Top Regional Community stories

Note: Technical problems abound this issue, crashed hard drive, loss of files, preview in Yahoo groups showing formatting codes for no apparent reason, virus alert, etc. If this is hard to read, the blog edition is an option: http://regional-communities.blogspot.com/  - Ed.

 

  1.  The Urban/Rural Conundrum - by Bill Dodge, Regional Excellence

The polarized politics of the past half century have often undermined our best  efforts to address the nation’s toughest challenges.

Nowhere has this been more evident then in our attempts to create partnerships among central cities (often politically blue), surrounding suburbs (variations of purple), and fringe rural areas (often red).  Negotiating strategies to take advantage of common economic opportunities or thwart common environmental threats is trying.  Reaching agreements to deliver cost-effective road, transit, sewer, water, and other infrastructure, and services, is difficult.  Addressing social challenges, such as fiscal inequities between rich and poor jurisdictions, is almost impossible.

And that’s just in more urban regions.  Pursuing partnerships between more urban regions (often blue) and more rural regions (often red) is usually deemed politically suicidal.

As President Obama strives to build bridges across the red/blue divide, a key pillar of that strategy needs to be regional cooperation.

A decade ago, I became the Executive Director of the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) and inherited a large/small, but mostly urban/rural, divide among members.  My members were the regional councils of governments that guide transportation, air/water quality, and land use planning and deliver common services at the multi-jurisdictional level.  Some of the approximately 500 regional councils across the country are predominately urban or rural, but many are an urban/rural mix.

NARC sponsored activities to bring the two factions together, but with little success.  In fact, many of the smaller, more rural regional councils had already left NARC and joined the National Association of Development Organizations.

What NARC could not achieve internally has begun to happen, as regions respond to the challenges of the new century.  More urban regions became interested in preserving their rural fringes, to slow profligate sprawl growth and promote infill development that utilizes existing infrastructure and services.

Simultaneously, more rural regions started encountering the same economic, environmental, and social challenges as the more urban ones, such as absorbing new immigrants from other regions and overseas.  Local leaders and citizens in both sets of regions realized that they could not address their own challenges, especially tough ones like affordable housing, if they could not engage all parts of their regions  --  red, blue, and purple  --  in resolving them.

Moreover, more rural and more urban regions began to realize that they needed each other. …

http://regional-communities.blogspot.com/2009/03/urbanrural-conundrum-by-bill-dodge.html

  2. St Helens signs up to controversial Liverpool 'city region' club - St Helens Today - St Helens, UK

It's the talking point that just refuses to go away - is St Helens on the verge of becoming an annexe of Liverpool?

Less than two months after two high-profile local politicians blasted proposals to merge St Helens into a new Greater Liverpool area, the Government has devolved extra powers to St Helens Council - because the borough falls within the 'Liverpool city-region'.

A new Multi-Area Agreement signed by the Prime Minister and council leaders at Downing Street last week gave authorities across Merseyside more say in where money should be invested. The funding would then be handed over jointly to the five Merseyside councils, which form the newly created Liverpool city region.

It is hoped the new cross-council strategy will help safeguard jobs and support people coming off benefits to create 'a thriving international city region by 2020'.

Campaigners fear the move is the first step towards creating a Greater Liverpool but council leader Brian Spencer insisted the town would always retain its identity, describing the agreement as 'common sense'.

…

Chris Dawson, chairman of the Friends of Real Lancashire pressure group, reckons this latest move could be the first step towards the creation of a new 'Greater Liverpool' region.

He said: "On the surface, it would seem this is just a means of co-ordinating services that are already shared by the constituent local authorities. Only time will tell, but there may be a more sinister agenda."

http://www.sthelensreporter.co.uk/st-helens-news/St-Helens-signs-up-to.4914496.jp

  3. County moves to update comprehensive plan - News-Sun - Sebring, FL, USA

The Highlands County Commission voted 5-0 to approve a contract with the Central Florida Regional Planning Council http://www.cfrpc.org/  to update the countywide comprehensive plan.

Opponents to the contract claimed that the county did not need to expend the extra $250,000 for the contract, and that the action was directed at moving forward a couple of large development projects around the Lake Placid area.

"Our track record with DCA is not very good. That is one of the reasons why I asked CFRPC to come in and assist us with our comprehensive plan," said County Administrator Michael Wright.

"Another reason is that we are required by statute to update our comprehensive plan, and we have less than a year to do that. Currently, we can not go forward with any of our amendments until we update our plan, so we are for all effects stopped for any future development," Wright said.

