Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Economic Development AoE

Mt. Pleasant, Isabella County Conference Room

Notes of the Meeting

Present: Barb Fails (Product Center), Doug Woodard, Mark Thomas, Diane Smith, Ed Kerr, Dave Ivan, Ron Steiner, Hal Hudson, Van Varner, Bill Carpenter

Chairperson Diane Smith opened the meeting at 10:22 am. Sue Pigg and Andy Hayes are not attending.

Minutes--approved Ivan, second by Hudson

Financial Report (enclosed) discussion: Dave stated that we have not usually spent annual allocations; has worked against us. New rule: we will only be able to carry over 50% next year. Diane noted that we only have 5-6 months to spend our balance.

Mark re: Economic Development Enhancement Visits: we could waive 1/2 travel requirement for counties for AoE visit to newer CEDs. Dave will ask Scott Loverage to see if we can--grant written for 50% county share.

Standing Reports:

Dave--Community Development and Land Use AoEs--CD looking at a retreat June 1 & 2 in U.P., joint with Tourism. Land Use AoE developing fact sheets on current Land Use issues. MSUE has acquired the Planning and Zoning News.

Member Best Practices Mark--biodiesel project in Bangor with tax abatement, agricultural renaissance zone--22 jobs plan 10MM gal/yr; hosting workshop on how to get a value added USDA grant; in running for Toyota engine plant;

Ed--net gain in jobs rather than loss; retention calls credited; technology continues to be a challenge.

Barb--Road to Independence program--completed 2 this winter, see brochure, please help recruit. 74 attended the first, 10 the next. Coop development--3 locations for education program--Gaylord, Frankenmuth, Grand Rapids--complements of USDA, Center has money to invest in 3 coops.

Ron--Kitchen Incubator almost ready--have one for office services and entrepreneurial efforts already--November take off, turnkey offices available for rental. MDA has to certify kitchen layout, target operation February, would be the first in MI, will be a Product Center continuing education center. Youth entrepreneurship grant with ISD--Oceana & Muskegon counties, linked with Muskegon CC. Just finished a NxLevel course--12 students for six weeks, 2X per week--entrepreneurship course--a blended version, SCORE provided all their speakers. West Shore Community College offered it for credit as well as non-credit.

Dave--Cultural Economic Development Seminar Series, Mt. Pleasant and the Upper Peninsula--Reported on visits to 8 states. Teamed with Michigan Arts & Culture group. Has presented around the state--e.g., Allegan, Hillsdale; will develop plans there.

Diane--Brownfield development grant--Environmental Protection Agency--property assessments part of it, education for realtors from Diane. ICA board linked with Tom Kalchik and Clarksville Experiment Station--importance of agriculture and product development.

Doug--Generation E curriculum project--Community Action Agency of Battle Creek developed curriculum--10 to 12 teachers trained in Clare County--putting entrepreneurial components into classroom, then teaching full curriculum. ISD in Marshall for a training--video conference will be attempted. CAA in Clare and Enter grant will pay for training by video in Harrison. Attendees--Community Action Agency staff, some Headstart, alternative high school, elementary instructors. Curriculum aimed at not necessarily college bound youth--bus plan actually carried out that benefit the school, not replacing junior achievement.

Hal--CAA relationships--per Don Mercer CAA state Director from last AoE meeting, via his CAT, Hal developed relationship with technical center, too. Generation E may result in Caro. CAT visit very successful, final report in process. Citizen Planner coming Feb 23--Apr 6 in Marlette. Intergovernmental Cooperation Summit coming--with John Amrhein's help. Farm Land Preservation--aided by Tuscola Farm Bureau tour with Extension help. February 25 Entrepreneurship Conference with trade show for Tuscola County, Tom Kalchik, Dennis Stein and Provost of Northwood University.

