The Chamber of Commerce serving Lexington, Buena Vista and Rockbridge County has been one of the partners in a two-year multi-jurisdictional economic development initiative to design a strategic roadmap for the economic prosperity of our region. The Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) was made possible by the efforts of Anne Herring, community development specialist with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development office, and Leslie Schaller, regional consultant with the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks.
The REDI initiative provided technical assistance for local government officials to connect “local assets to market demand (while building) sustainable livelihoods for residents, a robust workforce and vibrant commercial sectors.” This assistance came in the form of a report that was presented to Rockbridge government officials on Monday, September 20, 2021, at the Virginia Horse Center. The report focused on four priorities:
- Workforce education, retention and recruitment
- Business retention, attraction and support
- Infrastructure improvements to broadband, sewer, water and roads
- Capitalization of regional assets
We thank everyone who provided input and support for this initiative. We are excited about the prospect of moving Rockbridge forward through regional cooperation.
View the full REDI report here.