Goal: (A=Tourism, B= Entrepreneurial Development, C=Attracting Retirees & Lone Eagles
Action Strategy
Goal: T = TourismED = Entrepeneurial DevelopmentAIM = Amenity In-MigrantsAG = Value-Added AgricultureCI = Community ImprovementsOC = Organizational CapacityVCA = Volunteers & Community AttitudeStrategy AIM1 Fremont Ambassadors
Background/Concept:
In 2007, Fremont County Economic Development issued a new set of community profiles. It would only take minor modifications in language and pictures, or a new insert, to point these community descriptions toward the older audience. Then the county has seniors who travel south every year for the winter. Many stay in RV parks or developments with a community center and social program. These seniors could become Fremont Ambassadors if equipped with presentation and marketing materials promoting Fremont County as a wonderful summer destination. They could offer to do a Fremont County night at their community center to present an entertaining slide show to their neighbors. This is an effective and low cost way to increase the stream of retirees and part-year residents.
Potential Partners:
Senior centers in Fremont County
Fremont RV parks for identifying snowbirds who might become ambassadors
Potential Resources:
various Retirement Places Rated guides
Concerns:
The most common concern is that seniors will vote against bond elections. The research literature on this issue is mixed. Seniors can vote against tax increases, though long-term seniors who are aging-in-place are more likely to vote no. Seniors can be convinced to give back to the community with a vote for long term sustainability. A second concern is that aging seniors will become a burden on the community. In-migrants are far more likely to be able to afford personal care services. A last concern is simply the growth impacts of retiree development. Fremont County needs to decide for itself how much growth and under what conditions growth can be made acceptable.
Ranking Score
Plausibility (To what degree will a success fix the problem? i.e. size of community reward) Score 1-10 / 5
Feasibility (Can we access the resources to succeed? i.e. probability of success) Score 1-10 / 8
Community Readiness (Score 1-5; 1=Not Ready, 5= Very Ready) / 2
Total Score = Plausibility x Feasibility x Community Readiness / 80
Action Steps
a. Research retirement places guides and marketing materials from other locations to get a sense of what attracts retirees and develop appropriate talking points to stress the advantages of Fremont County. / Not Done* = In ProgressX = DoneOn-going
b. Review existing marketing materials and decide what modifications are needed to speak to retirement re-location decisions, and what might go into a response packet / Not Done* = In ProgressX = DoneOn-going
c. Revise and print supplemental materials, develop entertaining and informative Powerpoint presentation and place on CDs, bundle into Ambassador packets together with instruction sheet. / Not Done* = In ProgressX = DoneOn-Going
d. Locate and speak to potential Ambassadors. Explain the commitment is to simply conduct one or more presentations and be a positive word-of-mouth promoter of Fremont County / Not Done* = In ProgressX = DoneOn-going
e. Hold a meeting of Ambassadorsto review presentation and printed materials, and send them forth with local contact numbers for follow-up / Not Done* = In ProgressX = DoneOn-going