But some citizens at the meeting voiced their disagreement.

"It's a joke. It's a scam. That it got this far is evidence of misconduct. There is no reason what so ever to pay the regional council $75,000 on April 1. They have done nothing yet. Don't you pay for what you get? The scope of work is an absolute mess. This is going to require that you put on more people anyhow and this kind of spending without proper planning is ridiculous," said Preston H. Colby.

…

An additional item arose about the vote surrounding this contract by Councilman Jeff Carlson, who is the president of the Central Florida Planning Council (CFPC), the controlling board for the Regional Planning Council.

…

"Some of these records that the taxpayers are paying for will not be public record, is that correct?" Colby asked in his extra time allotted …

http://www.newssun.com/news/0310-eb-county-plan

  4. Coweta returns to idea of countywide chairman - The Citizen Online - Fayetteville, GA, USA

Coweta County Commissioners last week took up the issue of having a countywide chairman to handle the growing need of regional representation in metro affairs that will increasingly impact Coweta. The idea of having a countywide chairman began more than a year ago. Though no decision was reached Feb. 26, it seemed clear that the board, in general, looked favorably on the idea.

“I think it’s vital to be able to attend (out-of-county) meetings and be the voice of the community,” said District 3 Commissioner Randolph Collins. “I thought at first it could be part-time, but I think now it could be full-time. The chairman has growing responsibilities.”

…

District 2 Commissioner Tim Lassetter recommended that a list of pro’s and con’s on a full-time chairman be devised to help identify and clarify issues.

“It would be hard to justify paying a full-time chairman in these economic times, though that would likely be needed,” Lassetter said. “So we would need to spend some time discussing it before making a decision. We should also look at how other counties with full-time chairmen do it.”

Also during the discussion, Collins suggested that a position of countywide chairman should include term limits and that the board should establish an accompanying job description.

“A full-time position could draw good, needed attention to Coweta,” Collins said. “It’s time for Coweta to grow positively and impact the region. I think Coweta will be the next Gwinnett or Cobb.”

Chairman Paul Poole said he did not personally want to see a change in the current structure, noting that regional leaders will still run organizations such as Atlanta Regional Commission.  [http://www.atlantaregional.com/] But it should be put on the ballot for the citizens to decide, Poole said.

…

http://www.thecitizen.com/~citizen0/node/35430

  5. DOT Chief Pushing Light Rail As Connecticut's Best Way To Go -Hartford Courant - United States

Throughout the winter, new strategies for improving Connecticut's transportation system have been surfacing at the Capitol: Extend commuter train service to Rhode Island and Massachusetts; build light rail in Stamford; reconstruct aging freight rail lines.

… The chief appeal is the lure of economic recovery, with transit advocates suggesting that better rail systems would spur commercial development and position Connecticut to grow — and sustain its relatively high quality of living — when the deep recession lifts.

In appearances around the state, Transportation Commissioner Joseph Marie is citing successes of other states as a powerful reason to beef up Connecticut's rail transit system.

"Eighteen cities opened light rail systems since 1985, and all but one have doubled or tripled in size. In Dallas a study showed real estate values improved 25 percent faster along the LRT than the rest of the region," Marie said recently at the Gallivan Conference, an annual public policy forum at the University of Connecticut's law school.

If light rail and commuter rail systems are designed well and located strategically, they draw clusters of high-quality commercial, housing and retail development around their stops, he said.

…

Creating better rail links within the state is vital to keeping young workers, attracting upscale employers and reviving languishing cities such as Hartford, Waterbury, New Britain and Meriden, said Norman Garrick, director of UConn's Center for Transportation and Urban Planning.

"Rail can restore the centrality of cities," Garrick told the conference. "If Connecticut is to be competitive, we have to reactivate those cities and relearn the art of place-making."

Garrick is endorsing Rep. David McCluskey's drive to begin passenger service on the Waterbury-Hartford line, a link that McCluskey envisions as part of a desperately needed regional rail network tying together all of New England and New York. ...

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-trains0301.artmar01,0,4034564.story

  6. Advantage West Midlands has a new boss, but for how long? - Birmingham Post.net

The West Midlands is to have a new business czar in the form of Sir Roy McNulty, former chair of the Civil Aviation Authority.

He has been appointed chair of Advantage West Midlands, the government quango with a £300 million budget which is responsible for supporting the region's economy.

