Labor study to spark the city’s econonic development to begin

The city of Maricopa is looking for opportunities to bring new business to the area. To that end, the city needs your help. The economic development office is working with Elliott D. Pollack & Co. to update the community labor study, which city officials say is an important tool in identifying appropriate target industries for the area.

It is also the information most requested by all types of prospective employers, city officials say. Maricopa is at a crossroads regarding its future economic profile. The city has grown in population and local service-related employment in recent years, but requires aggressive efforts in order to expand its economic base, officials say.

“The labor survey is one component of this broader effort,” said Jim Rounds, senior vice president with Elliott D. Pollack & Co., who is leading the labor study project.

“It is designed to gauge the community’s economic development potential in terms of workforce skill and availability, and also offer important feedback to community officials regarding how to tailor future economic development efforts,” Rounds said.

To ensure a statistically significant sample, the update will collect resident data through a combination of telephone calls, and mailed and Web-based surveys. On Oct. 19, representatives of Elliott D. Pollack & Co. will begin the calling portion of the study. Surveys will be mailed soon after. The surveys will target approximately 25 percent of local households.

Also, residents will have an opportunity to submit information online. As the project moves forward, updates will be posted at www.MaricopaMatters.com. Results of the study will be released in early December.