SEVEDS Board Meeting Minutes, July 21, 2016, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm, BDCC

Meeting Attendees: Bob Stevens, Patrick Mooreland, Meg Streeter, Adam Grinold, Kristin Mehalick, Laura Sibilia, Konstantin von Krusenstiern, Peter Yost, Susan McMahon (via phone), and Ann Andreosatos.

Note: The CEDS Committee met from 3:00 – 4:00 pm to review and approve the 2016 CEDS Update which is sent to the EDA.

 

The Usual Business

• Welcome and Gathering – Bob Stevens
  • Four open board seats we are looking to fill
  • Looking for representation regionally and specifically from Rockingham/Bellows Falls
  • Open for suggestions from the board –
  • BDCC/SeVEDS will follow up with suggestions made from the board and report on the status at August’s board meeting
• Approve Minutes
  • May Motion: Meg Streeter Second: Anne Andreosatos Approved by: All
  • June Motion: Meg Streeter Second: Peter Yost Approved by: All
• Review and Approve Financials – Kristin Mehalick
• Board reviewed financials and agreed there is no need to approve the financials going forward. The board will continue to be provided an update from BDCC staff each month but will make no formal board approval. Bobbi Kilburn, Director of Finance and Grant Management at BDCC will attend August’s meeting to discuss
  • May
  • June

Substantive Discussions

• Green Economy Innovation Hub Update – Kristin Mehalick
  • Action team (Knowledge Center, Products and Services, FIRE, and International Markets)

have small break out project teams that are focusing on specific areas/industries for potential business opportunities. Over the next three months the project teams will be utilizing an Action Plan Template as a format for developing these business opportunities.

• Action teams and project teams will be presenting the opportunities in detail at the next Milestone event. Milestone 3 will be held the week of October 31^st.
• The Green Economy Innovation Hub will be a featured article in the fall issue of the Stratton Magazine. The article was   written by Candace Pearson of BuildingGreen and Lynn Barrett. Carolyn Blitz, SeVEDS Board Member, President of the Stratton Foundation and Editor of Stratton Magazine envisioned the article being a means of attracting investors to support the GEIH.
• Laura Sibilia and Kristin Mehalick are working with Mondo Media to create a short video around the Green Economy Innovation Hub that will be showcased at the Tiny House Fest event in Brattleboro on Sunday, September 4^th. The video will also be used as a marketing and communications tool.
• On July 20^th Laura Sibilia and Kristin Mehalick pretended information on the GEIH to the Cheshire County Economic Development Advisory Committee in Keene, New Hampshire. The attendees were provided background on the initiative and how they can get involved.
• Living Community Challenge – Peter Yost and Susan McMahon provided an update to the board regarding BuildngGreen and WRC’s efforts in exploring this project.
• Tri-State Group Update – Kristin Mehalick
  • Work with the planning commissions in Cheshire County, Franklin County and Windham

County will continue through the end of the year.

• As a group we found it was important to continue to conversation around understand each

region’s priorities and the potential to collaborate in future projects

• A press event on the lessons learned from the closure of Vermont Yankee is schedule for

early September. Each region will be inviting stakeholders, press and state officials. We expect to gain national attention for this event.

• RCDI Grant  – Kristin Mehalick
  • Southern Vermont Economy Project – a 2016 USDA Rural Community Development initiative project
  • $230,000 awarded from the USDA to develop capacity in the Windham and Bennington

County regions of Southern Vermont

• The efforts will be by and between public and private sector partners concerning economic developing initiatives such as workforce training, retention, recruitment, and sustainable business investment. The foal with the RCDI funding is to improve capacity with within twelve Southern Vermont partner organizations serving some of the counties’ most challenges small towns, so that these organizations can better organize and serve local and/or regional economic development projects.

 

Other Business / Announcements

• Next SeVEDS Board Meeting, Thursday, August 18^th, 3:00 – 5:00 pm at BDCC
• SeVEDS Vision Wordsmithing Working Group (Anne, Avery, Luke, Adam and Laura) , TBD
• SeVEDS Sustainable Funding Working Group (Martin, Drew, Bill, Adam and Laura), TBD
• Attended Selectboard Meetings:
  • Dover on June 21^st
  • Press from Selectboard Meetings: “Group working to improve area business climate” by Rolf Parker, The Deerfield Valley News
• Upcoming Selectboard Visits:
  • Wednesday, July 27^th at 5:30 pm Town of Putney
  • Monday, August 15^th at 7:00 pm Town of Londonderry
  • Wednesday, August 17^th at 6:00 pm Town of Wilmington
  • Thursday, August 25^th at 5:30 pm Town of Marlboro
  • Monday, September 19^th at 6:30 pm Town of Vernon

 

 

CEDS and FY ‘16 Board Priority Area Updates

• General CEDS
  • CEDS Objective 1: Act Regionally

 

• CEDS Objective 2: Create an entrepreneurial environment and culture to enhance existing business and grow new business.

• CEDS Objective 3: Improve wage parity with the surrounding labor shed
  • Board 2016 Priority: Green Building, Healthcare, Tech Driven Precision Manufacturing
    • Green Economy Innovation Hub (GEIH)
      • Action Team meetings are taking place over the next several months to develop business opportunity plans
      • Stratton Magazine Article on GEIH and is set to be published in the fall issue
    • Reference Materials: Action Team Meeting Notes: FIRE, Products & Services, and Knowledge Center
    • Reference Material: GB Cluster Analysis

• CEDS Objective 4: Increase the size and quality of the workforce
  • Board 2016 Priority: Workforce Development and Internship Program
• Three Interns Placed
  • Two @ Greater Falls Community Justice Center
  • One @ Windham Central Supervisory Union
• Digital Advertising Report
  • Ad’s worked well in generating views and clicks for Internship Postings
    • Moderate success in inquiry submission, but low churn
    • Will update page to include SEO terms
    • Ad’s worked less well generating results with businesses
    • Will work with Mondo to increase traction
  • Fast Tracks to Success
  • Finalizing Logistics & Scheduling with 2/4 schools
    • Twin Valley & BUHS has confirmed curricula and basic scheduling
    • Working with other two schools to finalize
    • Good traction on engaging private sector partners; 4-5 businesses have

already signed up to host site visits

• BDCC Roundtable

• Held Manufacturers Roundtable on 6/30
• 8 attendees
• VTC & VMEC presented workforce and business development

programming

• Conducted Needs Assessment with leaders of Tech community
• July/Early August Meeting TBD

• Diverse Workforce Development & Recruitment Efforts
  • BDCC/SeVEDS is partnering with The Vermont Partnership for Fairness and Diversity
    • org
      • Sponsorship solicitation with regional employers
        • Name & Logo on website, w/ link to career opportunities
        • 1 Free consulting session w/Curtiss Reed
      • Proposal & Budget
    • Connecting Internship Program with HBCU’s
    • Organizing an alternative winter/spring break for HBCU’s in So.VT w/
  • Other: Application for $20,000 to Vermont Community Foundation was submitted 7/1 to support Windham Region Workforce Center of Excellence
• CEDS Objective 5: Retain and attract younger talent through engagement linkages, lifestyle amenities, and meaningful career opportunities
  • Upcoming Young Professional Events
    • Saturday, August 6th from 4 – 9 pm “YP Field Day”. Will be held at Hidden Acres

in Dummerston. We’ll be grilling, playing minigolf, swimming at their pool, and hopefully having live music and camping. Hidden Acres is sponsoring the event, and agreed to waive ~ $250-350 in costs for the event.