But for how long will he be in the job? As the Birmingham Post reported earlier this month, Conservatives have announced that a Tory government would abolish bodies like Advantage West Midlands, which are known as regional development agencies.

The report has prompted some dissent - as did a story I wrote last year, during the Conservative conference, which predicted the announcement - from people who dispute that abolish is the right word.

The Tory proposal has two parts. First, they will remove the powers of regional development agency, except those directly related to economic development. The agencies will no longer play a role in housing or planning, for example.

Clearly, this does not mean they will be abolished.

But the second part of the Tory proposal is to invite councils to take over the remaining responsibility - economic development - and transfer it to new organisations they create themselves, called enterprise partnerships.

These will cover boundaries determined by local authorities, instead of huge regions such as the West Midlands. They will be answerable to local councils, not Ministers in London. And they will spend the money currently spent by regional development agencies.

If you like, you can argue that these are a modified version of regional development agencies rather than something brand new. Either way, everyone involved in economic development in the West Midlands needs to be ready for huge changes to the way the system works.

Here is what the Tory proposal says, in their own words: …

http://blogs.birminghampost.net/news/2009/02/advantage-west-midlands-has-a.html

  7. Glut of empty hotel rooms indicates enough is enough - The Patriot-News - PennLive.com - Harrisburg, PA, USA

When is too much just too much?

On the basketball court, you can throw your hands into a "T," make for the bench and take a break. …

How refreshing it was to hear the chairman of the Hershey Regional Visitors Bureau utter the unfashionable when he said recently that we should temporarily stop building hotels in the midstate.

Too many hotels and too few guests are creating a glut of empty rooms. Occupancy and revenue rates are dropping as a result. Now that's a warning that should perk up official ears: Rooms that stay empty lead to buildings that go vacant.

King's solution? Trade those economic Band-Aids for an outright ban on construction. No new hotels until at least 2012.

But wait a minute, you say. Won't the free market's reliance on matching supply with demand ultimately take care of this problem? Go a few months without customers and any business will fail, right? New prospects will be forced to simply reconsider their plans.

Unfortunately, this is where real regional planning breaks down. …

In January, for example, a Swatara Twp. hotel project received a $2.3 million loan that the state Department of Community and Economic Development promised to back if the business fails. While touted as the first midrange hotel to be built in the township in the last 15 years, its 74 rooms might do little more than make the problem worse.

In Harrisburg, too, Mayor Stephen R. Reed is pushing for $22 million in federal funding for two downtown hotels. With a 13-story, 138-room hotel at Second and State streets and a 88-room hotel at Third and State streets in the works, it's no wonder why existing hotel owners are worried.

…

RC: Tri-County Regional Planning Commission - http://www.tcrpc-pa.org/

http://www.pennlive.com/editorials/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1235691614248450.xml&coll=1

  8. Group hears of ways to boost tourism - Canon City Daily Record - Canon City, CO, USA

… Five-County Regional Tourism Steering Committee … Judy Walden, of Walden Mills Group, compared tourism with slices of the day, saying wherever tourists go, they participate in seven slices everyday, which consist of meals, activities and lodging.

…

She said, geo tourism is combined with eco-tourism, cultural, heritage and civic tourism.

“Geo tourism means, not just saving the planet, but saving your place,” Walden said.

In the past, when people went on vacation, they wanted to go, see and do, but the country has changed.

“Americans in the past five years have absolutely worn themselves to a frazzle,” Walden said. “As a culture (and) as a people, we are exhausted,” Walden said. “The new pattern in travel is to go, see, immerse. People don’t want to go, go, go. When they get somewhere, they want to connect.

“Those travelers want to know who you are, what you have to offer, pay a fair price to experience it and play by your rules,” she said. “The first thing you want to ask yourself is ‘what do we want to share with travelers?’”

…

She advised those attending to use the history to lure tourists into the area.

“One of the biggest draws (of tourism) is culinary,” Walden said. “You have the only wine for miles around so I’m looking at the Abbey and asking why not food and wine pairings.”

…

“By far, the biggest trend in America is the search for health and well-being,” Walden said. “The second biggest trend is the demand for personalization,” which means creating a space for travelers to make them feel special.

The third trend is traveling on weekends as the norm.

“Data shows that Americans are taking four to five long weekends in a year,” …

http://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/Top-Story.asp?ID=9980

  9. Texas regions battle for new public universities - Dallas Morning News - Dallas, TX, USA

The tug of war for new Texas universities has begun.

