Jackson County leaders are asking for residents' help to help shape the community's future.
The Jackson County Chamber, along with Accelerate Jackson County, Experience Jackson and the Jackson Community Foundation, are looking for 20 county residents to help come up with a 20-year plan for growing the area’s population and improving its quality of life.
Ryan Tarrant, President and CEO of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, says the need for the plan became apparent after census figures revealed that the City of Jackson lost about 40% of its population over the last 60 years.
“Looking at the county over the last couple of decades, you know, during that time the county continued to grow,” Tarrant said. “But over the last 20 years has started to stagnate and even has shrunk a little bit over the last 10 years or so.”
The chamber’s answer is Drive Jackson, a nonprofit that’s working with other Jackson County groups to help create a roadmap for the county’s future. Tarrant says the organizations are looking for people from all walks of life to serve on the committee.
“We want people from all over the county, all geographies, ages, race, education levels,” Tarrant said. “We really want it to be representative of Jackson County as a whole.”
Tarrant says the plan will address issues like population loss and economic decline by developing strategies to help encourage more people to live in Jackson County and attract higher-paying businesses.
Applications to serve on the Drive Jackson committee are on the Jackson Chamber of Commerce website.
Produced with assistance from the Public Media Journalists Association Editor Corps funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.