Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Franklin Southampton Economic Development Inc. (FSEDI) hosted a Franklin Southampton Community Visioning Event on Feb. 4 at the Camp Workforce Development Center where FSEDI shared what it has done for the area thus far and what it is hoping to do in the future.

Community leaders gathered for the event, where Meghan Councill and Mike Johnson conveyed what FSEDI has been doing with area leaders to get a vision together, while also highlighting why FSEDI was doing so.

Johnson offered a detailed history of community visioning as it relates to the Franklin Southampton area, and FSEDI President and CEO Karl Heck later offered a history of FSEDI itself, which was a product of a previous community vision called Franklin Southampton Futures that was produced in 2004.

Heck noted that FSEDI, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, is leading a second look at the 2004 plan while also adding to the Community Vision to best reflect the Franklin Southampton communities as they exist now.

In his presentation, Heck explained that the Community Vision is an aspirational document that is not designed to replace or compete with local government comprehensive and strategic plans. 

“It is meant to supplement that work, as well as provide a framework for the creation and development of catalytic projects to enhance our communities,” he stated.

He said, “We’ve had some successes, we want to have more successes, and bringing more people into that process to help make that happen is a critical part of that.”

GOALS OF THE COMMUNITY VISIONING

He explained that FSEDI has been leading the development of an updated Community Vision for the area communities since early 2024, and he outlined the main goals of it:

• To update the Franklin Southampton Futures report of 2004 and note progress made in the area since that time;
• Solicit and obtain community input on current and future developments in Franklin Southampton;
• Develop projects that can be developed and marketed to create new economic opportunities in the communities that can be marketed to outside investors and developers.

WHY UPDATE THE COMMUNITY VISION NOW?

In addition to 2024-25 being FSEDI’s 20th anniversary, Heck noted two other reasons for why now has been chosen as the time to update the area’s Community Vision.

He explained that Franklin Southampton is beginning to experience new growth. 

“Outside development pressures are starting to come from Suffolk, with Franklin Southampton being the next logical place for large-footprint development,” he stated in the presentation.

He also noted that the local population is aging, particularly in Southampton County.

“Along with workforce needs and school enrollment, succession planning for large family agricultural and forestry operations will impact county business and land-use patterns,” he stated.

COMMUNITY VISIONING WORK TO DATE

Heck shared in his presentation that the following Community Visioning activities had occurred to date:

• The creation of a Steering Committee of more than 20 community leaders that have developed the initial framework for the Community Vision;
• The creation of five subcommittees involving close to 50 community members providing initial goals in the areas of Economic Development, Education/Workforce, Tourism and Community Impact, Economic Uplift and Opportunity, and Community Engagement.

“They basically have reported out, and then we’re reporting out to you,” Heck said.

• Outside funding is being solicited to secure a consultant or consultants to assist the communities in the development of the Franklin Southampton Community Vision.

Heck highlighted the chairpersons for each subcommittee, including Bobby Pope for Economic Development, Dr. MeChelle Blunt for Education/Workforce, Marshall Rabil for Tourism and Community Impact, Will Melbye for Economic Uplift and Opportunity, and Meghan Councill for Community Engagement.

“I believe all five of those people are here, which is a testament to the work that they did, along with some of the people that were on the subcommittees,” Heck said.

Then Heck provided the report of the goals that each subcommittee devised and reported to FSEDI. That report, as highlighted in his slideshow presentation, is as follows:

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS

• Leverage existing industrial sites.
• Strengthen workforce development.
• Infrastructure improvements
• Support for small businesses and startups
• Collaboration and strategic planning

EDUCATION/WORKFORCE GOALS

• Enhance student support and mentoring programs.
• Expand vocational and technical education.
• Increase funding and support for schools.
• Develop business and trade-related training programs.
• Improve access to technology and internet connectivity.
• Strengthen community partnerships.
• Expand workforce credentialing and skill-building programs.
• Enhance parental and community involvement.
• Provide more internships and real-world learning opportunities.
• Recruit and retain skilled educators.

TOURISM AND COMMUNITY IMPACT GOALS

• Establish a central tourism office.
• Develop unique accommodations.
• Leverage historical and cultural assets.
• Enhance river-based and outdoor tourism.
• Organize two major annual festivals.
• Implement a robust marketing and communication strategy.
• Develop sporting and recreational events.
• Secure strategic relationships and funding.

