Katy Edition | March 2023

GOVERNMENT County begins strategic plan for economic growth, development

CARLOS GUZMAN, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR FORT BEND COUNTY, ON DEVELOPMENT OF THE ECONOMIC STRATEGIC PLAN “WE CANNOT KEEP CALLING THE SAME PLAY FROM 20 YEARS AGO, OR EVEN 10 YEARS AGO. WE HAVE TO EVOLVE.”

BY ASIA ARMOUR

so what can we do to help that?” Commissioners approved the transfer of $265,000 from its federal American Rescue Plan Act budget to pay for the economic opportu- nity and development contract with Austin-based planning rm TIP Strategies at a Feb. 7 meeting. This contract informs the fund- ing agreement between the two county-based economic organiza- tions—which is a 50/50 split, Guzman said—and the consultant agreement between Fort Bend County and TIP Strategies. Guzman said the rst phase of the plan will kick o in the second week of April with a focus group between workforce and education leaders and elected ocials. These initial conver- sations are meant to determine where to dedicate the county’s resources for successful economic development. “We do not have unlimited

Fort Bend County’s Economic Development Department and the Fort Bend Economic Development Council have taken the initial steps for an eco- nomic strategic plan, which ocials expect will be completed by fall. This is one of the rst projects from the county’s newly appointed eco- nomic development director, Carlos Guzman, who started in early October. The goal of the plan, Guzman said, is to form a consensus between com- missioners, businesses, educational partners and stakeholders on the county’s highest economic priorities and forward direction. “We cannot keep calling the same play from 20 years ago, [or even] 10 years ago. We have to evolve,” Guzman said. “Now, we have remote and hybrid work. We have some folks who are very highly educated, [and some who are] very entrepreneurial,

for consulting contract with planning rm TIP Strategies $265K

67 month timeline for the strategic planning process

split for the cost of the plan between Fort Bend County and the Fort Bend Economic Development Council 5050

SOURCE: CARLOS GUZMANCOMMUNITY IMPACT

resources,” he said. “Whatever has the most support from the community is the thing that goes to the top of the list.” Based on his previous work with TIP Strategies in his former role with the Pasadena Economic Develop- ment Corp., Guzman said he expects preliminary indications to come by summer. The county will then proceed with public discussions. The entire planning process will span six to seven months,

Guzman said. At conclusion, Guzman said the county will receive specic, action- able recommendations to align with when considering initiatives for economic growth. “We will have deliverables, some- thing to benchmark that we will know a year from now, or two years from now, we said was important to us,” Guzman said. “We will say, ‘Did we do what we said we were going to do, and how successful were we?”

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM