PRESS RELEASE

FR: Tim Brown, President, Byesville Scenic Railway

RE: Strategic Community Plan

DT: August 28, 2009

Strategic Planning has become an essential component in the operation, development and growth of public and nonprofit organizations. A greater demand for accountability and good governance through planning has become standard practice for most successful community organizations. Pressured to reinvent or reengineer themselves to improve efficiency and effectiveness and to compete more effectively to serve their internal and external constituents, community organizations must think and act strategically. This is a critical practice now and in the future to compete, survive and prosper in order to serve the community good.

The Byesville Scenic Railway, Inc (BSRW) and Byesville Scenic Trails LLC (BST) have engaged Muskingum University Center for Regional Planning and Development to guide and direct a “strategic plan” that will clarify the mission statement of the organization and identify strategies and issues facing the BSRW group along with potential responses to them. Under the direction of Dr. Walter Huber, Director of the University’s Center for Planning and Development, upper level students will “assist the BSRW in steering our organization as we continue to grow and serve our surrounding communities in years to come,” said Tim Brown, President of the Board of Directors of the Byesville Scenic Railway, Inc. “The plan will also be a valuable tool in our efforts to educate the community, provide recreational, educational and cultural activities; promote economic development; and seek and secure funding to rehabilitate the railroad line from Byesville and Pleasant City to Cumberland and the Wilds,” added Brown.

Most importantly, internal and external stakeholders have been identified and have all agreed to serve in the planning process including Brown; Dave Adams, board member and train historian; John B. Corns, Property Manager for the Byesville Scenic Trails; Donald Gadd, Mayor of Byesville; Dennis Jones, Educational Director of the Byesville Scenic Railroad; Mike Kachilla, President of the Cambridge Area Chamber of Commerce; Rob McBurney, Chief Operations Officer of the Wilds; Bob Oess, Special Projects Coordinator of the Cambridge-Guernsey County Community Improvement Corporation; Debbie Robinson, Executive Director of the Cambridge-Guernsey County Visitors and Convention Bureau; Steve Stolarik, Board Member and Coal Mining Historian of the BSRW; and Sam Salupo, Government Affairs Coordinator of the BSRW.

The first of six planning sessions is scheduled for 3:30 PM, September 15, 2009 at the Community Improvement Corporation office. For more information regarding the BSRW strategic planning process, contact Tim Brown @ tim@bsrw.org