Decatur–Morgan County, Alabama
Community Action Plan
The Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce has long been proactive in building a stronger community. Today's challenges are more intense and, in some ways, different than previous realities.
In 2009, Market Street developed a holistic approach for the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber that provided a logical process for addressing the challenges and opportunities facing the community, resulting in a One Vision - One Voice - One Morgan County Community Action Plan. Leading up to the Action Plan, Market Street conducted data analysis, stakeholder input and best practice research, which produced three deliverables:
• Economic and Demographic Profile
• Issue Analysis and Framing
• Best Practice Review
The Community Action Plan then identified six goals that built on the foundation of research and outreach completed during the first three phases:
Goal I: A Balanced Economy
Goal II: Diversity and New People
Goal III: Quality Education - Attainment and Availability
Goal IV: Keeping Our Best and Brightest
Goal V: Leadership - Dynamic, Visionary, and Communitywide
Goal VI: Healthcare - Quality and Access
The Community Action Plan is intended to serve as a tool to unify Decatur's public and private leadership behind a consensus blueprint for the community's future. The final plan, which is a living, constantly evolving document and endeavor, included benchmarks and activity measures for implementation.
Since the completion of the visioning process, the Chamber has begun implementation of programs and initiatives in all six goal areas. In 2010, the Chamber hosted a Political Training Institute for local candidates and the "Summer Symposium," a three-month professional development series, to engage young professionals with dynamic speakers and local business leaders.
In July 2011, the Chamber held its fifth annual Summer Welding and Electrical Technology (SweETy) camp for girls. SweETy camp is part of an ongoing effort of the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber, Calhoun Community College, and local businesses and industry to create greater workforce diversity within these fields. Another workforce development effort, the first annual Diversity Development Summit was held in September 2010, with attendance reaching several hundred at the 2011 event. The community has changed in recent years, becoming home to an increased number of international immigrants. The Chamber has emerged as a leading organization working to unify various stakeholder groups.
In addition, the first Early Childhood Education Summit was held in 2011, one of several events and programs being coordinated by the community's Workforce Development Coalition. Also in 2011, the Keeping Our Best & Brightest Committee of the Action Plan attended five university career fairs with one goal in mind - to recruit college graduates to Decatur-Morgan County. Through visits to UA-Huntsville, the University of Alabama, Auburn University, UNA and Jacksonville State University, volunteers from the committee personally spoke with more than 120 college students about living and working in Decatur-Morgan County.