The goals and recommended actions listed on the following pages were identified by the planning team. They are prioritized and separated into 8 categories.

1	Create a marketing plan for the city - Package Marketing-Events, Businesses
2	Continue Industrial recruitment and business expansion - Continued industry/business diversification
3	Year-round train excursion - Expand to the loop
4	Recruit new technology based companies - target market
5	Community centers - new and adaptive re-use
6	GEM Theater - Better utilization
7	Downtown/city-wide cleanup and housing rehab within the city
8	Community Pride and Participation

Goal:
Create a comprehensive marketing plan that encourages tourism, a retirement community, relocation from other communities, and industrial recruitment.

Recommended Actions:

1. Identify community assets that will enhance a marketing plan.
2. Work with Tennessee Overhill to encourage local tourism without duplication.
3. Develop a countywide relocation and tourism magazine to avoid duplication with other information being sent out by other local cities and McMinn County.
4. Identify the needs of retirees and identify our existing assets for retirees. Create information to educate others on why they should retire to this community.
5. Identify our current industrial recruitment methods and see if other methods can be created.
6. Continue advertising in the Tennessee Economic Guide.
7. Develop a marketing budget.
8. Up date current information being sent in marketing packets.
9. Contact other retail stores to promote Etowah’s retail opportunities.

Goal:
Increase the number of visitors to the Etowah area in ways that will encourage overnight stays.

Recommended Actions:

1. Encourage the City of Etowah to continue sponsorship of the rail excursions.
2. Assist City, Tennessee Overhill, and Tennessee Valley Rail in promotion, communication, media events, and organization of the rail excursion.
3. Recruit groups and individuals to the excursion events.
4. Work with retail stores to create fun atmosphere during rail excursions.
5. Develop coupon books for all passengers.
6. Assist in recruiting volunteers to host train cars.

Goals:
Recruit Technology based industries that provide a clean industrial environment. This will avoid the "Brain Drain", creating higher paying opportunities, which will give our children a reason to remain in the Etowah Area for employment and recruit others to relocate in the Etowah Area.

Recommended Actions:

1. Identify desirable industries with higher wage opportunities.
2. Bring in up to date internet access systems.
3. Identify what technology based companies are looking for when relocating.
4. Create an educated workforce that is desirable to high tech industry.
5. Work with colleges to promote knowledgeable employees.
6. Create a local "Think Tank" program.
7. Continue to recruit all industries.
8. Encourage expansion of current industries.
9. Strengthen partnerships with regional and state economic development agencies.
10. Market Etowah throughout the state and U.S. and ensure contacts with prospective firms and adequate follow-up.
11. Ensure that adequate infrastructure is developed and maintained for new and expanding industry.

Goal:
To build a new multi-use community facility that will serve many purposes including sporting events, education, and senior citizen opportunities.

Recommended Actions:

1. Support the City of Etowah in searching and acquiring grant opportunities.
2. Assist in fundraising to build the center including seeking private donations.
3. Visit local, state, and federal officials to seek assistance in funding the community facility.
4. Encourage industrial company partnerships in developing new center.
5. Communicate with the community the status of progress toward this goal.
6. Analyze current facilities to see if they can be sold to bring addition revenue to the new center or if they should be maintained.

Goal:
The community needs to have as many activities in the Gem Theater as possible. This brings more visitors to the community and to our businesses, provides an entertainment venue for local citizens, and creates a better quality of life for all.

Recommended Actions:

1. Assist Gem Theater in marketing their performances.
2. Make Gem Theater available to as many groups as possible.
3. Market Gem Theater to large groups to increase local attendance of all shows.
4. Create an electronic mailing list to notify the public of ongoing performances.
5. Encourage diversity in programs to bring different audiences to Gem Theater.
6. Work with Gem Theater and Gem Players on a marketing plan.
7. Work with media to promote the use of a renovated theater.

Goal:
Improve the image of the community by cleaning the city, not only in the downtown area, but also throughout the residential area. We need to re-instill community pride in our town.

Recommended Actions:

1. Work with retail merchants to clean up all storefronts.
2. Work with local churches and civic groups to work in residential areas to help those who need assistance.
3. Develop clean up program for highway litter and other public areas.
4. Encourage the city to enforce building codes.
5. Determine major visible areas of concern and study alternative uses for these areas, including the possibility of city purchase for later resale or development.
6. Remove or replace burnt out businesses.
7. Create award program for cleanup efforts.
8. Create public awareness of cleanup attempts.
9. Clean out canals to alleviate flooding and for beautification efforts of the downtown area.
10. Identify problem areas.
11. Work with Keep McMinn Beautiful to create cleanup programs in our community.
12. Improve the entrances to city limits to give better first impression.
13. Obtain grant for lease lighting program to install old fashion lighting and sidewalks to Main Street.
14. Encourage the City and County’s efforts to create Main Street program.
15. Analyze parking needs and opportunities for improvement and integrate into the overall downtown plan.

Goal:
Implement plan to encourage Community Pride Program.

Recommended Actions:

1. Work on a campaign to help citizens recognize the positive results of maintaining a clean and updated community image.
2. Create a program to involve seniors, youth, civic, and church groups to become more active in the community.
3. Develop list of areas in which citizens can volunteer.
4. Seek media attention to all community pride efforts.

Selling and Understanding Vision	Community Education Level	Financial Limitations	Aging Infrastructure	Thoughtful Growth	Social Capital
Poor Attitude	Lack of higher Education	Creative Financing	Older buildings	Prioritization	Diminished social capital
Apathy	Level of Income/Education	Shortage of public/private partnerships	Strained public infrastructure		Aging demographics
Lack of Community Pride		Limited Tax Base	Parking Problems		Decreased volunteer base
Fear of Change		Return on Investment	Un-enforced codes		Lack of leadership
Possible Resistance
Misunderstandings
Public Support
Need for Expansion of City Limits not Understood
Lack of Courage
Fear of Making Enemies