A Home Town Competitiveness workshop is being planned next spring to include Marion, Morris, Dickinson, and Wabaunsee counties.

A $12,500 grant recently was awarded to Flint Hills RC&D (Resource Conservation and Development) by South Central Kansas Economic Development District (SCKEDD) to fund a three-day workshop in spring 2009.

A steering committee recently met at Council Grove to discuss bringing trainers from Nebraska to present the HTC strategy. By presenting a come back/give back approach to rural community building, HTC provides a comprehensive strategy for long-term rural community sustainability.

This approach has been developed and field-tested in Nebraska and Kansas, focusing on four strategies — building leadership and community capacity, engaging young people, fostering local philanthropy, and supporting entrepreneurship.

Marion County committee members are Larry Paine, Hillsboro city administrator, Doug Kjellin, Marion economic development director, Anita Goertzen, Goessel city clerk, and Teresa Huffman, Marion County economic development director.

The committee’s next meeting is Oct. 16 at Emporia. Anyone interested in serving on the steering committee or attending a workshop should contact Huffman at (620) 382-8830.

Brochures and applications will be available after Jan. 1, 2009.