In back-to-back hearings this week, North Texas lawmakers lobbied for new public law and pharmacy schools in Dallas, affordable educations largely absent in the region.

They face stiff competition from South Texas lawmakers vying for a medical school and their own law school. While the Rio Grande Valley has fewer higher-education options, Dallas' proposed schools have lower price tags – a major selling point in a tight budget year.

"Do we want Dallas, 30 years from now, to be a really large population center where no one can go to a public school and further a degree?" asked Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas. "Our region has the largest demand for legal talent in Texas, and right now, we're filling that demand out of state. We have to look way down the road."

Wednesday's hearing before the House Higher Education Committee, which Branch chairs, was a contest of sorts, as regions competed for the superlative "Most Underserved."

Dallas lawmakers, joined by Mayor Tom Leppert, lobbied for a new University of North Texas law school and pharmacy school, saying the Dallas-Fort Worth region is the biggest in the country without one of each.

The UNT law school, which died in the House on a last-minute technicality in 2007, is Dallas' top legislative priority. The historic Old City Hall building downtown has been set aside for it.

…

Rep. Helen Giddings, D-Dallas, said the state is already short on pharmacists. Today, North Texas students must leave the region to get certified, she said.

…

RC: North Central Texas Council of Governments  http://www.nctcog.dst.tx.us/

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/030509dnmetlawschool.384040c.html

10. U.S. Regional Communities - sub-State, State or multi-State - in news articles.

Bold font words are Google search terms. Bold italic words considered worth noting.  In this and section 11, links to websites of organizations are added to the news excerpt when this is the first time an organization has been found. A goal of this newsletter is to find every regional council in the U.S. in a news story as well as recognizing other regional organizations. In most cases, where a full name is present, a Google search will quickly get one to that organization. News reports do not always get the organization name correct.   Contents

    .01  Cobo deal's defeat means saying good-bye to regionalism

Detroit Free Press - United States

Detroit City Council's rejection of the Cobo deal will affect much more than the auto show, thousands of jobs and a piece of downtown real estate. This shortsighted action could hamstring for years to come the regional cooperation needed to move southeast Michigan forward. Trust is critical in getting any region's political players to work together: To get power, governments must sometimes cede power. By turning down a good-faith offer that would clearly benefit Detroiters, a handful of council members have gone back to the divisive politics that has stymied this region, on both sides of 8 Mile, for decades. ...

http://www.freep.com/article/20090301/OPINION01/903010358/1069/Cobo+deal+s+defeat+means+saying+good-bye+to+regionalism

    .02  COBO VICTORY!

Michigan Citizen - Highland Park, MI, USA

It was a stunning blow to non-Detroit interests including Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano. On Feb. 24, Detroit City Council voted 5-3 to reject the sale of Cobo Hall to a regional authority. Grass-roots Detroiters packed council chambers, speaking passionately against the give-away of yet another city asset. “This is about what is best for my constituents,” resolution author Council President Monica Conyers said in a release after the vote. “There is $2 billion coming to Michigan as part of President Obama’s Economic Stimulus Package . . . . We should be able to use our portion of those funds to upgrade Cobo as well as purchase the Illitch’s contract [for Cobo Arena] for an expansion of the facility.” ...

http://www.michigancitizen.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=7075&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1070&hn=michigancitizen&he=.com

    .03  A regional-collaboration suggestion box for NE Ohio's leaders to fill

The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com - Cleveland, OH, USA

... region's huge number of governments -- Cuyahoga County alone has 59 cities, villages and townships -- guarantees redundancies that drive up the price of doing almost everything. ... Why, you might ask, is an effort to make this region more economically competitive focusing on government efficiency? It's because investors consider every expense when they consider opening or expanding a business, including the cost of government. As long as this region supports so many overpriced governments, it's not as competitive as it must be. That hurts us all. ...

http://blog.cleveland.com/pdopinion/2009/03/a_regionalcollaboration_sugges.html

    .04  NC Legislature must make boundary changes again

WRAL.com - Raleigh, NC, USA

The Legislature will have to change its district boundaries a fourth time this decade based on a U.S. Supreme Court decision Monday involving racial gerrymandering and a state requirement barring districts from crossing over county boundaries. The nation's highest court upheld a 2007 state Supreme Court decision that found boundaries for a House district in Pender and New Hanover counties were illegal. ... About 25 states have some restrictions or guidelines in their laws relatively similar to North Carolina involving how districts can be drawn. The decision could affect how districts with sizable minority groups are fashioned, said Tim Storey, a redistricting expert at the National Conference of State Legislatures. ...

