wKREDA Meeting – March 16, 2006 – Garden City, KS
Present: Chairperson Colleen Towns, Nikki Pfannenstiel, Gina Riedel, Mendi Alexander, Alison Guthrie, Roger Hrabe, Fred Burgess, Christy Hopkins, Tiffani Kirk, Donna Price, Charles Miller, Mike Michaelis, Randy Hrabe, Susan Nickerson, Carol Meyer, Janet Crane, Cris Collier, Larry Meschke, Cindy Wallace, Gordon Pfannenstiel, Ed Wiltse, Ralph Goodnight, Neal Gillespie, Darin Miller, Bob Muirhead, Robert Queen, Gerry Fulwider, Eric Depperschmidt, and Sharla Krenzel.
Minutes:
Jerry Fulwider moved and Cindy Wallace seconded the motion to approve the minutes as presented. Motion carried.
CD101 Report:
Roger Hrabe reported on the CD101 held the day before. The Diversity Panel consisted of four minority business owners who discussed issues they faced while starting their businesses. Roger reported an attendance of 20 or more people. Roger thanked the Chamber staff for setting up the program. Roger reported that the next CD101 program topic tentatively was on community-owned stores.
Chairperson Colleen Towns encouraged everyone to attend the CD101 programs and to take advantage of the educational opportunities that wKREDA provides.
Treasurer’s Report:
Nikki Pfannenstiel presented the Treasurer’s Report. After review, Carol Meyer moved and Ed Wiltse seconded the motion to approve the Treasurer’s Report. Motion carried.
Old Business
Committee Reports:
Business Development:
Mendi Alexander reported on the Business Development committee meeting held on March 2 in Hays. A sub-committee was formed to create a “We Have Jobs” campaign to recruit employees for available jobs in western Kansas. She also reported the group discussed possible trade show options.
Cindy Wallace reported that the International Manufacturer’s Trade Show will be held in September and asked the membership whether wKREDA should attend. No decision was made. Cindy also reported that the BioScience Show will be held in Chicago in April.
Mendi Alexander reported that the committee was also researching the possibility of completing a reverse site selection to identify types of industries that fit the wKREDA territory for possible recruitment.
Larry Meschke reported on the Large Site Selection Project that the Kansas Department of Commerce is initiating.
Dairy Team:
Colleen Towns reported on the Dairy Team meeting held yesterday prior to CD101. Carol Meyers reported that two new prospects from the first targeted dairy event held back in 1994 in Chino Valley are now ready to move and are looking at western Kansas as a possible location. She reminded the group that wKREDA’s efforts may take a long period of time before results are tangible.
The Dairy Team is planning another Dairy University and Heifer Replacement Seminar in August.
Carol Meyer distributed a proposed budget for the Dairy Team for 2006. The budget of $32,925 included the following activities:
-Dairy University/Heifer Replacement Seminar
-Trade shows to Madison and Tulare
-Retention calls on existing western Kansas dairies
-Template for 3,000 dairy recruitment
-Kansas Dairy Association Marketing Video
-Dairy & Cheese Processing Prospect Recruitment
Cindy Wallace moved and Ralph Goodnight seconded the motion to approve the Dairy Team budget as presented. Motion carried.
Legislative Committee:
Eric Depperschmidt reported on the Legislative Mission to Topeka held in January. wKREDA had the opportunity to meet with both the Governor and Lt. Governor during the mission. Eric thanked everyone who participated and helped make it successful.
Nature Tourism/Fermata Project:
Cris Collier reported on the status of the nature trail project. She reported that the first data dump for the nature sites is complete. The deadline to turn in all historical, cultural and agri-tourism site information is March 31 and the information will be submitted to Fermata in April. Cris encouraged everyone to get their information turned in. Fermata will screen sites in June and July. wKREDA will need to decide how the group wants to proceed with the information.
Public Relations:
Colleen Towns encouraged the membership to get information to newspapers to promote wKREDA.
Education:
Roger Hrabe asked the membership to provide ideas for future CD101 programs. Cris Collier suggested that wKREDA have Fermata give a presentation on the nature trail project.
Meeting dates:
Colleen Towns informed the membership of the need to change the next quarterly meeting dates and location because of conflicts. Gorden Pfannenstiel offered to host the meeting in Russell. He and Colleen will coordinate the logistics. The date of the meeting was moved to June 14 & 15. The other quarterly meeting dates area September 20-21 in Hugoton and December 6-7 in Smith Center. Colleen also reminded the executive board that their meeting dates were April 11 – conference call; July 18 – conference call; and October 17 in WaKeeney.
Larry Meschke announced that the Kansas Department of Commerce may have a listen session following the wKREDA business meeting in June or September, or possibly as a CD101.
New Business – Open Discussion:
Mike Michaelis provided information about the Kansas Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) and benefits of membership. He also provided information on legislative issues affecting economic development, including eminent domain legislation and the proposed exemption on machinery and equipment.
Colleen Towns reported that there are currently 74 members in wKREDA, of which 29 were in attendance at the meeting. She also noted that those who have not paid their membership fees by the end of March will be removed from the listserv. She will send out one more email to the membership before the cutoff date. Colleen opened the floor for discussion on the benefits of wKREDA. Benefits sited included:
-wKREDA is the best voice for western Kansas to the state legislature.
-CD101s provide an opportunity to showcase best practices and successes in western Kansas and to learn from them.
-members who really get involved and attend all meetings and activities gain the most knowledge and benefits from the organization
Ed Wiltse suggested the need for education for communities on how to address and serve the needs of the growing minority populations. Colleen Towns talked about the Spanish business development classes they have led in Liberal and its success. A Diversity in Leadership Conference will be held in Garden City on April 4-5 and is sponsored by the Huck Boyd Institute.
Carol Meyer suggested that an identity theft seminar would be a good CD101 topic.
Fred Burgess suggested that wKREDA serve as link between communities and that when a community brings in an expert speaker that they coordinate the information through wKREDA so that other communities that want to utilize the same speaker could share in expenses.
Susan Nickerson provided information on Work Force Development and Kansas First. They can assist with recruitment and retention, job screening, job fairs, market specific workforce training, etc. The Dodge City office is holding a Job Fair on April 11.
Fred Burgess asked that anyone interested in participating the We Have Jobs subcommittee meet following the meeting.
Randy Hrabe informed the group that there was legislation concerning the tax credit program (SB 324) to change the credit from 50% to 70% which would make it easier to market the credits. Funds raised would be used for economic development. He provided information about a proposed bill to cut the Community Development Block Grant program another 25% at the federal level. Last year this program was cut 10%.
Nikki Pfannenstiel informed the group that KCCED Conference will be held April 26-27 in Wamego and that wKREDA is one of the sponsors, so she encouraged everyone to attend. The conference program is based on Kansas success stories.
Neil Gillespie provided information about No Child Left Behind and the fact that Kansas is the only state to officially adopt the legislation, which is part of the state funding issues.
Larry Meschke reminded the group that the Business Appreciation applications are due by March 31. He also had old Steps to Success books available for free since a new version has recently been printed.
Fred Burgess offered to write a press release on this wKREDA meeting and will send it out to on the listserv for members to take to the local newspapers.
Roger Hrabe moved to adjourn the meeting. Motion seconded and carried. The meeting was adjourned and lunch was served.
Minutes submitted by:
Sharla Krenzel
Secretary