On this blog you will find PDA meeting minutes, reports, CEDS documents, and a list of all the activities that we have taken as we work together as the Peninsula Development Association for the North Olympic Peninsula.
Founded in 1895 the PDA's main objective is to foster a cooperative effort in planning, development, and implementation of local and regional plans, programs and projects which will increase the economic activity in the area and improve the quality of life of its citizens.The PDA brings together elected officials, Tribal leaders and community representatives from business, education,and a variety of interest groups.
Our 2008-09 plan prioritizes:
1) Support comprehensive small business services
2) Increase business development opportunities
3) Support Infrastructure Development Projects
4) Promote Intergovernmental Collaboration
5) Promote Entrepreneurial Investment
6) Invest in Workforce Training
7) Leadership Development
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Sunday, October 28, 2007
PDA CEDS 2006
Peninsula Development
Association
Clallam & Jefferson Counties
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
2006
Peninsula Development Association
P.O. Box 1085
Port Angeles, WA 98362
Tel: 360.457.7793
Fax: 360.452.9618
E-Mail: lrotmark@clallam.org
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
Peninsula Development Association – 2006
PREFACE
The Peninsula Development Association (PDA) serves the people of Jefferson and Clallam Counties. Its main objective is to provide a cooperative platform for planning, development and implementation of local and regional plans, programs and projects that will increase the economic activity in the area and improve the quality of life for the people of the North Olympic Peninsula.
This document reviews the history and purpose of PDA, describes its strategic planning process, and summarizes the resulting goals, objectives and strategies. The update encompasses four subject areas. First, it reviews some of the methodology of creating wealth in the economy of the region. Secondly, labor force size, unemployment and population figures are examined to ascertain the direction of their changes. Also included are the PDA goals and finally, outlines of the individual entity’s economic strategies. It should be noted here that almost all jurisdictions within the North Olympic Peninsula are currently updating and approving their economic development elements of their respective comprehensive plans.
INTRODUCTION
The economic partners of the North Olympic Peninsula must recognize that the retention of a regional competitive advantage operate as a system. Therefore, policies in many areas are interdependent; and usually exhibit benefits only in the long run.
It should be understood that the PDA best serves the region when it supports communities recognition and response to changing conditions and opportunities. Therefore, the PDA should implement economic development strategies that assist its partners to:
• Leverage human capital and indigenous assets while making every effort to diversify its economic base.
• Ensure that the region maintains a qualified workforce by developing a community that embraces change and has access to high quality life-long learning.
• Align community resources in the creation of a diverse set of job opportunities in sustainable industry sectors with a focus on raising the average wage in Clallam and Jefferson Counties.
• Become a community of creative solutions where government, education, and business recognize, appreciate and adopt an entrepreneurial spirit.
• Make every effort to ensure that our communities’ physical infrastructure (roads, waterborne transportation, sewer, water, telecommunications, broadband, etc.) and human infrastructure (education, healthcare, public safety, housing and social support, etc.) keeps up with growth in a well-planned, cost effective way.
• Be an active participant in regional economic development initiatives with a focus on sustainable economic development projects.
STRATEGIC HIGHLIGHTS
Over the past few years, the PDA recognized that traditional measures taken to attract outside investment simply would not pull the region from the depths of a failing economy. Therefore, several new thought streams emerged relative to stabilization and expansion of the North Olympic Peninsula’s economic base.
• Successful regions build on their inherited assets (e.g., geography, diverse lifestyles, population, educational opportunities, businesses, governmental organizations) to create specialized economies that both differ from other regions and offer comparative advantages to local companies.
• Building strong regional economies takes a long and sustained effort. There are many steps in building a regional economy - developing inherent assets, creating new assets, linking companies to these assets, attracting outside companies.
• Successful regions do not rely on chance, but rather seek to institutionalize the innovative process by building strong educational and skill development centers to create continuous innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Small to medium sized enterprises are the greatest source of jobs and thus must be targeted for support in regional initiatives.
• Community economic development that helps the most disadvantaged help themselves; i.e. gain economic independence and sustainability.
PDA's Mission
PDA's mission is to foster a cooperative effort in planning, development and implementation of local and regional plans, programs and projects that will increase the economic activity in the area and improve the quality of life of its citizens.
PDA's Vision
The North Olympic Peninsula will become a region with an educated and trained workforce, healthy people, a sound physical infrastructure, a dynamic economic base and the local and regional capacity to be economically self-sustaining.
HISTORY OF PDA
The Peninsula Development Association has been recognized as the major development organization for the North Olympic Peninsula in the State of Washington. On October 31, 1984, PDA was formed as a non-profit corporation to promote economic and community development in cooperation with local government, businesses and private organizations. It responsibilities are that of a regional associated development organization.
PDA's main objective is to foster a cooperative effort in planning, development, and implementation of local and regional plans, programs and projects which will increase the economic activity in the area and improve the quality of life of its citizens. In order to accomplish this objective, PDA:
1. Represents the district-wide economic development program. As an Economic Development Administration (EDA) District, PDA has prepared a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) that establishes a framework for long-range economic prioritization in the multi-county area.
2. Promotes assistance to businesses in PDA's two-county area. PDA serves as a regional link between the private sector and the government agencies.
3. Researches federal and state grant-in-aid programs in order to identify the proper funding source for local or regional projects;
4. Provides technical and planning assistance to local governments in preparing project applications for federal and state funding assistance;
5. Promotes cooperative arrangements and contracts among its members or other governmental agencies and private persons, corporations or agencies;
6. Assists in comprehensive planning for public facility projects within the region either directly by PDA personnel or through other public or private planning agencies;
7. Studies regional and local services and facilities affecting health, affordable housing, telecommunications, training, infrastructure, childcare, education/workforce training, land use and development;
PDA’s STRUCTURE
The PDA membership is comprised of representatives of the Counties of Jefferson and Clallam and includes representatives from the Board of Commissioners of each county, tribal communities, and representatives’ at-large of employment, education, labor.
A Board of Directors oversees the administrative functions of the PDA effort. The Executive Board consists of not less than eleven (11) and not more than twenty-one (21) members. Fifty-one percent of the Board of Directors must be elected officials. Representatives selected to serve on the Executive Board are named at the first meeting of each fiscal year and serve for the respective fiscal year. The following is a list of people who comprise the PDA membership (2006):
Officers:
Bill Hannan, President Port of Port Angeles
Jay Bennett, Vice-President Diversified Resources, Inc.
Herb Beck, Secretary/Treasurer Port of Port Townsend
Directors:
Katherine Baril Washington State University Extension-Jefferson County
John Beitzel City of Sequim
Ryland Bowechop Makah Tribal Council
Gary Cohn Port Angeles School District
Larry Crockett Port of Port Townsend
Bill Elliott (Alternate) City of Sequim
John Fischbach Jefferson County
Rod Fleck (Alternate) City of Forks
Hugh Haffner PUD of Clallam County
Marny Hannan Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce
Marlin Holden Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe
Anthony Ingersoll North Olympic Peninsula Resource and Conservation District
Merle Pender Employment Securities Dept.
Wayne King Jefferson County PUD
Laurie Medlicott City of Port Townsend
Mary O’Neil-Garrett Peninsula College
Jim Parker (Alternate) Jefferson County PUD
Clyde Rasmussen (Alternate) North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center
Nedra Reed City of Forks
Karen Rogers City of Port Angeles
David Sullivan (Alternate) Jefferson County
Steve Tharinger Clallam County
Betsy Wharton City of Port Angeles
EDC Director
Linda Rotmark Clallam County EDC
CHANGE IN PDA REGION
Population 1990-2004 and Projections to 2015
County/State 1990 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2010* 2015*
Jefferson 20,406 24,112 26,299 26,446 26,600 26,700 27,000 30,892 34,067
Clallam 56,204 61,461 64,179 64,454 64,900 65,300 65,900 67,754 70,769
State 4,866,692 5,470,104 5,894,121 5,974,900 6,041,710 6,098,300 6,167,800 6,648,112 7,096,501
Source: US Census and WA-OFM
*Projections
PDA Region Population 1990 2004 % Change
Jefferson 20,406 27,000 32.31%
Clallam 56,204 65,900 17.25%
Median Household Income 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2005 % of WA
Clallam County $38,052 $39,702 $39,863 $40,124 $41,108 $42,367 81.8%
Jefferson County $39,122 $40,923 $41,385 $40,852 $41,801 $42,620 82.3%
State of Washington $48,397 $49,286 $49,771 $50,664 $51,762 $51,794
EMPLOYMENT/UNEMPLOYMENT
Clallam County Jefferson County Washington State
2004Total Employment 24,950 12,030 3,012,900
Total Unemployment 1,490 580 193,700
Percent of Labor Force 5.6% 4.6% 6.0%
Civilian Labor Force 26,440 12,610 3,206,600
2003Total Employment 23,790 11,250 2,902,900
Total Unemployment 1,920 740 237,000
Percent of Labor Force 7.5% 6.2% 7.5%
Civilian Labor Force 25,710 11,990 3,139,900
2002Total Employment 23,310 10,870 2,882,600
Total Unemployment 1,880 770 226,700
Percent of Labor Force 7.5% 6.6% 7.3%
Civilian Labor Force 25,190 11,640 3,109,300
2001Total Employment 22,520 10,580 2,830,600
Total Unemployment 1,890 650 193,400
Percent of Labor Force 7.7% 5.8% 6.4%
Civilian Labor Force 24,410 11,230 3,024,000
2000Total Employment 23,030 10,420 2,896,300
Total Unemployment 1,900 590 159,300
Percent of Labor Force 7.6% 5.4% 5.2%
Civilian Labor Force 24,930 11,010 3,055,600
FUTURE EFFORTS
It is imperative that several key linkages be focused upon if the PDA is to assist its community partners in achieving economic health in the immediate term.
Infrastructure investment within the PDA region is crucial. However, the costs associated with increased environmental compliance regulations will affect local communities with small population base in regions like the North Olympic Peninsula. Within the past decade, regulations have increased considerably on the monitoring of public drinking water, wastewater, solid, hazardous and infectious waste, and air quality. Increased environmental regulations also have significant implications for the North Olympic Peninsula’s economy. PDA must take an aggressive leadership role in shaping policies at federal and state levels.
While the natural topography of the region presents many challenges to infrastructure improvements and affordable housing, it affords many opportunities for tourism development. The region contains a variety of marine adventure experiences, numerous state and county recreation areas and is home to the Olympic National Park (ONP). With such outdoor amenities, many recreational activities are available. The future financial stability of the ONP and its impact on the PDA region will be felt in tourism and job creation. For tourism to be an effective economic development strategy, its continued growth within the PDA region relies on the establishment of adequate infrastructure and increased public and private financial investment.
The economic outlook for the PDA region is looking brighter. There are, however many challenges that still face the workforce of the North Olympic Peninsula. The chronic economic barriers created from a reliance on an under-diversified economy, combined with a changing national economy, have resulted in under-employment, lower per capita income and increased poverty. While welfare reform has been successful in targeting training opportunities for the chronically unemployed, individuals who are under-employed often have fewer options in improving their skill level. The under-employed also share common barriers in obtaining and keeping employment such as the cost of child and elder care.
The good news is that the two counties are making progress in the region by using an industry ”cluster” approach as opposed to a traditional ”business recruitment” approach. Cluster collaboration acts as a tool to better understand the economy and utilize indigenous assets strategically. It also act as an organizational tool to engage industry leaders in a regional strategy and to foster communication, networking and improvement among the companies within clusters and across clusters. The appropriate entity must conduct regular asset mapping of their respective communities to ascertain current information for potentially new “clusters,” along with the development and maintenance of cluster strategic plans.
The PDA must assure that respective North Olympic Peninsula governments are supporting regional business development through creation of new capital and entrepreneurial programs. An entrepreneur can succeed anywhere but they are likely to be more successful in areas that have diversity in sources of capital, an enabling culture, strong local networks, and supportive infrastructure. Government leaders must facilitate and support private networks and create a regional commitment to entrepreneurial growth. The North Olympic Peninsula must continue to send out a clear message that they encourage and support entrepreneurship.
PDA must lead the establishment of public-private sector financial partnerships that espouse a commonly held vision and priorities for facilitating new business investment. This can be accomplished by strategically targeting local financial investments. Upon successful completion, market regional strengths to existing and potential investors by establishing and maintaining up-to-date information systems, mapping regional assets, providing information and advisory services, and streamlined investment facilitation processes.
PDA Identified Concerns
The PDA Board of Directors met on April 5, 2006 and identified several issues of concerns that the regional body should look at developing strategies addressing the concerns.
Workforce Development
Education and workforce training are crucial components of a regional economic development strategy, and skilled workforce is among the region’s most important assets. The importance of higher education in preparing students for high-paying jobs cannot be overstated. However, while traditional four-year and advanced degrees offer students the greatest range of post-graduation options, universities are not the only routes for obtaining skills that are in demand. A region’s education and workforce development system should encompass a wide range of options for people to obtain the tools necessary for succeeding in today’s labor market, including four-year university degrees, two-year degrees at community colleges, specialized certificate programs, and short-term training programs.
The region’s workforce is its most valuable asset for achieving sustainable economic development, but the advantages of higher education in today’s job market are not spreading to all citizens of the region equally. The transition from a manufacturing-based to a service-based, or “knowledge-based,” economy in the U.S. has put a premium on education and skills that allow for adaptable, life-long learning. Highly innovative companies require employees who are skilled in technical fields, such as math and science, but also have strong command of writing, business principles, and the capacity for creativity that drives innovation.
Skilled workforce is such a strong asset in the region that all economic development strategies must be built around it. We must continue to emphasize life-long learning and skill development to all segments of the workforce. As the technology downturn in 2001 showed, workers must have the ability to transfer knowledge and skills to industries in order to avoid unemployment or underemployment when an industry declines. In addition, a regional strategy in 2005 to address the large gaps in higher education attainment would be beneficial in terms of social equity and sustainable economic development. Diversity is an asset, and building human capital among all groups benefits the entire citizenry.
Affordable Housing
Achieving a sustainable balance between employment growth, residential growth, and availability of affordable housing is one of the greatest challenges facing many regions in the U.S., including the North Olympic Peninsula. Many regions that experienced dynamic growth in the booming years of the 1990s struggled to strike that balance, resulting in a steep decline in affordability.
