taking action for economic development€¦ · web viewin fremont county. a positive approach for...

TAKING ACTION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTIN FREMONT COUNTY

A POSITIVE APPROACH FOR THE COMMON GOOD

Building on the Economic Development Strategy that Fremont County has engaged Richard Gardner to direct and facilitate, national consultant and author Luther K. Snow led three workshops and a community presentation across Fremont County September 25 – 27.

These workshops focused on action, and how positive and appropriate development gets done in the community. Snow is a developer of Asset Mapping, which is about building on our assets and strengths, rather than our needs and deficiencies. Snow’s workshops demonstrated for participants the power of the asset-based approach, which he says is already at work in Fremont County whenever we are successful.

Snow remarked on the unique and abundant assets of Fremont County. He noted how diverse the County is, that it represents a kind of “microcosm” of the kinds of different rural situations we see nationally. He observed that the work of community participants on the Economic Development Strategy facilitated by Dr. Gardner have produced excellent results, from a simple but elegant statement of realities, values, and vision, to specific and concrete goals and objectives for economic development across the diverse communities of the County.

Snow’s Asset Mapping message is that we create economic value and community success when we follow an “open-sum” dynamic, which is based on the understanding that “my gain is your gain is our gain.” Sometimes we fall into traps of negative, fixed-sum thinking, on the idea that “my gain is your loss.” This can create conflict, division, apathy, and decline for all.

But we can avoid these traps by focusing on our assets. This leads us to connect our assets with each other to get things done together that we could not get done on our own. From these opportunities we create new assets, and new relationships, and the understanding that we all contribute and gain from the larger whole, from the positive success of our communities. This strengthens the open-sum dynamic, that idea that “my gain is your gain is our gain,” which in turn strengthens relationships and creates new assets, in a kind of “snowball effect.”

For example, in Fremont County, Island Park benefits from a stronger Ashton, and Ashton benefits from a stronger Island Park, and both benefit from the success of St. Anthony, and vice versa.

Attached is a write-up of the asset-based action strategies that participants came up with together at these sessions. Participants at each workshop focused most directly on immediate local community actions that we feel moved and empowered to work on from our own interests and desires. Because we took an asset-based approach, these actions add up to and strengthen a larger agenda for all of Fremont County.

Fremont County Asset Mapping for Economic Development report, Luther K. Snow with Dick Gardner, October, 2007, page 1

Participants were given the opportunity to "vote with our feet," to sign-up and indicate our interest in further exploring one or more of these actions. Those individual interests are also indicated in this write up.

We expect that some of these actions may “take off” because of participant’s own interests and affinities. Others may change shape or lead to completely new actions. And others may continue to percolate. This is the nature of voluntary community action. You cannot force people to volunteer, Snow reminded us, you can only model positive community action and create opportunities for folks to contribute the common good.

What is most important here for the Fremont County Economic Development Strategy, and the real product of our Asset Mapping workshops, is not the projects but the dynamic. To the extent that participants recognize our assets, find affinities with others, and act from an “open-sum” dynamic, then Fremont County will be strengthened for the larger interests of its people. Approaching our assets together, we have no where to go but up!

Luther K. Snowfor Dick Gardner and Fremont County

October, 2007


Asset-based Action for Community and Economic DevelopmentImmediate Opportunities that Capture the Interests and Affinities of Participants

ISLAND PARK9/25/07

Ellen Romrell, Paul Romrell, Randy Miller, Thomas A. Nuebel, Judy A. Nuebel, Chan Atchley, Jim Hobbs, Ron Larsen, Dick Gardner, Luther Snow

Develop Destination Tourist Stops. Fremont County has quietly evolved from being a “pass through” on the way somewhere else to becoming a destination itself. We can build on this strength by offering related stops for tourists and visitors while they are here. Sparking assets include:

Sand Snow On the way to Yellowstone Existing tourism Henry’s Lake Mesa Falls $ people spend on camping and

fishing ATV Guided Tours

Randy indicated an interest in exploring this action.

Develop “Cabella’s” A related and somewhat fanciful idea opened real strategic interest: discussion of a “transfer station” for Cabella’s led to thinking about Cabella-type business and connections in the area. Sparking assets include:

$ people spend on hunting Existing fly fishing shops Natural spring source water R.V. Dealership On My God Beauty Growing part-year residents The people

Build a snowmobile/ATV bridge across Henry’s Lake outlet. Everyone can agree on snowmobile and ATV safety, and the current situation where these vehicles have to travel out on the highway blacktop is unsafe. Some kind of bridge could be a community-building effort. Assets include:

Henry’s Lake Safety Snowmobilers ATVs Neighbors Old railroad cars

Judy, Ron, Tom, and Randy have an interest in this.


