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Since 2009 the WMRPC has used goals from the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) as the economic development portion of the WMRPC Goals and Objectives. The 2007-2009 CEDS contains two sets of goals, including the following five “Organizational Goals” and the related objectives. The Community and Economic Development Goals and Objectives (also included in the CEDS) are not included since they relate more to communities in Region 8. Since the WMRPC changed to identifying goals and objectives in the 2007-2009 CEDS (instead of “Focus Areas”), the WMRPC changed to this format for planning the year’s activities. Progress is shown in italics.
Economic Development
Goal #1 – The WMRPC shall maintain an active and productive role with the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA).
Objectives:
1. Maintain contact with the Economic Development Representative for Michigan through telephone calls, e-mails, or personal contacts including EDA sponsored conferences. Contact will be made with the Economic Development Representative at least monthly. This objective was met, but it was more of a challenge than in past years since our designated EDA representative spent a lot of the year (January through July) on special assignment in Washington D.C – so we had fewer opportunities to bring EDA to the Region. D. Bee and C. Mulholland participated in an EDA workshop in Lansing on April 13 in Lansing and a MAR meeting on September 14 which EDA attended. Dennis Foldenauer visited the offices of the WMRPC on August 19th to provide a brief update on EDA’s activities. D. Bee went to St. Louis, Missouri for EDA’s Chicago-Denver Regional Gathering on November 15-17. While contacts were down from previous years, EDA is aware of several projects that communities are interested in developing since D. Bee provided detailed memorandums and the 2010 Interim CEDS has been forwarded to EDA.
2. The WMRPC will meet or exceed the rules set forth by EDA for maintaining and Economic Development District – including staffing, WMRPC representation, CEDS Committee representation, the development of a CEDS, seeking additional funds for planning projects, and the proper administration of EDA funds. The WMRPC maintains one of Michigan’s most active EDA programs. The WMRPC has maintained an active Board and CEDS Committee that meets EDA’s private sector requirements. We completed a Supplemental CEDS document in 2008 and 2009 that both list new projects submitted since the creation of the 2007-2009 CEDS. We have submitted many memorandums to EDA describing potential projects – leading to $12 million in EDA grants in the past three years. We received a “peer review” last year and EDA and the “peer” region from Wisconsin was satisfied with our program.
3. The WMRPC will respond to any request for information from EDA within two (2) business days. The Director responds to requests from EDA immediately.
Goal #2 – The WMRPC shall keep communities informed of programs offered by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Objectives:
1. The WMRPC will annually solicit community projects for inclusion in the CEDS. The 2010 Interim CEDS Report lists new projects solicited during the past year. Letters were mailed, CEDS Committee meetings were held, newsletter articles were published, and communities were visited to solicit the list of projects included in the Supplemental Report.
2. The WMRPC will regularly provide information about EDA using Commission and CEDS Committee meetings, newsletters, the Internet, and other means of communication. The WMRPC held five Meetings (with another planned for December) and four CEDS Committee meetings during fiscal year 2009-2010 – all of which provided updates on EDA and the CEDS process. The newsletter provided frequent updates on EDA programs and EDA projects approved in Region 8.
3. The WMRPC will coordinate meetings between EDA and communities interested in EDA funding for specific economic development projects. While no meetings were held between communities and EDA during 2010, the WMRPC wrote memorandums detailing potential projects in the City of Grand Rapids, the City of Wyoming, the City of Ionia, Jamestown Township, and others. EDA funded two projects in Region 8 during the year (Grand Rapids and Spring Lake Township).
Goal #3 – The WMRPC shall maintain a Commission and CEDS Committee that meets rules established by EDA.
Objectives:
1. The WMRPC will be comprised of public and private sector representatives appointed by member counties and communities. Private sector representatives will make up at least 35 percent of representatives. The WMRPC will also have three at-large members. The WMRPC has met this objective since it was adopted by EDA.
2. The CEDS Committee will be comprised of public and private sector representatives appointed by member counties and communities. Private sector representatives will make up the majority of CEDS Committee members. The CEDS Committee will also have at least two at-large members. The WMRPC has met this objective since it was adopted by EDA.
3. Staff of the WMRPC will maintain an up-to-date list of WMRPC Representatives and CEDS Committee members and will regularly survey members to determine if membership is current. The WMRPC has met this objective.
Goal #4 – The WMRPC shall promote coordination between counties, cities, townships, villages, the federal government, the State of Michigan, non-profits and other community-based organizations.
