Title
Resolution supporting regional collaboration of economic development growth and opportunities.
Staff Summary
· Beginning in December 2013, leaders representing a total of 8,400,000 people from Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, Kendall County, Lake County, McHenry County, Will County, and the City of Chicago began meeting to work together and develop strategies to strengthen the region's economic development growth and opportunities.
· This resolution supports the collaborative economic development by committing to have staff from each jurisdiction work with colleagues from the Chicago Regional Growth Initiative on any current and future economic development initiatives, including but not limited to increasing exports from small and medium sized businesses, streamlining truck permitting and routing, and supporting, strengthening and growing the region's metal manufacturing firms; and any other initiatives agreed upon by the group.
· The Chicago Regional Growth Initiative is free to pursue and secure financial support from public, non profit, and philanthropic sources for any current and future initiatives related to foreign direct investment, other industry clusters, workforce and training, and infrastructure investment and/or resiliency planning.
· Any economic development corporation(s) that function as the economic development arm for any of the seven counties or the City of Chicago may act as a fiscal agent for any of these current or future initiatives.
· The Lake County Board recognizes the importance of collectively and jointly planning to strengthen economic development opportunities in the Chicago Metropolitan Area and demonstrates its support through this resolution.
Body
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, beginning in December 2013, leaders from Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, Kendall County, Lake County, McHenry County, Will County, and the City of Chicago began meeting to work together and develop strategies to strengthen the region's economic development growth and opportunities; and
WHEREAS, these seven counties and the City of Chicago make up the Chicago Metropolitan Area, as defined by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Metropolitan Area has an estimated 8,400,000 residents and metropolitan areas are the engines of the global economy; and
WHEREAS, the elected chief executive leadership from each of the seven counties and the City of Chicago may designate staff to work with colleagues from the Chicago Regional Growth Initiative on any current and future economic development initiatives, including but not limited to increasing exports from small and medium sized businesses, streamlining truck permitting and routing, and supporting, strengthening and growing the region's metal manufacturing firms; and any other initiatives agreed upon by the group; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Regional Growth Initiative is free to pursue and secure financial support from public, non profit, and philanthropic sources for any current and future initiatives; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Regional Growth Initiative may proceed with future initiatives related to foreign direct investment, other industry clusters, workforce and training, infrastructure investment and/or resiliency planning; and
WHEREAS, any economic development corporation(s) that function as the economic development arm for any of the seven counties or the City of Chicago may act as a fiscal agent for any of these current or future initiatives, as appropriate.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Lake County Board does hereby recognize the importance of collaboration and planning that helps strengthen economic development opportunities in the Chicago Metropolitan Area and endorse this resolution; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Lake County Board will designate the appropriate person(s) to represent the County as a member of the Chicago Regional Growth Initiative to participate in current and future regional economic development initiatives.
DATED, at Waukegan, lake County, Illinois on June 9, 2015.