions, priorities, and timeline for the Workforce Development Committee.

Goal

Develop a Resource Partnership Network consisting of 20 knowledgeable, connected individuals

Strategies

• •

Establish and organize bi-monthly meetings to address workforce issues.

Develop skills training resources from these meetings.

• • • • • • • • • • •

• Develop Available Job Portal for Veterans offering 100 positions available.

• • •

• Develop skills training programs available on a monthly basis for today’s workforce environment based upon WFD Questionnaire.

Develop student training programs for tomorrow’s workforce environment.

Develop WFD legislation.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

• • • •

• •

• •

Develop a Marshall County Workforce recruitment website with a military personnel focus.

Allow job seekers to upload resumes.

Allow local employers to post jobs.

Market website availability to 2 bases: Great Lakes and Fort Hays.

Utilizing resources from the RPN, develop training program for adults.

Establish a monthly series of continuing education opportunities.

Develop Leadership & Supervisor training sessions.

Maintain Millwright training sessions.

Implement PLC training.

Partner to develop programs that develop soft skills, career-readiness skills, and certification skills for youth cohorts.

Promote Apprenticeship Programs.

Utilize BEAR program to assess skills gaps.

Develop Skill Training Pilot project.

• • • • •

• • • • •

Champions & Partners

MCEDC Public Schools WorkOne Employment Agencies Ancilla Ivy Tech Elkhart Career Center ITAMCO/PHS Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning Society of Human Resource Professionals State and Federal legislative representatives Marshall County Commissioners MCEDC Society of Human Resource Professionals Dept. of Defense Marshall County Employers

MCEDC Resource Partnership Network Ancilla WorkOne Ivy Tech

Priority

Time

High

2020

High 90% Done

2020-2022

High

Done

2020-2023 and ongoing

Ongoing Ongoing

• • • • •

• • • •

Promise Indiana Marshall County Career Coalition Made in Marshall County Manufacturing Day Adopt a Grade MCEDC State and Federal Legislative Representatives Local Elected Officials Marshall County Employers

High Done Done Done

High

2020-2023 and ongoing

2020

65

Quality Of Life Pillars

Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity generally refers to those characteristics and traits that make people unique. Inclusion generally refers to the behaviors and social norms that make people feel welcome.

The Diversity and Inclusion Committee’s Mission

The Diversity and Inclusion pillar of the Quality of Life Plan emphasizes the goal of engaging with the diverse culture of Marshall County. Its overall goal is to: Serve as a curated collaboration of leaders from diverse faith-based, socioeconomic, language, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds from across Marshall County, strategically engaging with women, minority communities, and LBGQT people to create high-quality hometowns.

The Diversity and Inclusion Committee

The Diversity and Inclusion Committee is seeking to add membership to its committee, which is currently made up of representatives from La Paloma Welcome Center, a faith-based organization, the private sector, and the nonprofit sector.

5 Individuals.

1 Committee.

Angie Rupchock-Schafer (Committee Chair) Director of Communications for Marshall County Community Foundation

Ibrahim Fetuga

Assistant Director, Admissions Outreach and Visitor Services

Rev. Fernando Jimenez

Minister for the Bremen Catholic Church

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Edgar Quiroz

Latino Fest organizer

Norma Rodriguez

Bilingual Family Services Coordinator of La Paloma Welcome Center

What the Data Shows about Diversity in Marshall County The Moving Forward Survey conducted in 2019, Marshall County residents ranked a list of goal statements. Following are the three statements that ranked the highest in that survey: • #1: Enhance parks and recreation areas.

• #2: Enhance the character of my community.

• #3: Enhance the downtowns.

This shows that Marshall County residents value their communities’ history and culture.

In the Quality of Life Survey also confirms that residents would like to be more satisfied than they are with giving everyone the opportunity to participate in quality of life initiatives. When ranking their satisfaction with the opportunity for everyone to participate in the County’s quality of life, residents in the County scored satisfaction at a 3.5 out of 5. The Satisfaction scale rankings are: • 1 (Very Unsatisfied) • 2 (Unsatisfied) • 3 (Neutral) • 4 (Satisfied) • 5 (Very Satisfied)

67

Though a 3.5 ranking nears general satisfaction, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee recognizes that there is room for improvement.

Youth also ranked their satisfaction with diversity in their hometown. When asked how satisfied they were with their hometowns being a diverse and accepting place to call home, only 2 of the respondents reported they were “very satisfied.” Following are the other results:

Though a strong number are satisfied with diversity in their hometowns, 21 report being neutral on the question. It is possible that these respondents aren’t sure what diversity is or what to think about it. It is interesting to note that during the Youth Idea Workshop, several youth commented on sticky notes that they didn’t think their school had enough diversity and many suggested ideas for creating a more accepted and diverse culture.

Stakeholder and youth engagement idea workshops also reveal a strong interest in developing

diversity and inclusion projects and initiatives in Marshall County. Some of the common ideas generated at the stakeholder workshop include: • Fund Latino entrepreneurs by using the Latino Festival as a fundraiser.

• Create leadership programs that target people with diverse backgrounds, including entrepreneurs.

• Create cultural competency programs.

• Expand marketing materials that speak to the Latino/Hispanic cultures.

• Create a non-profit organization that can help facilitate educational opportunities, policy training, and civic dinners.

• Ensure diverse representation in pictures, print, social media, and so on.

• Add performing art, programming, and cultural event opportunities to showcase different cultural forms of art.

• Engage low-income families and more diverse populations into decision making and planning efforts.

These populations should be represented through process.

• Connect seniors and youth.

• Engage the Amish community in planning and decision making.

• Provide language training in Spanish-to-English and English-to-Spanish.

• Use the arts to bridge the gap between cultures, as the arts are inclusive.

• Encourage and provide diversity training across all job sectors.

• Ensure buildings and public spaces are inclusive and send a message of inclusiveness.

• Encourage and create more ethnic events to promote inclusiveness and community awareness.

• Provide incentives for female-owned businesses and minority-owned businesses.

Diversity and Inclusion Worksheet

The following worksheet outlines the goals, objectives, champions, priorities, and timeline for the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Goal

Champions & Partners

Strategies

Priority

Time

Connect with community members representing an array of ages, ethnicities, cultures, careers, interests, and backgrounds.

Engage with community members to allow for thoughtful decision making, planning, and results— all based on inclusion and transparency.

Farmer’s Markets Festivals Cultural and social groups Chambers of Commerce MC Tourism Crowd-gathering events Main Streets

High

Annually May-Sep

Engage with Marshall County high school students in round table sessions.

Facilitate an annual student symposium.

Marshall County school systems Top 10 Seniors College-bound youth Career-bound youth

High

Annually in September

Improve public spaces through active engagement of residents, businesses, and visitors.

Engage the community through public surveys, pop up presentations, and open house style events to allow for collaborative decision-making in our communities.

• • • • • • •

Farmer’s Markets Festivals Cultural and social groups Chambers of Commerce MC Tourism Main Street organizations Elected officials

Medium

Ongoing May-Sep Public events

Assist with and support the formation of an Arts Council in Marshall County.

• •

Arts Council Elected officials

Medium

Ongoing

Encourage input from the Arts Council on public MARSHALL COUNTY projects and develop reliable QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

style events to allow for collaborative decision-making in our communities.

Goal

Strategies

• • • •

Chambers of Commerce MC Tourism Main Street organizations Elected officials & Champions

• •

Arts Council Elected officials

• • • • • • • • • • •

Priority

Time

Medium

Ongoing

Town Councils County Council City Council Elected officials OCRA INDOT MCCF Cultural and social groups Lilly Endowment USDA MCEDC

High

1 - 2 years

High

2 - 5 years

Medium

Ongoing as projects are completed, 1 - 4 years

Partners

Encourage input from the Arts Council on public projects and develop reliable funding sources for public arts.

