SEAGO Regional Strategy

1. SEAGO, the past:

As the member survey clearly demonstrates, the Economic Development Department at SEAGO has not functioned well or properly supported the Region.

Other SEAGO departments have, however, provided superior service and support to those in need throughout the SEAGO Region. In particular, the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) has consistently provided much needed services. The SEAGO CDBG program has channeled millions of dollars of much needed funding into virtually every corner of the region providing infrastructure, rehabilitation and new bricks and mortar construction money into seriously economically depressed areas.

For many years the SEAGO Housing Department has been at the forefront of assisting SEAGO residents with home buyer assistance, counseling, emergency rental funding, foreclosure assistance and dozens of services that have innumerable families and individuals.

Our SEAGO Transportation Department has earned consistently high marks for service delivery, project supervision, grant oversight and sorely bended infrastructure enhancements.

Newly created, the SEAGO Pathways out of Poverty program has helped pay for training, and for many, to obtain crucial certifications that will forever change and improve the lives of program participants.

Environmentally conscious and ever-vigilant, the 208 Area-wide Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) provides fresh environmental study information and environmental planning operations year in and year out. The newest 208 WQMP (April, 2011) is now in the hands of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).

2. SEAGO, the present:

With tremendous support and expertise provided from the research team at Cochise College Center for Economic Research (CER).

Most of the Regional analysis found in Section III including: Current situation and trends; Employment by Industry; Employment and Unemployment; Average wage per job; Per capita personal income; Median Family Income; Tourism, Tourist attractions; Regional Housing; Regional population statistics; Regional Educational facilities overview; Trade and Commerce; Industry and Sales; Retail sales and the significant analysis of the economic impact of border trade with Mexico were all provided by the CER.

a. Where SEAGO is today?

As documented by the CER, the SEAGO Region finds itself in the confluence of dwindling population figures stemming from unemployed and under-employed residents leaving in search of a better economy. Yet, the SEAGO Region also remains vital, with mining, military and manufacturing operations yielding prospects for sustainable stabilization and even expansion.

3. SEAGO, the future:

The broad-based support for the final phases in the production of the SEAGO CEDS is indicative of the sense of urgency cities, towns and counties are feeling. The theme of leveraging and pooling resources is beginning to advance throughout the region.

Improved communication streams, including the newly created SEAGO News and Digest monthly newsletter (incepted January, 2011), an online Five Year Regional Calendar of Events, plus periodic emails informing member entities of site selector opportunities, favorable chances to improve job creation, and overall heightened awareness of products, goods, services, meetings, training and networking sessions that continue to add value to all member entities day-to-day operations.

The sense of support, the enhanced meaning of having a „go to‟ department for challenges to economic stability has been recognized and discussed region-wide.

a. How does SEAGO plan to move the Region forward?

Through technology, by using a multi-media approach towards self promotion and self advancement, by being attentive to the needs and requests of member entities, providing a continuous stream of valuable content including grant and funding sources, offering training and technical support, partnering with Tourism and Transportation, while keeping a keen eye on the horizon of economic targets and benefits being employed by the State to attract and expand core industries and segments of our economy.