Cherokee County launches 17-year planning process

Listen to this article

Cherokee County leaders have taken the first step in creating a vision aimed at carrying the county through its 140th anniversary and beyond.

The initial leadership team met this week to identify the broad sectors that will be the focus of Cherokee County 2037: A Clear Vision, according to a news release. When finished, the plan is intended to serve as the community’s roadmap to tangible, achievable results in economic development, tourism, infrastructure and quality of life.

Michael Bridges, pastor of Concord Baptist Church in Gaffney; Will Cobb, a Blacksburg business owner; Glenda Hartzog, owner of Hartzog’s Gifts and Fine Jewelers; Abbie Sossamon, lifestyles editor for the Gaffney Ledger; and Jamie Vinesett, the controller for Freightliner, will serve as the leadership team as the county begins a push to reach out to and collect input from community leaders and the general public, County Administrator Steve Bratton said in the news release. Hundreds of people will be surveyed to determine the next steps Cherokee County takes in building its future.

“The development of a community vision and strategic plan is incredibly important for the future of our county,” Bratton said in the release. “This will provide a roadmap that not only the county, but also the city and town, can use in their decision-making processes for the foreseeable future. I feel like the steering committee that has been assembled is representative of a good cross section of our community and will bring forth some new and fresh ideas that will provide some great structure to the plan as it progresses.”

Stakeholders will be invited to the official unveiling of the finished plan in December, the release said.

The Palladian Group, based in Spartanburg, was selected to facilitate meetings and guide the visioning process.

“We are delighted to have been selected to guide the county through its visioning process,” Karen K. Floyd, CEO and founder of The Palladian Group, said in the release. “This important process will bring together a countywide coalition to craft a plan that will build on the county’s past to set the tone for future success.”