|
Around the Regions
East
ME to Create TIF Districts
The Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission and the legal firm of Jensen Baird Gardner & Henry have been hired by the Kennebunk Economic Development Committee to lead the town in the public process to establish two Tax Increment Financing districts (TIF). The goal is to use the TIFs to help fund improvements to the existing infrastructure to re-allocate tax revenues from proposed and existing retail development. The project also involves creating an economic development corporation to oversee the development of the TIF districts.
Contact: Paul Schumacher at 207.324.2952
Southeast
Orthophotography Helps Region
The Pee Dee Regional, Catawba Regional and the Lower Savannah Councils of Governments are helping counties in their regions acquire high quality aerial photographs, known as orthophotography, to help local governments produce highly accurate base maps that reference everything from land use interpretation to compilation of building roof outlines to parcel mapping. Orthophotography corrects aerial photographs to produce images showing objects in their true geographic position and depict them as they exist on the ground.
Contact: Johnny Brown at 843.669.3138 or jbrown@sc.rr.com or Harold Shapiro at 803.327.9041 or hshapiro@catawbacog.org or Wayne Rogers at 803.649.7981 or wrogers@lscog.org
Southwest
Event in TX Promotes Good Health
The Lower Rio Grande Valley Border Health Council which is affiliated with the Lower Rio Grand Valley Development Council in McAllen TX, was appointed regional coordinator for the 2004 Border Binational Health Week held in October 2004. The event, which was sponsored by the U.S.- Mexico Border Health Commission and took place in all sister cities along the U.S.-Mexico border region, offered 27 events including health and dental screenings as well as conferences addressing topics such as AIDS, food safety, Tuberculosis, CPR and diabetes.
Contact: Kenneth Jones at 956.682.3481 or knjones@lrgvdc.org
West
RuralCAN to Help CA Businesses and Communities
The Sierra Economic Development District in Auburn, CA, and the Center for Economic Development at Chico State University have been awarded a $49,000 grant from the USDA Rural Development to launch RuralCAN (Rural California Action Network). Focused to help California's rural areas, the network will provide assistance to communities, governments, private and nonprivate corporations, federally recognized tribes and cooperatives with members who are primarily residents and that conduct activities for mutual benefit of the members. The program is intended to mprove coordination and cooperation between federal, state, tribal and local government entities and organizations.
Contact: Betty Riley at 530.823.4703 or betty@sedd.org
Midwest
Region 9 Gets Good Press
The Region 9 Development Commission in Mankato, was recently lauded for its economic development strategy in two local newspapers, Le Sueur News and The Leader. The articles highlight the county commissioners’ support of the Commission and its ability to help bring businesses and jobs into the region via administering revolving loan funds, identifying financing alternatives for businesses and communities, assisting with infrastructure needs, as well as providing other services to the region.
Contact: Reggie Edwards or Lisa Hughes at 507.389.8872 or reggie@rndc.mankato.mn.us or lisa@rndc.mankato.mn.us
MoDOT Team Gets Kudos
The Missouri Department of Transportation’s (MoDOT) Planning Framework Team was among four teams recently recognized by the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission for their efforts to involve the public on decisions that affect transportation options. The team was recognized for developing and implementing a process that involves the general public and transportation partners in determining project priorities. The team was also the recipient of the 2004 American Association of State Highways and Transportation Officials President’s Transportation Award for Planning, the Missouri American Planning Association Certificate of Merit, and the NADO Innovation Award.
Contact: Kent Van Landuyt at 573.526.9778 or kent.vanlanduyt@modot.mo.gov
Around the Regions is a regular column in the Digest. It highlights innovative and newsworthy projects NADO members are involved in and reports on any special activities relevant to regional development. To submit your news, contact Zanetta Doyle at 202.624.5257 or zdoyle@nado.org. |
