Salem develops strategic plan for growth and development of city

By D.a. Wilkinson

SALEM — While the nation’s economy is reeling, Salem is poised to launch its economic development plan.

Daniel T. Moore, the president of the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce, said this week that Salem is in a good position to begin its economic drive.

Unlike communities that are seeing their economies collapsing that will take years to rebuild, Salem has come up with a plan Moore believes will work.

He wrote in the chamber’s newsletter that communities facing a downturn failed to plan.

“Salem is not one of those communities,” he wrote.

The Salem plan could help guide the city for 20 or more years.

The chamber worked on the study with the help of the Ohio State University’s Extension Service.

The study received about 4,000 comments along with other information and feedback. “This is just the start,” Moore said.

Audrey Null, the chamber’s executive director, said copies of the plan will be distributed in early March.

There will be a public meeting to review the plan, possibly at the Kent State City Center. Moore said Kent State officials, who are also trying to promote growth, had been a big help.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.