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Membership Elects Sharon Juon as New President, Roster Set for 2008-2009 Executive Committee
During NADO's 2008 Annual Business Meeting on October 7 in Anchorage, Alaska, Sharon Juon, Executive Director of the Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments, was elected President. In addition, the association's membership elected a slate of officers who, along with Juon, will serve on the 2008-2009 Executive Committee. For a complete list of the 2008-2009 NADO Board of Directors, visit www.nado.org/aboutnado/officer.php.
President
Sharon Juon, Executive Director
Iowa Northland Regional COG
229 E. Park Avenue
Waterloo, Iowa 50703
Phone: 319.235.0311
Fax: 319.235.2891
Email: sjuon@inrcog.org
First Vice President
J. Michael Norton, Executive Director
Northwest Arkansas EDD
P.O. Box 190
Harrison, Arkansas 72602-0190
Phone: 870.741.5404
Fax: 870.741.1905
Email: jmnorton@nwaedd.org
Second Vice President
Tim Ware, Executive Director
Mid-East Commission
P.O. Box 1787
Washington, North Carolina 27889
Phone: 252.974.1825
Fax: 252.946.5489
Email: tware@mideastcom.org
Secretary
Russ Cowley, Executive Director
Six County AOG
250 North Main
Richfield, Utah 84701
Phone: 435.893.0700
Fax: 435.896.6951
Email: rcowley@sixaog.state.ut.us
Treasurer
John Leonard, Executive Director
South Georgia RDC
327 W. Savannah Avenue
Valdosta, Georgia 31603
Phone: 229.333.5277
Fax: 229.333.5312
Email: jleonard@SGRDC.com
Immediate Past President
Leanne Mazer, Executive Director
Tri-County Council for Western MD
113 Baltimore St., Suite 300
Cumberland, Maryland 21502
Phone: 301.777.2158
Fax: 301.777.2495
Email: lmazer@tccwmd.org
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Call to Action for National Broadband Strategy
On October 23, NADO joined a nationwide effort calling on the next President and Congress to develop and implement a comprehensive National Broadband Strategy. The National Broadband Strategy should set out several goals that take into account the ability of broadband to generate benefits in education, environmental protection, scientific research, medicine, health care, energy efficiency, transportation and overall economic vitality. The effort also encourages the federal government, in collaboration with state and local governments and the private sector, to play an active role in stimulating broadband deployment, particularly in underserved areas. Other groups joining the Call to Action include the Alliance for Public Technology, American Public Power Association, Broadband Census and One Economy. For more information, contact NADO Executive Director Matt Chase at 202.624.5947 or mchase@nado.org.
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New Legislation Links Climate Change to Land Use, Housing and Transportation
On September 30, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the first state legislation linking climate change policy to land use, housing and transportation.
The legislation, known as SB 375, uses incentives to promote regional planning consistent with goals to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases. It serves as a step in implementing California’s 2006 law that set a requirement for the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, a reduction of about 25 percent.
The new planning law SB 375 requires the California Air Resources Board to work with each of the state’s metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to set a regional greenhouse gas emission reduction target.
MPOs are also required to develop a Sustainable Communities Strategy to describe how the emissions target will be met through using land use and housing planning. The strategy will be a part of the regional transportation plan but does not grant MPOs land use decision-making authority, which will remain with local governments. The various components within a regional transportation plan must be consistent, meaning the priority transportation projects funded through an MPO’s allocation of federal funds must also align with its Sustainable Communities Strategy goals, and should help the region meet its regional greenhouse gas reduction target.
The Sustainable Communities Strategies are not binding for local government members of MPOs and are not subject to review by a state agency, although proposed projects that meet certain criteria may be eligible for exemption or streamlined for state environmental review. This will create an incentive for regions to select projects such as transit-oriented development or mixed-use development as priorities.
