Last week, the Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC) hosted the quarterly Reinvention Cities Network Roundtable in Zanesville. Quarterly roundtables provide legacy city leaders with the opportunity to learn, network, and engage with their peers across the state. Nearly thirty attendees joined together, representing seven legacy cities and statewide organizations.
Last week’s roundtable was the first in-person gathering of the year for the Network, following the February virtual meeting. Participants acknowledge that being together in-person provides a richer opportunity for leaders to network, learn, and see revitalization first-hand in their peer communities. Sincere appreciation to our host city and the Zanesville-Muskingum County Chamber of Commerce for providing meeting space, lunch, and facilitating an afternoon walking tour of Downtown Zanesville.
Community leaders began the meeting with community updates about the revitalization work underway, and GOPC shared timely budget updates as the state legislature is working through the two-year biennium budget. Andy Roberts, the Executive Director of the Muskingum County Land Bank, and Matthew Schley, Community Development Director for the City of Zanesville, presented to the group on the city and county initiatives to increase housing for current and future residents.
Following this presentation, Dana Matz, CEO of the Zanesville-Muskingum County Chamber of Commerce led the group on a tour to visit Secrest Auditorium, the city’s 1,700 seat auditorium that provides the city and region with an array of shows. To end the day, the group visited the Downtown Exchange, a food market hall that received a JobsOhio Vibrant Communities grant.