Assist with and support the formation of an Arts Council in Marshall County.

Obtain additional funding for and commit local matches to all prioritized projects in the Marshall County Crossroads RDP.

Reserve committed local funds as matches for approved projects.

Construct quality-of-place projects that reflect the goals of Marshall County residents, using local and regional planning processes to guide project development.

Promote and program successful projects locally and regionally as they are completed.

Use experienced municipal staffs and professional consultants to construct projects.

• • • • •

Elected officials Municipal staffs Consultants Grant Administrator MACOG

Promote projects as Marshall County Crossroads Regional projects in press.

•

Indiana Office of Tourism Development Marshall County Tourism Visitor Centers Main Street organizations Marshall County Crossroads Marketing and Communications Committee Chambers of Commerce Elected officials Parks Departments

Research and implement best practices for funding public arts in small communities.

Use existing regional and local plans to seek additional funding opportunities with state agencies, local charitable organizations, and local industry on collaborative projects.

Invest in marketing completed quality-of-life projects to existing and potential residents and visitors.

Support funding for programming in new public art and recreational venues.

• • • •

• • •

69

visitors.

Public Engagement Public engagement activities create a platform for collaboration, problem solving, decision making, transparency, and inclusiveness. The Marshall County Crossroads team used multiple public engagement activities to mobilize citizens to get involved in creating the Marshall County Crossroads Regional Development Plan and this Quality of Life Plan. These engagement activities empowered citizens to get involved in defining quality of life in Marshall County and participating in improving quality of life in Marshall County. These activities also aided the Marshall County Crossroads as they defined the goals and objectives in this plan.

This section of the Quality of Life Plan presents the information and results obtained through the public engagement process. The Marshall County Crossroads Public Engagement Committee partnered with MACOG (Michiana Area Council of Governments), local organizations such as United Way, local communities, and Crossroads team members to implement surveys, community engagement events, community conversations, stakeholder meetings, and a youth engagement workshop. The Marshall County Crossroads Public Engagement Committee included the following members: Matt VanSoest Chair of Public Engagement Amber Cowell Allie Shook

Bremen Community Cares Main Street / Young Professional Network Culver Parks and Recreation Superintendent Plymouth Parks Recreation and Pool Director / Discover Plymouth Main Street

Jordan Fuller

Bourbon Main Street / Bourbon Food Truck Fridays

Zach Dripps

MACOG (Michiana Area Council of Governments)

Ginny Monroe (Chair of Leadership Capacity Building Committee) Linda Yoder (Co-Chair of Health and Wellness Committee

Troyer Group Consultant Executive Director of Marshall County Community Foundation (MCCF) / United Way

Cori Humes

Director of Marshall County Tourism

Tracy Fox (Co-Chair of Health and Wellness Committee)

Marshall County Health Department Board Member / President, Food, Nutrition & Policy Consultants, LLC

History of Public Engagement in Marshall County Marshall County communities have a history of collaboration and engagement through the Marshall County Economic Development for the Future meetings and through Regional Cities planning and implementation.

Following are engagement events that took place before the formation of the Marshall County Crossroads team: • In April 2017, MCEDC conducted a video survey that asked community leaders and residents to tell stories about their experience as residents in the county. This resulted in a Marshall County video that was created to attract new residents to Marshall County. Many of the towns have also created videos that highlight the strengths of each community. • In August 2017, MCEDC hosted a retreat with leadership from across the county and the towns to evaluate current conditions, to build awareness of the areas that need attention, and to work collectively to improve Marshall County as a whole. This retreat, coupled with Marshall County Economic Development for the Future meetings, has driven regional thinking, planning, and prioritizing.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

• From 2014 to 2018, with leadership from each of the towns, MCEDC conducted “BEAR” (Business Expansion and Retention) surveys with the major employers across the County. These surveys collected data that has set planning and priorities in motion. For example, from these surveys, county leaders and organizations have identified some of the challenges our businesses face, including workforce retention and attraction of new talent and housing availability.

