City of McHenry Strategic Plan and
Economic Development Strategy
The City of
McHenry City Council adopted a Strategic Plan and one of the primary goals and
priorities identified was to actively market the City and aggressively pursue
economic development opportunities. Additionally, the City Council adopted an
Economic Development Plan, Strategy and created numerous programs and policies
to advance our economic development goals and to be proactive in retaining our
business base, expanding and growing existing businesses and attracting new
businesses. We welcome business and
opportunities to partner with organizations to enhance and add to our strong
employment base.
The City of
McHenry is very fortunate to be the home of many national and international
companies and is dedicated in retaining and fostering the growth of these
businesses while providing opportunities to attract new companies. We are committed to partnering with other
entities which can assist in furthering these goals.
These relationships are mutually
beneficial to the City of McHenry as well as the other entities promoting the
retention, attraction and expansion of businesses, not just in the City but in
McHenry County and larger region outside of the County.
Importance of Importing and Exporting
to Business and Job Growth
Exporting and global middle class
consumption outside of the United States is expected to reach $35 trillion by 2020. For every $1 billion in exports 5,690 jobs
are created therefore increasing export production is paramount to sustaining
and creating additional employment for our City and region. Metro Chicago Exports began in September 2014
and is a two-year pilot project with its two main goals being: increasing exports from small and
medium-sized companies and supporting regional job growth. For more information or assistance please
contact me!
In 2012 $66 billion of goods and
services were exported from the Chicago Metropolitan Region ranking fourth amongst
all United States metropolitan areas however Chicago does not fare nearly as
well in exports as a proportion of total product output.
I wrote several months ago that I had
the pleasure of meeting and establishing a relationship with the Indonesian
Trade Promotion Center with a Chicago-based office and have learned a great
deal since that time about Indonesia and their role in our global economy. I was subsequently invited by the Indonesian
Trade Promotion Center and had the opportunity to attend an event at their
office in Chicago.
The purpose of the event was to highlight
Indonesian Coffee through a documentary filmed in Indonesia and importance of
coffee to their culture and economy.
Indonesia has a population of 250 million people, consists of 17,000
islands with a GDP exceeding two trillion dollars. They are also amongst the top five largest
producers of coffee in the world. The
State of Illinois is Indonesia’s fifth largest trading partner within the
United States. Indonesia has purchased
numerous aircraft from Boeing and does business with Caterpillar, both of which
are headquartered in the State of Illinois.
On August 12, Mayor Low and the City
of McHenry in partnership with the McHenry County College Shah Center, had the
pleasure of hosting Indonesian Consul General Mr. Andriana Supandy; Consul for
Economic Affairs Mr. Alberd Pardede, Director of the Indonesian Trade Promotion
Center in Chicago Mr. Wijayanto, as well as other staff members of the
Indonesian Trade Promotion Center.
The purpose of the event was to have
an interactive conversation and exchange of ideas between the City of McHenry,
McHenry County College Shah Center as well as other leaders from McHenry County
College, McHenry County Economic Development Corporation, State of Illinois
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and others on how we can work
together to foster business growth and development, importing and exporting and
investment between the City of McHenry, McHenry County, State of Illinois and
Indonesia.
McHenry County College Shah Center’s
Solar Photovoltaic Array and McHenry County College’s Sustainability Program
As part of the event Kim Hankins,
Director of Sustainability for McHenry County College talked about McHenry
County College’s Sustainability efforts and program and explained in great
detail how the solar photovoltaic array at the Shah Center is utilized in
advancing the College’s sustainability goals as well as serving as an
educational tool. For more information
on this project please visit: http://www.mchenry.edu/green/.
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Kim Hankins-McHenry County College Director of Sustainability explaining
the hands-on technology associated with the Shah Center's Photovoltaic Array System
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| Kim Hankins-McHenry County College Director of Sustainability explaining the components of the McHenry County College Shah Center’s Solar Photovoltaic Array System Tour of City of McHenry Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants
Following our discussion and tour at
the Shah Center Director of Public Works Jon Schmitt, Water Superintendent Mike
Palmer and Wastewater Superintendent Russell Ruzicka led tours of the City of
McHenry Water Treatment Plant Number Two and the South Wastewater Treatment
Plant.
Mike
Palmer, City of McHenry Water Superintendent-Tour of
Water Plant 2
Mike Palmer, City of McHenry Water Superintendent, explaining the components of Water Plant 2
Consul General Mr. Andriana Supandy
provided an overview of Indonesia’s plans to spend nearly $500 billion dollars
over the next several years on infrastructure including: fifteen airports; twenty-four seaports;
numerous expenditures related to roadway systems as well as water and wastewater
treatment.
Similar to many countries, including
the United States, Indonesia is seeking to reduce its dependency on fossil
fuels and is interested in various forms of renewable energy.
Russell Ruzicka, City of McHenry Wastewater Superintendent, tour of the South Wastewater Treatment Plant
Russell Ruzicka, City of McHenry Wastewater Superintendent, explaining the components of the South Wastewater Treatment Plant
Partnership with Indonesian Trade
Promotion Center
I am grateful for the partnership and
relationship the City of McHenry has with the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center
and very appreciative of their interest in our City and County. The day we spent exchanging ideas and learning
about how we can work together for the benefit of the City of McHenry, McHenry
County and State of Illinois and Indonesia was another step forward in
continuing to cultivate that relationship and economic development partnership!
Mayor Sue Low and City of McHenry staff and Indonesian Consul General Mr.
Andriana Supandy and staff of the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center at the
South Wastewater Treatment Plant
Next Steps with the Indonesian Trade
Promotion Center and other International Organizations to promote Business
Attraction, Retention and Expansion in the City of McHenry
The City of McHenry is looking
forward to working with the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center and other
international partners to advance our economic development efforts. This
will include matching businesses within the City of McHenry with those in
Indonesia and other countries which has already begun. Prior to our meeting on August 12 I provided
the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center with a list of companies in the City and
several were identified by the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center as potential
partners in trade and/or investment.
Indonesia hosts an annual trade exposition in October to foster business
growth between Indonesia and companies across the globe.
Consul General Mr. Andriana Supandy
expressed significant interest in fostering relationships with companies in the
City of McHenry and beyond and his office can assist with licensing; identification
of investment opportunities and serving as a direct conduit between businesses
in McHenry with those in Indonesia. If
you have any interest in learning more about doing business with Indonesia,
their major imports and exports and dollars associated with those or other
investment needs please contact me. I
can serve as the conduit between your business and the Indonesian Trade Promotion
Center and/or other countries you may be interested in to expand and grow your
business. I can also assist in putting
you in contact with Metro Chicago Exports and explain how they can be a
valuable resource.
I want to express my gratitude and
thanks to the McHenry County College Shah Center for partnering with the City
of McHenry in coordinating and hosting the event on August 12 and Consul
General Mr. Andriana Supandy and his staff for taking the time to visit the
City of McHenry and discussing opportunities for doing business with Indonesia!
Economic
development is a community-wide effort and at the end of the day the entire
community and everyone who is a part of it benefits...October 2, 2015 is
National Manufacturing Day (http://www.mfgday.com/)!!!
Douglas P. Martin
Director of Economic Development
City of McHenry
333 S Green Street
McHenry, IL 60050
815.363.2110 (d)
815.363.2173 (f)
815.790.4752 (c)
@McHenryIL
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