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OTHERS PRESENT Eloise Paschal, Americus
City Councilperson |
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| CALL TO ORDER Chairman Dave Wills called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone. Guests, Eloise Paschal, Americus City Councilperson and Cynthia Brown, Executive Director of the West Central Georgia Community Action Council, were introduced and welcomed. Newly elected Board Members, Frank Powell, County Commissioner of Marion Co.; Harold Heath, Mayor of Butler; Hugh Turner, Mayor of Ellaville; Marie Hunter, Mayor of Preston were also introduced and welcomed. New Board Member, Barry Blount, Mayor of Americus could not be present due to a conflict. MINUTES Minutes of the November 2005 Board meeting were presented for the Board’s review and approval. Motion: Motion was made by Clinton Perry and duly seconded by Cora Black that the minutes be accepted as presented. Vote was unanimous. FINANCIAL REPORT Don ten Bensel presented the financial report for the period ending January 25, 2006 to those present. Motion: Motion was made and duly seconded to accept the financial report as presented. Vote was unanimous. OLD BUSINESS Workforce System Update Mickey Holloway gave a brief update on the Workforce Development System. Mickey reported that in the Board packet is a handout listing the names of nine new members to the Workforce Board. He also reported that as of today the Workforce program is serving 234 individuals with 50 being dislocated workers. Individuals are being served in all eight Middle Flint counties. Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plans Update Gerald Mixon reported that the staff continues to make progress with the region’s pre-disaster mitigation plans. The Taylor County Plan is scheduled for adoption in February. The staff is responding to GEMA comments related to the draft of the Marion County Plan and is waiting comments from GEMA on their review of the Webster Plan. Three others are yet to be submitted. Schley County Comprehensive Plan Gerald Mixon reported that the staff is also working on the Ellaville-Schley County Comprehensive Plan and expects to meet with local officials in Ellaville next week. Revolving Loan Funds Update Sarah Walls gave a brief update on the revolving loan funds. Sarah reported that the Middle Flint Area Development Corporation Loan Committee met and approved two loans. One of the loans was for a dance studio in Americus and the other was for a doctor in Cordele. She stated that they are presently working on three other loans. Economic and Community Development Projects Kay Hagler reported that the staff is continuing to work with the cities and counties governments on community development and economic development projects. Kay stated that the two main targets for 2006 will be water and sewer. Calendar Year 2006 (CY 06) EDA Planning Grant Don ten Bensel reported that we have received notification from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, that we will receive our planning grant for CY 06 in the amount of $55,000. Status of FY 05 Audit Don ten Bensel reported that in the Board packet is a two-page handout of the auditor’s summary results. There were no discrepancies found. NEW BUSINESS Approval of Multi-County Aerial Photography Contract Gerald Mixon reported that final arrangements with Sanborn, the Aerial Photographer who will be flying Crisp, Marion, Schley, Taylor, and Webster Counties, should be completed in the next few days. The flights are expected to be completed about the time the RDC board convenes again. Gerald stated that a sample contract between the RDC and Sanborn will be mailed to Sanborn in the very near future. Gerald also stated this contract will take the place of having five individual contracts with the aerial photographer. Chairman Wills reported that action is needed today by the Board to authorize Don ten Bensel to execute the contract, with the Board’s understanding that he will be acting on behalf of the five counties involved. The counties will be responsible for all financial input for the project and the RDC will only be facilitating and administering the project with no net outflow of funds from the RDC to Sanborn. Motion: Motion was made by Gerald Beckum and duly seconded by Clinton Perry to give Don ten Bensel the authority to execute the contract for Middle Flint RDC. Vote was unanimous. Regional Agenda Gerald Mixon reported that in the Board packet is a copy of the preliminary draft of the Regional Agenda and briefly reviewed it with the Board. Gerald stated that the regional development centers were charged with preparing this plan. He explained that although this document is not an RDC document, but a regional document, things that are performed by other entities within our region needs to be included in this document. Gerald said that input is needed by the Board at the February meeting for any kind of activity that were achieved, accomplished, or performed in their respective cities and counties during calendar year 2005. The plan has to go through the Regional Advisory Council before being sent to the State by the end of March 2006. Water Council Advisory Committees Don ten Bensel pointed out that two of the Middle Flint Board members are on the Flint and Ochlockonee Basin Advisory Committee. They are Dave Wills and Terrell Hudson. Don also pointed out that Terry Christie, Chairman of the Georgia Association of Regional Development Centers is on the Statewide Advisory Committee. Parcel Maintenance Contract with Marion County Don ten Bensel reported that issues have been resolved with Marion County for the Parcel Maintenance Contract. Proposed State cuts in FY 07 Planning and Historic Preservation grants to RDCs Don ten Bensel noted that included in the governor’s proposed budget for FY 2007 were the same cuts proposed last year. Don stated that friends in the legislature were able to protect us by restoring the funds. We hope that this can be accomplished again this year. Programs proposed to be cut are the planning grant from DCA and the Historic Preservation through DNR. Don encouraged Board Members to contact their Georgia legislators to ask them to help restore the cut funds. New EDA Requirement for Board Membership Don ten Bensel reported back to the Board about the GARDC committee’s recommendations on how to meet the new EDA requirement for increasing the percentage of the Board membership made up by business, industry, education, labor, and other non-elected official representatives. It was hoped that we might utilize a change in Georgia law to protect us from the federal regulation. However, upon a thorough study of the Georgia law, the Committee determined that it would be counter-productive to try that approach. Thus, it seems that each RDC will evaluate its own Board make-up in relation to how it can best meet the new EDA requirement that at least 35% of the membership be non-elected officials. Chairman Wills suggested that a study committee be appointed at the February Board meeting and that the committee members be charged with the responsibility for developing a recommendation in this regard for full Board consideration. Currently, only 17% of the Board members are not elected officials. Under Georgia legislation, RDCs can have up to five board members from each county. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS Due to the lack of time there were no Board Member reports. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business the meeting was adjourned. |
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