We’re excited the process of building a strategic plan for economic development for Vicksburg and Warren County is under way.

Hard work by a lot of people in our community will shortly begin to bear fruit, we’re confident.

Leaders in the county, city and on the chamber of commerce and the port commission agreeing to come together in an effort to recruit new industry and manufacturers — meaning jobs — to our area began the effort.

Under economic director Pablo Diaz’s direction, the group has hired a company, Vision First Advisors, to direct the planning effort, which is expected to take about six months.

Once developed, Port Commission Chairwoman Margaret Gilmer said the strategic plan would be the North Star for our efforts over the next five to 10 years to recruit new business and jobs here.

Part of the job of putting together a strategic plan will be to define the goals and what the community sees as economic development success, as well as target tactics and strategies that would build upon our best resources and infrastructure to grow jobs and support businesses, Diaz said.

The best part of creating the strategic plan is the gathering of input from all in our community who want to be a part of it. It’s important this plan for economic development here be built in the open view of all in the community, and we plan to hold our community’s economic development leaders’ feet to the fire to make certain that’s exactly what happens.

No other area of Mississippi has more to offer than we do in Vicksburg. We have the land, the people, natural resources, easy access to institutions of higher learning — everything anyone could want when choosing a location for their business.

Promoting our assets in a targeted and organized fashion will help others see the light about Vicksburg and Warren County.