http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/4700609/

    .05  Institute for Local Government Releases New Publication

Nation's Cities Weekly - Washington, DC, USA

The Institute for Local Government has published "A Local Official’s Guide to Intergovernmental Conflict Resolution," which aims to help local agencies resolve the problems and challenges that emerge when they find themselves in a dispute with one another. ... This guide contains information on the causes and consequences of inter-agency disputes, discusses different conflict resolution strategies to address these differences and offers guidance on finding and selecting a conflict resolution provider. ... publication is available online without charge at http://www.ca-ilg.org/intergovtconflictresolution

 ...

http://www.nlc.org/articles/articleItems/NCW3909/conflictresoultionguide.aspx

    .06  Intergovernmental partnership aims to limit risks in stimulus spending

GovExec.com - Washington, DC, USA

The Partnership for Intergovernmental Management and Accountability, which comprises high-ranking financial management officials in federal, state and local governments, has published a number of documents and assessment tools [http://www.agacgfm.org/intergovernmental/resources.aspx]to help agencies monitor funds spent under the economic stimulus package. ...

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=42131&dcn=todaysnews

    .07  Council lauds good community work

Traverse City Record Eagle - Traverse City, MI, USA

Several regional businesses, organizations and people received awards for various development and community projects, courtesy of the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments. The agency gave out nine awards for leadership, planning, collaboration, volunteerism, career development and employment, among other topics. It's a way to honor people and organizations for good community work, said Matt McCauley, the agency's associate director. ...

http://www.record-eagle.com/local/local_story_059095304.html

    .08  Do More With Fewer: Consolidation Of Agencies Could Bring Regional Efficiency

Hartford Courant - United States

... Gov. M. Jodi Rell's proposed $50 million regionalism grant program is a good thing, as far as it goes. But it misses a broader opportunity. ... The threshold problem with the regional planning organizations is that there are too many of them. The state is divided into 15 planning regions, which are organized as regional councils of elected officials, regional councils of government or regional planning agencies. California, a considerably larger state, has 17 planning regions. ... If Mrs. Rell wants to encourage regional cooperation and save money, she ought to consolidate the regional planning organizations, as she has proposed doing with the probate courts. ...

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-planning.art.artmar01,0,2368945.story

    .09  The region’s bureaucracy is unwieldy

SignOnSanDiego.com

I recently suggested that our region could have a city-county form of government. With an open mind and a spirit of collaboration, I welcome a conversation that could result in lessened bureaucracy, a fair allocation of resources, greater efficiency of service and, ultimately, a budget that is easier to balance year to year. ...  According to an 18-year old report by the San Diego Region Citizens’ Commission on Government Efficiency and Restructuring, our region is governed by more than 135 jurisdictions, including more than 50 agencies that fight fire, eight library systems and 10 police forces. There are 43 school districts, more than 25 Mello-Roos districts, more than 80 assessment districts within cities, and 17 governmental units established by state legislation. ...

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/01/regions-bureaucracy-hueso/?uniontrib

    .10  We need more cooperation, not a merger

SignOnSanDiego.com

San Francisco was cited by Councilman Hueso as an example of combined local governments. That merger in 1856 made sense. The city and county of San Francisco occupies a compact 47 square miles with fewer than one-third the number of residents of our county. Contrast that with San Diego County, which contains 18 cities plus a large unincorporated area. Our county covers 4,200 square miles and has a population in excess of 3 million. Our governance issues have little in common with San Francisco. ... Cooperation is the key. More regional cooperation would help us deliver the best services at the lowest cost. A merger of the city and the county does not make sense.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/01/region-bureaucracy-roberts/?uniontrib

    .11  Bumpy ride

San Diego Union Tribune - San Diego, CA, USA

Average daily ridership for the year was 7300, according to the San Diego Association of Governments. That's about 70 percent of the 10166 that SANDAG had most recently projected for the first year of service. ... Gary Gallegos, executive director of the San Diego Association of Governments, the region's transportation and planning agency, said ridership projections based on computer modeling may have been off, but a declining economy affected ridership. Gallegos noted that transit ridership peaked when gasoline prices exceeded $4 a gallon.  “I know people get hung up on the numbers after the first year, but this is a long-term investment,” Gallegos said. “We see this rail link as critical for this whole (transportation) system.” Gallegos said funding for public transit is a problem that needs a solution. “Right at the very moment when we ought to be trying to increase service because of tough economic times (and) high unemployment ... we're having to cut service,” Gallegos said. “It speaks to the fact that the structure we have for paying for operations is literally broken.”

