PEP Conducts Annual Business Survey

Prowers Economic Prosperity is issuing a ten question survey for county business owners, pertaining to future expectations and current performance for 2018, according to PEP Executive Director, Eric Depperschmidt. “We’ve only received a few replies at this early date, but we will compile the information to help determine how to better focus our efforts for the approaching year,” he explained to the Prowers County Commissioners during his 4^th quarter report to them this past December 20^th.

Depperschmidt said the questions are pretty basic, covering such areas as plans for expansion in 2019, current number of employees or plans for an increase, any areas curtailing business growth they’ve encountered, interest in training sessions, either one-on-one or a classroom setting, what can PEP do to help stimulate business growth and means to increase membership in the economic development organization for 2019 i.e., what would it take for your business to become a member of PEP.

An open-to-the-public strategic planning session is set for Friday, January 11^th at the Lamar Community Building.  Depperschmidt explained, “We’ll review our mission plan as it’s now three years old since we began our new focus in Prowers County for economic development.  We’ll assess what worked and what didn’t, what changes if any, are needed and we want community input for this meeting.  It will be facilitated for us and we expect it to run from 9am to 3pm.   If anyone wants a review of our plan, it’s on our website.”

Commissioner Wendy Buxton-Andrade suggested the PEP board develop a listing of available commercial properties for future inquiries. “It would save time if we’re proactive with a list that contains relevant information such as square footage, pricing or amenities for any interested party.  It could be updated for any changes through the year,” she said.  Depperschmidt said he stays in touch now with local real estate developers and such a list is available for the downtown section of Lamar.  Buxton-Andrade said similar information could also be developed throughout the county on the current housing market.

“We’re going to begin our roundtable meetings next year and the housing market will be one we’ll pay close attention to,” Depperschmidt said, adding that plans are underway to work with construction developers to determine an interest in building ‘spec’ houses in each of the communities in the county. He said the Holly area dairy would bring a need for housing in that area of the county and there are some local businesses seeking a larger building due to plans to increase their number of employees.  He explained that there will be a need to involve all the banks in the community for financing options for construction.  He’s been investigating the building boom in Deer Trail off I-70 and is attempting to contact the contractors involved in the housing market in that community about 90 miles east of Denver.  The next PEP board meeting is set for Tuesday, January 8^th at Las Brisas Restaurant in Lamar.

By Russ Baldwin