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EDA Issues Interim Final Rule for RLF Regulations
The October 22, 2008 issue of the Federal Register contains an Interim Final Rule (IFR) notice regarding revisions to the EDA Revolving Loan Fund regulations. While EDA published final regulations in the Federal Register on September 27, 2006, the Office of the Inspector General published a report titled Aggressive EDA Leadership and Oversight Needed to Correct Persistent Problems in the RLF Program in March 2007. Based on changes made within EDA as a result of the report, EDA published this IFR to synchronize the RLF regulations with that guidance. Additionally, EDA published the IFR to make changes to certain definitions in the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms Program regulations set out in 13 CFR part 315. This IFR also provides notice of other substantive and non-substantive revisions made to the EDA regulations. The effective date of this IFR is October 22, 2008. Comments on this IFR must be received by EDA's Office of Chief Counsel no later than 5 p.m. E.S.T. on December 22, 2008. Visit http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-25004.pdf for the complete IFR.
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USDA Proposes to Combine Rural Development Grants
On October 15, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Rural Development issued a proposed rule that will revise the grant regulations for eight different rural development grants and consolidate them under one new delivery and application system. Grants affected by this proposed rule include community facility, distance learning and telemedicine, economic impact initiatives, renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvement projects, rural cooperative development, tribal colleges, value-added producer and water and waste disposal facility grants.
Under the proposed rule, USDA establishes broad applicant and project eligibility criteria that each applicant must meet (in addition to individual program criteria), a set of rolling deadlines for each grant and a new application review process. According to USDA, the new delivery platform will reduce the application burden to applicants, increase the delivery efficiency of the programs and improve USDA program monitoring. This consolidation is the first phase of an effort by USDA to consolidate all the Rural Development grants under one rule and application process.
Comments are due December 15. See Federal Register, 10/15/08, pages 61197-254 or www.regulations.gov. For additional information contact Michael Foore at Michael.Foore@wdc.usda.gov or 202.690.4730.
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FY 2009 RUS Grant Cycle Opens
On November 5, the Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Utility Service (RUS) announced it will begin accepting applications for the FY 2009 Revolving Fund Program (RFP). The announcement is being made prior to passage of a USDA FY 2009 Appropriations bill, which may or may not provide RFP funding. Funding notices, if any, will be published at a later date. The RFP program provides assistance to non-profit organizations to provide loans to finance the predevelopment costs of water or wastewater projects or short term small capital projects. Individual awards will not exceed $100,000 and must be repaid within ten years. Applications are due May 31, 2009. For additional program eligibility and application information, go to www.usda.gov/rus/water/index.htm.
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NADO + Anchorage = Resoundingly Successful Conference
Just over 700 NADO members and other economic development practitioners and policy makers attended NADO’s 2008 Annual Training Conference at the Anchorage Hilton October 3-7, making this year’s conference one of the largest ever. Thanks to all who attended and all who participated as speakers and moderators.
Once again, the conference took attendees out of the hotel for learning. With nine mobile educational workshops attended by almost 500 attendees over the course of the five days, NADO’s presence was felt as far north as snowy Talkeetna and as far south as sunny Kenai, not to mention at various locations in and around Anchorage. Workshops covered a variety of topics: role of scenic byways in a region's economic strategy, emergency response and planning, gateway communities, brownfields and reclaimed properties, strategic location of ports, arts/culture as an economic driver, energy and global consideration of cargo operations within a region.
The in-house sessions and workshops were also very well-attended, and from all accounts so far, well-received. Four-time Iditarod champion Martin Buser wowed the crowd during Monday’s luncheon with his discussion about perseverance and meeting challenges head-on.
General sessions touched on shaping the public role in regional development, innovative economic development practices in Alaska (moderated by deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Benjamin Erulkar), and the necessity for regional development organizations to position themselves for the future. Best practice sessions addressed topics that focused on the regional council role in environmental stewardship, regional approaches to transportation planning and implementation, and organizational/professional enhancement. Pre-conference workshops for executive directors and their policy board members were designed to offer strategies for building their organizations’ performance. Peer networking roundtables allowed attendees opportunities to share ideas and information about RLFs, emergency management, federal – state regional commissions, building a strong state association and aging programs.