Objectives:
1. The WMRPC will continue to disseminate information through WMRPC meetings, CEDS Committee meetings, speakers, newsletters, mailings, telephone calls, the internet, and other means; and the WMRPC will continue to serve as the regional clearinghouse for federally funded projects. The WMRPC met this objective. In FY 2010 there were five WMRPC meetings, four Executive Committee meetings, and four CEDS Committee meetings. The WMRPC continued meeting in different locations across the Region to showcase communities and to accommodate the large number of Commission members and guests. All WMRPC and CEDS Committee meetings had educational speakers. Six newsletters were published and distributed to over 600 organizations or individuals. Telephone calls, emails, a website, and visits by the Director were also frequently used to disseminate information.
2. The WMRPC will inform members of state, federal, and local programs through regular speakers at Board and CEDS Committee meetings. Speakers regularly attended Board and CEDS Committee meetings in 2010. The WMRPC heard from the following speakers during FY 2010: James Turner, State Director, USDA Rural Development; Arnold Weinfeld, Michigan Municipal League; Dennis Kent, Michigan Department of Transportation; J. Mary Ayers, Inner City Christian Federation; Michelle Collins and April Scholtz, Land Conservancy of West Michigan; John Egelhaaf, Southwestern Michigan Planning Commission; and Sara Lucas, Northwest Michigan Council of Governments. Speakers at the CEDS Committee meetings included: Mark Rambo (Howard City) and Robert Hillard (Allegan), recent EDA grant recipients; George Zimmerman, Travel Michigan/Michigan Economic Development Corporation; Brian Picarazzi, US Small Business Administration; Ted Spitzer, Market Ventures/Grand Rapids Urban Market Project; Ron Steiner, The Starting Block; and Tracy Swinburn, University of Michigan Community Economic Adjustment Program.
3. The WMRPC will encourage the identification and use of “best practices” by identifying new and better ways that member communities are accomplishing community development. Additionally, the WMRPC will consider creating an Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee. The WMRPC promotes the use of best practices by encouraging each member community to share information about innovative projects at each meeting of the WMRPC and CEDS Committee. This year, the WMRPC is involved with one of the first “Joint Master Plans” in Michigan (Howard City and Reynolds Township). The WMRPC also studied the relationship between wind and farmland preservation. While there are many things the WMRPC is doing, there is always room for more improvement in this area. No progress was made towards creating an Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, but the WMRPC co-hosted a Shared Services Workshop with the Grand Valley Metro Council on September 20, 2010. The WMRPC also spent a lot of time and energy participating with the Michigan Association of Regions and Michigan State University’s Land Policy Institute (LPI) to develop a Strategic Growth Plan for the Region (which will be combined with 13 other strategies to form a statewide strategy). The WMRPC also helped LPI with its New Economy education series.
Goal #5 – While EDA is the primary partner related to economic development, the WMRPC shall actively participate with other community and economic development organizations.
Objectives:
1. The WMRPC will maintain an active relationship with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and other state agencies that promote community and economic development. The WMRPC has met this objective. The WMRPC is very active with MDOT, and became more active with MEDC since the Director left the Transportation Asset Management Council (which frequently conflicted with MEDC meetings). The WMRPC also was very active with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment working with both the Coastal Management Program and the Recreation Planning Division (currently working on a “test” plan using the State’s proposed guidelines).
2. The WMRPC will actively participate in the Michigan Association of Planning (MAP) and the Michigan Economic Developers Association (MEDA). The WMRPC has met this objective. The Director is a member of both organizations, but is more active in MAP (serves on the Government Relations Committee) than in MEDA.
3. The WMRPC will regularly invite local economic and community development organizations to Board and CEDS Committee meetings. The WMRPC has met this objective (see Goal #4).
Goal #6 – The WMRPC will review the CEDS Project Evaluation Criteria to insure they reflect the current needs of Region 8’s Communities and the EDA Investment Policy Guidelines.
Objectives:
1. Staff will use the new Evaluation Criteria when soliciting projects. Staff mailed the new criteria out with solicitation materials and used the criteria when ranking projects. While they seem to be an improvement over the previous criteria, they seem to be a little too focused on the number of jobs created…which favors larger projects in larger communities. D. Bee will develop criteria for consideration that compare the number of jobs created to the area’s population.
2. The CEDS Committee will notify communities of the new criteria. This objective was met.
3.
The WMRPC
and CEDS Committee will begin using the new set of Evaluation
Criteria when developing the 2010-2012 CEDS. The new criteria were used in
the 2010 Interim CEDS.
Goal #7 – The WMRPC and the CEDS Committee will develop a process to expand the CEDS Committee’s role in project selection.
Objectives:
1. Recognizing that there are a limited number of projects that EDA and other agencies can fund each year, the WMRPC and the CEDS Committee will develop, along with the new CEDS Project Evaluation Criteria, a method for the CEDS Committee to select projects that would provide the greatest positive impact to Region 8’s member communities. The new evaluation criteria are a step towards reaching this objective.
