Formulating plans to encourage continued job growth within the southwest Michigan region is no easy feat, especially in one as diverse as Cass County.

Fortunately for the board of the Cass County Economic Development Corporation, dozens of the area’s most heavily invested residents were willing to share their thoughts on how the local organization can accomplish their goals.

The EDC hosted its first conversation with key stakeholders during a special luncheon event held Wednesday inside the Mathews Library at Southwestern Michigan College. Nearly 35 business professionals, government officials and other members of the community participated in the information gathering session, sharing their ideas, and concerns on how to grow the local economy in the county.

In a discussion facilitated by EDC member and Mno-Bmadsen  president Troy Clay, attendees were gathered into several groups and asked a series of questions pertaining to the opportunities and obstacles that present themselves to any potential businesses opening within the area.

Many of the groups agreed on several assets that the county possesses, such as its abundance of lakes and parks, its hundreds of acres of farmland and the presence of a nationally-recognized community college within its limits.

“The production of protein in this county is extremely impressive, relative to its peers statewide,” said John Egelhaaf, the executive director of the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission.

A number of weaknesses were also identified by the attendees , perhaps largest of which is the lack of affordable high speed internet in some of the more remote parts of the region. While crews with Midwest Energy Cooperative continue their longstanding efforts to install a countywide fiber optic broadband network, it’s still several years away from completion.

“It’s very important for the community to have that access,” said Eileen Toney, EDC member and director of development at SMC.

Another issue that many feel hinders economic growth are the perceptions that some outside the community have about the county, including that its residents aren’t welcoming to outsiders or that it lacks a highly skilled workforce.

“There’s a perceived lack of cooperation on the part of the local governmental jurisdictions that have to do the permitting and granting of services and so forth,” said County Administrator Roger Fraser, a recent appointment to the EDC board.

Groups were also asked to provide their vision to the concept of what economic development. While many provided responses such as the creation of local jobs or facilitating a sustainable local environment for businesses, other groups had answers that were slightly unconventional.

“[One] comment that was made that I thought was pretty cool was the notion that if you’re going to have a goal in economic development, it ought to be about stimulating activity,” Fraser said. “Get energy somehow, and stimulate energy somehow in the community. With that, it can be contagious.”

The EDC intends Wednesday’s conversation to one of more to come, in their efforts to engage the broader community more within their initiatives and strategies to stimulate business growth.

Before the close of the luncheon, Clay asked the attendees to continue to spread the word about the work the corporation is doing to improve the county, even if they don’t have the time to participate in additional events.

“Talk to people and let them know we have initiated this program and we are serious about it,” Clay said. “We believe that Cass County has a very, very bright future ahead because of this effort.”