As the Mayor’s Economic Development Taskforce continues seeking out new business ideas and strategies to improve Turlock’s economic recovery, the 25 member board will meet on Tuesday afternoon, bringing forth diverse areas of expertise to help create an economic plan for the city.

On Tuesday, the board will work alongside students from California State University, Stanislaus who are working to develop a strategic plan as part of a class project. Members of the board have looked to partnering with the university to develop ventures that are mutually beneficial to both the business community and CSU Stanislaus. During the last meeting, the Business Retention and Expansion subgroup reported that Professor Nancy Burroughs, chair of the Communication Studies Department at CSU Stanislaus, had been invited to assist the group with social media tasks.

Additionally, the board will continue reviewing the 2003 Economic Development Strategic Plan, as they persistently seek ways to build upon existing strategies. As Maryn Pitt, assistant to the City Manager for Economic Development and Housing, has noted in previous meetings, many of the goals that were included in the 2003 plan have since been achieved by the city, including the strides that have been made in Turlock’s Regional Industrial Park.  Highlights of the industrial park include the opening of the Blue Diamond facility, as well as the recent announcement of a new multi-million dollar powder milk processing plant by the Hilmar Cheese Company.

During the meeting, Turlock Planning Commission member Alice Pollard is scheduled to discuss a countywide vocational education project, as the board has recognized a lack in skilled workers within the community. To help make Turlock more competitive for new businesses, the board has committed itself to finding new ways to help train Turlock’s unskilled workforce, including the development of an ongoing partnership with the Stanislaus Workforce Alliance.

As per usual, the subgroups of the taskforce – Business Retention and Expansion, Business Attraction, and Marketing – will breakout into individual group sessions, creating new goals and strategy worksheets that focus on identifying any objectives that were not achieved as part of the 2003 Economic Development Strategic Plan – a project that was undertaken by the City and Stanislaus Alliance.

The Mayor’s Economic Development Taskforce will meet at 4 p.m. on Tuesday at City Hall, located at 156 S. Broadway.