Flathead CEDS

Montana West Economic Development Corporation and Flathead County Economic Development Authority are conducting this survey to gather feedback for development of a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for Flathead County. Community input is important to the process and we greatly appreciate your time in taking this survey.

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* 1. Please select the industry sector that most closely matches your work focus.

Agriculture/Forestry

Government/Non-Profit/Economic Development

Wholesale/Transportation

Finance/Real Estate/Insurance

Health Care

Construction

Manufacturing

Retail/Accommodations/Food Service

Professional/Administrative/Management

Education

Arts/Entertainment/Recreation

Other (please specify)

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* 2. What is the location of you business or place of employment?

Kalispell

Whitefish

Columbia Falls

Big Fork

Evergreen

Lakeside/Somers

Other

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* 3. Workforce Development. Please rank the priorities for the following strategies.

	Very High Priority	High Priority	Medium Priority	Low Priority
1. Expand opportunities for students to engage in learning with local businesses. (e.g. internships and apprenticeship).	1. Expand opportunities for students to engage in learning with local businesses. (e.g. internships and apprenticeship). Very High Priority	1. Expand opportunities for students to engage in learning with local businesses. (e.g. internships and apprenticeship). High Priority	1. Expand opportunities for students to engage in learning with local businesses. (e.g. internships and apprenticeship). Medium Priority	1. Expand opportunities for students to engage in learning with local businesses. (e.g. internships and apprenticeship). Low Priority
2. Provide necessary resources and practical support to increase the rate of attainment of high school and college graduation of our local workforce. (Regional competitiveness increases with a skilled workforce and higher wage jobs follow.)	2. Provide necessary resources and practical support to increase the rate of attainment of high school and college graduation of our local workforce. (Regional competitiveness increases with a skilled workforce and higher wage jobs follow.) Very High Priority	2. Provide necessary resources and practical support to increase the rate of attainment of high school and college graduation of our local workforce. (Regional competitiveness increases with a skilled workforce and higher wage jobs follow.) High Priority	2. Provide necessary resources and practical support to increase the rate of attainment of high school and college graduation of our local workforce. (Regional competitiveness increases with a skilled workforce and higher wage jobs follow.) Medium Priority	2. Provide necessary resources and practical support to increase the rate of attainment of high school and college graduation of our local workforce. (Regional competitiveness increases with a skilled workforce and higher wage jobs follow.) Low Priority
3. Help employers to access finances and resources to develop their existing workforce.	3. Help employers to access finances and resources to develop their existing workforce. Very High Priority	3. Help employers to access finances and resources to develop their existing workforce. High Priority	3. Help employers to access finances and resources to develop their existing workforce. Medium Priority	3. Help employers to access finances and resources to develop their existing workforce. Low Priority
4. Educate employers/supervisors on diverse recruitment strategies.	4. Educate employers/supervisors on diverse recruitment strategies. Very High Priority	4. Educate employers/supervisors on diverse recruitment strategies. High Priority	4. Educate employers/supervisors on diverse recruitment strategies. Medium Priority	4. Educate employers/supervisors on diverse recruitment strategies. Low Priority
5. Investigate creative ways to improve productivity of the current workforce.	5. Investigate creative ways to improve productivity of the current workforce. Very High Priority	5. Investigate creative ways to improve productivity of the current workforce. High Priority	5. Investigate creative ways to improve productivity of the current workforce. Medium Priority	5. Investigate creative ways to improve productivity of the current workforce. Low Priority

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* 4. Capital & Investments. Please rank the priorities for the following strategies.

