UPDATE: Changes Made to Imagine One 85 Workshops

Wabash County, IN __Leaders of the Imagine One 85 Comprehensive Plan process will host meetings across Wabash County to collect ideas about the future of the county and its communities.

This first community involvement opportunity – Focus on the Future Community Workshops – will take place November 13th and 16th with two virtual meetings. These events are open to everyone and will help shape the county’s comprehensive plan. Participants will be asked to register for these events and will receive a special meeting invitation from the event organizers. Participants can register at www.imagineone85.org .

In light of a COVID-19 spike and to preserve momentum for Imagine One 85 engagement events, in-person meetings have been rescheduled for the first week of February 2021 and planned in each of the county’s incorporated cities and towns. These in-person meetings will be fun, engaging and will include feedback and learnings from the virtual meetings in November. The agenda for each meeting is identical and participants are encouraged to attend the session that works best for them. Registration for these virtual events is not required but appreciated and available at www.imagineone85.org.

Virtual Workshop 1: Friday, Nov. 13 – 10:00 AM

Virtual Workshop 2: Monday, Nov. 16 – 4:00 p.m.

A team of elected and appointed officials, civic leaders, and organizations are launching an innovative, comprehensive planning process for the five incorporated communities of Wabash County. The plan, called Imagine One 85, is prompted by Wabash County’s steady and alarming decline in population that threatens school funding, industry and job growth, economic development and competitive wages, the availability of retail and professional services, and home values. Together, leaders and citizens from all sectors will develop a bold, comprehensive plan for the growth and prosperity of the entire county and the incorporated communities of LaFontaine, Lagro, North Manchester, Roann and Wabash.

During the meetings, participants will learn about the Imagine One 85 process and its initial findings through a brief presentation from the planning team. Discussion stations will focus on various topics covered in the plan, including housing, economic development, land use and others. The meetings will use technology such as smart phone feedback and polling to test larger concepts. To ensure the safety of participants and event volunteers, all in-person events in February will adhere to strict safety protocols outlined by the Indiana Department of Health .

The results from the first round of community meetings will be shared through the process website in late February. This input will help the process Steering Committee shape critical plan elements like the vision statement, goals, and principle components of the overall conceptual direction. The second major community engagement series will test the direction and is tentatively scheduled for the spring of 2021.

Imagine One 85 is led by a 19-member Steering Committee made up of elected and appointed officials from each of the county’s communities and county government. In addition, an Outreach Team–consisting of more than 100 community members–will assist the steering committee in spreading the word about the process and key community engagement opportunities. A multi-disciplinary consultant team led by Planning NEXT of Columbus, Ohio, is facilitating the process in close coordination with leadership from the Community Foundation of Wabash County (CFWC) and Grow Wabash County (GWC).

Imagine One 85 is led by the CFWC and GWC and a team of elected and appointed officials representing Wabash County, the City of Wabash, and the towns of LaFontaine, Lagro, North Manchester, and Roann. The process is funded by the Community Foundation, a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., Grow Wabash County, Manchester University, all of the county’s incorporated communities, and private citizens.

Visit the Imagine One 85 website to find out more about the process and register for an upcoming virtual community meeting.