Oak Harbor is seeking some creative ways to revitalize the economy.

At a recent meeting, the city council unanimously approved a contract with Better City LLC, a consulting firm that focuses on smaller communities, those with greater need and fewer resources.

This comes after the expiration of American Rescue Plan Act funding, which allowed the city to bring on an economic development coordinator for two years. The council decided this summer that the position did not deliver enough to justify continued funding.

David Kuhl, development service coordinator, said this effort will be different.

“This won’t just be a plan that sits on the shelf,” he said. “This will be a plan that becomes an active document where people on the staff need to take certain steps, people in the community need to do certain things, and it will be an ongoing, living document.”

The plan will cost $43,000 and come from an economic development budget of $85,000.

The firm will form a steering committee, analyze data, gather public input, find gaps in the market and create a strategy showing Oak Harbor’s current economic state and how it can improve.

“What do we want to see happen in Oak Harbor?” Kuhl asked. “Do we view tourism as the main thing to happen? Do we view expanded retail? Do we see recreation being the main thing here? We’ll come up with a vision for what Oak Harbor should be.”

In Alamogordo, New Mexico, for example, Better City’s data analysis showed the city should tap into the film industry, which has proven successful in Albuquerque. Afterword, the firm came back and helped facilitate.

“We were really excited when we started to discuss what the needs (of Oak Harbor) were, where they’re at, to see the flexibility of the community and the desire to move forward,” said Jason Godfrey, consultant.

Some council members shared the excitement.

“I really support this, and I hope that this is finally one of the magic bullets,” Councilmember Shane Hoffmire said.