	Very High Priority	High Priority	Medium Priority	Low Priority
1. Provide access to non-traditional capital to supplement lending and investor activity.	1. Provide access to non-traditional capital to supplement lending and investor activity. Very High Priority	1. Provide access to non-traditional capital to supplement lending and investor activity. High Priority	1. Provide access to non-traditional capital to supplement lending and investor activity. Medium Priority	1. Provide access to non-traditional capital to supplement lending and investor activity. Low Priority
2. Increase and efficiently administer existing resources to support new and expanding business.	2. Increase and efficiently administer existing resources to support new and expanding business. Very High Priority	2. Increase and efficiently administer existing resources to support new and expanding business. High Priority	2. Increase and efficiently administer existing resources to support new and expanding business. Medium Priority	2. Increase and efficiently administer existing resources to support new and expanding business. Low Priority
3. Help protect and build upon our region's unique natural and cultural attractions in order to draw well-suited businesses and workers.	3. Help protect and build upon our region's unique natural and cultural attractions in order to draw well-suited businesses and workers. Very High Priority	3. Help protect and build upon our region's unique natural and cultural attractions in order to draw well-suited businesses and workers. High Priority	3. Help protect and build upon our region's unique natural and cultural attractions in order to draw well-suited businesses and workers. Medium Priority	3. Help protect and build upon our region's unique natural and cultural attractions in order to draw well-suited businesses and workers. Low Priority
4. Support improvements in road quality and rail and air availability to lower cost of travel and transport of goods.	4. Support improvements in road quality and rail and air availability to lower cost of travel and transport of goods. Very High Priority	4. Support improvements in road quality and rail and air availability to lower cost of travel and transport of goods. High Priority	4. Support improvements in road quality and rail and air availability to lower cost of travel and transport of goods. Medium Priority	4. Support improvements in road quality and rail and air availability to lower cost of travel and transport of goods. Low Priority
5. Support improvements to water/sewer infrastructure.	5. Support improvements to water/sewer infrastructure. Very High Priority	5. Support improvements to water/sewer infrastructure. High Priority	5. Support improvements to water/sewer infrastructure. Medium Priority	5. Support improvements to water/sewer infrastructure. Low Priority
6. Invest in existing local industrial sites to attract 21st century businesses that create well-paid jobs and increase and diversify the tax base.	6. Invest in existing local industrial sites to attract 21st century businesses that create well-paid jobs and increase and diversify the tax base. Very High Priority	6. Invest in existing local industrial sites to attract 21st century businesses that create well-paid jobs and increase and diversify the tax base. High Priority	6. Invest in existing local industrial sites to attract 21st century businesses that create well-paid jobs and increase and diversify the tax base. Medium Priority	6. Invest in existing local industrial sites to attract 21st century businesses that create well-paid jobs and increase and diversify the tax base. Low Priority

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* 5. Tourism Development. Please rank the priorities for the following strategies

	Very High Priority	High Priority	Medium Priority	Low Priority
1. Support tourism by creating a large public assembly and convention hall, since venues in the county are limited due to size and condition.	1. Support tourism by creating a large public assembly and convention hall, since venues in the county are limited due to size and condition. Very High Priority	1. Support tourism by creating a large public assembly and convention hall, since venues in the county are limited due to size and condition. High Priority	1. Support tourism by creating a large public assembly and convention hall, since venues in the county are limited due to size and condition. Medium Priority	1. Support tourism by creating a large public assembly and convention hall, since venues in the county are limited due to size and condition. Low Priority
2. Promote the area as a destination for year round leisure travel, meeting and convention opportunities.	2. Promote the area as a destination for year round leisure travel, meeting and convention opportunities. Very High Priority	2. Promote the area as a destination for year round leisure travel, meeting and convention opportunities. High Priority	2. Promote the area as a destination for year round leisure travel, meeting and convention opportunities. Medium Priority	2. Promote the area as a destination for year round leisure travel, meeting and convention opportunities. Low Priority
3. Enhance the County Fairgrounds as an asset to the county, communities and to business.	3. Enhance the County Fairgrounds as an asset to the county, communities and to business. Very High Priority	3. Enhance the County Fairgrounds as an asset to the county, communities and to business. High Priority	3. Enhance the County Fairgrounds as an asset to the county, communities and to business. Medium Priority	3. Enhance the County Fairgrounds as an asset to the county, communities and to business. Low Priority

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* 6. Entrepreneurship. Please rank the priorities for the following strategies