Sustainable economic development is not possible if jobs are concentrated in areas where most workers cannot afford to live. There are myriad factors that affect housing affordability, such as supply and demand, per capita income, zoning, and more, but the relationship between housing and economic development must be addressed if regions are to avoid the problems associated with rapid suburbanization resulting from lack of housing affordability in growing urban areas.
Steady population and employment growth, combined with development patterns that result in increased instances of suburbanization and commute times, have presented difficult challenges to maintaining the region’s well-regarded quality of life. If the majority of high-paying jobs in the region remain concentrated in the urban cores, and local job creation does not keep up with the high rates of residential development, then those challenges will only increase as this region continues to grow in the immediate future.
Affordable housing, despite how the term is often used, is not exclusively about building low- cost, in-fill development homes for low-income residents in urban parts of a region. Maintaining affordable housing requires a comprehensive approach to residential development that allows for a range of housing options, costs, and locations. The challenge in the region is to address housing as part of a regional planning strategy that includes transportation, workforce development, and economic development programs.
Alternative Energy
There is strong interest in making the North Olympic Peninsula less dependent upon outside resources regarding our daily sustenance. To this end, there is a strong and growing initiative to utilize existing natural resources to become more self-sufficient in meeting our energy needs through the use of biomass, wave power, wind and solar energy.
• Biomass from forest, farm and human waste can be used to generate electricity through methane generation or direct combustion in co-generation facilities.
• Biomass from commercially grown terrestrial crops such as canola seed, switch grass and even fly larvae or from aquatic crops such as algae can be used to produce various biofuels including biodiesel and ethanol.
• Wave energy and the energy from ocean currents are readily available in the Straits. Some experimentation using wave energy to generate electricity is currently underway in Neah Bay.
• Wind energy is a viable source of electricity in selected areas of the peninsula, but has yet to be developed.
• Solar energy is also sufficient, especially in the Sequim-Dungeness area, but at this time only a small number of homes are using solar energy as a designed source of heat or incorporate photovoltaic panels for electric power.
To coordinate these diverse efforts, Peninsula College has formed the North West Institute for Renewable Energy (NWIRE) under its Center of Excellence to further this increase in self-sufficiency focusing on three areas of education, product development and research.
Also under development is an eco-industrial park that combines energy related businesses in one area, where the waste stream of one enterprise is the feedstock of another, thereby eliminating the concept of waste and increasing competitive advantage without the need for continual growth.
Multi-County Cluster Development
PDA recognizes that for the North Olympic Peninsula (NOP) to be able to strengthen the region’s economic base, work must be completed to synchronize the clusters. Previous cluster analysis in 2002 within Jefferson County indicated similar sectors to the established clusters within the Clallam netWorks organization. Regrettably, formal clusters were never established in Jefferson County. Clallam netWorks clusters are experiencing a lack of focus in varying degrees. The PDA must identify value-chain clusters for the entire NOP by conducting an updated analysis of the regional clusters to spot industry sector gaps that could be targeted for expansion or development within the "broader" region.
PDA must assist Jefferson County in securing technical assistance in updating the 2002 data and lead the formation of regional clusters for business support, development and targeted recruitment.
The PDA will become the regional economic development organization that will lead a multi-year phased project. The organization recognizes the need for planning a strong regional approach to economic development that blends its established processes with the new planning strategies. Jefferson County sees the benefit of cluster development and aspires to become an equal partner in the PDA’s cluster approach. Additionally, Clallam County has been recognized as a leader in cluster work, and strives to develop the next steps in successfully leveraging the cluster model.
Therefore, in recognition of local, regional, state and federal support of the cluster model, the Peninsula Development Association have initiated steps to develop a comprehensive, phased cluster approach that will become a model for Washington State Community Trade and Economic Development and the Economic Development Administration. This approach will reflect a regional economic development process that supports prioritized projects within the industry cluster as portrayed in the CEDS document. The Peninsula Development Association anticipates the application for additional technical support and funding at each phase.
PDA Strategies
Strategy 1: Support Comprehensive Small Business Services
Activities:
• Continue to reach out to businesses in more remote areas of the region and support the delivery of services via distance learning and teleconferencing
• Promote business access to capital through revolving funds, banks, tribes, and venture capital outlets, and other state and local sources through industry clusters
• Continue to give referrals to Washington Manufacturing Services to provide fee-for-service technical assistance for business
• Continue to support the Clallam Business Incubator, WSU Small Business Development Centers and SCORE Counselors, ICN Building
Strategy 2: Increase Business Development Opportunities
Activities:
• Collaborate with the District’s two economic development agencies and other parties (e.g., cities, ports, tribal entities, etc.) in their recruitment efforts
• Promote the retention and expansion of existing businesses
• Promote the use of industry cluster teams using cluster-based approaches
• Support the participation on the Washington State Community, Trade and Economic Development’s Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) process.
• Support the research, development, and marketing of value added secondary products specifically in forest resources and agriculture
• Collaborate with local Public Development Authorities on strategies and projects
• Assist the appropriate economic development entity with funding proposals that support further appropriate economic development
• Encourage, support, develop and host business education outreach programs
Strategy 3: Support Infrastructure Development Projects
Activities:
• Work with ports, counties, public utility districts, and cities within the District to define short- and long-term strategies for industrial park and high-tech campus development
• Review and promote local infrastructure development inside UGA areas, particularly in the areas of business parks, solid waste, and air service
• Encourage the development of telecommunications infrastructure throughout the District to allow for broad bandwidth, redundancy, and capacity to meet the future needs for voice and data transmission
• Encourage the development of a network of business incubator buildings for entrepreneurial enterprises throughout the District
• Foster partnerships with the ports, counties, cities, state, and federal governmental agencies to finance new construction
• Provide support for projects that generate jobs
• Monitor the state-mandated Growth Management planning process to ensure adequate land and services are available for targeted light manufacturing and high tech enterprises
Strategy 4: Promote Intergovernmental Collaboration
Activities:
• Become the model of an environment within the region of cooperation and partnership among the various jurisdictions resulting in better coordinated implementation of prioritized economic development projects
• Acknowledge strategies that are consistent among local comprehensive plans
• Encourage more user-friendly, efficient, and predictable systems for business permitting in jurisdictions throughout the region
Strategy 5: Promote Entrepreneurial Investment
Activities:
• Work to nurture a culture of entrepreneurship on the North Olympic Peninsula
• Support the development and marketing vocational training opportunities
• Support the expansion of entrepreneur training programs and courses on the North Olympic Peninsula
• Support through entrepreneurial referrals, the Clallam Business Incubator, a regional business support entity
Strategy 6: Workforce Investment
Activities:
• Encourage the capacity of local institutions and school districts to provide basic work-force readiness skills to help all students find and hold jobs
• Support the expansion of educational opportunities through telecommunications
• Support the increase of training institutions’ capacity, such as community colleges, to upgrade work-force skills and increase productivity
• Assist local area educational institutions in assessment processes, innovative program development, leadership and organizational development and training and capacity-building services
Strategy 7: Leadership Development
Activities:
• Support programs that foster leadership development and civic involvement
• Continue efforts to serve as conveners of community efforts and catalysts for economic development
• Support local-level planning to develop shared visions for communities and encourages the incorporation of local planning efforts into local and regional plans
Strategy 8: Create New Financial Investment Pools on the North Olympic Peninsula
Activities:
• Initiate linkage w/ existing asset management concerns on the North Olympic Peninsula (estate lawyers, investment managers, trust officers, etc.) to introduce PDA initiatives and member activities
• Lead a coordinated effort to promote existing non-traditional debt sources already available on the North Olympic Peninsula (Shorebank, Cascadia, USDA RD, Angel Funds, etc.)
Strategy 9: Economic Development Policies
Activities:
• Take a leadership role on the North Olympic Peninsula in working with Federal and State agencies to develop and implement broad policies and procedures that encourage economic progress
• Collaborate in the review and coordination of County, City, PUD, Tribal and Port Comprehensive Plans
Strategy10: Affordable Housing
Activities:
• Promote the identification of tools and programs to decrease infrastructure costs for development of affordable housing
• Support development of affordable starter homes
• Explore links between housing and economic development
Strategy11: Healthcare
Activities:
• Partner in the attraction of services to underserved areas of the region
• Advocate for affordable health care through collaboration
• Study the availability of affordable health care services to improve understanding of access to care in all areas of the region through regional healthcare cluster
• Support best practices in health care collaboration to help address the need for affordable solutions among large and small employers, as well as self-employed people
Strategy 12: Support Regional Cluster Development
Activities:
Benchmark Regional Clusters
• Identify regional clusters by updating Jefferson County’s previous work
• PDA shall support the formal clusters organization within Jefferson County
• Model and map systemic relationships between like clusters within the two counties.
Engage Regional Clusters
• Formalize communications channels between the two counties through the PDA
• PDA shall foster inter-firm collaboration through the two counties economic agencies
Organize/Deliver Services
• Organize and disseminate information by cluster
• PDA should lead the development of cross agency cluster teams
• PDA shall facilitate external cluster connections with public sector, education, investment networks and cluster growth opportunities.
Continue to Build Specialized Work Forces
• Support existing networks available in Clallam and Jefferson counties to qualify people for employment within the clusters
• Support established cluster skill centers and the creation of new virtual networks where needed within remote parts of the two counties
Stimulate Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• PDA shall seek unique investment vehicles that fund cluster innovation and business start-ups
• Continue support of the various existing and proposed cluster based incubators
• Encourage entrepreneurs’ networks
Market/Brand the Region
• PDA shall promote funding for targeted inward investment for marketing the region
• PDA will promote branding efforts within the North Olympic Peninsula’s tourism committees and organizations
Allocation of Resources/Investments
• PDA should encourage incentives or set aside funds for multi-firm projects that link two companies from the two counties
• PDA shall work with the two county’s economic agencies to develop a strategy that will invest in cluster R&D
Summary
North Olympic Peninsula residents will have the skills and knowledge necessary to compete in the world economy in the 21st century. The PDA shall act as a conduit of resources for the communities to have the physical infrastructure necessary for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life. The people and organizations of the region will have the vision and capacity to mobilize and work together for sustained economic progress and improvement of their communities. Additionally, North Olympic Peninsula residents will have the access to financial and technical resources to help build dynamic and self-sustaining local economies and businesses will have access to quality technical assistance.
The PDA shall take a leadership role in working with Federal and State agencies to develop and implement broad policies and procedures that encourage economic progress. The PDA shall support policies and programs that develop leadership skills within the communities and the PDA will be a leading entity in the development and capitalization of new investment capital for economic development projects. The PDA will support the expansion of business assistance and resources through business incubators through a cluster based economic development.
Association
Clallam & Jefferson Counties
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
2006
Peninsula Development Association
P.O. Box 1085
Port Angeles, WA 98362
Tel: 360.457.7793
Fax: 360.452.9618
E-Mail: lrotmark@clallam.org
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
Peninsula Development Association – 2006
PREFACE
The Peninsula Development Association (PDA) serves the people of Jefferson and Clallam Counties. Its main objective is to provide a cooperative platform for planning, development and implementation of local and regional plans, programs and projects that will increase the economic activity in the area and improve the quality of life for the people of the North Olympic Peninsula.
This document reviews the history and purpose of PDA, describes its strategic planning process, and summarizes the resulting goals, objectives and strategies. The update encompasses four subject areas. First, it reviews some of the methodology of creating wealth in the economy of the region. Secondly, labor force size, unemployment and population figures are examined to ascertain the direction of their changes. Also included are the PDA goals and finally, outlines of the individual entity’s economic strategies. It should be noted here that almost all jurisdictions within the North Olympic Peninsula are currently updating and approving their economic development elements of their respective comprehensive plans.
INTRODUCTION
The economic partners of the North Olympic Peninsula must recognize that the retention of a regional competitive advantage operate as a system. Therefore, policies in many areas are interdependent; and usually exhibit benefits only in the long run.
It should be understood that the PDA best serves the region when it supports communities recognition and response to changing conditions and opportunities. Therefore, the PDA should implement economic development strategies that assist its partners to:
• Leverage human capital and indigenous assets while making every effort to diversify its economic base.
• Ensure that the region maintains a qualified workforce by developing a community that embraces change and has access to high quality life-long learning.
• Align community resources in the creation of a diverse set of job opportunities in sustainable industry sectors with a focus on raising the average wage in Clallam and Jefferson Counties.
• Become a community of creative solutions where government, education, and business recognize, appreciate and adopt an entrepreneurial spirit.
• Make every effort to ensure that our communities’ physical infrastructure (roads, waterborne transportation, sewer, water, telecommunications, broadband, etc.) and human infrastructure (education, healthcare, public safety, housing and social support, etc.) keeps up with growth in a well-planned, cost effective way.
• Be an active participant in regional economic development initiatives with a focus on sustainable economic development projects.
STRATEGIC HIGHLIGHTS
Over the past few years, the PDA recognized that traditional measures taken to attract outside investment simply would not pull the region from the depths of a failing economy. Therefore, several new thought streams emerged relative to stabilization and expansion of the North Olympic Peninsula’s economic base.
• Successful regions build on their inherited assets (e.g., geography, diverse lifestyles, population, educational opportunities, businesses, governmental organizations) to create specialized economies that both differ from other regions and offer comparative advantages to local companies.
• Building strong regional economies takes a long and sustained effort. There are many steps in building a regional economy - developing inherent assets, creating new assets, linking companies to these assets, attracting outside companies.
• Successful regions do not rely on chance, but rather seek to institutionalize the innovative process by building strong educational and skill development centers to create continuous innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Small to medium sized enterprises are the greatest source of jobs and thus must be targeted for support in regional initiatives.
• Community economic development that helps the most disadvantaged help themselves; i.e. gain economic independence and sustainability.
PDA's Mission
PDA's mission is to foster a cooperative effort in planning, development and implementation of local and regional plans, programs and projects that will increase the economic activity in the area and improve the quality of life of its citizens.
PDA's Vision
The North Olympic Peninsula will become a region with an educated and trained workforce, healthy people, a sound physical infrastructure, a dynamic economic base and the local and regional capacity to be economically self-sustaining.
HISTORY OF PDA
The Peninsula Development Association has been recognized as the major development organization for the North Olympic Peninsula in the State of Washington. On October 31, 1984, PDA was formed as a non-profit corporation to promote economic and community development in cooperation with local government, businesses and private organizations. It responsibilities are that of a regional associated development organization.
