Prowers Economic Prosperity Plans Puma Review

Three years ago, PUMA, Progressive Urban Management Associates, provided the PCDI board with suggestions and objectives on how to better develop a county-wide economic development organization. What followed was a change in direction and the creation of PEP, Prowers Economic Prosperity.  Now current board members are planning to re-evaluate the effectiveness of those suggestions during a future strategic planning meeting.

Eric Depperschidt, PEP Executive Director, told the Prowers County Commissioners this past Tuesday, August 28^th the meeting will probably be held at the beginning of the new year. “We’re bringing in a facilitator and we’ll review what has worked for us and what hasn’t.  The point of the review is to get an assessment of how well we’ve been working towards our goals over these past few years,” he explained, adding he’d welcome the commissioner’s attendance to the meeting.

Depperschmidt said the PEP facebook website has been expanded and now offers a page dedicated to county-wide job listings. “We’re posting information from all the cities and municipalities as well as schools and hospitals for their job searches and it will be linked to one local site for viewing,” he said.

The director said a partnership with the SBDC, Small Business Development Center under a $15,000 grant, will help pay for certification training to make Prowers County a certified small business community. This will allow Depperschmidt the ability to meet one on one with local entrepreneurs to help them formulate a business idea into a reality.  He’ll be working with Rachel Patrick, the region’s SBDC director for southeast Colorado.  The concept should help a business developer to wind their way through the intricacies of securing necessary state or local paperwork, loan application forms and so forth to create their own business.

Depperschmidt said there are several business developments that are taking shape in the area. “One venture intends to purchase a property later this year and break ground in the spring on a food processing operation which will employ 20 people,” he told the commissioners.  Depperschmidt and members of the PEP board are trying again this year to have the five mile rule altered which requires semi-trucks hauling grain to pass through the Lamar Port of Entry on Highway 50.

The next PEP meeting is set for the Holly Senior Center on Tuesday, September 4^th at Noon and is open to the public.  Economic developments for the Holly area will be discussed.
by Russ Baldwin