2. In addition to evaluating CEDS projects on a region-wide basis, the WMRPC and the CEDS Committee will develop a method to evaluate projects that would benefit sub-regions within Region 8 (recognizing that there are sub-regions within the seven-county area). The CEDS Committee has discussed this issue and will continue to evaluate the best approach and include the results in the 2010-2012 CEDS.
3. The WMRPC and CEDS Committee will establish sub-regions, made up of two or more counties each that reflect the varied economic development issues across Region 8. This will be accomplished for the 2010-2012 CEDS – likely sub-regions could be Allegan and Ottawa counties, Members within Kent and Ionia counties, and the “eastern tier” counties of Mecosta, Montcalm, and Osceola.
Goal #8 – The WMRPC and the CEDS Committee will continue to expand the involvement of the private sector representatives on the WMRPC and the CEDS Committee.
Objectives:
1. Expand the use of the private sector e-mail list to create ongoing dialog between the private sector representatives. This objective was not met.
2. Continue to seek interested private sector representatives from the member communities. Most member communities have been very supportive of providing good private sector representatives to the WMRPC and the CEDS Committee.
3. Continue to seek and follow recommendations from EDA related to expanding the involvement of the private sector in the CEDS. EDA seems satisfied with the progress made by the WMRPC and has provided no recommendations.
Transportation
Goal #1 – The WMRPC shall maintain an active and productive role with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT).
Objectives:
1. Maintain contact with the primary MDOT representative through telephone calls, e-mails, or personal contacts. Contact will be made with the MDOT Representative at least monthly. The WMRPC has met this objective.
2. Maintain contact with local MDOT representatives (Regional Offices and Transportation Service Centers) through telephone calls, e-mails, or personal contacts. The WMRPC regularly communicates with MDOT staff at all levels.
3. Expand rural opportunities with MDOT through Asset Management and other transportation-related initiatives. The WMRPC continues to be very active with the Transportation Asset Management program, three corridor committees, and a transit study in Ottawa County that is currently on-hold until the County hires a new consultant. The WMRPC arranged for a public meeting in Greenville between MDOT and rural communities on July 15th to discuss MDOT’s plans for the rural areas.
Goal #2 – The WMRPC shall maintain an active and productive role with the Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council (TAMC).
Objectives:
1. Expand role of Transportation Asset Management Program in Region 8 by informing communities of the benefits of asset management. This objective was not met this year due to staff turnover. The current planner has not received the required training (only offered in spring) and the previous planner left before all counties were rated. PASER Ratings are being completed on-schedule with the assistance of another region and an engineering consultant.
2. Involve WMRPC Planner in additional transportation asset management roles, such as education, and improved county/community compliance with reporting requirements. This objective was not met due to staff turnover.
3. Continue to follow the activities of the Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council. This objective was met. While the Director left the Transportation Asset Management Council in 2010, he continued to follow the Council’s activities and attended the State’s annual conference.
Goal #3 – The WMRPC shall maintain an active and productive role assisting with coordinating joint efforts between multiple communities and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT).
Objectives:
1. Continue to participate in the M-40/M-89 and M-66 Corridor Committees. The Director coordinated the M-40/M-89 effort, which continues to meet quarterly. The Director continues to attend the M-66 Corridor Meetings.
2. Continue to participate in the Greater Greenville Area Transportation Committee and seek funding when appropriate to move project forward. The Director continues to serve as the secretary of this group, which meets every other month.
3. Work with any new corridor initiatives that may form. While no new corridor initiatives were formed, the Director did participate in the transit planning committee in Montcalm County and assisted the City of Allegan in a local transportation effort. There continues to be informal discussions of the benefits of creating an M-20 Corridor Committee.
Goal #4 – The WMRPC shall work with communities and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to assist with any special transportation projects.
Objectives:
1. Work with MDOT to print the map of non-motorized facilities in MDOT’s Grand Region. This project went over schedule due to many factors but it was primarily due to staff turnover and the lack of progress made during the tenure of the last two Planners. The project was turned back over to MDOT for the final printing of the maps in 2010.
2. With the assistance of members, identify, and seek funding for, a 2009/2010 transportation planning project. No projects have been identified by members. Possibilities exist for the Greater Greenville Transportation Committee and/or the M-20 Corridor in Mecosta County.
3. Promote an expanded role of the WMRPC in transportation planning, and respond to any request from MDOT to expand the role of the Regional Planning Commission in transportation planning. The WMRPC has assisted in a wide range of transportation studies and initiatives over the past couple of years including transit studies in Montcalm and Ottawa counties, a community study in Allegan, the Greater Greenville Transportation Committee, the ongoing corridor committees in Allegan and Ionia counties, following the recommendations of Transportation Funding Task Force (TF2), and the many activities of Michigan’s Transportation Asset Management Council.
Member Services (Other Than Economic Development and Transportation)
Goal #1 – The WMRPC shall assist communities with planning efforts.