	Very High Priority	High Priority	Medium Priority	Low Priority
1. Determine which business development and growth activities are missing or are burdensome, and determine how they can be supplied or mitigated.	1. Determine which business development and growth activities are missing or are burdensome, and determine how they can be supplied or mitigated. Very High Priority	1. Determine which business development and growth activities are missing or are burdensome, and determine how they can be supplied or mitigated. High Priority	1. Determine which business development and growth activities are missing or are burdensome, and determine how they can be supplied or mitigated. Medium Priority	1. Determine which business development and growth activities are missing or are burdensome, and determine how they can be supplied or mitigated. Low Priority
2. Create a Centralize Hub dedicated to informing, educating and assisting entrepreneurs and businesses.	2. Create a Centralize Hub dedicated to informing, educating and assisting entrepreneurs and businesses. Very High Priority	2. Create a Centralize Hub dedicated to informing, educating and assisting entrepreneurs and businesses. High Priority	2. Create a Centralize Hub dedicated to informing, educating and assisting entrepreneurs and businesses. Medium Priority	2. Create a Centralize Hub dedicated to informing, educating and assisting entrepreneurs and businesses. Low Priority
3. Identify and mobilize experienced, successful and skilled professionals to provide mentoring and business counseling services.	3. Identify and mobilize experienced, successful and skilled professionals to provide mentoring and business counseling services. Very High Priority	3. Identify and mobilize experienced, successful and skilled professionals to provide mentoring and business counseling services. High Priority	3. Identify and mobilize experienced, successful and skilled professionals to provide mentoring and business counseling services. Medium Priority	3. Identify and mobilize experienced, successful and skilled professionals to provide mentoring and business counseling services. Low Priority
4. Identify and/or provide services for quality market analyses for local entrepreneurs and businesses from a qualified university with market research experience.	4. Identify and/or provide services for quality market analyses for local entrepreneurs and businesses from a qualified university with market research experience. Very High Priority	4. Identify and/or provide services for quality market analyses for local entrepreneurs and businesses from a qualified university with market research experience. High Priority	4. Identify and/or provide services for quality market analyses for local entrepreneurs and businesses from a qualified university with market research experience. Medium Priority	4. Identify and/or provide services for quality market analyses for local entrepreneurs and businesses from a qualified university with market research experience. Low Priority

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* 7. Business Support - Please rank how you think economic development agencies should prioritize the following.

	Very High Priority	High Priority	Medium Priority	Low Priority
1. Seek creative options to increase the availability of larger buildings for manufacturing/warehousing specifications.	1. Seek creative options to increase the availability of larger buildings for manufacturing/warehousing specifications. Very High Priority	1. Seek creative options to increase the availability of larger buildings for manufacturing/warehousing specifications. High Priority	1. Seek creative options to increase the availability of larger buildings for manufacturing/warehousing specifications. Medium Priority	1. Seek creative options to increase the availability of larger buildings for manufacturing/warehousing specifications. Low Priority
2. Reduce energy costs for residents and business through conservation, efficiency and investments in the local energy supply.	2. Reduce energy costs for residents and business through conservation, efficiency and investments in the local energy supply. Very High Priority	2. Reduce energy costs for residents and business through conservation, efficiency and investments in the local energy supply. High Priority	2. Reduce energy costs for residents and business through conservation, efficiency and investments in the local energy supply. Medium Priority	2. Reduce energy costs for residents and business through conservation, efficiency and investments in the local energy supply. Low Priority
3. Support affordable and safe workforce housing options in partnership with community and business leaders in the valley. .	3. Support affordable and safe workforce housing options in partnership with community and business leaders in the valley. . Very High Priority	3. Support affordable and safe workforce housing options in partnership with community and business leaders in the valley. . High Priority	3. Support affordable and safe workforce housing options in partnership with community and business leaders in the valley. . Medium Priority	3. Support affordable and safe workforce housing options in partnership with community and business leaders in the valley. . Low Priority
4. Support improvements and availability of affordable and reliable high-speed broadband to enhance education, public safety, health care, business and government services.	4. Support improvements and availability of affordable and reliable high-speed broadband to enhance education, public safety, health care, business and government services. Very High Priority	4. Support improvements and availability of affordable and reliable high-speed broadband to enhance education, public safety, health care, business and government services. High Priority	4. Support improvements and availability of affordable and reliable high-speed broadband to enhance education, public safety, health care, business and government services. Medium Priority	4. Support improvements and availability of affordable and reliable high-speed broadband to enhance education, public safety, health care, business and government services. Low Priority
5. Support workable local options tax legislation that enable local governments to raise funds for specific local projects.	5. Support workable local options tax legislation that enable local governments to raise funds for specific local projects. Very High Priority	5. Support workable local options tax legislation that enable local governments to raise funds for specific local projects. High Priority	5. Support workable local options tax legislation that enable local governments to raise funds for specific local projects. Medium Priority	5. Support workable local options tax legislation that enable local governments to raise funds for specific local projects. Low Priority

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* 8. What unique strengths can Flathead County build on for economic development and growth?

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* 9. What weaknesses pose challenges to economic development in Flathead County?

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* 10. List other economic development strategies that you think would be successful in Flathead County?

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* 11. Please recommend the top 3-5 projects in your area in which the Flathead County Economic Development Authority should invest their time or funds to advance the goals of the CEDS.