PDA's main objective is to foster a cooperative effort in planning, development, and implementation of local and regional plans, programs and projects which will increase the economic activity in the area and improve the quality of life of its citizens. In order to accomplish this objective, PDA:
1. Represents the district-wide economic development program. As an Economic Development Administration (EDA) District, PDA has prepared a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) that establishes a framework for long-range economic prioritization in the multi-county area.
2. Promotes assistance to businesses in PDA's two-county area. PDA serves as a regional link between the private sector and the government agencies.
3. Researches federal and state grant-in-aid programs in order to identify the proper funding source for local or regional projects;
4. Provides technical and planning assistance to local governments in preparing project applications for federal and state funding assistance;
5. Promotes cooperative arrangements and contracts among its members or other governmental agencies and private persons, corporations or agencies;
6. Assists in comprehensive planning for public facility projects within the region either directly by PDA personnel or through other public or private planning agencies;
7. Studies regional and local services and facilities affecting health, affordable housing, telecommunications, training, infrastructure, childcare, education/workforce training, land use and development;
PDA’s STRUCTURE
The PDA membership is comprised of representatives of the Counties of Jefferson and Clallam and includes representatives from the Board of Commissioners of each county, tribal communities, and representatives’ at-large of employment, education, labor.
A Board of Directors oversees the administrative functions of the PDA effort. The Executive Board consists of not less than eleven (11) and not more than twenty-one (21) members. Fifty-one percent of the Board of Directors must be elected officials. Representatives selected to serve on the Executive Board are named at the first meeting of each fiscal year and serve for the respective fiscal year. The following is a list of people who comprise the PDA membership (2006):
Officers:
Bill Hannan, President Port of Port Angeles
Jay Bennett, Vice-President Diversified Resources, Inc.
Herb Beck, Secretary/Treasurer Port of Port Townsend
Directors:
Katherine Baril Washington State University Extension-Jefferson County
John Beitzel City of Sequim
Ryland Bowechop Makah Tribal Council
Gary Cohn Port Angeles School District
Larry Crockett Port of Port Townsend
Bill Elliott (Alternate) City of Sequim
John Fischbach Jefferson County
Rod Fleck (Alternate) City of Forks
Hugh Haffner PUD of Clallam County
Marny Hannan Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce
Marlin Holden Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe
Anthony Ingersoll North Olympic Peninsula Resource and Conservation District
Merle Pender Employment Securities Dept.
Wayne King Jefferson County PUD
Laurie Medlicott City of Port Townsend
Mary O’Neil-Garrett Peninsula College
Jim Parker (Alternate) Jefferson County PUD
Clyde Rasmussen (Alternate) North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center
Nedra Reed City of Forks
Karen Rogers City of Port Angeles
David Sullivan (Alternate) Jefferson County
Steve Tharinger Clallam County
Betsy Wharton City of Port Angeles
EDC Director
Linda Rotmark Clallam County EDC
CHANGE IN PDA REGION
Population 1990-2004 and Projections to 2015
County/State 1990 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2010* 2015*
Jefferson 20,406 24,112 26,299 26,446 26,600 26,700 27,000 30,892 34,067
Clallam 56,204 61,461 64,179 64,454 64,900 65,300 65,900 67,754 70,769
State 4,866,692 5,470,104 5,894,121 5,974,900 6,041,710 6,098,300 6,167,800 6,648,112 7,096,501
Source: US Census and WA-OFM
*Projections
PDA Region Population 1990 2004 % Change
Jefferson 20,406 27,000 32.31%
Clallam 56,204 65,900 17.25%
Median Household Income 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2005 % of WA
Clallam County $38,052 $39,702 $39,863 $40,124 $41,108 $42,367 81.8%
Jefferson County $39,122 $40,923 $41,385 $40,852 $41,801 $42,620 82.3%
State of Washington $48,397 $49,286 $49,771 $50,664 $51,762 $51,794
EMPLOYMENT/UNEMPLOYMENT
Clallam County Jefferson County Washington State
2004Total Employment 24,950 12,030 3,012,900
Total Unemployment 1,490 580 193,700
Percent of Labor Force 5.6% 4.6% 6.0%
Civilian Labor Force 26,440 12,610 3,206,600
2003Total Employment 23,790 11,250 2,902,900
Total Unemployment 1,920 740 237,000
Percent of Labor Force 7.5% 6.2% 7.5%
Civilian Labor Force 25,710 11,990 3,139,900
2002Total Employment 23,310 10,870 2,882,600
Total Unemployment 1,880 770 226,700
Percent of Labor Force 7.5% 6.6% 7.3%
Civilian Labor Force 25,190 11,640 3,109,300
2001Total Employment 22,520 10,580 2,830,600
Total Unemployment 1,890 650 193,400
Percent of Labor Force 7.7% 5.8% 6.4%
Civilian Labor Force 24,410 11,230 3,024,000
2000Total Employment 23,030 10,420 2,896,300
Total Unemployment 1,900 590 159,300
Percent of Labor Force 7.6% 5.4% 5.2%
Civilian Labor Force 24,930 11,010 3,055,600
FUTURE EFFORTS
It is imperative that several key linkages be focused upon if the PDA is to assist its community partners in achieving economic health in the immediate term.
Infrastructure investment within the PDA region is crucial. However, the costs associated with increased environmental compliance regulations will affect local communities with small population base in regions like the North Olympic Peninsula. Within the past decade, regulations have increased considerably on the monitoring of public drinking water, wastewater, solid, hazardous and infectious waste, and air quality. Increased environmental regulations also have significant implications for the North Olympic Peninsula’s economy. PDA must take an aggressive leadership role in shaping policies at federal and state levels.
While the natural topography of the region presents many challenges to infrastructure improvements and affordable housing, it affords many opportunities for tourism development. The region contains a variety of marine adventure experiences, numerous state and county recreation areas and is home to the Olympic National Park (ONP). With such outdoor amenities, many recreational activities are available. The future financial stability of the ONP and its impact on the PDA region will be felt in tourism and job creation. For tourism to be an effective economic development strategy, its continued growth within the PDA region relies on the establishment of adequate infrastructure and increased public and private financial investment.
The economic outlook for the PDA region is looking brighter. There are, however many challenges that still face the workforce of the North Olympic Peninsula. The chronic economic barriers created from a reliance on an under-diversified economy, combined with a changing national economy, have resulted in under-employment, lower per capita income and increased poverty. While welfare reform has been successful in targeting training opportunities for the chronically unemployed, individuals who are under-employed often have fewer options in improving their skill level. The under-employed also share common barriers in obtaining and keeping employment such as the cost of child and elder care.
The good news is that the two counties are making progress in the region by using an industry ”cluster” approach as opposed to a traditional ”business recruitment” approach. Cluster collaboration acts as a tool to better understand the economy and utilize indigenous assets strategically. It also act as an organizational tool to engage industry leaders in a regional strategy and to foster communication, networking and improvement among the companies within clusters and across clusters. The appropriate entity must conduct regular asset mapping of their respective communities to ascertain current information for potentially new “clusters,” along with the development and maintenance of cluster strategic plans.
The PDA must assure that respective North Olympic Peninsula governments are supporting regional business development through creation of new capital and entrepreneurial programs. An entrepreneur can succeed anywhere but they are likely to be more successful in areas that have diversity in sources of capital, an enabling culture, strong local networks, and supportive infrastructure. Government leaders must facilitate and support private networks and create a regional commitment to entrepreneurial growth. The North Olympic Peninsula must continue to send out a clear message that they encourage and support entrepreneurship.
PDA must lead the establishment of public-private sector financial partnerships that espouse a commonly held vision and priorities for facilitating new business investment. This can be accomplished by strategically targeting local financial investments. Upon successful completion, market regional strengths to existing and potential investors by establishing and maintaining up-to-date information systems, mapping regional assets, providing information and advisory services, and streamlined investment facilitation processes.
PDA Identified Concerns
The PDA Board of Directors met on April 5, 2006 and identified several issues of concerns that the regional body should look at developing strategies addressing the concerns.
Workforce Development
Education and workforce training are crucial components of a regional economic development strategy, and skilled workforce is among the region’s most important assets. The importance of higher education in preparing students for high-paying jobs cannot be overstated. However, while traditional four-year and advanced degrees offer students the greatest range of post-graduation options, universities are not the only routes for obtaining skills that are in demand. A region’s education and workforce development system should encompass a wide range of options for people to obtain the tools necessary for succeeding in today’s labor market, including four-year university degrees, two-year degrees at community colleges, specialized certificate programs, and short-term training programs.
The region’s workforce is its most valuable asset for achieving sustainable economic development, but the advantages of higher education in today’s job market are not spreading to all citizens of the region equally. The transition from a manufacturing-based to a service-based, or “knowledge-based,” economy in the U.S. has put a premium on education and skills that allow for adaptable, life-long learning. Highly innovative companies require employees who are skilled in technical fields, such as math and science, but also have strong command of writing, business principles, and the capacity for creativity that drives innovation.
Skilled workforce is such a strong asset in the region that all economic development strategies must be built around it. We must continue to emphasize life-long learning and skill development to all segments of the workforce. As the technology downturn in 2001 showed, workers must have the ability to transfer knowledge and skills to industries in order to avoid unemployment or underemployment when an industry declines. In addition, a regional strategy in 2005 to address the large gaps in higher education attainment would be beneficial in terms of social equity and sustainable economic development. Diversity is an asset, and building human capital among all groups benefits the entire citizenry.
Affordable Housing
Achieving a sustainable balance between employment growth, residential growth, and availability of affordable housing is one of the greatest challenges facing many regions in the U.S., including the North Olympic Peninsula. Many regions that experienced dynamic growth in the booming years of the 1990s struggled to strike that balance, resulting in a steep decline in affordability.
Sustainable economic development is not possible if jobs are concentrated in areas where most workers cannot afford to live. There are myriad factors that affect housing affordability, such as supply and demand, per capita income, zoning, and more, but the relationship between housing and economic development must be addressed if regions are to avoid the problems associated with rapid suburbanization resulting from lack of housing affordability in growing urban areas.
Steady population and employment growth, combined with development patterns that result in increased instances of suburbanization and commute times, have presented difficult challenges to maintaining the region’s well-regarded quality of life. If the majority of high-paying jobs in the region remain concentrated in the urban cores, and local job creation does not keep up with the high rates of residential development, then those challenges will only increase as this region continues to grow in the immediate future.
Affordable housing, despite how the term is often used, is not exclusively about building low- cost, in-fill development homes for low-income residents in urban parts of a region. Maintaining affordable housing requires a comprehensive approach to residential development that allows for a range of housing options, costs, and locations. The challenge in the region is to address housing as part of a regional planning strategy that includes transportation, workforce development, and economic development programs.
Alternative Energy
There is strong interest in making the North Olympic Peninsula less dependent upon outside resources regarding our daily sustenance. To this end, there is a strong and growing initiative to utilize existing natural resources to become more self-sufficient in meeting our energy needs through the use of biomass, wave power, wind and solar energy.
• Biomass from forest, farm and human waste can be used to generate electricity through methane generation or direct combustion in co-generation facilities.
• Biomass from commercially grown terrestrial crops such as canola seed, switch grass and even fly larvae or from aquatic crops such as algae can be used to produce various biofuels including biodiesel and ethanol.
• Wave energy and the energy from ocean currents are readily available in the Straits. Some experimentation using wave energy to generate electricity is currently underway in Neah Bay.
• Wind energy is a viable source of electricity in selected areas of the peninsula, but has yet to be developed.
• Solar energy is also sufficient, especially in the Sequim-Dungeness area, but at this time only a small number of homes are using solar energy as a designed source of heat or incorporate photovoltaic panels for electric power.
To coordinate these diverse efforts, Peninsula College has formed the North West Institute for Renewable Energy (NWIRE) under its Center of Excellence to further this increase in self-sufficiency focusing on three areas of education, product development and research.
Also under development is an eco-industrial park that combines energy related businesses in one area, where the waste stream of one enterprise is the feedstock of another, thereby eliminating the concept of waste and increasing competitive advantage without the need for continual growth.
Multi-County Cluster Development
PDA recognizes that for the North Olympic Peninsula (NOP) to be able to strengthen the region’s economic base, work must be completed to synchronize the clusters. Previous cluster analysis in 2002 within Jefferson County indicated similar sectors to the established clusters within the Clallam netWorks organization. Regrettably, formal clusters were never established in Jefferson County. Clallam netWorks clusters are experiencing a lack of focus in varying degrees. The PDA must identify value-chain clusters for the entire NOP by conducting an updated analysis of the regional clusters to spot industry sector gaps that could be targeted for expansion or development within the "broader" region.
PDA must assist Jefferson County in securing technical assistance in updating the 2002 data and lead the formation of regional clusters for business support, development and targeted recruitment.
The PDA will become the regional economic development organization that will lead a multi-year phased project. The organization recognizes the need for planning a strong regional approach to economic development that blends its established processes with the new planning strategies. Jefferson County sees the benefit of cluster development and aspires to become an equal partner in the PDA’s cluster approach. Additionally, Clallam County has been recognized as a leader in cluster work, and strives to develop the next steps in successfully leveraging the cluster model.
Therefore, in recognition of local, regional, state and federal support of the cluster model, the Peninsula Development Association have initiated steps to develop a comprehensive, phased cluster approach that will become a model for Washington State Community Trade and Economic Development and the Economic Development Administration. This approach will reflect a regional economic development process that supports prioritized projects within the industry cluster as portrayed in the CEDS document. The Peninsula Development Association anticipates the application for additional technical support and funding at each phase.
PDA Strategies
Strategy 1: Support Comprehensive Small Business Services
Activities:
• Continue to reach out to businesses in more remote areas of the region and support the delivery of services via distance learning and teleconferencing
• Promote business access to capital through revolving funds, banks, tribes, and venture capital outlets, and other state and local sources through industry clusters
• Continue to give referrals to Washington Manufacturing Services to provide fee-for-service technical assistance for business
• Continue to support the Clallam Business Incubator, WSU Small Business Development Centers and SCORE Counselors, ICN Building
Strategy 2: Increase Business Development Opportunities
Activities:
• Collaborate with the District’s two economic development agencies and other parties (e.g., cities, ports, tribal entities, etc.) in their recruitment efforts
• Promote the retention and expansion of existing businesses
• Promote the use of industry cluster teams using cluster-based approaches
• Support the participation on the Washington State Community, Trade and Economic Development’s Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) process.