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/08/mz1mc8bumpy032738-bumpy-ride/?zIndex=63792

    .12  Suozzi pushes for regional bus service

Newsday - Long Island, NY, USA

Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi laid out his support at a forum Friday for a state commission's report seeking a regional bus service for a dozen downstate counties, including Nassau and Suffolk, only to have strong opposition to some elements of it surface in his own backyard. "Without a regional bus service, our long-term vision of new suburbia can't be realized," Suozzi said ... But to pay for the regional bus service, the Ravitch Commission's proposal calls for more and higher vehicle tolls and a "payroll" tax on all businesses, including governments and not-for-profits in the 12 counties. Suozzi backs the commission's plan and called on those who object to its financing to offer an "alternative plan." ... Suozzi has said that such a regional service would help address the four major problems facing Nassau's future: high property taxes, a lack of affordable housing, congested traffic and pockets of poverty. ...

http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/saturday/longisland/ny-pobus076060512mar07,0,5873689.story

    .13  Cities frown on 'poaching' among businesses

Stow Sentry - Stow, Ohio, USA

-When a community lures a business from another town in Summit County, it hurts the entire county. So say county officials, who are trying to draw up an agreement with communities that would penalize those towns that "poach" companies from another. "That is a means to regionalism," Connie Kraus, director of the county's department of community and economic development, told Stow Council ...

http://www.stowsentry.com/news/article/4540793

    .14  Discussions continue on dispatch contract

Stow Sentry - Stow, Ohio, USA

Mayor Christopher Grimm planned to meet with Stow Mayor Karen Fritschel March 6 to discuss the former Tallmadge dispatchers, who he says is not receiving seniority at Stow's new emergency dispatch center. Grimm said March 5 that if the five dispatchers don't get their contractually-promised seniority in full, he has thought about ending the current dispatching arrangement with Stow and again consider a Council of Governments. "Worst case scenario, we'll go back and visit that [COG] idea," said Grimm. ...

http://www.stowsentry.com/news/article/4540743

    .15  Bay Area authorities team up for stimulus money

East Bay Business Times - Pleasanton, CA, USA

Bay Area authorities are rushing to put together a regional effort to maximize the amount of federal stimulus cash that flows to the area. ... to make their best case for that money, several groups will work with the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, which has been tapped by the state to draw up a regional plan that shows where the Bay Area could best spend the money and what impact the cash would have. ... The economic institute said it will work with groups like the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the East Bay’s Economic Development Alliance for Business to devise its plan. The full contingent of agencies was still being compiled this week, said Sean Randolph, the institute’s CEO. Other groups that might be tapped to help author the regional strategy are the Association of Bay Area Governments, local mayors, academics from Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley and local corporate executives, all of whom are on the economic institute’s board. …

http://eastbay.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2009/03/02/story2.html?b=1235970000^1786217

    .16  Tucson Latest Testbed for Nissan's Electric Cars

Wired News - USA

Add Tucson, Arizona to the list of places Nissan is helping gear up for the electric cars it promises to have on the road next year. ... Nissan and Ecotality, an Arizona firm that offers "quick-charge" battery charging technology for fleet use, have joined the Pima County Association of Governments to develop a plan for rolling out a charging network and launching an education campaign to foster the adoption of EVs. ... "The Tucson region will be an attractive launch market not just for Nissan's electric vehicles, but all grid-connected vehicles," said Colleen Crowninshield, head of the clean cities program at the Pima Association of Governments …

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2009/03/nissan-evs-head.html

    .17  Rail connection plans for D/FW re-evaluated

Dallas Morning News - Dallas, TX, USA

The transportation council sets transportation policy for the council of governments. Its findings will be considered by the Dallas Area Rapid Transit board, which has the final say on the Orange Line's route. ... Changes on the Orange Line's final segment could increase the price by as much as $150 million, DART officials estimate. ...