• Each of the communities conducted public input meetings to create Comprehensive Plans and subsequent plans.

Marshall County Overview

Stellar Communities Public Survey

The Marshall County Crossroads Public Survey was meant to gather input from Marshall County residents

2018 Public Activities for the Stellar Engagement Communities Initative.

The survey asked residents what they believed to be the strengths

and weaknesses ofCounty their community, multiple and of open-ended questions, gain an In 2018, the Marshall Crossroadsusing teamboth formed withchoice the intent applying for a Stellar to Communities understanding on how they feel about their community. They were also asked what they would like to designation. Early in 2018, the team surveyed residents from across the county. Over 700 people responded. see done with the Stellar Communities Initiative.

Following are the results of the survey:

I live in Marshall County Because...

Issues Ranked by Importance

Residents were asked to select all that applied to why they live in Marshall County.

Residents were asked how important are the following 15 issues or problems on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being very important).

I feel safe It’s a great place to raise a family I like rural living

Legend Top Issues Middle Issues Lower Issues

I was raised here

Limited Access to High Paying Jobs

Close proximity to my family It's affordable to live here Low crime

Road Infrastructure

Excellent school system It's centrally located

Inadequate Supply of Housing Types

A job brought me here I like the variety of amenities

Drug Abuse

Availability of good paying jobs 0

100 200 300 Total Number of Reponses

400

Lack of Broadband High-Speed Internet

Areas of Investment to Focus on...

Declining School Enrollment

Residents were asked what three (3) of the following areas should the investments focus on.

Limited Population Growth

Attraction and retention of businesses

Lack of Higher Educational Attainment

Workforce attraction and retention Road infrastructure

Public Safety

Broadband/high speed internet Trails and sidewalks Drug prevention

Limited Availability of Trails & Sidewalks

Workforce housing Parks and recreation amenities

Low Property Values

Downtown façade improvements Performing arts and cultural amenities

Water & Wastewater Infrastructure

Workforce training/college preparedness Community gathering spaces

Lack of Childcare & PreKindergarten Services

Streetscape and lighting enhancements Crime reduction Water and wastewater infrastructure Community volunteer opportunities 0

100 200 300 Total Number of Reponses

400

Limited Availability of Parks & Recreation Amenities

71

Limited Jobs Employment Opportunities

It's a great place for all ages

2019 Public Engagement Activities In 2019, the Marshall County Crossroads team conducted numerous engagement activities to determine what residents of Marshall County think of quality of life. These engagement activities included a survey that was conducted online, at community events, and at special venues that targeted underrepresented populations. In addition, the team conducted a stakeholder workshop and a youth workshop to engage leaders and youth in a discussion of quality of life in Marshall County. This section describes each of these engagements and the results.

March 2019 Moving Forward Survey May 2019 Ball State Stakeholder Meeting June 8, 2019 Taste of Culver June 18, 2019 Bremen Fireman’s Festival June 22,2019 Argos Town Festival June 22, 2019 Plymouth Art Festival June 28, 2019 Bourbon Food Truck Friday June 26, 2019 Stakeholder Workshop August 1, 2019 LaPaz Council-Hosted Gathering August 7, 2019 Neighborhood Center August 15, 2019 Tippecanoe

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

August 27, 2019 Youth Engagement Workshop

Moving Forward Survey In spring of 2019, the Marshall County Crossroads Committee released another “Moving Forward� survey (online and paper) to kick off the new initiative to create a Quality of Life Plan. This survey would lead to a more detailed Quality of Life survey, which was displayed at each community engagement event and at the stakeholder and youth workshops.

The Moving Forward Survey asked residents of Marshall County to rank priorities and goals for the outcomes of Stellar, and gathered feedback from residents on what projects they want to see in each project category.