• Support the research, development, and marketing of value added secondary products specifically in forest resources and agriculture
• Collaborate with local Public Development Authorities on strategies and projects
• Assist the appropriate economic development entity with funding proposals that support further appropriate economic development
• Encourage, support, develop and host business education outreach programs
Strategy 3: Support Infrastructure Development Projects
Activities:
• Work with ports, counties, public utility districts, and cities within the District to define short- and long-term strategies for industrial park and high-tech campus development
• Review and promote local infrastructure development inside UGA areas, particularly in the areas of business parks, solid waste, and air service
• Encourage the development of telecommunications infrastructure throughout the District to allow for broad bandwidth, redundancy, and capacity to meet the future needs for voice and data transmission
• Encourage the development of a network of business incubator buildings for entrepreneurial enterprises throughout the District
• Foster partnerships with the ports, counties, cities, state, and federal governmental agencies to finance new construction
• Provide support for projects that generate jobs
• Monitor the state-mandated Growth Management planning process to ensure adequate land and services are available for targeted light manufacturing and high tech enterprises
Strategy 4: Promote Intergovernmental Collaboration
Activities:
• Become the model of an environment within the region of cooperation and partnership among the various jurisdictions resulting in better coordinated implementation of prioritized economic development projects
• Acknowledge strategies that are consistent among local comprehensive plans
• Encourage more user-friendly, efficient, and predictable systems for business permitting in jurisdictions throughout the region
Strategy 5: Promote Entrepreneurial Investment
Activities:
• Work to nurture a culture of entrepreneurship on the North Olympic Peninsula
• Support the development and marketing vocational training opportunities
• Support the expansion of entrepreneur training programs and courses on the North Olympic Peninsula
• Support through entrepreneurial referrals, the Clallam Business Incubator, a regional business support entity
Strategy 6: Workforce Investment
Activities:
• Encourage the capacity of local institutions and school districts to provide basic work-force readiness skills to help all students find and hold jobs
• Support the expansion of educational opportunities through telecommunications
• Support the increase of training institutions’ capacity, such as community colleges, to upgrade work-force skills and increase productivity
• Assist local area educational institutions in assessment processes, innovative program development, leadership and organizational development and training and capacity-building services
Strategy 7: Leadership Development
Activities:
• Support programs that foster leadership development and civic involvement
• Continue efforts to serve as conveners of community efforts and catalysts for economic development
• Support local-level planning to develop shared visions for communities and encourages the incorporation of local planning efforts into local and regional plans
Strategy 8: Create New Financial Investment Pools on the North Olympic Peninsula
Activities:
• Initiate linkage w/ existing asset management concerns on the North Olympic Peninsula (estate lawyers, investment managers, trust officers, etc.) to introduce PDA initiatives and member activities
• Lead a coordinated effort to promote existing non-traditional debt sources already available on the North Olympic Peninsula (Shorebank, Cascadia, USDA RD, Angel Funds, etc.)
Strategy 9: Economic Development Policies
Activities:
• Take a leadership role on the North Olympic Peninsula in working with Federal and State agencies to develop and implement broad policies and procedures that encourage economic progress
• Collaborate in the review and coordination of County, City, PUD, Tribal and Port Comprehensive Plans
Strategy10: Affordable Housing
Activities:
• Promote the identification of tools and programs to decrease infrastructure costs for development of affordable housing
• Support development of affordable starter homes
• Explore links between housing and economic development
Strategy11: Healthcare
Activities:
• Partner in the attraction of services to underserved areas of the region
• Advocate for affordable health care through collaboration
• Study the availability of affordable health care services to improve understanding of access to care in all areas of the region through regional healthcare cluster
• Support best practices in health care collaboration to help address the need for affordable solutions among large and small employers, as well as self-employed people
Strategy 12: Support Regional Cluster Development
Activities:
Benchmark Regional Clusters
• Identify regional clusters by updating Jefferson County’s previous work
• PDA shall support the formal clusters organization within Jefferson County
• Model and map systemic relationships between like clusters within the two counties.
Engage Regional Clusters
• Formalize communications channels between the two counties through the PDA
• PDA shall foster inter-firm collaboration through the two counties economic agencies
Organize/Deliver Services
• Organize and disseminate information by cluster
• PDA should lead the development of cross agency cluster teams
• PDA shall facilitate external cluster connections with public sector, education, investment networks and cluster growth opportunities.
Continue to Build Specialized Work Forces
• Support existing networks available in Clallam and Jefferson counties to qualify people for employment within the clusters
• Support established cluster skill centers and the creation of new virtual networks where needed within remote parts of the two counties
Stimulate Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• PDA shall seek unique investment vehicles that fund cluster innovation and business start-ups
• Continue support of the various existing and proposed cluster based incubators
• Encourage entrepreneurs’ networks
Market/Brand the Region
• PDA shall promote funding for targeted inward investment for marketing the region
• PDA will promote branding efforts within the North Olympic Peninsula’s tourism committees and organizations
Allocation of Resources/Investments
• PDA should encourage incentives or set aside funds for multi-firm projects that link two companies from the two counties
• PDA shall work with the two county’s economic agencies to develop a strategy that will invest in cluster R&D
Summary
North Olympic Peninsula residents will have the skills and knowledge necessary to compete in the world economy in the 21st century. The PDA shall act as a conduit of resources for the communities to have the physical infrastructure necessary for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life. The people and organizations of the region will have the vision and capacity to mobilize and work together for sustained economic progress and improvement of their communities. Additionally, North Olympic Peninsula residents will have the access to financial and technical resources to help build dynamic and self-sustaining local economies and businesses will have access to quality technical assistance.
The PDA shall take a leadership role in working with Federal and State agencies to develop and implement broad policies and procedures that encourage economic progress. The PDA shall support policies and programs that develop leadership skills within the communities and the PDA will be a leading entity in the development and capitalization of new investment capital for economic development projects. The PDA will support the expansion of business assistance and resources through business incubators through a cluster based economic development.
pda budget 6.28.07
Date Description Total
Balance as of 5.31.07 $15,851.83
Income - Planning
Total $-
Personnel Expenses - Planning
Total Personnel Expenses $-
Other Expenses
2006 990 Filing - IRS $500.00
Total Other Expenses $500.00
Balance in the PDA account as of 6.28.07 $15,351.83
Balance as of 5.31.07 $15,851.83
Income - Planning
Total $-
Personnel Expenses - Planning
Total Personnel Expenses $-
Other Expenses
2006 990 Filing - IRS $500.00
Total Other Expenses $500.00
Balance in the PDA account as of 6.28.07 $15,351.83
PDA meeting 3.29.07
PENINSULA DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
SERVING
JEFFERSON & CLALLAM COUNTIES
Board of Directors Meeting
March 29, 2007
Jamestown Community Center
1:00 p.m.
ATTENDEES
Board Members: Katherine Baril, Herb Beck, John Beitzel, Larry Crockett, Lawrence Graves, Bill Hannan, Marny Hannan, Tony Ingersoll, Bob Lawrence, Laurie Medlicott, Will Purser, David Sullivan, Betsy Wharton
PDA Staff: Teri Martin
Guests: Margaret Maxwell, Nona Halverson, Ian McFall
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by President Medlicott at 1:12 p.m. Lawrence Graves introduced Ian McFall, the new Director of the Jefferson County EDC. Bob Lawrence introduced Nona Halverson a member of the Education Cluster in Clallam County. The Board members went around and introduced themselves as well.
PROPOSED AGENDA:
President Medlicott requested the addition of an item under New Business – formation of a CEDS sub-committee. A motion was made by Bill Hannan and seconded by Lawrence Graves to accept the agenda as modified. The motion passed.
MINUTES:
President Medlicott asked for any changes to the minutes of the last meeting that had been distributed via email prior to this meeting. There were none. Marny Hannan motioned to accept the minutes as submitted with a second by Betsy Wharton. The motion passed.
FINANCIAL REPORT
Teri gave a financial report. She reported that the first half of the grant award, $25,000 had been requested and received in January. Disbursement of $20,000 was made to the Clallam County EDC for their work through the Clallam netWorks Steering Committee on the deliverables of the PDA Grant as approved by the PDA Board at their December 2006 meeting. At that same meeting, the Jefferson County EDC was awarded a total of $10,000 from the $50,000 for their assistance on those grant deliverables of which $5,000 was distributed to them. A motion was made by Bill Hannan to accept the financial report as presented with a second by Will Purser. The motion passed.
OLD BUSINESS:
Planning Grant Deliverables Update
Lawrence Graves gave the report for both Clallam and Jefferson County as Linda Rotmark was out of town. He reported that there had been several joint cluster meetings held since January – Technology, Marine, Education and Tourism. A joint Agriculture cluster meeting has been planned. He also reported that 50 marine surveys had been distributed in Jefferson County to the Marine Trades Association and about half of them had been returned. Teri mentioned to the Board that the surveys that were being returned were not part of the PDA grant deliverables but rather for another grant that the Clallam County EDC had received from the State of Washington. However, it has allowed for joint discussions which are part of the PDA grant. Lawrence went on to say that the Marine Trades people were actually developing another survey that directly reflects their interest in an apprenticeship program being developed.
Bob Lawrence reported that the Education cluster had met twice via ITV with people from Jefferson County and 3 projects have been identified.
Marny was asked by President Medlicott to report on the Joint Marketing Cooperative of the Olympic Peninsula work. This is the Tourism Cluster for the region. She explained that part of the hotel/motel taxes that are collected fund the group so that group ads can be placed and trade shows can be attended. She mentioned that Diane Schostak had just returned from a trade mission to Japan which was quite successful.
[In addition to the reports above I am inserting the contents of the written report from Linda that was to be distributed at the meeting]
2006-07 Phase I: Identification, development and implementation of regional cluster strategic planning that includes:
Jefferson County:
• Cluster team recruitment
• Cluster assessments through mapping of indigenous resources
• Identification of regional key indicators
• Strategic planning components
• Identification of barriers and solutions to regional cluster collaboration
• Identification of additional technical assistance and funding requirements
Clallam County
• Assessment of current cluster validity
• Update asset mapping
• Strategic planning update
• Identification of barriers and solutions to regional cluster collaboration
• Identification of additional technical assistance and funding requirements
Since the submission of the required mid-year report (December 2006), the following activities within the grant have occurred:
1. Ed Cluster has met twice through video conferencing at sites in Peninsula College’s Port Hadlock and main campuses. With representation from both counties, the joint education cluster committee discussed the Counselor’s Breakfast held in February with representation from Jefferson and Clallam schools. Additionally, outcomes from the student survey representing both counties’ student population were discussed. An identified next step will be setting up high school tours for the education cluster in both counties.
2. Twenty-two completed Marine Services surveys were filled out and returned from Jefferson County businesses. Clallam County has begun its marine services survey process with the help of cluster co-chairs, Leonard Beil and Orville Campbell. Also, Education Cluster members, Trudy Robbins and Nona Halvorson, have volunteered to assist in the face-to-face surveys.
3. The Technology Cluster met jointly in Jefferson County with equal representation from both counties. After general discussion of issues and opportunities, the group asked Bill Roberds, Excel Utilities Construction, to research the current Sappho Gap scenario. A recent email from Mr. Roberds indicated that he had nothing definitive to report as of March 15, 2007
4. The Tourism Cluster, dba Olympic Peninsula Joint Marketing Cooperative, representing the tourism industry in both Clallam and Jefferson Counties, meets regularly the first Thursday of each month. They are currently in the process of identifying and then prioritizing possible regional projects that will be brought before the Peninsula Development Association Board.
5. The fifth identified regional cluster, Agriculture, has not met. We are in the processing of identifying members of both counties’ agriculture industry.
Barge Project
Bill updated the group on the barge system. The Ports have both been approached by wood products people in both counties with concerns. They are trying to come up with a system to help them deliver their products elsewhere. The market is pretty well saturated clear down to the Columbia River. Suppliers are looking into CA or Canada.
Laurie and Bill took a trip to EDA in Seattle and it was mentioned then. EDA said they have a program called Economic Adjustment that allows for planning grants to work on these problems. They said they can help develop a contingency plan. Later a technical assistance grant can be sought and then down the road a bricks and mortar grant could be possible.
Betsy asked if the two mills were enough of a market. Bill explained both mills take different materials.
Lawrence asked how this project would drive them underground. Bill said alternative markets would drive up the prices and they can’t afford it.
NEW BUSINESS
CEDS Sub-committee
Laurie stated that an update of the CEDS document needs to be done by June 30. A sub-committee was requested to work on this update. Bill Hannan, Lawrence Graves and Katherine Baril volunteered to work on the update of the CEDS document.
Evaluation and prioritization of possible projects
Laurie reported on the visit to EDA. She emphasized that the organization must be regional.
She mentioned a collaborative project between City of PT, Port, Chamber, County, Jeff Co EDC that Lawrence will be presenting at today’s meeting.
Bill said the EDA wants to see a lot of projects out of this organization (3 per quarter). Many projects were discussed and they got really excited. The PDA is to be the umbrella and the EDA would like the projects to carry the PDA stamp of approval though it isn’t required.
Lawrence said the initial project was a reservation system for the Keystone Ferry through various visitor information centers. Half of the ferry would be available for reservations. The fee wasn’t decided on right away. As it is now the Washington State Ferry system does not have enough resources to do this at this time. But the linking all visitors centers for a reservation system. He mentioned that they would be moving the Port Townsend Visitors Center near Safeway in Port Townsend.
Larry Crockett said that this could work for festival tickets and other events around the region. The ferry system is on the back burner for now.
Bill asked Lawrence if they are looking for a planning grant to put these plans into place. The answer was yes. Marny said that part of the problem is that a lot of properties do not want to participate on an availability calendar. If you don’t have everyone participating it makes it not so valuable. Tim Caldwell will be presenting to the Joint Marketing group about this project.
Herb mentioned that the RTPO meeting has a consultant trying to put together a program like this.
Katherine doesn’t see the role of the PDA being a service provider but rather to get planning grants and find the private business to develop the business.
Bill asked Lawrence whether he anticipated that the EDC would do this work. He said the EDC is not in the position to do this but would rather look for another entity.
The first step would be a feasibility study to evaluate whether this would be a potentially successful project.