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/030809dnmetirvrail.316426f.html

    .18  SCDOT seeking comment on stimulus bill projects

WMBF News - Myrtle Beach, SC, USA

The South Carolina Department of Transportation is seeking comment from the public regarding Economic Stimulus Bill projects for Resurfacing, Interstate Maintenance, Safety/Pavement Markings, Bridge Replacement, and Rural Mass Transit. ... available for public review ... at the following locations: Appalachian Council of Governments ... Lower Savannah Council of Governments ... Upper Savannah Council of Governments ...

http://www.wmbfnews.com/global/story.asp?s=9907509

    .19  Atlanta Housing Forums Merge

Atlanta Progressive News - GA, USA

... the Atlanta Housing Forum was a somewhat independent forum that has operated for 20 years, offering meetings at the Atlanta Community Food Bank. AHF has worked closely with the separate Atlanta Regional Housing Forum by the Atlanta Regional Commission, ...

http://www.atlantaprogressiveblog.com/2009/02/atlanta-housing-forums-merge/

    .20  Henry gets grant from Atlanta Regional Commission

Henry Daily Herald - McDonough, GA, USA

The Atlanta Regional Commission has awarded Henry County a $100,000 Livable Centers Initiative grant to help plan future development around a Hudson Bridge-Jonesboro Road Connector Activity Center. Henry County Commission Chairwoman Elizabeth "B.J." Mathis said the grant will help the county plan for specific types of future construction to avoid urban sprawl in the area. ...

http://www.henryherald.com/Main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2&ArticleID=27415

    .21  The Central Nebraska Economic Development Inc. received grants this week

Sand Hills Express - Broken Bow, NE, USA

This week, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development awarded a $600,000 HOME fund grant and a $300,000 Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund grant to Central Nebraska Economic Development Inc. The CNED will use the $600,000 to rehabilitate twenty single family homes for families who earn at or below 80% of the area median income in Blaine, Brown, Garfield, Loup and Wheeler Counties. ...

http://sandhillsexpress.com/Home/SandillsExpressArticleContent/tabid/95/smid/384/ArticleID/122/reftab/36/Default.aspx?t=The-Central-Nebraska-Economic-Development-Inc.-received-grants-this-week H

    .22  State, region make technology grade

Cape Cod Times - Hyannis, MA, USA

A new report finds Massachusetts held its own or excelled when compared with other states with innovation-driven economies ... Index of the Massachusetts Innovation Economy, a report released today by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative's John Adams Innovation Institute, ... On the Cape, the technology sector is well positioned for growth, experts said. "It's in transition right now," said Robert Curtis, CEO of the Regional Technology Development Corp. of Cape Cod, an organization that helps scientists turn their research into viable commercial enterprises. ...

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090227/BIZ/902270303/-1/NEWS

    .23  Kansas City-area coalition aims at innovation

American City Business Journals - Charlotte, NC, USA

A 15-member coalition of Kansas City-area business, education and nonprofit interests on Thursday kicked off what it’s calling the Year of Innovation, which will highlight the region’s entrepreneurial assets to spur economic development. “The only sure way to move the economy forward is through innovation,” said Bob Marcusse, president and CEO of the Kansas City Area Development Council. [http://www.thinkkc.com/] ...

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2009/03/02/daily35.html

    .24  Commission chairman releases assessment

Daily Journal - Seneca, SC, USA

Emergency Services Commission Chairman Jay Hetherington has sent Oconee County Council ... initial assessment ... Concurrent and long-term priorities include establishing county-to-county daily automatic cross-jurisdictional response and mutual aid agreements with Pickens and Anderson counties as well as those in Georgia and North Carolina. ...   

http://www.upstatetoday.com/news/2009/feb/27/commission-chairman-releases-assessment/

    .25  Those that pay Metro’s bills — city, county — might get more say

Las Vegas Sun - Las Vegas, NV, USA

... growing doubts among state and local politicians about the need for another quarter-cent sales tax increase sought by Metro Police to pay for more officers. The issue pulled back the curtain on an effort under way in Carson City to give elected officials a stronger role in overseeing Metro. Who funds and oversees Metro now? Clark County pays 62 percent of Metro’s general budget; Las Vegas pays about 38 percent. The elected sheriff, Doug Gillespie, runs Metro, but Metro’s Fiscal Affairs Committee oversees some of the department’s budget matters. The committee includes ...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/mar/01/those-pay-metros-bills-city-county-might-get-more-/

    .26  Brian Anderson: Welcoming Volkswagen: Lesson 3

The Daily Citizen - Dalton, GA, USA

Last October, the leadership team visiting South Carolina from the Chattanooga region heard a variety of stories about cannibalization of employees. Some of the South Carolina hosts felt cannibalization was minimal while others felt that many gravitated to BMW. ...

http://www.daltondailycitizen.com/business/local_story_062233634.html?keyword=topstory