This survey helped understand the areas that Marshall County residents want to see a focus on and specifically what projects they see as most beneficial to their communities.

The Moving Forward Survey asked the following questions:

What are three qualities that make a community a desirable place to live?

Rank your priority of the following goal statements.

6. Enhance parks and recreation areas.

7. Increase the mix of housing options.

8. Enhance the tax base of my municipality.

9. Preserve farmland.

10. Improve Community health and wellness.

As Marshall County moves forward on Stellar Communities, which types of projects do you feel would most improve the quality of life in our communities?

Select the top two project types in each of the following categories Housing 1. Single-Family Homes 2. Townhomes and/or Condominiums 3. Apartments 4. Senior-Living Units 5. Redevelopment & Repairs of Existing Neighborhoods Biking & Walking 1. Regional Trail Connections 2. Multi-use Trails within your Community 3. Signed Bike Routes 4. Bike Lanes 5. Sidewalks Assets and Amenities 1. Parks and Playgrounds 2. Access to Rivers and/or Lakes 3. Enhancement of Public Spaces 4. Community Centers 5. Recreation and Sporting Areas

Arts & Culture 1. Historic Preservation 2. Art (Murals, Sculptures, etc.) in Public Spaces 3. Community Festivals 4. Public Performance Venues 5. Gateway Signage Commercial/Employment Development 1. Retail Corridor Development 2. Downtown Center Development 3. Workforce Recruitment 4. Broadband Connectivity 5. Small Business Incubators

73

1. Enhance the downtowns.

2. Increase school enrollment.

3. Enhance the character of my community.

4. Improve the public spaces with art.

5. Increase biking and walking connectivity.

Participants were asked to rank their priority of the following goal statements. Averages of the rankings indicate the overall priority in the County.

1

2

3

Enhance Parks & Recreation Areas

Showcase the Community Character

Revitalize the Downtown Spaces

4

5

6

7

Improve Health & Wellness

Increase Pedestrian Connectivity

Diversify Housing Options

Raise School Enrollment

8

9

10

Expand the Tax Base of Municipalities

Preserve Existing Farmland

Revamp Public Spaces with Art

Marshall County Moving Forward with Stellar survey asked respondents to vote on which types of projects would most improve the quality of life in their community. Below are the responses within each of the five categories. The highest ranked responses are listed at the top of the lists, while the lowest ranked responses are listed at the bottom.

Biking & Walking

Arts & Culture

Multi-use Trails within Communities Sidewalk Improvements & Additions Regional Trail Connections Implementation of Bike Lanes Signed Bike Routes

More Community Festivals Historic Preservation Public Performance Venues Art in Public Spaces Gateway Signage

Assets & Amenities Parks & Playground Improvements Enhancement of Public Spaces Sidewalk Improvements & Additions Access to Rivers and Lakes Community Centers

Housing Redevelopment & Repairs of Existing Neighborhoods Single-Family Housing Apartments Townhomes/Condominiums Senior Living Units MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Commercial/Employment Development Workforce Recruitment Downtown Center Development Small Business Incubators Broadband Connectivity Retail Corridor Development

Ball State Stakeholder Meeting On May 2, Ball State hosted a meeting with the Marshall County stakeholders. During the workshop, participants were asked to answer questions related to their communities and the County. These questions are as follows: 1. What is one word that comes to mind to describe your community?

2. What is one word that comes to mind to describe the other communities in Marshall County?

3. Describe in a few words a game changer for each community and the county.

Each topic prompted discussion at the tables, which were presented among the larger group. Ball State sent the results of these presentations to the Marshall County Crossroads team. Following are the results.

What is one word or image that comes to mind to describe your community?

Crossroads Connected/Togetherness Lakes Friendly/Family-oriented Rural/Agriculture Collaborating Potential/Poised for Growth

9 8 5 4 4 75

3 3

Other words or images that were discussed but not as frequently addressed include Blueberry Festival, Court House, Home, Progressive, Quality of Life, Awesome, Changing, Corn Fields, Diverse, Farmland USA, Lagging other Communities, Leadership, Natural Resources, Optimistic, Quiet, Safe, Tight Knit, and Variety.