Bill asked who would apply for the grant. Chambers cannot. The PDA could apply. The County or City can also apply. Ian suggested that Jeff Co EDC could do it.
The Jeff Co EDC will put together the documentation in conjunction with the Joint Marketing Group and then bring it to the PDA for their approval before it is submitted.
Betsy asked at what point we hear from private businesses (motels, bus companies, etc.) before going forward.
David Sullivan said that Jeff Transit is ready to coordinate this type of system.
Marny believes it would be best to go to the members of the Joint Marketing Group and asked what their thoughts are on this project before money for feasibility studies are requested.
Laurie Medlicott said there is a June 30 deadline to get this project into the EDA office. Can Jeff Co get a project written up by the next PDA meeting which is April 26th? Lawrence will prepare something for the next meeting.
Bill talked about John Wayne Marina property. There is no adequate demographic data that is current. This was discussed with EDA and they said the could assist us in developing this information. The PDA needs to develop that demographic information (population, housing starts, etc.). Bill said he would like to propose that we put together modules of information (Jeff, Clallam). Teri mentioned (and Bob Lawrence had a copy ) that the Clallam EDC puts together a community profile every year with all the information that was just mentioned. It is being updated as we speak. Bill said that this could be used as a base and made regional and funded by the EDA.
Bill said that his desire was to get consensus on this type of project. This could be part of the planning grant for next year.
Marny suggested that a list of resources/websites for transportation, solid waste, recycling, libraries be added to the Community Profile.
Bill, Bob, Katherine and Betsy will work together on putting together a regional profile. Ian McFall has offered to help from the Jeff Co EDC.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business to be discussed.
Next meeting - April 26th at 1:00 p.m. same location.
Agenda items to include: Jeff Co Project Update, Port Barge Plan Update
It was moved by Dave Sullivan and seconded by Bill Hannan that with no further business to be discussed that the meeting be adjourned. The motion passed.
ADJOURN – 2:30 p.m.
SERVING
JEFFERSON & CLALLAM COUNTIES
Board of Directors Meeting
March 29, 2007
Jamestown Community Center
1:00 p.m.
ATTENDEES
Board Members: Katherine Baril, Herb Beck, John Beitzel, Larry Crockett, Lawrence Graves, Bill Hannan, Marny Hannan, Tony Ingersoll, Bob Lawrence, Laurie Medlicott, Will Purser, David Sullivan, Betsy Wharton
PDA Staff: Teri Martin
Guests: Margaret Maxwell, Nona Halverson, Ian McFall
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by President Medlicott at 1:12 p.m. Lawrence Graves introduced Ian McFall, the new Director of the Jefferson County EDC. Bob Lawrence introduced Nona Halverson a member of the Education Cluster in Clallam County. The Board members went around and introduced themselves as well.
PROPOSED AGENDA:
President Medlicott requested the addition of an item under New Business – formation of a CEDS sub-committee. A motion was made by Bill Hannan and seconded by Lawrence Graves to accept the agenda as modified. The motion passed.
MINUTES:
President Medlicott asked for any changes to the minutes of the last meeting that had been distributed via email prior to this meeting. There were none. Marny Hannan motioned to accept the minutes as submitted with a second by Betsy Wharton. The motion passed.
FINANCIAL REPORT
Teri gave a financial report. She reported that the first half of the grant award, $25,000 had been requested and received in January. Disbursement of $20,000 was made to the Clallam County EDC for their work through the Clallam netWorks Steering Committee on the deliverables of the PDA Grant as approved by the PDA Board at their December 2006 meeting. At that same meeting, the Jefferson County EDC was awarded a total of $10,000 from the $50,000 for their assistance on those grant deliverables of which $5,000 was distributed to them. A motion was made by Bill Hannan to accept the financial report as presented with a second by Will Purser. The motion passed.
OLD BUSINESS:
Planning Grant Deliverables Update
Lawrence Graves gave the report for both Clallam and Jefferson County as Linda Rotmark was out of town. He reported that there had been several joint cluster meetings held since January – Technology, Marine, Education and Tourism. A joint Agriculture cluster meeting has been planned. He also reported that 50 marine surveys had been distributed in Jefferson County to the Marine Trades Association and about half of them had been returned. Teri mentioned to the Board that the surveys that were being returned were not part of the PDA grant deliverables but rather for another grant that the Clallam County EDC had received from the State of Washington. However, it has allowed for joint discussions which are part of the PDA grant. Lawrence went on to say that the Marine Trades people were actually developing another survey that directly reflects their interest in an apprenticeship program being developed.
Bob Lawrence reported that the Education cluster had met twice via ITV with people from Jefferson County and 3 projects have been identified.
Marny was asked by President Medlicott to report on the Joint Marketing Cooperative of the Olympic Peninsula work. This is the Tourism Cluster for the region. She explained that part of the hotel/motel taxes that are collected fund the group so that group ads can be placed and trade shows can be attended. She mentioned that Diane Schostak had just returned from a trade mission to Japan which was quite successful.
[In addition to the reports above I am inserting the contents of the written report from Linda that was to be distributed at the meeting]
2006-07 Phase I: Identification, development and implementation of regional cluster strategic planning that includes:
Jefferson County:
• Cluster team recruitment
• Cluster assessments through mapping of indigenous resources
• Identification of regional key indicators
• Strategic planning components
• Identification of barriers and solutions to regional cluster collaboration
• Identification of additional technical assistance and funding requirements
Clallam County
• Assessment of current cluster validity
• Update asset mapping
• Strategic planning update
• Identification of barriers and solutions to regional cluster collaboration
• Identification of additional technical assistance and funding requirements
Since the submission of the required mid-year report (December 2006), the following activities within the grant have occurred:
1. Ed Cluster has met twice through video conferencing at sites in Peninsula College’s Port Hadlock and main campuses. With representation from both counties, the joint education cluster committee discussed the Counselor’s Breakfast held in February with representation from Jefferson and Clallam schools. Additionally, outcomes from the student survey representing both counties’ student population were discussed. An identified next step will be setting up high school tours for the education cluster in both counties.
2. Twenty-two completed Marine Services surveys were filled out and returned from Jefferson County businesses. Clallam County has begun its marine services survey process with the help of cluster co-chairs, Leonard Beil and Orville Campbell. Also, Education Cluster members, Trudy Robbins and Nona Halvorson, have volunteered to assist in the face-to-face surveys.
3. The Technology Cluster met jointly in Jefferson County with equal representation from both counties. After general discussion of issues and opportunities, the group asked Bill Roberds, Excel Utilities Construction, to research the current Sappho Gap scenario. A recent email from Mr. Roberds indicated that he had nothing definitive to report as of March 15, 2007
4. The Tourism Cluster, dba Olympic Peninsula Joint Marketing Cooperative, representing the tourism industry in both Clallam and Jefferson Counties, meets regularly the first Thursday of each month. They are currently in the process of identifying and then prioritizing possible regional projects that will be brought before the Peninsula Development Association Board.
5. The fifth identified regional cluster, Agriculture, has not met. We are in the processing of identifying members of both counties’ agriculture industry.
Barge Project
Bill updated the group on the barge system. The Ports have both been approached by wood products people in both counties with concerns. They are trying to come up with a system to help them deliver their products elsewhere. The market is pretty well saturated clear down to the Columbia River. Suppliers are looking into CA or Canada.
Laurie and Bill took a trip to EDA in Seattle and it was mentioned then. EDA said they have a program called Economic Adjustment that allows for planning grants to work on these problems. They said they can help develop a contingency plan. Later a technical assistance grant can be sought and then down the road a bricks and mortar grant could be possible.
Betsy asked if the two mills were enough of a market. Bill explained both mills take different materials.
Lawrence asked how this project would drive them underground. Bill said alternative markets would drive up the prices and they can’t afford it.
NEW BUSINESS
CEDS Sub-committee
Laurie stated that an update of the CEDS document needs to be done by June 30. A sub-committee was requested to work on this update. Bill Hannan, Lawrence Graves and Katherine Baril volunteered to work on the update of the CEDS document.
Evaluation and prioritization of possible projects
Laurie reported on the visit to EDA. She emphasized that the organization must be regional.
She mentioned a collaborative project between City of PT, Port, Chamber, County, Jeff Co EDC that Lawrence will be presenting at today’s meeting.
Bill said the EDA wants to see a lot of projects out of this organization (3 per quarter). Many projects were discussed and they got really excited. The PDA is to be the umbrella and the EDA would like the projects to carry the PDA stamp of approval though it isn’t required.
Lawrence said the initial project was a reservation system for the Keystone Ferry through various visitor information centers. Half of the ferry would be available for reservations. The fee wasn’t decided on right away. As it is now the Washington State Ferry system does not have enough resources to do this at this time. But the linking all visitors centers for a reservation system. He mentioned that they would be moving the Port Townsend Visitors Center near Safeway in Port Townsend.
Larry Crockett said that this could work for festival tickets and other events around the region. The ferry system is on the back burner for now.
Bill asked Lawrence if they are looking for a planning grant to put these plans into place. The answer was yes. Marny said that part of the problem is that a lot of properties do not want to participate on an availability calendar. If you don’t have everyone participating it makes it not so valuable. Tim Caldwell will be presenting to the Joint Marketing group about this project.
Herb mentioned that the RTPO meeting has a consultant trying to put together a program like this.
Katherine doesn’t see the role of the PDA being a service provider but rather to get planning grants and find the private business to develop the business.
Bill asked Lawrence whether he anticipated that the EDC would do this work. He said the EDC is not in the position to do this but would rather look for another entity.
The first step would be a feasibility study to evaluate whether this would be a potentially successful project.
Bill asked who would apply for the grant. Chambers cannot. The PDA could apply. The County or City can also apply. Ian suggested that Jeff Co EDC could do it.
The Jeff Co EDC will put together the documentation in conjunction with the Joint Marketing Group and then bring it to the PDA for their approval before it is submitted.
Betsy asked at what point we hear from private businesses (motels, bus companies, etc.) before going forward.
David Sullivan said that Jeff Transit is ready to coordinate this type of system.
Marny believes it would be best to go to the members of the Joint Marketing Group and asked what their thoughts are on this project before money for feasibility studies are requested.
Laurie Medlicott said there is a June 30 deadline to get this project into the EDA office. Can Jeff Co get a project written up by the next PDA meeting which is April 26th? Lawrence will prepare something for the next meeting.
Bill talked about John Wayne Marina property. There is no adequate demographic data that is current. This was discussed with EDA and they said the could assist us in developing this information. The PDA needs to develop that demographic information (population, housing starts, etc.). Bill said he would like to propose that we put together modules of information (Jeff, Clallam). Teri mentioned (and Bob Lawrence had a copy ) that the Clallam EDC puts together a community profile every year with all the information that was just mentioned. It is being updated as we speak. Bill said that this could be used as a base and made regional and funded by the EDA.
Bill said that his desire was to get consensus on this type of project. This could be part of the planning grant for next year.
Marny suggested that a list of resources/websites for transportation, solid waste, recycling, libraries be added to the Community Profile.
Bill, Bob, Katherine and Betsy will work together on putting together a regional profile. Ian McFall has offered to help from the Jeff Co EDC.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business to be discussed.
Next meeting - April 26th at 1:00 p.m. same location.
Agenda items to include: Jeff Co Project Update, Port Barge Plan Update
It was moved by Dave Sullivan and seconded by Bill Hannan that with no further business to be discussed that the meeting be adjourned. The motion passed.
ADJOURN – 2:30 p.m.
EDA representative Archie Jettison 8.30.97
August 30, 2007 Jamestown offices
Guest Archie Jettson- regional EDA representative
Overview of planning program
In general want to talk about EDA grant programs. . .
EDA has two basic programs to help regional PDAs:
1) partnership planning provide funding for PDA for the last 10-20 years – they are continuation planning grants –generally renewable each year- pda sends in report each year- perform each year but these planning grants are expected to carry on forever- NOT for a city or county EDC but designed for as a REGIONAL- a PDA REGIONAL district is designated by the County with approval of the State and EDA approves the two counties as an economic development DISTRICT- historically understood money would be passed through-- PDA would be a shell for the two county EDC programs and the money would go to the two counties- and this has been going on for significant period of time- first, this should never have done it that way- only two districts west of the missioppi- one here PDA and another one in the state of Washington – the second district is no longer doing it that way and that leaves this PDA as a unique situation –pass through shell organization- handing it out to individual counties is no longer acceptable- last year was a transition year- hold our nose but this year it won’t happen- it has to be a full born organization- responsible for the money- responsible for the scope of work-
What does an EDA district have to do?
Basically a DISTRICT has to
2) be organized according to the regulations
3) broadly representative of the interests in the County- one business- chambers, higher education, workforce or labor all of which must comprise 30% of the governing body and a simple majority have to be elected officials of general purpose unit of government (Ports are counted as private sector NOT general purpose government. . PUD is a private/ special purpose district – not qualified- not general!! Tribal is a general purpose government- sovreign nation and counted as a public sector education is private- must have at least 35% of private- only ones are city/ county and designated by the Board tribal members- simple majority has to be made up of general purpose districts—if don’t we have time- until DC crashes down on us. .. Linda: we don’t current have- so not in compliance . . . adjust the official members down to the general purpose—5 elected officials+Tribe. . . you could have 5 Tribes—you could have 2 members from each county rather than one—you could have all three commissioners- so long as Fishbach appointed by the county board its OK- we have to sort it out ourselves--- spell out in membership by laws- e.g. you can give a city 5 votes to balance the impact--- the board should be broadly represented and representative of minorities—yes should be balanced by gender—used to agonize for hours how to recruit—you should at least have the tribes invited. they may select not to be involved but we need to take the outreach effort. Summary: we don’t have to reduce the other participants- we just need 50% elected officials—our by laws need to be amended which now say no more than 21 members!!- we would need 11—EDA is indifferent to the issue of dues—EDA just wants independent staff- EDA would give 50% and we can match cash or inkind 50% . informal policy ½ of the 50% should be cash or in-kind- EDA doesn’t care where the match comes from---its 50% match for the planning program--- match for projects are a different thing- one way to get in-kind if documented is the time / travel for meetings—grant periods and match are for a year--
4) must be assisted by a PROFESSIONAL STAFF_ must be PDA Staff-
5) have to have access
6) one meeting open to the public at least once a year
7) parliamentary procedures
8) district organization shall engage in the full range of EDA – coordinating and implementing EDC activities, research, advisory functions, and coordinating the CEDS – very general , very generic,
9) short term planning program- one shot deal to individual city or county(with exceptions) to do a detailed economic development plan for the county- available to ports
Discussion: Bill Hannan we’ve gotten fuzzy responses – can the planning grant be funded for administrative functions? pay for the staff? Primary purpose of the grant is to hire staff to do economic development… fuzzy what that means. . . full range of economic activities- coordinate, carry out research implementation activities- whole purpose if we have a staff doing those things then the grant can pays 50% and we have to pay 50% cash or match. . .