Objectives:
1. Seek communities interested in performing master plans, recreation plans, and other planning efforts in partnership with the WMRPC. The WMRPC is currently working with Howard City and Reynolds Township on a Joint Master Plan and the Village of Hubbardston on a Recreation Plan. The WMRPC is also working with Big Rapids Township to evaluate how in-depth of an update the Township should perform. The WMRPC completed the City of Big Rapid’s Master Plan in 2010 as well as recreation plans for the Village of Pewamo and Morton Township.
2. Maintain information and technical capacity to provide technical assistance (data, GIS, analysis, etc.) to communities to support planning efforts. The WMRPC strives to maintain staff that can meet the needs of member communities and granting agencies. The WMRPC hired Elizabeth Van Doorne in August 2010.
3. Develop proposals for member planning projects, but strive to not compete with private sector planning consultants by not answering general requests for proposals (RFP). The WMRPC did not answer any RFPs and worked on projects that either would not be completed without our assistance or that would not be a good fit for a planning consultant due to the number of participants and available funding.
Goal #2 – The WMRPC shall assist communities with coordination and cooperation efforts.
Objectives:
1. Work with Howard City and Reynolds Township to develop a Joint Master Plan. Use this example, and others, as a way to promote coordination and cooperation between communities in Region 8. This project is underway and will continue into 2011.
2. Continue to function as the Regional Clearinghouse Review Agency for federal funding programs. The WMRPC continues to meet this objective.
3. Review and comment on all plans forwarded to the WMRPC and strive to maintain an up-to-date library of local plans. The WMRPC continues to meet this objective.
Goal #3 – The WMRPC shall provide a variety of educational opportunities
Objectives:
1. Publish six editions of “Region 8 Notes,” update the “Grant and Loan Opportunities” publication, maintain “Information Center,” and maintain website (wmrpc.org) to meet the needs of our local units of government and other organizations. The WMRPC continues to meet this objective.
2. Inform the WMRPC and CEDS Committee of various issues and programs using speakers and other resources. The WMRPC continues to meet this objective at WMRPC and CEDS Committee meetings through the use of speakers and other means.
3. Host Regional Event(s) such as transportation asset management training, transportation forums, recreation workshops, or other types of events. The WMRPC co-hosted educational workshops with the Transportation Asset Management Council. The WMRPC also worked with MDOT to publicize a Public Meeting detailing regional projects, worked with the Governor’s office to co-host a Shared Services Workshop, and co-hosted a public hearing with the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council on the proposed U.S. Bicycle Route 35.
Additional and New Initiatives
Goal #1 – The WMRPC shall seek new opportunities and strive to follow new initiatives that can influence the Region’s future.
Objectives:
1. Continue to work with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s Coastal Management Program to identify planning opportunities in Region 8. The WMRPC worked with MDEQ’s Coastal Management Program to complete a study (finished in 2010) linking wind turbines, farmland preservation, and economic development.
2. Continue to devote time and energy towards renewable energy, especially related to wind turbine generators, in order to provide information to members as this growing issue evolves in Michigan. Seek available funding to assist in effort. The Director participated in Michigan’s Wind Working Group to learn more about wind energy.
3. Emphasize Value Added Agriculture as an economic development tool in both urban and rural areas, as a tool for farmland preservation, and as a tool for preserving rural character. Seek available funding to assist in effort. More efforts can be made in this area, but some efforts were made. The WMRPC has been working with Grand Rapids to seek EDA funds for its proposed Urban Market, which would have many value added benefits.
Goal #2 – The WMRPC will strive to stay up-to-date on issues by actively participating in outside organizations.
Objectives:
1. Participate with Michigan Association of Regions (MAR) on activities to increase the value of regions statewide. Attend (Director/Planner) the annual MAR/MTPA Conference in East Lansing and the MAR Policy Sessions when and if scheduled (Director/WMRPC Representative). The Director attended the MAR/MTPA Conference in East Lansing and the Director and Chair attended all of the MAR Policy Sessions. This year there was a focus on developing Strategic Growth Plans with Michigan State University’s Land Policy Institute.
2. Attend the Michigan Association of Planning (MAP) Conference in Detroit and serve on MAP’s Government Relations Committee (Director). Planner can choose either the MAP Conference or a GIS-Specific conference. The Director attended the Michigan Association of Planning Conference in October 2010 in Detroit. He also participated throughout the year in the Government Relations Committee via conference calls. In March the Director participated in MAP’s Student Conference to educate students of regional planning opportunities in Michigan. The Director also maintained his AICP status by completing the new Continuing Education requirements established by the American Association of Planning in 2008. The Planner attended MI-Camp in September 2010, which is a GIS conference held annually in Boyne Falls.
3. Continue to follow MSU’s United Growth for Kent County (Director). Very little effort was expended to support this program in 2010. The Director attended just a few sessions.
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