In July 2010, Paul Jenkins and Kathy Harris joined together as the Raton Community Economic Development Group, also know as the RCED Group. We put on a series of three public forums which were held in the International Room of the International Bank in Raton, NM. The first public forum, held on July 21, 2010, focused on developing a vision of what a prosperous Raton would look like 10-15 years in the future. The second public forum, held on August 3, 2010, was used to conduct a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis for the local Raton economy. In the third public forum, held on August 19, 2010, the participants were asked to vote on what priority they would give to various economic development strategies.
In the meantime, a Vision Statement Task Force developed a Vision Statement as to what a prosperous Raton would look like. A Steering Committee was then formed and developed a Mission Statement for the organization. The Steering Committee eventually decided that the organization would incorporate as a non-profit corporation under the name Greater Raton Economic Development Corporation. The Steering Committee also decided that the corporation would do business as (DBA) “GrowRaton!”
On September 10, 2010, the New Mexico Economic Development Department (NM EDD) sponsored a day-long Regional Economic Development for Colfax County and northeastern New Mexico. The Steering Committee worked with the NM EDD to publicize and organize the Summit. At that event, Paul Jenkins spoke on behalf of the "RCED Group" for the last time and publicly announced the group’s intention to incorporate as the Greater Raton Economic Development Corporation which would use the DBA of “GrowRaton!” The Steering Committee consulted with a local attorney, who generously donated his time, and Articles of Incorporation were filed with the NM Public Regulation Commission (PRC). On September 30, 2010, the PRC accepted the Articles of Incorporation and the corporation was formally established.
Based on the priorities which came out of the third public forum, Grow Raton! organized into a series of workgroups task forces centered around various community and economic develop-ment goals which had received the most votes at that public forum. The two workgroups and seven proposed task forces were outlined as follows:
Business & Government Work Group
Business Creation & Recruitment Task Force
Creation and recruitment of small businesses
Promote a business friendly atmosphere
Put together a recruitment package
Develop incubator program to encourage entrepreneurs
Create program to attract & develop green industries
Increase recruitment of film industry
Solid Waste Recycling Task Force
Find ways to increase current collection rates
Develop strategy for long-term solid waste handling
Business Retention Task Force
Promote “Buy Local” campaign
Provide existing businesses with resources and information
Government Resources Task Force
Create private/public partnership for economic development
Develop incentives package for businesses
Enforce health code/zoning standards
Identify grant resources
Improve representation at state/federal funding decisions
Attraction & Tourism Work Group
Beautification Task Force
Implement downtown design improvements
Develop bicycle/walking paths and trails
Community Awareness & Pride Task Force
Campaign to develop civic pride
Develop community-wide clean-up campaign
Marketing & Tourism Task Force
Develop town brand
Increase promotion of existing attractions
(billboards & signage)
Put up “Welcome” and way-finding signs
Cross-promotion of activities with other communities
Expand community/regional attendance at events
Promote Raton as tourist destination for day trips to surrounding sites
Develop and market Raton as a retirement location
Due to the fact that the Beautification Task Force and the Community Awareness & Pride Task Force shared many of the same volunteers and interests, it was later decided that the two task forces would combine, at least initially, into a Beautification and Community Pride Task Force.