If you have an individual county economic development effort that does XYZ then the district should be duplicating that effort- the PDA can have other niches--- let’s say the CEDS says wants to do water resource management and one county that is doing a specific project but the other county isn’t doing it-at all or yet—can you still have bulk of activities in one county but not the other can you still do planning for it and you can still get grants for one county or the other- projects can be located anywhere. . . it can be area specific. . .the district in some area may end up doing everything- in another district they may be in concert or complimenting—they should not replicate-- -as long as covered by a regional strategy can be implemented in any geographic area—
Discussion: separate the planning grant from other issues- we’d expect the district to do planning- for example: Sequim decides to come in separate and doesn’t go through the PDA district, first thing EDA wukk ask what does the district think of this proposal? It might still be funded even though it wasn’t a PDA priority—
Discussion does PDA develop regional strategy- one of the first things EDA asks is what does PDA district think of this? If its listed in the CEDS then implies that the PDA District goes along? Get a letter from the PDA chair to endorse it? Goal is to show regional effort- but no requirement for PDA approval only advisable and ideal—Sequim could be the grantee- PDA is not involved but it would be nice to have a PDA endorsement/ letter – Port wanted to have a regional project- PDA could give support but port could go in unilaterally- in all things being equal in a competitive situation you want PDA letter
EDA is no longer a major player only doing 1-5 construction projects in Washington a year—EDA likes $500,000 to $3.5 million- overpass in Gorst. . .
Discussion- EDA offers three layers of funding
1) planning grant- get your base
2) technical assistance grant (detailed feasibility- business plan, find out economically feasible) and
3) actual construction support grant. . .
Staff on board to do the planning grant - staff will help with feasibility and staff might actually write the grant. District staff could do grant applications for any economic development proposals. AS long as you can justify the work is economic development- e.g. filling out an EPA grant, tie it to Economic development then person on staff can spend their time on it.
Discussion:
1) planning is at the city- county partnership is to districts and tribes. Planning we expect the STAFF to be doing planning- $50,000 EDA $50,000 match- most of that is for staff, computers, travel, benefits, supplies. If over $500,000 federal a year need an audit-EDA will pay their fair share of the % of the audit. Activities can run the gamut—from professional economic development staff to administrative support—some PDAs run 200 people in the district- 23 funding sources- expect someone with professional expertise in business planning economic development or related expertise- its an administrative expense and that’s why we pay the money. . . . if you have work that can be done by a high level administrative assistant with some training in economic development – OK to pay for logistics, get people together, coordinating time and people and that’s acceptable. .. not acceptable we were contracting with the EDC. . .
Discussion : in the past the funds of the $56,000 was split between the two edcs and PDA met four times a year but the EDCs did the eoncomic development--- last year EDA told not to do it another year- last year the two EDCs developed a contract/ grant/ competitive contract to do deliverable work – Terry did not get paid- Clallam has always done the secretarial work- Clallam didn’t get an extra amount to pay for the administrative burden. . . the two EDCs contracted/ agreed to do did cluster work- . . in the past did we document our matching amount??? Hannan along with everything else- no question we have done it but revolving whether we documented it. . . .
Archie: believe economic development is
1) planning grants are about 75% attitude, % planning % implementation if you attitude is that you want to work regionally and you want to work together regionally- grantsmanship- if you weren’t meeting I would really wonder
2) feasibility studies can go to anyone. PDA is there potential for mining in the two counties?
3_ Implementation generally go to city,county, tribes and non profit corporations-
Discussion it’s a requirement to do a CEDS- is it a requirement to do a planning grant? If don’t meet the deadline with the planning grant do we go out of business? This year grant went out on June 30th and EDA is carrying it. . EDA goal is to have you operating- high quality of work being done- if report is sent in three weeks late who cares?
Hannan. EDA has been very tolerant as we tried to understand and mature- this would have been tossed out by other regions with no question. . . .
Laurie: speak specifically to us about what concrete steps we need to take right now to go forward regionally-- -
Ingersoll 1) you have a location 2) you have an employee
Archie- 1) you are orgnaizaed 2) then you have to be 50% 35% and 3) you have to be assisted by a professional staff and 4) develop maintain a regional comprehensive strategy and 5) do whatever else the membership wants
Discussion: Archie this is what you should be doing:
1) regional economic development regional strategies- grantsmanship/ technical assistance to localities- geographic analysis/ demographic analysis of communities-
2) business assistance e.g. revolving loans-
3) outreach and policy development- in order to work together and improve- not to work in cross purposes and not duplicate other development efforts. District should fill the gaps not duplicate the county based EDCs.
Discussion: can our paid staff person in our reports say we are connecting with micro loads- yes
Only thing can’t do is with a planning grant you can do planning- but you can’t administer the grants. . .
Discussion: Linda in short term planning you don’t need a PDA- so if you have two economic development agencies ADO, Ports, City Counties – why do we want a PDA-
EDA response:
To Save money, capture economies of scale, provide specialized services, greater political cloat of unified voice, achieve economies, regional , better media buys, solve a specific problem, shared scare resources, to plan more realistically?
Archie: have a list of 36 different things that a PDA district can do- run sign shops for the counties- the cities and counties couldn’t do it on their own so for cost saving the PDA did the signs (it wasn’t funded by PDA ) but the District did the service. . . PDA could own skill center- incubators. Another PDA did municipal bonding so each individual city- county didn’t’ have to hire that expertise and handled the bonding--- another PDA bought a machine that inspect the inside of water and sewer lines and the PDA owns it and all the city – counties rent it from the PDA District---
Bill Hannan- regional water management, regional sewer system –
Examples: Archie in Alaska funding through public works
PDA does mapping services- run their own rairoad- PDAs run incubators- PDAs provide business management services- PDA has all the machines for shops- PDA does zoning and ordinance development- prepare business directories- do county and community marketing brochures- do community profiles to distribute- prepare community profiles- business trading program for small scale enterperenurs- Archie the list is indicative but does not exhaust the possibilities.
Bill Hannan: Tony represented the USDA RCD- merging efforts of PDA and RCD how would that be viewed? Special considerations? Like that?
Archie, in Washington North Central Jay is the PDA was defunct and Jay as an RCD stepped forward to do a 3 county EDA in Eastern Washington. Now the EDD is separate from RCD- in Columbia pacific the PDA and RCD is a merged organization—whaever works—EDA can’t pay RCD executive director—and RCD isn’t supposed to do PDA work – they are supposed to have separate meetings. . RCD Federal employee has restrictions to working for both—RCD can be more agricultural- natural resource- PDA could be other things—
Archie : check out whether RCD has more stringent membership requirements
Tony- same advantages- sharing space, economies of scale, to some degree the two organizations are already sharing- merging—
Hannan if we have one person 50% RCD and 50% PDA the records are completely separate- both serve the same regions
Archie: no heartburn
Whatever works. . . RCD has requirements- EDA has requirements- just meet the requirements---
Ingersoll: there are no advantages to merge- we work together cooperatively that’s fantastic- why go further. No advantages?
Archie; talk to Jay and figure out why they came together and then they separated. RCD has to have its own name—its own board—and the PDA has different membership requirements—there is overall in the name and scope but different requirements-
PDA should be focused on business development
RCD focuses on energy-
Biomass has elements of both and combine funding. .
Archie- wouldn’t’ be a problem to have RCD and PDA submit a joint proposal
Bets- 90% of our discussion is process- always hopeful when I head out is PDA to hear what’s going on in the rest of the region- brainstorm, get good ideas, plan about issues, junk cars, big picture of forestry, shellfish- otherwise only hear from PDN what’s happening in the regional landscape—teach each other what the issues are—we both have the same issue- can we reach critical mass if we worked together on projects e.g. emergency managment. . . if we are talking topics, issues and situations. . . coming here for 18 months
Hannan- we were doing that but we had a threat to our very own existence. Work together to get some things done.. .
On a PDA planning grant we could be lookg in at regional maritime expansion—get the planning grant moving- to get karen and another person funded to do these regional studies-
Sullivan: EDA used to be a regional player. . . reducing the level of support. Whats the trend
Archie: its static we’re too small- EDA holds its own- nationwide the construction is about $225 million a year nationwide- Seattle covers everything west of Denver. . . gets about $50 million-
Hannan we have transportation issues that affect economic
Archie; we covered the cost of a bridge for port of Tacoma terminal
Hannan. Tribes have a lot of construction projects. . .
Archie: Tribes are eligible for up to 100% funding so don’t require the match!!
Baril: could we use PDA money to hire a grant writer. . .
Archie: Yes.
Sullivan if we have a $50 million sewer and that’s all EDA has not helpful?
Archie: Alaska wanted to combine all the agency moneys but EDA could fund a discreet portion of the total project. . has to be a discreet project and has to have a tie to economic development. . .
Crockett- better done than said. . .
Archie; no recollection of project in the last 8 years- Sekeu community center three years ago with nine other agencies. l998 and ended 3 years ago- CTED, USFS, groundfish money,
Port- reason we don’t have any projects is that they don’t meet all the rules of the EDA—Archie Sultan got a water or sewer system from EDA and coordinated through PDA District
Crockett- we have a dozen projects in the Port- we provide water system for only showers in south county, shellfish, only water system to adjacent landowners- $75,000-$100,000 but its not regional
Hannan- the overall regional strategy to improve water quality but the project may be local!!
Crockett- is it in the CEDS document, is it our priority?
Ingersoll- prioritize the issue regionall
Crockett- the projects no longer have to be regional!!!
Hannan- the CEDS has to say water quality is a major issues- this local projects fits into this regional priority. . .
Laurie- in Jefferson county – there is a huge need for a sewer system in the Tri Area- and that’s going to be a critical facet for economic development cuz businesses can’t come without water and sewer—could BOCC propose to PDA to fund the sewer system
Archie: won’t fund residential. . . if it’s a general sewer line that serves residential then EDA won’t be involved- but a water sewer line that goes to commercial and passes housing then maybe—
Crockett- may go for an element-
Hannan- could fund the planning
Archie: has to be commercial/ industrial-not enough to “make it possible”. . this is economic development!! Not residential.. . EDA could fund final design if its tied to economic development NOT housing development—for housing go to HUD—EDA doesn’t even like commercial only any more—EDA does not do just housing- EDA has to document job creation!!!
Hannan- affordable housing? Economic development is suffering because we don’t have housing- how can EDA help us?
Archie: that’s a good question. . .
Ingersoll: go to other agencies
Archie : could plan it if went to economic development.
Laurie $150,000 for technical study connected to sewer line—comes to PDA and we give approval.
Archie: the technical assistance grant will allow $ for sewer system design tied to economic development- proponent could come to PDA directly and we’d ask what district wants to do—or they could come to you and see if endorse—is it #99 or #2 on our priority list- then EDA is going to look at it much more favorably. . .
Laurie: its up to the members to lobby for their priorities- its about our CEDS priorities- its about economic development!!!
Fishbach: the sewer is #1 for Jefferson County
Archie: we want to build a $3 million sewer line 1) have you done your planning 2) have you done the feasibility then we’re probabely going to give you planning and feasibility not an implementation plan!!!
Hannan: we go in with a concept and EDA will coach us what’s the best system to get through the planning grant. . .
Archie: we brought an engineer in—we tested out the specifics of the proposal and then we decided which source of funding was most applicable1) planning 2) feasibility 3) implementation
Archie: broad band access? The unfortunate thing is that EDA doesn’t have engineering expertise. .. broad band is infrastructure like water, sewer and roads
Hannan: bring it to the PDA board—its fits with our regional strategy that we are riding together and then go to the PDA
Archie: we pride ourselves on project development- we’ll try to work with you to try to get funded.
Rotmark: the planning grant that was submitted last week argued a process to priortize the projects—that’s part of the CEDS process—
Hannan Archie is saying planning grant covers development of the CEDS
Archie: whole purpose of the whole EDA planning grant is to hire staff!!!
Rotmark: help us hire people
Archie: $90,000 of the $100,000 is not acceptable- we submitted to the FEDS or our money would have been lost today- we’re going to have to sit down and change that budget- we will literally sit down and help you do that—some agencies you’d be defunded today. . . you guys should have been doing this along time. .
Rotmark: did you know EDA could be payroll—yes, those monies have gone to 2 EDCs – co-mingled. Operations and payroll. . . as of last year I don’t know we were hiring someone outside as a paid consultant. . .
Hannan/ Rotmark- we pay for staff at the PDA NOT the EDC level!!! we walked away from the wrong feeling
Marnie: lots of good work has been done- my experience with PDA and Betty is you call up first and go visit about it first. . . consult with PDA first. . maybe 5 projects come out of this group. . . EDA is very accessible- fax it to Bettie do it this way. . .here’s some people you can call on and this is how I recommend you apply for the money, this match, accessible easy to work with
Hannan- we mis understood how we handle administrative personnel
Rotmark how do we play catch up
Hannan- we have existence – whether we are doing it right?
Archie- we would have called you up and we need to re-work this—it had to be in DC close of business today—
Laurie- we can pay for the planning services of a staff person
Archie: they hired part time director and part time grantsmanship. . .
Hannan: EDA will pay 50%. . . if we hire a grant EDA person for $100,000 EDA pays $50,000. .
Bets: what we need to get over the hump for the planning grant: need to make Archie happy likely to get another year of funding:
1) we need to rework a budget
2) we need to come up with the membership
3) look at scope of work
4) clarify if we are delinquent on anything
Central Puget Sound comes up with an extrodinary ranking process- EDA just takes the regional priorities- only require one public meeting
Archie: if you are representing a county and you say ABCD are our priorities- how does it all fit in with the schools, port, . . priority setting can be heavy—archie let’s us find out the process—Craig Alaska. . . stop lights and they figure out the priorities. . . .
Work group:
Laurie immediately we need to come over and work out our budget with Archie.. .
