Assessment of the survey results, interviews with key stakeholders, and evaluation of Regional Vitals illuminated strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for the region. Critical to the development of goals and strategies for the CEDS, was the articulation of economic barriers. As evidenced in the survey results and analysis of economic data studied during CEDS development, economic barriers include:
- a decreasing population with outmigration of the younger workforce to other regions,
- loss of jobs over the past 10 year period,
- the need for long-term fixed-rate financing and revolving loans to assist small businesses from the Small Business Administration and other venture capitalists,
- lack of manufacturing sales due to downturned economy,
- the need for new markets to purchase local products, and expand local sales tax
- the need for study of potential global export markets to purchase local product
- the need to expand renewable energy businesses and wind farms in the area and supply workforce training in this emerging field,
- the lack of affordable, safe single family homes for current and new residents and multi-family housing
- the need to assist younger families in the workforce with the purchase of homes and assist current residents with home and workplace modifications for disability accommodation
- the need to restore the population demographics with persons who have expendable incomes
- the need to promote cottage industry growth and entrepreneurship within the region
- the need to return contaminated empty buildings and lands to tax rolls through environmental remediation
- to provide area-wide recycling collection and transportation through creation of effective business models
- expansion and rehabilitation of current wastewater treatment facilities and sewer lines to accommodate future business needs
- additional water infrastructure to support increased business needs which includes water plants, water mains and water lines to emergent areas and the identification of additional water resources to capitalize on future growth
- identification and procurement of needed broadband internet and voice over IP services with specific infrastructure requirements to respond to business needs and emergency service response
- the need to replace aging emergency response equipment associated with police, fire and ambulance services
- the need to expand demand response and or fixed route transportation services throughout the region to include educational transportation, and transportation of workers in the evening and weekend hours.
- the need to provide parents, especially commuting parents in the workforce with localized expanded-hour, affordable child care options for birth to school age children throughout the year.
- the need to provide parents in the workforce with afterschool and summer care for children which provides tutorial, mentoring and skill development.