Thanks to everyone in Alaska who assisted with conference planning: George Cannelos, Federal Co-chair of the Denali Commission and his staff (who also provided much needed assistance on site!); Bill Popp, President of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation; Michael Catsi, Executive Director of the Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference; Sue Cogswell, Executive Director of the Prince William Sound EDD; John Torgerson, Executive Director of the Kenai EDD; Wanetta Ayers, Executive Director Western Alaska Community Development Association; Christi Bell, Director of the University of Alaska’s Center for Economic Development; Becky Beck, formerly with the Anchorage Downtown Partnership; Berney Reichert with EDA; Charlotte Fox with the Alaska State Council on the Arts; the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce; and Jim Henderson, Julie Dodds and Glee Anderson with the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau. A special thanks also goes to each individual who helped plan and carryout the mobile workshops.
And it’s on to Chicago! NADO’s 2009 Annual Training Conference will be held at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers August 29 – September 1. Visit www.nado.org/conferences/annual.php for information over the coming months.
NADO will be emailing an electronic evaluation in a few days. Open and honest input is appreciated as it is very useful for planning future annual conferences.
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Mark Your Calendar for the 2009 Washington Policy Conference
Be sure to mark your calendar for NADO’s 2009 Washington Policy Conference, March 2-4, at the Marriott Crystal Gateway in Arlington, Virginia. This conference will provide a unique opportunity for participants to obtain the latest and most up-to-date policy information on issues impacting their region legislatively. For more information, visit www.nado.org/conferences/washington.php for regular conference updates.
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EDFS Conference Set for New Orleans
EDFS will hold its 2009 conference at the Chateau Bourbon in New Orleans, March 24-27. The conference hotel information is:
Chateau Bourbon Hotel
800 Iberville Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
866.476.0800
$149 single or double
Hotel cutoff date: February 27, 2009
Visit www.nado.org/conferences/edfs.php for details and information in the coming weeks.
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NADO at Southwest and New England Regional Meetings
On October 22, NADO Legislative Director Jason Boehlert provided an update on federal legislative activities to the Southwest Region Executive Directors Association (SWREDA) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The meeting brought together executive directors from regional development organizations in the five-state region of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
Boehlert also provided an update to members of the New England Association of Regional Councils (NEARC) on October 25. NEARC serves as a regional association for regional development organizations in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
For additional information or to arrange a legislative briefing as part of your state or regional association, contact NADO Legislative Director Jason Boehlert at 202.624.8590 or jboehelrt@nado.org.
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Welcome New Members
Larry Tipps, Executive Director, North Oklahoma Development Authority (Enid, OK). For more information, visit www.nodanet.org.
Randy White, Executive Director, Pioneer Trails Regional Planning Commission (Concordia, MO). For more information, visit www.trailsrpc.org.
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New Executive Directors
Barbara Kauffman and Hector Diaz have been named as interim Executive Directors to replace Judge Jake Brisbin for Rio Grande COG (El Paso, TX). For additional information, visit www.riocog.org.
Victoria Burpee has been named acting President/CEO of Eastern Maine Development Corporation (Bangor, ME). For additional information, visit www.emdc.org.
Dawn Hegland has been named Executive Director for Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission (Appleton, MN). For additional information, visit www.umvrdc.org.
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NADO Calendar of Events
2009 Washington Policy Conference, March 2 - 4, 2009
Marriott Crystal Gateway, Arlington, VA
Economic Development Finance Service Conference, March 24 - 27, 2009
Chateau Bourbon Hotel, New Orleans, LA
2009 Annual Training Conference, August 29 - September 1, 2009
Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, Chicago, IL
2009 National Rural Transportation Peer Learning Conference, October 28 - 29, 2009
Marriott Savannah Riverfront, Savannah, GA
2010 NADO Annual Training Conference, August 28 - 31, 2010
Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina, San Diego, CA
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