Officials: ǻ-year plan can help guide choices

The economy was in the middle of the longest period of growth in U.S. history, and politicians and business leaders wanted better information on how to optimize expansion in the county.

"Good data helps people make good decisions," said Al Coppin, president of Keegan & Coppin, the largest commercial real estate brokerage in the North Bay.

Coppin was part of the committee in charge of producing the report, and he pushed for an economic forecast to be included in the 10-year plan.

"We were used to putting together our own data at Keegan & Coppin," he said. "We always thought it was something that would be valuable if done publicly."

The information gleaned from that report helped promote and grow the hospitality industry, increase communication between tech firms, and led to the creation of the engineering department at Sonoma State University, Coppin said.

The same consulting firm that compiled that economic forecast is now preparing a highly detailed economic model for the new 10-year plan.

"It will be more than we have ever had before," said Ben Stone, executive director of the Sonoma County Economic Development Board.You can reach Staff Writer Nathan Halverson at 521-5494 or nathan.halverson@pressdemocrat.com.