    .27  Ouachita Council Of Governments expects more funding

Monroe News Star - Monroe, LA, USA

Members of the Ouachita Council of Governments have confirmed that the three member governments with voting power on the council will receive an additional $433,000 to pay for local transportation projects. Those voting members include the cities of Monroe and West Monroe and the Ouachita Parish Police Jury. ...

http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20090307/NEWS01/903070316

    .28  Denver area stimulus projects selected

North Denver News - Colorado

The Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) Board of Directors approved 13 projects in the Denver region to receive approximately $60. million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding. ... About 45 percent of the funds awarded are expected to be underway in as soon as 120 days. ...

http://northdenvernews.com/content/view/1936/2/

    .29  County opposes Upper's merger with Corbin City

pressofAtlanticCity.com

Cape May County objects to a proposal for Corbin City to become part of neighboring Upper Township. ... County Counsel John Porto is researching the county's authority to deny the proposed merger, O'Connor said. Atlantic County, too, expressed reservations about the merger. Atlantic County would lose Corbin City's tax revenue, ...

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/181/story/415307.html

    .30  Oregon Experiments with Mixed Credits

Ecosystem Marketplace - Washington, DC, USA

Building a market in ecosystem services was an early priority. In January of 2006, Harvard Business School strategy guru Michael Porter evaluated Oregon's business plan and suggested that if the state could establish a regulatory environment that was both pro-business and pro-sustainability it would be "epic" for regional economic development. ... "Oregon is uniquely positioned to create the infrastructure that makes an ecosystem services marketplace possible, in part because a number of Oregon businesses, agencies, and non-profits have already made considerable market development investments."...

http://ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/article.news.php?component_id=6611&component_version_id=9871&language_id=12

    .31  CAJUNDOME LOOKS FOR AID: Arena's solvency may depend on city-parish help

The Daily Advertiser - Lafayette, LA, USA

... Cajundome is owned by the state through UL, but the state contributes nothing toward operating the facility. ... Through an intergovernmental agreement signed in 1988, Lafayette Consolidated Government must contribute up to $500,000 a year toward the Cajundome's operations, including paying for normal wear and tear, ... The Cajundome has operated in the black only five years in its history. ...

http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20090227/NEWS01/902270332

    .32  EDITORIAL: Ike Money: Lufkin, Angelina County deserve every penny of federal reimbursement

Lufkin Daily News - Lufkin, TX, USA

Lufkin and Angelina County may still get some funds from the stimulus; we just don't know yet. In the meantime, both entities will soon be in the unique position of deciding how to spend millions of federal Hurricane Ike relief dollars. Of the $3.2 million being passed from the Deep East Texas Council of Governments to Angelina County, Lufkin is getting $1.3 million, Diboll $229000, Hudson $170,000, Huntington $83,000, Zavalla $26,000, Burke $12,000 and the county itself $1.4 million.... Lufkin is in a position to pursue its dream of constructing a new convention center, likely on the south side of town, starting with an extra $5 million in Ike money that was secured by DETCOG specifically for that purpose. ...

http://www.lufkindailynews.com/opin/content/news/opinion/stories/2009/03/01/local_eddy.html

    .33  Blaming the system

San Francisco Bay Guardian

The Grand Sheraton Hotel in downtown Sacramento was buzzing Feb. 24 as some 400 conference-goers representing myriad geographies and political perspectives gathered in one room to tackle an enormous question: should California's constitution get an overhaul? Hosted by the Bay Area Council, a San Francisco-based business group, the summit introduced the idea of staging a statewide constitutional convention that would grant Californians the opportunity to make major revisions to the state constitution and streamline the government reform process. The council hopes to place a measure on the ballot as early as November 2010 to ask voters if a convention should be called. ...

http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=8164&catid=&volume_id=398&issue_id=421&volume_num=43&issue_num=23

    .34  Three Detroit-area communities join aerotropolis project

Crain's Detroit Business - Detroit, MI, USA

Three communities near Detroit Metropolitan Airport agreed recently to become part of the “aerotropolis” economic development project aimed at attracting aviation-reliant businesses, through incentives, to land around the airport. ... The aerotropolis is a key element in the $80 million “Road to Renaissance” initiative, the economic revitalization contribution by Detroit Renaissance Inc., the regional CEO council, to the wider “One D” economic plan being championed by Edsel Ford II.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20090305/FREE/903059968

    .35  Culture of entrepreneurship vital to city’s future

Galesburg Register-Mail - Galesburg, IL, USA

Of the 11 strategies listed by the city as its Strategic Initi