Revamped Three-Star Program Shining Brightly
Published Apr 07, 2005
Jabiru USA Sport Aircraft chose Bedford County for its North American operations.
When Bedford County became the first community certified under Tennessee’s newly redesigned Three-Star Program, no one could have predicted how quickly that certification would lead to high-flying news.
But by May 2005, Jabiru USA Sport Aircraft had landed its North American operations in Bedford County’s Shelbyville, gearing up for production of light aircraft in a facility at the Shelbyville Municipal Airport.
The privately owned Australian company manufactures, sells and distributes aircraft and kits to 16 countries and engines to 31 countries.
“Bedford County’s participation in the state’s Three-Star Program, along with the strong support and commitment at the local level, has been an obvious formula for success,” says Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matthew Kisber.
And Shelbyville’s success is just one indication that the Three-Star Program is up and flying. Response has been “phenomenal,” according to the program staffers: More than 85 communities have filed applications to participate in the program, restructured in the fall of 2004 to bolster community development.
“Actually, our performance measures showed 36 to 48 communities would participate,” says Melinda Keifer, director of community development for the state’s ECD. “This has been absolutely overwhelming. What’s great is that this program emphasizes the spirit of cooperation to build strong community and economic foundations.”
The new Three-Star Program is a comprehensive plan designed to empower communities to identify and maximize their efforts to improve quality of life and build on economic development.
Communities demonstrate from the start their dedication by developing a five-year, asset-based strategic plan for economic development.
The rewards of all this hard work come in the form of financial incentives, awarded in a combination of increased government matching funds and grants. Communities can qualify for one of three levels of certification, with incentives varying by the level.
In Shelbyville’s case, the city received an infrastructure development grant from ECD to install a water line necessary for Jabiru’s operations. The county’s Level II Three-Star status helped reduce the traditional 80-20 match for the project – the city instead picked up 17 percent.
The whole process was sped along by FastTrack, another state program designed to cut through red tape.
The Three-Star Program is a “grassroots community approach,” according to Keifer. When an entire community pulls together, the hard work pays off in newly focused energy – and job growth across the board, both in existing and new industries.
Story by Tom Robinson
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