What is one word or image that would be a game change for your community?

Connectivity(trails) Better Paying Jobs Marketing/Re-branding New Business/Technology Affordable Housing Diversity Quality of Life Stellar Arts Integration

11 7 5 4 2 2 2 2 2

Other words or images that were discussed but not as frequently addressed include Lifestyles, Workforce, Road Improvements, Destinations, Broadband, Trade School, High-speed Rail Connection, Transportation Development, Children’s Museum, Regional Sewer District, Solution to Food Insecurities, and Regeneration.

Community Events Throughout the summer of 2019, the Marshall County Crossroads Public Engagement Committee conducted feedback sessions in each of the communities and at specific sites that targeted underrepresented populations.

At these events, residents were asked to rank county-wide priorities by choosing the three initiatives they thought the team should prioritize. In addition, the Crossroads team presented a Quality of Life survey to ask residents what they thought about quality of life in Marshall County.

Residents were also asked to complete a Wow/Now exercise in which people wrote down a “wow” idea and what might “now” be preventing that idea from happening.

Engagement at these events also included an activity for kids who were asked to draw or write about their favorite thing about their hometown. This section shows the results of these engagement activities.

The following public engagement results are a compilation of feedback gathered at the various towns’ festivals and outreach opportunities. Residents provided feedback on county-wide priority areas by ranking their top three project areas. The pie charts indicate which areas were voted as high priority within each community.

Results varied across Marshall County, showing that each community has differing priorities and desired outcomes from Stellar. The participants in Plymouth are more concerned with regional trails and education/skills training, while participants in Bremen are more concerned with highspeed Internet connection. The survey participants at the Neighborhood Center, a nonprofit organization that assists families and residents in need within Marshall County, had very different results from the rest of the County, indicating a much higher concern for drug treatment programs.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

Community Priority Rankings

NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER

Workforce Recruitment Regional Trail System Education & Skills Training Main Street Initiatives Arts Housing High-Speed Internet Drug Treatment Health & Wellness

ARGOS

BREMEN

PLYMOUTH

CULVER

BOURBON

LAPAZ

Quality of Life Survey Residents of Marshall County were asked to describe their level of satisfaction in varying subjects related to their quality of life.

The following results show the averages of the residents’ responses, with lower scores indicating less satisfaction in that area and higher scores indicating more satisfaction.

How satisfied are you with Quality of Life in Marshall County?

Satisfaction with public or private schools & education institutions Availability of community service & neighborhood support when needed Availability of outdoor recreational spaces,parks, trails, and gyms Opportunity for everyone to participate in the community’s quality of life Availability of quality day care, after-school programs, & recreational programs for kids

77

Availability of musical/theater performances, art galleries/shows, local art venues, etc.

Availability of high-speed Internet connections Diverse & affordable housing options 1.00 Very Unsatisfied

2.00 Unsatisfied

3.00 Neutral

4.00 Satisfied

How satisfied are you with the following healthcare issues?

Access to doctors & services Educational programs & opportunities for recreational & physical activities/fitness Number of health care options in your community & costs Educational programs on Diabetes/blood pressure education Educational programs on nutrition eduction & healthy eating Access to mental health services (mental illness, drug addiction, suicide prevention) 1.00 Very Unsatisfied

2.00 Unsatisfied

3.00 Neutral

4.00 Satisfied

How satisfied are you with the following economic & employment opportunities?

Entrepreneurial opportunity & smallbusiness support Availability of job trainings or skills trainings Availability of living-wage paying jobs with benefits Diverse employment opportunities 1.00 Very Unsatisfied

2.00 Unsatisfied

3.00 Neutral

4.00 Satisfied

How satisfied are you with the following elderly services and care issues?

