EXTRA CONTENT: Corbin 20/20 Vision plan to be unveiled, discussed next Tuesday

Read the final version of the 20/20 Vision Strategic Plan by clicking here.

The Corbin Chamber of Commerce will use next Tuesday’s general membership luncheon as a forum to unveil the city’s new 20/20 Vision Plan – a roadmap local leaders say will be used to help chart Corbin’s path to future progress.

The plan, which started as a community assessment survey conducted by the non-profit Kentucky Association for Economic Development (KAED), concluded recently after numerous meetings between facilitators and local civic, business and government leaders. The Vision Plan has a mission statement that: "The City of Corbin aspires to become a contributor to a growing, dynamic and diverse region while valuing a strong sense of community and fostering progressive thinking." It sets out as it’s guiding values cooperation, excellence, integrity, moral accountability, welcoming and open-mindedness. The plans ultimate goals are five-fold: increased diversity, high-quality education, improved public relations and sustainable economic development, tourism.

"The goals are kind of general but there are specifics as far as the strategies and how to implement the plan itself," Corbin Director of Economic Development, Bruce Carpenter, said of the 20/20 Vision Plan. "Those are some of the things we want to discuss at the meeting and get more in depth about."

Carpenter said he would lead the discussion about the plan along with local pastor Tim Thompson, a member of the 18-member Vision Committee that worked on distilling feedback from the community assessment into a plan. Thompson will present the plan itself to all those in attendance.

Already, members of the Vision Committee have discussed the plan with the Corbin City Commission and Whitley County Fiscal Court. Carpenter said he feels that even though the plan focuses mainly on the Corbin area, it is regional in scope.

"There’s some things that are specific to the city and there are also some long range plans that extend into the tri-county area and the region," Carpenter said. "It’s a little of both."

Carpenter characterized the plan as rational and reasonable with some goals that can be achieved relatively quickly, and other more challenging ones that will take some time, planning and political will. He said he believes all local leaders are on board with the plan and will support it fully to see it to fruition.

"It’s going to take some time and require us to stay focused and keep our eye on the ball so to speak," he said. "We plan to continue meeting, working and hope to involve more citizens from the community in this effort."

The Chamber’s luncheon is scheduled for next Tuesday, June 16 at 11:45 p.m. It will be held at the Corbin Center for Technology and Community Activities. Anyone wishing to attend is encouraged to contact Joan Rich at 528-6390.