Rotmark Clallam EDC and will do it. . .
and Karen will be included in that process. . .
Baril from Jefferson
Betsy Wharton from Port Angeles
David Sullivan from Jefferson County
Karen
Archie:
Local technical assistant
Partnership planning grants that’s what we are getting
Investment policy guidelines- have to answer questions:
Rotmark: distributed what was submitted- this is what was submitted
Hannan- Will brought up. . .we’ve been going through the process- don’t wait – all of this does not have to be resolved before we submit proposals. .
pro bono--
Guest Archie Jettson- regional EDA representative
Overview of planning program
In general want to talk about EDA grant programs. . .
EDA has two basic programs to help regional PDAs:
1) partnership planning provide funding for PDA for the last 10-20 years – they are continuation planning grants –generally renewable each year- pda sends in report each year- perform each year but these planning grants are expected to carry on forever- NOT for a city or county EDC but designed for as a REGIONAL- a PDA REGIONAL district is designated by the County with approval of the State and EDA approves the two counties as an economic development DISTRICT- historically understood money would be passed through-- PDA would be a shell for the two county EDC programs and the money would go to the two counties- and this has been going on for significant period of time- first, this should never have done it that way- only two districts west of the missioppi- one here PDA and another one in the state of Washington – the second district is no longer doing it that way and that leaves this PDA as a unique situation –pass through shell organization- handing it out to individual counties is no longer acceptable- last year was a transition year- hold our nose but this year it won’t happen- it has to be a full born organization- responsible for the money- responsible for the scope of work-
What does an EDA district have to do?
Basically a DISTRICT has to
2) be organized according to the regulations
3) broadly representative of the interests in the County- one business- chambers, higher education, workforce or labor all of which must comprise 30% of the governing body and a simple majority have to be elected officials of general purpose unit of government (Ports are counted as private sector NOT general purpose government. . PUD is a private/ special purpose district – not qualified- not general!! Tribal is a general purpose government- sovreign nation and counted as a public sector education is private- must have at least 35% of private- only ones are city/ county and designated by the Board tribal members- simple majority has to be made up of general purpose districts—if don’t we have time- until DC crashes down on us. .. Linda: we don’t current have- so not in compliance . . . adjust the official members down to the general purpose—5 elected officials+Tribe. . . you could have 5 Tribes—you could have 2 members from each county rather than one—you could have all three commissioners- so long as Fishbach appointed by the county board its OK- we have to sort it out ourselves--- spell out in membership by laws- e.g. you can give a city 5 votes to balance the impact--- the board should be broadly represented and representative of minorities—yes should be balanced by gender—used to agonize for hours how to recruit—you should at least have the tribes invited. they may select not to be involved but we need to take the outreach effort. Summary: we don’t have to reduce the other participants- we just need 50% elected officials—our by laws need to be amended which now say no more than 21 members!!- we would need 11—EDA is indifferent to the issue of dues—EDA just wants independent staff- EDA would give 50% and we can match cash or inkind 50% . informal policy ½ of the 50% should be cash or in-kind- EDA doesn’t care where the match comes from---its 50% match for the planning program--- match for projects are a different thing- one way to get in-kind if documented is the time / travel for meetings—grant periods and match are for a year--
4) must be assisted by a PROFESSIONAL STAFF_ must be PDA Staff-
5) have to have access
6) one meeting open to the public at least once a year
7) parliamentary procedures
8) district organization shall engage in the full range of EDA – coordinating and implementing EDC activities, research, advisory functions, and coordinating the CEDS – very general , very generic,
9) short term planning program- one shot deal to individual city or county(with exceptions) to do a detailed economic development plan for the county- available to ports
Discussion: Bill Hannan we’ve gotten fuzzy responses – can the planning grant be funded for administrative functions? pay for the staff? Primary purpose of the grant is to hire staff to do economic development… fuzzy what that means. . . full range of economic activities- coordinate, carry out research implementation activities- whole purpose if we have a staff doing those things then the grant can pays 50% and we have to pay 50% cash or match. . .
If you have an individual county economic development effort that does XYZ then the district should be duplicating that effort- the PDA can have other niches--- let’s say the CEDS says wants to do water resource management and one county that is doing a specific project but the other county isn’t doing it-at all or yet—can you still have bulk of activities in one county but not the other can you still do planning for it and you can still get grants for one county or the other- projects can be located anywhere. . . it can be area specific. . .the district in some area may end up doing everything- in another district they may be in concert or complimenting—they should not replicate-- -as long as covered by a regional strategy can be implemented in any geographic area—
Discussion: separate the planning grant from other issues- we’d expect the district to do planning- for example: Sequim decides to come in separate and doesn’t go through the PDA district, first thing EDA wukk ask what does the district think of this proposal? It might still be funded even though it wasn’t a PDA priority—
Discussion does PDA develop regional strategy- one of the first things EDA asks is what does PDA district think of this? If its listed in the CEDS then implies that the PDA District goes along? Get a letter from the PDA chair to endorse it? Goal is to show regional effort- but no requirement for PDA approval only advisable and ideal—Sequim could be the grantee- PDA is not involved but it would be nice to have a PDA endorsement/ letter – Port wanted to have a regional project- PDA could give support but port could go in unilaterally- in all things being equal in a competitive situation you want PDA letter
EDA is no longer a major player only doing 1-5 construction projects in Washington a year—EDA likes $500,000 to $3.5 million- overpass in Gorst. . .
Discussion- EDA offers three layers of funding
1) planning grant- get your base
2) technical assistance grant (detailed feasibility- business plan, find out economically feasible) and
3) actual construction support grant. . .
Staff on board to do the planning grant - staff will help with feasibility and staff might actually write the grant. District staff could do grant applications for any economic development proposals. AS long as you can justify the work is economic development- e.g. filling out an EPA grant, tie it to Economic development then person on staff can spend their time on it.
Discussion:
1) planning is at the city- county partnership is to districts and tribes. Planning we expect the STAFF to be doing planning- $50,000 EDA $50,000 match- most of that is for staff, computers, travel, benefits, supplies. If over $500,000 federal a year need an audit-EDA will pay their fair share of the % of the audit. Activities can run the gamut—from professional economic development staff to administrative support—some PDAs run 200 people in the district- 23 funding sources- expect someone with professional expertise in business planning economic development or related expertise- its an administrative expense and that’s why we pay the money. . . . if you have work that can be done by a high level administrative assistant with some training in economic development – OK to pay for logistics, get people together, coordinating time and people and that’s acceptable. .. not acceptable we were contracting with the EDC. . .
Discussion : in the past the funds of the $56,000 was split between the two edcs and PDA met four times a year but the EDCs did the eoncomic development--- last year EDA told not to do it another year- last year the two EDCs developed a contract/ grant/ competitive contract to do deliverable work – Terry did not get paid- Clallam has always done the secretarial work- Clallam didn’t get an extra amount to pay for the administrative burden. . . the two EDCs contracted/ agreed to do did cluster work- . . in the past did we document our matching amount??? Hannan along with everything else- no question we have done it but revolving whether we documented it. . . .
Archie: believe economic development is
1) planning grants are about 75% attitude, % planning % implementation if you attitude is that you want to work regionally and you want to work together regionally- grantsmanship- if you weren’t meeting I would really wonder
2) feasibility studies can go to anyone. PDA is there potential for mining in the two counties?
3_ Implementation generally go to city,county, tribes and non profit corporations-
Discussion it’s a requirement to do a CEDS- is it a requirement to do a planning grant? If don’t meet the deadline with the planning grant do we go out of business? This year grant went out on June 30th and EDA is carrying it. . EDA goal is to have you operating- high quality of work being done- if report is sent in three weeks late who cares?
Hannan. EDA has been very tolerant as we tried to understand and mature- this would have been tossed out by other regions with no question. . . .
Laurie: speak specifically to us about what concrete steps we need to take right now to go forward regionally-- -
Ingersoll 1) you have a location 2) you have an employee
Archie- 1) you are orgnaizaed 2) then you have to be 50% 35% and 3) you have to be assisted by a professional staff and 4) develop maintain a regional comprehensive strategy and 5) do whatever else the membership wants
Discussion: Archie this is what you should be doing:
1) regional economic development regional strategies- grantsmanship/ technical assistance to localities- geographic analysis/ demographic analysis of communities-
2) business assistance e.g. revolving loans-
3) outreach and policy development- in order to work together and improve- not to work in cross purposes and not duplicate other development efforts. District should fill the gaps not duplicate the county based EDCs.
Discussion: can our paid staff person in our reports say we are connecting with micro loads- yes
Only thing can’t do is with a planning grant you can do planning- but you can’t administer the grants. . .
Discussion: Linda in short term planning you don’t need a PDA- so if you have two economic development agencies ADO, Ports, City Counties – why do we want a PDA-
EDA response:
To Save money, capture economies of scale, provide specialized services, greater political cloat of unified voice, achieve economies, regional , better media buys, solve a specific problem, shared scare resources, to plan more realistically?
Archie: have a list of 36 different things that a PDA district can do- run sign shops for the counties- the cities and counties couldn’t do it on their own so for cost saving the PDA did the signs (it wasn’t funded by PDA ) but the District did the service. . . PDA could own skill center- incubators. Another PDA did municipal bonding so each individual city- county didn’t’ have to hire that expertise and handled the bonding--- another PDA bought a machine that inspect the inside of water and sewer lines and the PDA owns it and all the city – counties rent it from the PDA District---
Bill Hannan- regional water management, regional sewer system –
Examples: Archie in Alaska funding through public works
PDA does mapping services- run their own rairoad- PDAs run incubators- PDAs provide business management services- PDA has all the machines for shops- PDA does zoning and ordinance development- prepare business directories- do county and community marketing brochures- do community profiles to distribute- prepare community profiles- business trading program for small scale enterperenurs- Archie the list is indicative but does not exhaust the possibilities.
Bill Hannan: Tony represented the USDA RCD- merging efforts of PDA and RCD how would that be viewed? Special considerations? Like that?
Archie, in Washington North Central Jay is the PDA was defunct and Jay as an RCD stepped forward to do a 3 county EDA in Eastern Washington. Now the EDD is separate from RCD- in Columbia pacific the PDA and RCD is a merged organization—whaever works—EDA can’t pay RCD executive director—and RCD isn’t supposed to do PDA work – they are supposed to have separate meetings. . RCD Federal employee has restrictions to working for both—RCD can be more agricultural- natural resource- PDA could be other things—
Archie : check out whether RCD has more stringent membership requirements
Tony- same advantages- sharing space, economies of scale, to some degree the two organizations are already sharing- merging—
Hannan if we have one person 50% RCD and 50% PDA the records are completely separate- both serve the same regions
Archie: no heartburn
Whatever works. . . RCD has requirements- EDA has requirements- just meet the requirements---
Ingersoll: there are no advantages to merge- we work together cooperatively that’s fantastic- why go further. No advantages?
Archie; talk to Jay and figure out why they came together and then they separated. RCD has to have its own name—its own board—and the PDA has different membership requirements—there is overall in the name and scope but different requirements-
PDA should be focused on business development
RCD focuses on energy-
Biomass has elements of both and combine funding. .
Archie- wouldn’t’ be a problem to have RCD and PDA submit a joint proposal
Bets- 90% of our discussion is process- always hopeful when I head out is PDA to hear what’s going on in the rest of the region- brainstorm, get good ideas, plan about issues, junk cars, big picture of forestry, shellfish- otherwise only hear from PDN what’s happening in the regional landscape—teach each other what the issues are—we both have the same issue- can we reach critical mass if we worked together on projects e.g. emergency managment. . . if we are talking topics, issues and situations. . . coming here for 18 months
Hannan- we were doing that but we had a threat to our very own existence. Work together to get some things done.. .
On a PDA planning grant we could be lookg in at regional maritime expansion—get the planning grant moving- to get karen and another person funded to do these regional studies-
Sullivan: EDA used to be a regional player. . . reducing the level of support. Whats the trend
Archie: its static we’re too small- EDA holds its own- nationwide the construction is about $225 million a year nationwide- Seattle covers everything west of Denver. . . gets about $50 million-
Hannan we have transportation issues that affect economic
Archie; we covered the cost of a bridge for port of Tacoma terminal
Hannan. Tribes have a lot of construction projects. . .
Archie: Tribes are eligible for up to 100% funding so don’t require the match!!
Baril: could we use PDA money to hire a grant writer. . .
Archie: Yes.
Sullivan if we have a $50 million sewer and that’s all EDA has not helpful?
Archie: Alaska wanted to combine all the agency moneys but EDA could fund a discreet portion of the total project. . has to be a discreet project and has to have a tie to economic development. . .
Crockett- better done than said. . .
Archie; no recollection of project in the last 8 years- Sekeu community center three years ago with nine other agencies. l998 and ended 3 years ago- CTED, USFS, groundfish money,
Port- reason we don’t have any projects is that they don’t meet all the rules of the EDA—Archie Sultan got a water or sewer system from EDA and coordinated through PDA District
Crockett- we have a dozen projects in the Port- we provide water system for only showers in south county, shellfish, only water system to adjacent landowners- $75,000-$100,000 but its not regional
Hannan- the overall regional strategy to improve water quality but the project may be local!!
Crockett- is it in the CEDS document, is it our priority?
Ingersoll- prioritize the issue regionall
Crockett- the projects no longer have to be regional!!!
Hannan- the CEDS has to say water quality is a major issues- this local projects fits into this regional priority. . .
Laurie- in Jefferson county – there is a huge need for a sewer system in the Tri Area- and that’s going to be a critical facet for economic development cuz businesses can’t come without water and sewer—could BOCC propose to PDA to fund the sewer system
Archie: won’t fund residential. . . if it’s a general sewer line that serves residential then EDA won’t be involved- but a water sewer line that goes to commercial and passes housing then maybe—
Crockett- may go for an element-
Hannan- could fund the planning
Archie: has to be commercial/ industrial-not enough to “make it possible”. . this is economic development!! Not residential.. . EDA could fund final design if its tied to economic development NOT housing development—for housing go to HUD—EDA doesn’t even like commercial only any more—EDA does not do just housing- EDA has to document job creation!!!
Hannan- affordable housing? Economic development is suffering because we don’t have housing- how can EDA help us?
Archie: that’s a good question. . .
Ingersoll: go to other agencies
Archie : could plan it if went to economic development.
Laurie $150,000 for technical study connected to sewer line—comes to PDA and we give approval.
