During the winter, many of you took the time to respond to an extensive survey about the future of the Little Cities of Black Diamonds Council’s efforts to keep alive the stories of the past and utilize them as an asset for redevelopment of the microregion. Dozens of new ideas from a 2009 planning retreat were combined with existing projects of the Council. Survey respondents were then asked to prioritize the various activities and initiatives presented. Two clear messages were delivered. First, continue and build upon existing Council initiatives such as Appalachian Spring Festival and Little Cities of Black Diamonds Day, the archive, the miner’s registry, guided tours, the newsletter and the web page. Next, include, diversify and increase efforts to engage children in learning about the history of the place where they live. Support was also lent to new initiatives, but not at the same level as the previous topics. The most notable runner-ups that would indicate a need for attention in the future, were support to business ventures related to geotourism and expansion of workshops

A long range plan will eventually be written that reflects the priorities, including launching of new initiatives.During the short term the Council has adopted these primary objectives for 2010:

• increasing the number of youth activities at the Appalachian Spring Festival and LCBD Day;
  
  
• supporting the development of the archive via on-going data entry/tagging and research programs such as Dr. Frans Doppen’s Little Cities Learning Community;
  
  
• planning and prototype development for an audio pod tour of the region with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities;
  
  
• participation with the Ohio Humanities Council and Ohio’s Hill Country Heritage Area in a study of “civic tourism” concepts as it relates to the LCBD microregion and other grassroots organizations in the Appalachian region of Ohio.
  
  
• adopting a “Women of the Little Cities” theme to guide LCBD Day 2010 and Appalachian Spring 2011.
  
  
• respond to increasing requests for tour and student group hosting; and basic tourism and genealogy information.
  
  
• maintain fiscal stability during difficult economic times