Van--5 County Food System Economic Partnership w/Mike Score and county commissioners, conference in Kenton, FIRM agents partnered with Michigan Milk Coop--travelling program on business succession with follow up visits to attendees.

Community Entrepreneurship Conference: Dave updated efforts, main ingredients. Target October 26, 2006--Lansing, facilities being examined.

New approach--invite community teams, then follow up with them (per Barb Fails). Will need marketing, CED role in assembling local community team. "Community" can mean larger or different than single geographic limited entity. "Team"--legal, public officials, EDC member, planners, Chambers, agency staff, private individuals--but must include an entrepreneur(s). Market to CEDs/Estaff via portal or satellite TV system, one idea.

Do not want a pitch for a Cirelli approach--formula and then fee basis for continuing.

Tentative Cost: 5 or more in a team, $50 per person; $100 for individuals. Also, can offer CAT or assessment to teams.

Youth Entrepreneurship--Doug: Needs letter of support from MSUE on Generation E project. Doug talking with CMU teacher education people also. Draft of letter of support--Doug, for Director's signature. Generation E developed by SW CAA (Battle Creek) on grant from Kellogg Foundation.

Dave: June 21-23, How to Start Your Own Business (at Exploration Days). He has a curriculum, very hands on, nine hours of instruction. Dave wants some assistance--could be good fun!

AoE meetings: April 11--Cassopolis, Edward Lowe Foundation (Dan Wyant director); July 11--Hart at Community Kitchen and center; entrepreneurship conference on October 27^th --AoE (after October 26^th Small Town Program in Lansing).

(8 am to noon, evaluation & debrief).

Jan 23, 2007 tentative Tuscola.

Campus Co-chair: Blake Ashton and Mike Robestall, newly with College of Business--to come up with entrepreneurship outreach program--not PhDs, not tenure track. These cannot be co-chairs since they have their own programs to shepherd. Dave has talked with Director and Chris Peterson (Product Center). Dave suggests product center as source of our AoE campus co-chair. PC could provide continuing education to all the staff.

Motion: Dave moved that Barb Fails of Product Center be invited as campus co-chair. Second by Hal. Unanimous voice vote.

Director's priorities for AoE: Issues ID--will give some direction and please continue with our efforts in communities(--providing capacity as well as developing capacity, Mark's words, is OK).

Plan of Work (see accompanying .doc from Chair Diane Smith)

Entrepreneurship --Community--Conference

--Youth--Generation E & 4-H Partnership Possibility (start w/Exploration Days training); examine Go Venture, a software piece from Ron--Doug will examine it for AoE.

--Adult--conferences, NxLevel & FastTrac

--Staff: training for NxLevel, FastTrac;

Cultural Economic Development

--In Service--Julie Avery, MSU Museum, Arts & Libraries & Cultural ED

--Scholarship Need--White Papers, best practice sharing

--Survey Needs--artist communities (North Carolina example)

Retention Programs --model sharing with CEDs and Business Retention Expansion International (BREI) (Mark a speaker at Omaha convention --core members can be certified with covered costs.

Strategic Planning for ED --Kauffman's Listening to Your Business, 1 day workshop (Van Varner)--will offer for greenhouse operators in Columbus; SWOT with community groups

Allocation of Funds--budget from Diane

New Business: Dave--Division of Community Affairs, Detroit Federal Reserve office--very good at getting speakers.

Issues ID, MSUE: Doug and Mark with Dave and Diane to focus upon for the AoE, budget adjusted to give Van Buren and Clare some refreshments money for the focus group meetings.

2006 Fall Conference Sessions--ideas: Cultural Economic Development (Dave); Entrepreneurship for Youth (Ron)-a train-the-trainer; Land Banking (Sue Pigg); Differentiating Products to Add Value (Barb); Co-op Development (Kalchik or Chris Peterson per Barb); Community Coaching (Doug and Hal); Youngsters software (Doug and Ron).

Speaker Chuck Fitzpatrick: (see materials).