ECONOMIC UPLIFT AND OPPORTUNITY GOALS

• Job training and employment opportunities
• Education and literacy programs
• Financial literacy and responsibility
• Access to essential resources
• Increase awareness and participation in social service programs.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GOALS

• Centralized community communication hub
• Welcome Wagon initiative
• Community ambassadorship program
• Sector-specific community engagements
• Enhanced community events
• Community pride campaigns
• Streamlined communication strategies
• Youth engagement initiatives

WORK TO BE DONE

“There’s still work to be done, as was mentioned, and we’re going to be asking your help with some of that too,” Heck said at the event. “So this meeting I like to call the ‘end of the beginning’ and not ‘the beginning of the end.’ We’re here to present what we’ve done so far, but what we’ve done so far is not the be-all and end-all of everything. It’s where we have enough where we can invite people in to help us do more.”

He explained that FSEDI will be holding more community meetings to involve as many people as possible in creating and enhancing its goals.

He said there will also be an internet-based way to participate in the Community Vision process.

FORTHCOMING PRODUCTS

Heck noted that the products of the Community Vision process will include the aforementioned aspirational document that will flesh out the goals and objectives that are developed through the existing process, as well as additional community input and discussion.

The second product will be a “pitch deck” of key projects.

The ‘pitch deck’ will be used to market projects to investors and grant funders,” Heck stated in the presentation. “The development of catalytic projects is central to the Community Vision.”

WHAT THESE PRODUCTS WILL SUPPORT

He then outlined in his presentation what those two products will support:

• To support and create transformative projects in Franklin Southampton through the development of an action-oriented report that will be a guidebook to assist our future development.
• To create a “pitch deck” to market our area’s key projects that will make a major difference in our economy and quality of life. These projects include a new hotel/lodging property, a new economic driver and new housing options.
• The initial products will be based on a five-year timeframe.

DESIRED IMPACT OF THE UPDATED VISION

Heck explained in his presentation what FSEDI wants to see happen with the Community Vision once it is completed. He stated that the Community Vision projects and new developments, as they come online, will do the following:

• Improve wages and incomes in Franklin Southampton
• Improve the quality of life for citizens of Franklin Southampton.
• Growing the tourism sector, giving residents and tourists more reasons to live, work and play in Franklin Southampton
• Preserving the prime agricultural and forestry land that has made Franklin Southampton a leading producer of peanuts, cotton and other crops for centuries

NEXT STEPS AND TIMELINE

Heck stated in the presentation that based on receiving funding, FSEDI expects to hire a consultant to assist it with the development of the Community Vision document and “pitch deck” in the next few months.

“We look forward to having the information to market the ‘Pitch Deck’ to potential investors in 2026,” he stated. “FSEDI is seeking public and private funding sources to complete the final document and ‘Pitch Deck.’”

He stated that the sooner FSEDI has the products completed, the sooner it can work to make the projects happen.

WHAT IS BEING ASKED OF COMMUNITY?

Heck asked those attending the Feb. 4 event to complete a three-question survey provided at the end and to leave it with FSEDI staff.

He also listed a few other requests of community members there and beyond:

• Provide feedback on the subcommittee goals and next steps.
• Donate if you are able.
• Support our projects and initiatives at the city, county and state levels.
• Help Franklin Southampton prosper in your own way.

NEXT STEPS AFTER THE MEETING

Included are some of the next steps that Heck highlighted to conclude his presentation:

• Welcome the time, treasure and/or talent of community members to the Community Visioning process.
• People should reach out to the FSEDI office at any time with interest and needs.
• If anyone can offer a group or location for FSEDI to present and educate the public, FSEDI is also interested in participating.
• Additional community meetings will be scheduled to talk about the Community Vision, raise awareness and support action steps.
• The Steering Committee will meet in the next few weeks to work on funding and implementation steps.

For more information, visit FSEDI at 601 N. Mechanic St. Suite 300 in Franklin, or call 757-562-1958, or send an email to Heck at kheck@franklinsouthamptonva.com, or visit www.fsediva.com or www.visitfranklinsouthamptonva.com.

“We will take your feedback at any time,” Heck said. “We look forward to having you be a part of this process.”