On January 15, 2021 the EMCOG Council authorized the Regional Economic Development Team (RED Team) and staff to finalize and submit the 2021-2025 CEDS to EDA Chicago. The RED Team convened immediately after the Council meeting to finalize and approve the CEDS.
Approval of the 2021-2025 CEDS is the result of a year long process which began in January of 2020. TIP Strategies, Inc. assisted in the development of the CEDS document with support from EMCOG for both the development as well as facilitation of the stakeholder/public participation. Attendance at 35 public CEDS development meetings from January of 2020 to January of 2021 totaled over 350 participants. Due to the pandemic, these meetings switched to a virtual format beginning in March of 2020.
The proposed CEDS was posted on the EMCOG website in early December with notification sent out to approximately 270 contacts to invite public comment. Some of the comments resulted in recommended changes to the CEDS document which staff brought before both Council and the RED Team for consideration. With the support of both Council and the RED Team, these changes were incorporated into the final approved CEDS.
Following approval of the new CEDS on January 15th, EMCOG and the RED Team hosted an implementation workshop with breakout groups consistent with the five focus areas of the CEDS: Infrastructure, Workforce, Innovation, Place-making, and Economic Development. The results of this workshop will begin to fill out the CEDS Implementation Matrix by identifying those actions that can be started within the first 60 days along with the implementation partners. CEDS Implementation will be a standing agenda item for the RED Team beginning at their next meeting on March 5th. All meetings are open to the public.
Download the EMCOG New 5-Year CEDS Document
For information on the CEDS please contact Jane Fitzpatrick at jfitpatrick@emcog.org