Exciting Winter Employment/Strengthen Winter Fesitval. The growth and success of the 2nd Annual Winter Festival in very cold weather demonstrates strong promise for the future. Building on the summertime idea of ATV tours, Winter Festival activities could be expanded to include winter tours, lodge events, food, crafts, and more fun. Sparking assets include:

500 miles of snowmobile trails Food Food Lodge Volunteers Lots of snow Part-year residents growin Ellen quilts Rentals Catalog clothes People

Randy and Ron stepped up on this one.

Island Park Quilter’s Guide Natural Scenes Project. Quilts featuring beautiful Island Park sights and natural sights could be a natural focus of the Quilter’s Guild, and these quilts could be sold at local lodges, perhaps as a fundraiser for a nature-related asset like Harriman Ranch. Assets include

Appreciation of open spaces and natural places

Ellen ‘s unique handwork View Natural beauty Harriman Ranch Building

Ellen indicated an interest in this action

Bears. Thinking about how to turn recent bear sightings into an asset of appreciating wildlife! Assets include

Bears Birdwatching Wildlife tours

Eco Tours. What about business development that strengthens and protects natural resources? Eco tours offer visitors and the community the best of both worlds, and we have an entrepreneur experienced in eco tours operation at Yellowstone here in the community in Jim Hobbs. Assets include:

Experienced eco tours operator Two Top mountain Clean water Home town pride Open space Sense of place Henry’s Lake Flat Snow Water

Ron, Jim, Judy, Randy, Paul and Chan signaled their intention to pursue this idea.

Developing a Grocery Store/ Retail Focus in Island Park. The world’s longest Main Street can still use a retail focus, and existing convenience grocery stores provide a foundation for an expansion that would serve diverse markets. Assets include:

Existing food stores $ people spend on food Changing retail business Hispanic community growing Part-year residents growing Retirees and Lone Eagles Water

Tom, Randy, and Judy stood with this idea.


Growing Community Entertainment. There is a niche for relaxed entertainment, music, performance, in and around local lodges, restaurants, and resorts. Assets include:

Entertainment during dining Spiritual values and renewal Volunteerism. Ponds Lodge Philips Cabin/Homes Beauty of Island Park Trees A River Runs by it Lodge Relaxed pace of life My extended freedom Musical groups

Entrepreneurship Mentoring program. We have experienced entrepreneurs and a growth of new entrepreneurs – why not connect them for mentoring and strengthening the entrepreneurial climate? Assets include:

Judy is an entrepreneur Entrepreneurship Development Men’s / boys toys Volunteerism Changes in retailing

And we see an abundance of additional assets including:

Sawtell Peak Commuters Animals Horse Rides and chuckwagon

dinners Sense of place Spiritual values and renewal Retirees Non-labor income Lots of moving water Randy knows everything! Value-added agriculture Chan is an active community

member New subdivision on 355 acres Paul works hard at keeping

development on track Paul is a community leader $ spent on annual

snowmobile/snowvan family event Strong spiritual values Value-added agriculture Freedom to be self-employed Mike lawson’s new lodge Henry’s fork lodge Expanding RV Park Jim is the best carpet cleaner around Volunteering


ASHTON9/26/07

Christy Kantack, Aldon Bowles, Cathy Koon, Susan Baker, Linda Janssen, Chan Atchley, Teddy Stronks, Barbara Bungold, Peter Young, Le-Anne Bolten-Lewis, Dick Gardner, Luther Snow

Replenish and expand landscaping company. We can strengthen and expand landscaping business by investing in the beautification of our own town. Assets include:

farms tourism fish natural assets hometown pride trees on Main Street Trees

Aldon indicated an interest in following up on this action idea.

Fishing Information. We've got a successful town newsletter which benefits from good information, and local fishing businesses interested in getting the word out about fishing conditions and opportunities. Put them together in affinity and we could broker a fishing information spot or column in the newsletter produced by a fishing related business. Assets include:

The money that people spend on fly fishing gear

Premere Fly Fishing Henry's Fork River River's and Streams Tourism Royce Klinger

Le-Anne said she'd work to help suggest this connection.

