Community Development

The Department of Community Development oversees the activities of the following four programs: 

  • Planning;
  • Public Transportation (The Loop);
  • Morrow County Fair;
  • Economic Development

The mission of the Department of Community Development is focused on the following elements:

People and Places
Morrow County embraces its rich history and diversity to enhance our quality of life by:

  • Celebrating the unique identity of our five localities and the individual value that each contributes to the County's overall outstanding quality of life
  • The unique rural identity throughout Morrow County in partnership with our localities provides a great platform to expand our tourism and hospitality industries given our own parks, trails, and proximity to other natural resources.
  • Balancing the intrinsic value of natural assets for both tourism resource extraction through common-sense land management practices

MORROW COUNTY'S NATURAL RESOURCES: COMMODITY AND TOURISM
Morrow County’s agricultural and forestry industries provide significant employment opportunities in both the private and public sectors. The rural identity of Morrow County provides a great platform to bolster our agri-tourism efforts to complement our tourism economy given our outstanding parks, trails, and proximity to other natural resources, etc. while supporting businesses who wish to create and sustain a business to attract visitors and residents alike.

The future of these industries depends on the integration of new technologies and innovation. The county will foster collaboration within the agriculture and technology communities to build a sustainable, modern, and distinct economy while retaining our rural identity.

Workforce Development
Morrow County strives to offer a range of opportunities to attract new businesses while retaining and expanding existing businesses. This is achieved by enhancing the skills of the workforce through training and re-training,(e.g., POM, Blue Mountain Community College).

Infrastructure
Infrastructure is not limited to the provision of water, sewer, and roads. It also includes the provision of the internet. More specifically, expanding reliable and affordable internet availability throughout the County through public-private partnerships to provide service to our schools, businesses, and homes.

Housing
To attract and retain a skilled workforce, the County must forge a strong public-private partnership with private and public housing development groups to provide a range of affordable housing options adjacent to our municipalities, as summarized in the 2019 Housing Strategies Report.