Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies

SeVEDS

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Minutes SeVEDS Board Meeting
March 15, 2012 – 2-4PM
Hannah Cosman Room Brattleboro

In attendance: Stephan Morse, Bob Stevens, Drew Richards, Barb Sondag, Tim Cullenen, Dave Alstadt, Patrick Moreland, Susan McMahon, Gregg Noble, Lisa Sullivan, Colby Dix (by phone), Laura Sibilia

Absent: Jeff Lewis, Jenna Pugiliese, Julia Sorenson, Dan Yates, Bill Colvin

Bob called the meeting to order at 1:06

LS moved to accept the Minutes from 2/16 2nd by GN – VOTE: Unanimous

Financials – Board reviewed financials

Discussion about SED hearing – scheduled for March 30 in the morning in Brattleboro, members of SeVEDS to testify.  Plans are still fluid.  Laura to keep board updated as this develops.  SeVEDS board members are encouraged to attend.

Task Force Updates

PR/Marketing – Greg, Lisa and Colby reviewed actions from their meeting – have reserved domains advancevermont.com, advancevt.com, vermontadvantage.com and vtadvantage.com.  Colby has migrated website and above URLs as well as seveds.com now point there.  Discussions about producing get in touch with us oversize business cards similar to those used by Retreat.  Committee will try to get them in time for the SED hearing.

Young Professionals – Lisa reviewed and read from Jenna’s notes (attached).  Preliminary plans are quarterly meetings with a combined social /educational theme.  First meeting is March 29th from 5:30 – 7 at Stratton.  Deputy Commissioner Pat Moulton-Powden has been invited to speak and participate in Q&A.  Committee requests budget of up to $400 per meeting for food and speaker needs.  SeVEDS board members to forward names to Laura asap for invitation to the 29th event.

Innovation – Tim reminded the board that he has signed on for this task force.  Patrick reviewed some benchmarking that can be done on the economy via statsamerica.com.  Susan and Laura participated in a webinar regarding using benchmarking data for developing CEDS, and the statsamerica.com site was a significant part of the presentation.  The second significant resource discussion was for clustermapping.us. Susan asked Laura to forward a study done on the Berkshires that is on that website. (http://www.isc.hbs.edu/pdf/Berkshires_Rural_Strategy_Project_2006.pdf)

Workforce/CCV/VTC updates – David reviewed a ven diagram he constructed using the SeVEDS strategies and objectives and his experience with the WWIB efforts.  WF is primarily broken down into three overlapping segments: Skills Development, Recruitment and Retention and Economic Analysis.  The WWIB is primarily engaged in Skills Development.  A proposed new SeVEDS workforce position would work on Recruitment and Retention and Economic Analysis (with some of the analysis being done during CEDS development).  Post VY – Stephan updated the board on the POST VY report presentation and the request for Windham County to be declared a Special Economic Development Zone.

Update on grant application: CEDS grant application has been moved to EDA from grants.gov – Laura is waiting to speak with Matt S. when he returns from vacation on follow up.

Updates on Upcoming Grant/Project opportunities and connection to SeVEDS –

Brattleboro 2012 SeVEDS participation – Laura and board member to go to March 20 Brattleboro Selectboard meeting to request 50K SeVEDS appropriation from their CDBG program funds for FY 2012.

EDA Discussion – Laura reviewed the outline of an EDA Disaster Recovery grant for Windham and Bennington Counties that BDCC and WRC are applying for with the board.  SeVEDS is being asked to consider making a 50,000 match for the 150K request in EDA funds for work force.  Outline projects funding the following positions for two years: WWIB (.5), Bennington WIB at (.2) and SeVEDS new workforce position at (.5).  Board members asked a variety of questions regarding who is the administrating agent for the WF program, what the job descriptions were for the positions, and why SeVEDS was getting involved in disaster recovery.  The conversation was lengthy and went past 4 pm.  There was discussion about tabling the request until the April meeting.  Laura explained that the state and feds were repeatedly encouraging regions to get there applications in now, and said if the discussion were tabled, the WF piece might have to be removed.  Bob asked that the SeVEDS board meet in two weeks for Laura to answer the questions posed by board members and for a vote on whether or not SeVEDS would contribute to the application.

Next Meeting is April 12th at 2 PM at Brattleboro Municipal Center

 

Minutes Young Professional Meeting 3/8/12

First Event:

Speaker:

  1. Lawrence Miller
  2. Honora Winery Proprietor
  3. Grafton Cheese Proprietor

Followed by Cocktail Hour and interactive activity

Ask all Board members to recommend 2 people for the first meeting

Date: March 29 at 5:30

Would like to ask SeVEDS board for $300 per meeting.  We would like to meet quarterly.  $1200 annually.

Criteria for invitations:

  1. Under 45 years old
  2. Working in the SeV region
  3. Actively employed
  4. ?

One list of invitees is created, personal invitations from board members will be requested.

Need to create public Face Book Group.

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