Cobre Valley Collaborative meets to share 3-year action plan

The Cobre Valley Collaborative, a group of community leaders and government officials met Tuesday morning at Dream Manor Inn to share in the results of a 3-month planning process. The work, which began in January, focused on bettering our community in three key areas; education, recreation and housing.

The planning process was underwritten by the Vitalyst Health Foundation and the Arizona Partnership for Healthy Communities and facilitated by Pinnacle Prevention.

John Ford, Director of Vitalyst Health Foundation, who worked with the group from the beginning, led off the morning by saying it was one of the most vibrant and engaged communities, we’ve seen.”  He was talking of the almost 60 community leaders, advocates and government officials, which have participated in the planning and done the work required to map out action plans which address real community needs. 

Key among the goals of the group were to develop plans which would prove “actionable and useful,” but also “reflect the current work already happening and represent what was feasible.”

Objectives identified for the three areas inclue:

1EDUCATION:

(1) Completing an RFP for a feasibility study to look at a regional education system by 2020, (2) an increase in pre-K screening by 5% and post-secondary education and certificate retention by 5% and (3) an increase in interactive non-screen family time per day.

2 RECREATION:

(1) Forming a 501c3 to manage recreational opportunities and resources in the area by 2020, and (2) creating a recreation master plan for the region and (3) expanding recreational infrastructure in the region by 5% by 2022. 

3 HOUSING:

First year objectives included; (1) Doing a housing market analysis, (2) review of existing city and county codes with plans to streamline permitting, and (3) identifying inventory, land-owners and financing sources, and (4) developing a regional wastewater collection and treatment plan to support housing infrastructure needs. 

The objectives will provide a road map which will help secure additional funding and guide future discussions and community efforts.