GWINNETT COUNTY, GA-Voters approved a four-year 1% sales tax that could raise $748 million with $320 million for parks, $320 million for roads, $90 million for public safety facilities and $18 million for libraries. This follows the 1997 approval for a 1% sales tax for similar projects and a 1% levy of school construction. County Commission Wayne Hill was also elected to a third term. Gwinnett’s population in 1986 was 277,000 and in 2000, has grown to 552,000. By 1998, private sector earnings per job was almost to the Key Benchmark, set in the 1996 Vision, of being 10% above the US average. Vision web page http://208.55.52.64/gwinnettchamber/commdev2.html

LAKELAND, FL-The Metro Lakeland Vision celebrated almost two years of implementation on November 13, 2000 with a review of the Key Benchmarks and progress on individual strategies. Much has been accomplished on mentoring, Lakeland City annexation, neighborhood improvements, preparing children to enter kindergarten, implementation of 18 strategies by the city and many other strategies. Vision web page http://www.lakelandvision.com/

WILKES, NC-Arnold Lakey and Charles Sink were elected to the Wilkes County Commission on November 7^th. Lakey is the Wilkes Vision 2020 Chair and Sink is the Chair of the Vision 2020 Infrastructure Foundation Team. www.wilkesnc.org/vision

CURACAO, NETHERLANDS ANTILLES-On August 1, 2000, the government adopted a law that removes the requirement for a government-approved dismissal permit in the productive economic sectors. This was followed by a change in the law regarding working hours and overtime compensation. E-commerce and use of the Internet is also enjoying rapid growth and investments. A new fiber-optic connection to the net backbone has been completed and an e-park will be operational in early 2001. Curacao has also stepped up its advertising in the United States. These are all Action Steps for Key Strategies in Vishon Kórsou. Vision web page www.curinfo.an/vishonkorsou/ 

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA-The Schuylkill Career Link Center is a one-stop location for integrating employment, training, education and economic development services for job seekers, workers and employers. Dave Donlan, Executive Vice-President of the Schuylkill Chamber reported at the Vision Town Hall meeting on October 30, 2000 that 45 % of Pennsylvania’s counties had visited the center to learn about its success. The Schuylkill Technological Incubator has hired a "project champion" to help boast technology start-ups. These were two of the many high points reported by presenters about the early success of Schuylkill’s Vision. Real progress has been made on meeting the Key Benchmarks. Vision web page http://pottsville.koz.com/servlet/randhsite_ProcServ/DBPAGE=cge&GID=00038000000961353781155409

MINOT, ND-Minot is the " seventh best small city" according to Demographics Daily, published in mid September. They researched 632 cities, every city between 10,000 and 50,00 population, and designated 141 as "dream towns" with Minot as seventh. Vision web page http://visioning.minotchamber.org/

MOBILE, AL-Mobile is ranked the fifth "best-mannered city" in America by Etiquette expert, Marjabelle Young Stewart. Vision web page http://mobilechamber.org/development/

SAGINAW COUNTY, MI- Last newsletter, we gave the wrong address for the web page for Saginaw County Vision 2020. Go to www.saginawcountyvision2020.org  for the latest information on the Vision Process.

UNION, NORTH CAROLINA-Voters approved the $55 million school bond referendum on November 7. This follows a successful vote on a $52.7 bond issue referendum in 1998 for school construction. Vision web page http://www.unionvision2020.com/

GOLD STAR SCHOOLS-Expansion Management Magazine reported it’s 10th "Education Quotient". Their study included 2,234 school districts which was 90% of the US districts with at least 700 students located in cites or towns with a population of at least 15,000. Their ranking is from 50-150 with a rank over 126 being a "Gold Star School". There were 180 "Gold Star Schools" including Conyers, GA-Rockdale County; Saginaw, MI-Swan Valley; Rapid City, SD-Rapid City 51-4 and Spearfish 40-2; Roanoke, VA-Roanoke County; Chesterfield, VA-Chesterfield County; Henrico, VA-Henrico County; Spokane, WA-Spokane (City/County-School District). You can see where your school district ranked at http://www.expansionmanagement.com/

POVERTY UPDATE-The Census Bureau has produced the poverty rate estimates for 1997. Go to www.lukevision.com and then to Visioning Resources.

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Henry Luke

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“America's Leading Community VISION Facilitator”