Salem has an upbeat outlook for future

By D.a. Wilkinson

The chamber of commerce’s development plan could help guide the city for the next 20 years — or more.

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 last 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 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.

Null said the planning took longer than expected.

“We thought it would take two to three years. It took four,” she said.

The chamber tried to get people and groups to work together during the city’s 2006 Bicentennial — and it worked.

Moore also said that the planning helped to get people talking about the community.

The chamber’s 2009 goals are:

UCapitalizing on Salem’s assets and infrastructure.

UHaving a long-term economic development plan.

UCreating a local economic development office. Null said a local company already has provided office space.

UEnsuring the plan is implemented and communicated to the public.

A development group active years ago has reformed as the Salem Area Industrial Development Corp. that became a nonprofit organization. It can be a conduit for legal issues or financing in development efforts.

It will work with the Sustainable Opportunity Development Center. Null said its logo reflects the grass roots of development.

Moore said, “We are way ahead of the game.”

wilkinson@vindy.com