Murray County, Georgia has grown from a predominately agricultural community to a predominately manufacturing community and is now poised to take the next step in its evolution to become a more economically and commercially diverse community.  The dynamics of that evolution are exactly what this Strategic Vision Plan process will be about.  Murray County has partnered with Market Street Services to coordinate a visioning process for the county’s residents, business and leadership. At the end of this effort, Murray will have a clear picture of what type of place it “wants to be” and a prioritized set of action areas to achieve this vision.

The key components of this project include:

1. Economic & Demographic Snapshot

It is important that Murray County’s visioning process begins with a common understanding of the city’s recent trends.  This snapshot will use official local, state, and national statistical data sources – as available – to conclusively analyze key economic and demographic indicators illustrating what has happened in Murray County and the Dalton MSA in the recent past.

2. Community Assessment

A community’s “vision” for its future is more than just a statement about what is possible; it should also comprise a realistic assessment of the dynamics that affect the pursuit of that vision.  In today’s hyper-competitive world of economic development, the elements that may impact the pursuit of a vision must be analyzed and made to be strengths rather than hindrances.  While the conversion of a hindrance to a strength occurs through strategic implementation, the competitive issues themselves are identified through the quantitative and qualitative research of a comprehensive Community Assessment.

Market Street will take a detailed look at Murray County’s competitive position to accommodate “visionary” growth and development through an analysis of the combination of factors that determine its value as a place to live, work, and do business.

3. Community Input Process

To gather the perspectives of community members and project stakeholders several avenues will be utilized including individual interviews and focus groups.  Information will be gathered about various aspects of Murray’s current competitiveness and quality of life, as well as information related to stakeholders’ visions for its future development.  Highlights from this process will be incorporated into the Community Assessment and will inform the Strategic Vision Plan.

4. Strategic Vision Plan

The Strategic Vision Plan represents the culmination of all the quantitative and qualitative research to date through the development of action items geared towards addressing challenges and capitalizing on opportunities for visionary growth.

The Vision Plan will serve as the tool unifying Murray County’s public and private leadership behind a consensus blueprint for the city’s future.  It will prioritize development efforts that serve Murray County’s vision and provide goals and action steps needed to optimize local competitiveness and conditions to achieve that vision.

5. Implementation Guidelines

Timely and effective implementation is critical to the ultimate success of Murray County’s Strategic Vision Plan.  If the Vision Plan represents the “what” that Murray County needs to do, the Implementation Guidelines determine “how” that will be done.  The Guidelines will enable the community to secure early implementation victories and continue to build momentum for overall activation of the strategy.