Farm Tours. Fremont County is strong in both tourism and farming. We could strengthen both by offering Farm Tours. Assets include:

sense of place tourism transportation Mesa Falls Scenic Byways

Advisory Committee Potatoes Potato growers The money we spend on gas the money we spend on food what we spend on lumber and

hardware value-added agriculture view of Tetons

Susan and Chan are looking at this one.


Strengthen Youth in community, and strengthen community. We have a community center in Ashton that gives adults an opportunity to work with youth in some exciting and positive ways,. And a Mayor's Youth Committee and youth-led efforts can contribute energy and innovation to our community. Assets include:

community improvements Mayor's Youth Committee volunteers and community attitude hub of activity for recreation Pathfinders (antiques) $ spent on entertainment $ spent on vacation $ spent on food $ spent on haircuts

Linda, Teddy, and Aldon signaled their interest in this activity.

Mobile catering for events. We've seen food trucks and mobile catering. In Fremont County, encouraging such businesses could expand entrepreneurship while strengthening community events and recreation. Assets include:

Growing Hispanic Community rise in self-employed community events

Linda and Chan are motivated by this idea.

Start a community-owned store. We could take advantage of the low incomes to encourage entrepreneurship and local shopping in a community-owned store. Assets include:

Fremont County income quite low spiritual values Entrepreneurship development sense of community of the people Fremont County income trees on Main Street community improvements small, community-oriented Rotary

Susan and Aldon stepped up to this one.

Develop a mall. The old high school property would make a good location for commercial and retail development. Assets include:

hardware Brad Purcell property (old high

school) $ spent on restaurants and eating out locally-owned businesses entrepreneurship development clothes parts and supplies for farm Ashton Chamber


Develop the Community Center. We already have a community center building and a committee dedicated to developing it. We can strengthen this effort by pointing out affinities with existing local groups and associations and events. Assets include:

Mesa Marathon people supportive of community community Center available for

gatherings sense of place sense of place self-employed good location Republican Women

Teddy and Linda indicated an interest in this approach.

Hess Museum. The Museum could help support community programs, and could be a focus for community-building activity. Assets include:

Hess Museum

Teddy Stronks is committed to building on this.

Mesa Falls Marathon. The Marathon is a growing event that can promote the diverse aspects of the community. Assets include:

Marathon organizers Mesa Falls tourism dog sled organizers

Teddy Stronks is also committed to building on this activity.

Many other assets abound to build on and consider, including

location at US 20 and SH 47 beautiful view EMTs + Fire Departments Fremont Growth Solutions RV Park Conagra bought by Ruinki Grain Teton views church groups infrastructure car wash fly shop urban renewal committee Red Hat Ladies Aspen'd Publishing $ on movie rentals $ on dog food $ on medicine United Methodist Church schools support for entrepreneurs The Moose Knows Outback Realty Ashton Realty Quilting Group Zion Lutheran Church Mi Ranchito Alcholics Anonymous flowers at the city entrance Stronks and Sons hardware store reliance on God Whisper Creek Ashton Elementary


ST. ANTHONY9/27/07

Juliana Taylor, Janet Keeler, Chan Atchley, Cathy Koon, Dave Rydalch, Skip Hurt, Cole Miller, Patricia McCoy, Marla Vik, Jim Smitot, Abbie More, Dick Gardner, Luther Snow

Destination for Research and Learning. From the Warm River to the Sand Dunes, potato fields to the cladera, the special geological and ecological features of Fremont County make a fertile ground for university research, service learning, and student field trips and service activities. This could be promoted and facilitated using assets such as:

schools agriculture value-added agriculture rivers helpful people, neighbors

Abby and Marla stepped up to explore this idea.

Open Space Bond. Like a school bond that invests for the future, an open space bond could be used to invest in development rights and natural facilities for the future of Fremont County tourism, research, recreation, and wildlife. Sparking assets include:

Idaho, and Fremont County, are the Last Frontier

Tax Collector

Chan and Janet indicated an interest in following up on this action.

Open Space Preservation and Education. Business and learning opportunities, assets including:

appreciation of open spaces and natural places

space strong spiritual values sense of place targhee forest and highway 47 targhee national forest teton Ridge Land Trust

Janet, Chan, and Pat checked this.