Access to faith-based service & other support groups Access to social activities & services Quality housing options, (garden courts, assisted living, retirement, etc.)

Availability of quality transportation options

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

1.00 Very Unsatisfied

2.00 Unsatisfied

3.00 Neutral

4.00 Satisfied

Youth Workshop

On August 27, over 80 students from across the County gathered to discuss several topics related to their quality of life. Students also took a survey to answer questions about quality of life in Marshall County and about their plans for the future. Following are the results of the survey.

Ve r

yU

30

25

25

20

20

15

15

10

10

5

5

0

0

Ve ry

Un

ur e

sa tis fie d Un sa tis fie d Ne ut ra l Sa tis fie Ve d ry Sa tis fie d No tS ur e

30

sa tis fie d Un sa tis fie d Ne ut ra l Sa tis fie Ve d ry Sa tis fie d No tS ur e

35

Un

79

tS

Currently, how satisfied are you with your hometown in terms of being a fun place to live, work, or play?

35

Ve ry

No

ns

at is

tS

No

fie d at is

yS

Ve r

Sa tis

ut Ne

sa tis

Un

at is ns yU Ve r

Currently, how satisfied are you with the availability of art galleries/shows, local art venues, places for musical/theatrical performances?

fie d

0 at is

0

fie d

5

yS

5

Ve r

10

Sa tis

10

ra l

15

ut

15

Ne

20

sa tis

20

fie d

25

ur e

25

fie d

30

ra l

30

fie d

35

fie d

35

fie d

Currently, how satisfied are you with your hometown being diverse and accepting place to call home?

Un

Currently, how satisfied are you with the availability of outdoor recreational spaces, parks, trails, and gyms?

Currently, how satisfied are you with your educational experience (school), after-school programs, and recreational programs?

Currently, after high school, I see myself attending/doing. . .

45

60

40

55 50

35

45

30

40

25

35 30

20

25

15

20

10

15 10

5

5

0

ng yE

se

b ne

of

Th e

Jo No

Se Arm rv e ice d s

ho h No

Ve r QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

ld

re su Un

ay b M

MARSHALL COUNTY

IW ou

0

ut

0

oy

5

nj

5

No ,B

10

on ’t E

10

No ,D

15

ity

15

tu n

20

po r

20

Op

25

tO

25

No

30

ag ed

30

e

35

fte n

Currently, I am active in my hometown through volunteer activites, service to others, or through organizations such as a club.

35

No

Sc

Co l

Te c

Currently, do you see yourself in Marshall County for the long term, whether you leave temporarily for college or a job?

Ye s

ol

e leg

ur e tS

No

at is

fie d

fie d Ve r

yS

Sa tis

Ne

ut

ra l

fie d sa tis

Un

Ve r

yU

ns

at is

fie d

0

sta

:V isu

al,

Re

il, ta Re

rin tu ac

r

81

ur an ts,

or

In

or

s, L es sin Bu

uf an M

Ar ts

re su Un

nk Th a No

he

0

Ot

0

l

5 ica

5

us

10

ce ,M

10

an

15

en t

15

m

20

nm

20

fo r

25

Pe r

25

Go ve r

30

ris

30

To u

35

ial

35

str

40

aw Pro , M fe g, ed ssi Fa ica on ct l, e al or ct y, .

40

s

45

Ye s

45

m

Currently, after high school, I see myself attending/doing. . .

du

Currently, I would be excited to play a role in the planning for the high qualtiy-of-life projects discussed at today’s conference.

Community Conversations: Health and Wellness, Education and Skills, and Arts and Culture Community conversations and stakeholder meetings with the Lilly Gift VII Stakeholders and three Marshall County Crossroads Committees were held on July 17th and 18th to take a deeper dive to determine goals, strategies, and projects for the Health and Wellness, Education and Skills, and Arts and Culture committees.

This work was done in partnership with Marshall County Community Foundation, which is implementing a leadership planning grant with Lilly Gift VII.

MARSHALL COUNTY QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN