The partnership between Pazardjik and West Bend has focused on three areas: economic development, urban development, and park redevelopment. In the area of economic development, the partners established a business development plan for the creation of an economic development (ED) zone for in Pazardjik. The completed plan for the creation of an ED zone included a lot sale process, the creation of a municipal corporation, and plans for a municipal bonds issuance and/or application for European Union (EU) pre-accession funds to finance the ED zone infrastructure. Pazardjik produced a special brochure for the zone and distributed it to businesses, banks, and other business development organizations, which has generated an unprecedented interest by both local businesses and foreign investors. The ED zone will contribute to the favorable development of small and medium-sized enterprises, the creation of new jobs, and an increase in local revenues.
In the area of urban development, the Pazardjik and West Bend teams developed a management plan to create a Geographic Information System (GIS) for Pazardjik. GIS implementation is anticipated to be complete in the fall of 2002. The implementation of the GIS in Pazardjik will allow the municipal administration to make quicker management decisions related to territorial and infrastructure development as well as to provide more effective services to the utility companies, fire and police departments, civil protection departments, tax and legal authorities, private developers, and citizens. In the long term, Pazardjik’s GIS will also form the basis of a more efficient and effective asset management system for the municipality.
In another capacity-building project, West Bend advised Pazardjik on the development of a request for proposals for the redevelopment of Ostrova Park, which will be a tool to start the redevelopment of a section of the park.