Arrange Mountain Bike tours. We have the trails, we have ATV tours, people spend money on mountain bikes, we could arrange mountain bike tours as an event or a business. Assets include;

Henry's Fork River mountain bikes Acceptance of outsiders

Medical Assistance initiative. Part of the thrill of the Sand Dunes is the element of risk. We have more search and rescue in this county than any other. We could build on this with medical services and assistance for adventurers. Assets include

Sand Dunes self employed in home business

Safety Initiative/Ambulance Station. Similar to above. Assets include

Fire Department Sand Dunes


Focus Workforce Development on Upper Valley Opportunities. We have unemployment in the south county, and business opportunities in the north. We could train folks for resort and recreation jobs to help both. Assets include:

rise in self-employment relaxed pace of life hispanic community part-year residents

Increase Access to Lower Henry's Fork River. The beautiful lower sections of the Henry's Fork are an unheralded resource, lifted up more recently by the green belt public access through St. Anthony. This access could be lengthened, bridged, and enhanced to take advantage of an existing asset for both visitors and residents. Assets include:

increased access on Lower Henry's Fork

tourism Blue ribbon fly fishing in your

backyard Henry's Fork Foundation Green Belt Ora Bridge during fishing season Fly Fishing expert Dave Rydalch

"smarter than a trout"

Abbie, Cole, and Marla signaled their affinity with this action.

Revolving Community Industry. Building on local agriculture for local use, we could see fresh potatoes in harvest season, leading to a farmer's market, community garden, and other locally-based enterprise. Assets include:

entrepreneurship development value-added ag Leah's fashion sense a garden Hispanic community growing apple tree Ag waste, manure recycling program family community annex room chamber of commerce Artist Marion Hamilton library I love everything about Fremont

County (mostly) high retail leakage farmer's market incomes are quite low Community organizer Chan


Family of Tours. Fremont County "sells itself" if you experience it. So we have a number of tours and ideas for tours, from dune tours to fishing tours to snow machine tours, etc. Linking and promoting a "family" of tours would increase interest in each and strenghten tourism across the county and in all seasons. Assets include:

community involvement Education Foundation Value-added Ag sense of camaraderie summers acceptance of differences BYU-I open spaces and natural places Cemeteries sense of place wheat fields in summer my roots go deep here OED volunteers Bank of Idaho Car Club Warm River Corvette Club parent's home Smart Growth Coalition Fort He nry Buckskinners Bear Gulch Cave Falls Henry's Fork Big Springs Upper Mesa Falls County Historical Society my back yard Henry's Fork Foundation Watershed Council my home 1958 Chevy pickup increasing tourism grandfather's homestead old buildings downtown land

Chan is interested in following up on this idea.

Open Potato Bar. We ship our famous potatoes all over the world. Why not celebrate them here with a big potato cooking and eating event? Or even a year-round eatery focused on our biggest export? Assets include:

potatoes community

Chan indicated he would like to explore this.

Clean and Abundant Water Initative. We know some of the most wonderful water in the world flows in our countryside. We can protect this asset and use it at the same time through creative development. Assets include:

investment in sewer systems reinvestment in water quality

initiatives grant opportunity to monitor milfoil

(invasive species) on Henry's Lake

Abbie and Chan indicated an interest in this project.


Year-Round Trail System Campaign and Network. We have all kinds of wonderful trails through the county. We can link these, promote them together, and develop more trails and uses. Assets include:

ATV's snowmachines Rail to Trails Legal skills railroad right-of-ways Dunes to St Anthony opportunity for shuttles from Dunes

to town (Ride and Park!) opportunity to form County

advisory committee on trails and tours

largest Search and Rescue operation in the State

Pat, Jim Smith, and Marla are motivated by this strategy.

And many other assets to consider and build on:

Falls River Part-Year Residents St Anthony Parks P and Z Farm ground County Commission Church Natural places city Council Hills to see the color of trees Abbie is very easy to talk to and

nice Irrigation companies North Fork Foundation Snow Smart Growth Coalition Scott is organized Abbie and Pat have people skills Lions and Ladies VFW WHO Horses and goats Mesa Falls Pat is organized and dedicated to

the county Nice place to raise a family Dirk Artistic metalworking Janet is a hard worker Dave Rydalch is a Dutch Oven cook Island Park during the week FEAC NFR Co. Brandon is a wood worker Dr. Hill is a chiropractor trout hatchery Chan is a writer Josh is a planner wildlife reserve monkey Rock old junk Josh is a wood worker Hoe Hollow


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