Archie: the technical assistance grant will allow $ for sewer system design tied to economic development- proponent could come to PDA directly and we’d ask what district wants to do—or they could come to you and see if endorse—is it #99 or #2 on our priority list- then EDA is going to look at it much more favorably. . .
Laurie: its up to the members to lobby for their priorities- its about our CEDS priorities- its about economic development!!!
Fishbach: the sewer is #1 for Jefferson County
Archie: we want to build a $3 million sewer line 1) have you done your planning 2) have you done the feasibility then we’re probabely going to give you planning and feasibility not an implementation plan!!!
Hannan: we go in with a concept and EDA will coach us what’s the best system to get through the planning grant. . .
Archie: we brought an engineer in—we tested out the specifics of the proposal and then we decided which source of funding was most applicable1) planning 2) feasibility 3) implementation
Archie: broad band access? The unfortunate thing is that EDA doesn’t have engineering expertise. .. broad band is infrastructure like water, sewer and roads
Hannan: bring it to the PDA board—its fits with our regional strategy that we are riding together and then go to the PDA
Archie: we pride ourselves on project development- we’ll try to work with you to try to get funded.
Rotmark: the planning grant that was submitted last week argued a process to priortize the projects—that’s part of the CEDS process—
Hannan Archie is saying planning grant covers development of the CEDS
Archie: whole purpose of the whole EDA planning grant is to hire staff!!!
Rotmark: help us hire people
Archie: $90,000 of the $100,000 is not acceptable- we submitted to the FEDS or our money would have been lost today- we’re going to have to sit down and change that budget- we will literally sit down and help you do that—some agencies you’d be defunded today. . . you guys should have been doing this along time. .
Rotmark: did you know EDA could be payroll—yes, those monies have gone to 2 EDCs – co-mingled. Operations and payroll. . . as of last year I don’t know we were hiring someone outside as a paid consultant. . .
Hannan/ Rotmark- we pay for staff at the PDA NOT the EDC level!!! we walked away from the wrong feeling
Marnie: lots of good work has been done- my experience with PDA and Betty is you call up first and go visit about it first. . . consult with PDA first. . maybe 5 projects come out of this group. . . EDA is very accessible- fax it to Bettie do it this way. . .here’s some people you can call on and this is how I recommend you apply for the money, this match, accessible easy to work with
Hannan- we mis understood how we handle administrative personnel
Rotmark how do we play catch up
Hannan- we have existence – whether we are doing it right?
Archie- we would have called you up and we need to re-work this—it had to be in DC close of business today—
Laurie- we can pay for the planning services of a staff person
Archie: they hired part time director and part time grantsmanship. . .
Hannan: EDA will pay 50%. . . if we hire a grant EDA person for $100,000 EDA pays $50,000. .
Bets: what we need to get over the hump for the planning grant: need to make Archie happy likely to get another year of funding:
1) we need to rework a budget
2) we need to come up with the membership
3) look at scope of work
4) clarify if we are delinquent on anything
Central Puget Sound comes up with an extrodinary ranking process- EDA just takes the regional priorities- only require one public meeting
Archie: if you are representing a county and you say ABCD are our priorities- how does it all fit in with the schools, port, . . priority setting can be heavy—archie let’s us find out the process—Craig Alaska. . . stop lights and they figure out the priorities. . . .
Work group:
Laurie immediately we need to come over and work out our budget with Archie.. .
Rotmark Clallam EDC and will do it. . .
and Karen will be included in that process. . .
Baril from Jefferson
Betsy Wharton from Port Angeles
David Sullivan from Jefferson County
Karen
Archie:
Local technical assistant
Partnership planning grants that’s what we are getting
Investment policy guidelines- have to answer questions:
Rotmark: distributed what was submitted- this is what was submitted
Hannan- Will brought up. . .we’ve been going through the process- don’t wait – all of this does not have to be resolved before we submit proposals. .
pro bono--
Friday, September 28, 2007
PDA planing grant FINAL 2007
Peninsula Development Association
Planning Grant Application
Program Year July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2007
Purpose:
The Peninsula Development Association (PDA) is a two-county regional economic development organization. In the past, one of its primary activities was the support of the two resident economic development councils’ strategic plans, objectives, goals and outcomes. Also, the PDA’s quarterly meetings facilitated continued collaborations and communications on a regional level that would have not otherwise occurred. However, a combination of a heightened awareness of EDA funding expectations and recent changes within the economic development entities that make up the PDA have given the organization a new direction toward regional economic development planning and implementation.
In this second year of a three-year plan, the PDA seeks planning funds to implement a process to identify, evaluate and effectively prioritize projects with clear region-wide economic benefits. The top priority projects will then form the basis of the next update to the region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
Background:
The Olympic Peninsula is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Straits of Juan de Fuca
to the North, Admiralty Inlet and the Hood Canal to the East and Mason County to the South. Access from the mainland is limited to one highway ( Highway 101 from Olympia) and three ferry routes. The Hood Canal Bridge connects the Peninsula to Seattle via Bainbridge Island and Bremerton ferries. There are also ferries from Port Angeles to Victoria and from Port Townsend to Whidbey Island. There is no local passenger or freight rail service.
The region consists of two counties Clallam (pop 69,000) and Jefferson (pop. 28,700). Over 95% of the land in the region is owned or controlled by the government. This includes the Olympic National Park which is a major tourist attraction.
The incorporated cities in the area are:
Port Angeles 19,010
Port Townsend 8,865
Forks 3,175
Sequim 5,330
Total 36,380
Rural 60,620
Total Region 97,000
Until the mid 1980s, the Olympic Peninsula was a burgeoning economy based almost entirely on lumber, which was the area’s most abundant natural resource. After years of harvesting at an unsustainable rate, ecological regulations were enacted in the early ‘80’s to protect the endangered Spotted Owl. This soon put a major part of the local workforce out of a job (the highest unemployment at 19.1% in 1981) and the two counties were designated as an economically “distressed” area. The more recent decline of the local fishing industry has exacerbated the economic problems. Efforts to create a new basis for a sustainable¹ economy in the area have been slow and not dramatically successful.
Mitigation funding from the Federal and State governments has hardly been proportionate to the scale of the economic downturn and has been inadequate to provide the infrastructure needed for economic development. Much of the original mitigation funding is scheduled to expire in 2008.
Recent Developments
The results of the efforts to develop the economy have been mixed. Clallam County adopted a regional locally driven, self-sustaining “cluster” economic development model designed to leverage indigenous industry resources and assets. Clallam actively encouraged large retailers to locate in the county. Jefferson County did not adopt the “cluster” model until recently and lacked the customer base to support major retailers. Average wages in the region are still 20-30% below the state average. Public school enrollment in Jefferson County has declined to the point where many of the rural schools are not sustainable with current property tax levies. Clallam County has also experienced a decrease in enrollment. This is due, in part, to competition from private schools, but also to the fact that many young people leave the area to find employment and raise a family. During the last 10 years, the region has attracted affluent retirees from California and elsewhere due to the natural beauty of the area and the low cost of housing (relative to other areas). As a result of this increase in demand and a shortage of land suitable for residential building, local property values have soared and are now far beyond the reach of the typical average working family.
The current low unemployment rate of 4.5% is, therefore, more a reflection of the exodus of our young job seekers to more lucrative job prospects outside the region and the influx of retirees rather than any significant increase in available jobs. The total population has not grown significantly but the 25-50 year old population has decreased and the over-50 population has increased in both counties.
Most recent retail sales data also indicates that the region is lagging the State. The State of Washington enjoyed a record 9% increase in retail sales last year while the Olympic Peninsula region only increased by 5.4%
In 2000, median home prices were $125,000 in Clallam County and $173,000 in Jefferson County. The Housing Affordability Index (HAI) was 117 for Clallam County and 82 for Jefferson County, with 100 indicating a balance of a family's ability to pay. In 2006, the HAI for Clallam County fell to an average of 91, with median home prices of $239,000 and Jefferson County's HAI dropped to an average of 67 with median home prices of $326,000. These lower numbers indicate a dramatic reduction in workforce housing affordability.
¹ A sustainable economy generates jobs which pay enough to permit the average family to afford a median priced home
A recent survey of local industries in Jefferson County clearly indicated that a lack of skilled workers is still a major issue. Washington State’s Community Trade and Economic Development funded Business Retention and Expansion surveys in Clallam County, confirmed that the same problem prevails there. The Marine Trade and Manufacturing Industry had seen significant growth both in Port Angeles and Port Townsend in the past. Recently it has leveled off in Port Townsend largely due to the cost of land and the cost of developing the infrastructure needed for expansion. Marine trades businesses in Clallam continue to grow at a steady rate.
The growth in retail jobs in the region occurred mainly in Sequim (Clallam County) due to the opening of a several big box stores within Sequim’s city limits. Efforts by the State of Washington and the local Joint Marketing Cooperative (Jefferson and Clallam) have stimulated tourism in the region. Similarly, the influx of retirees has resulted in an increase in the number of health care workers. Unfortunately, retail, healthcare and tourism are the lowest paid sectors of the regional economy. Together they represent 43% of the total workforce but less than 35% of the payroll. In contrast, local government employs 9% of the workforce but accounts for 15% of the region’s payroll. Growth in these low-paying sectors, unless outweighed by stronger growth in other sectors, actually reduce the region’s average wage and strain the already short supply of low income housing.
Conclusions
While the region’s economic development efforts have made a difference, it is clear that not enough is being done to stimulate family wage jobs creation in the region. Therefore, the Board of Directors of the Peninsula Development Association concludes the following:
• Growth created by increases in tourism and the healthcare and service sector demands of our retirees will lead to more serious shortages of low income housing and will not create family wage employment opportunities.
• A major effort is required to assist our high demand/high wage businesses, support local entrepreneurs starting new businesses, and attract new industries to the area in addition to stimulating our indigenous economy.
• The PDA needs to accelerate its evolution from an “umbrella” role, supporting the efforts of the local EDCs, to a regional development organization which identifies and focuses on broad projects that provide clear and immediate regional benefit. The PDA must reach out and encourage all the regional organizations to participate in the identification and adoption of a prioritized list of regional economic development projects.
I. McFall 7/30/2007
Scope of Work
As proposed within the 2006-07 Peninsula Development Association’s Planning Grant, Phase II was defined as follows:
Research and develop process for cluster sustainability through project development:
• Correlate Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS) document within identified regional industry cluster projects
• Develop project application process
• Develop project prioritization
• Research and develop additional finance and technical resources
• Research and implement ad
Therefore, beginning in funding year July 2007-June 2008 the following activities will occur
Activity Who When Budget
1. Update the historic and statistical data to represent the region comprehensively (ongoing during the year) that is required in the CEDS doc.
Contractor Ongoing.
2. Identify 3 to 5 “umbrella” topics such (for example only):
a. Workforce Training
b. Tourism
c. Infrastructure
d. Alternative energies
e. Transportation Board/contractor Fall 2007
3. Create an RFP project template
• Job creation
• Regional Impact
• Estimated Cost Board Fall/Winter 2007
4. Create a project prioritization process
• Scoring sheet
• Presentation by agencies/organizations Board/contractor Fall/Winter 2007
5. Publish RFP and receive regional projects from communities, ports, cities, etc. Board/contractor February 2008
6. Using prioritization process, identify viable projects that match CEDS overarching focus under umbrella topics Board/contractor March 2008
7. Identify in-house PDA projects to be included in CEDS document and begin identification of funding resources Board January-March
7. Hold hearings for project sponsors Board/contractor April 2008
8. Choose PDA sponsored projects through scoring and sponsorship Board April 2008
9 Compile and write first draft of CEDS 2008-09 document Board subcommittee May 2008
10 Finalize draft Board June 1, 2008
11 Submit 2008-09 CEDS document that includes identified projects to EDA Board July 1, 2008
12 Submit applications for project funding for both outside and in-house projects Partners and Board July 1, 2008
Planning Grant Application
Program Year July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2007
Purpose:
The Peninsula Development Association (PDA) is a two-county regional economic development organization. In the past, one of its primary activities was the support of the two resident economic development councils’ strategic plans, objectives, goals and outcomes. Also, the PDA’s quarterly meetings facilitated continued collaborations and communications on a regional level that would have not otherwise occurred. However, a combination of a heightened awareness of EDA funding expectations and recent changes within the economic development entities that make up the PDA have given the organization a new direction toward regional economic development planning and implementation.
In this second year of a three-year plan, the PDA seeks planning funds to implement a process to identify, evaluate and effectively prioritize projects with clear region-wide economic benefits. The top priority projects will then form the basis of the next update to the region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
Background:
The Olympic Peninsula is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Straits of Juan de Fuca
to the North, Admiralty Inlet and the Hood Canal to the East and Mason County to the South. Access from the mainland is limited to one highway ( Highway 101 from Olympia) and three ferry routes. The Hood Canal Bridge connects the Peninsula to Seattle via Bainbridge Island and Bremerton ferries. There are also ferries from Port Angeles to Victoria and from Port Townsend to Whidbey Island. There is no local passenger or freight rail service.
The region consists of two counties Clallam (pop 69,000) and Jefferson (pop. 28,700). Over 95% of the land in the region is owned or controlled by the government. This includes the Olympic National Park which is a major tourist attraction.
The incorporated cities in the area are:
Port Angeles 19,010
Port Townsend 8,865
Forks 3,175
Sequim 5,330
Total 36,380
Rural 60,620
Total Region 97,000
Until the mid 1980s, the Olympic Peninsula was a burgeoning economy based almost entirely on lumber, which was the area’s most abundant natural resource. After years of harvesting at an unsustainable rate, ecological regulations were enacted in the early ‘80’s to protect the endangered Spotted Owl. This soon put a major part of the local workforce out of a job (the highest unemployment at 19.1% in 1981) and the two counties were designated as an economically “distressed” area. The more recent decline of the local fishing industry has exacerbated the economic problems. Efforts to create a new basis for a sustainable¹ economy in the area have been slow and not dramatically successful.
Mitigation funding from the Federal and State governments has hardly been proportionate to the scale of the economic downturn and has been inadequate to provide the infrastructure needed for economic development. Much of the original mitigation funding is scheduled to expire in 2008.
Recent Developments
The results of the efforts to develop the economy have been mixed. Clallam County adopted a regional locally driven, self-sustaining “cluster” economic development model designed to leverage indigenous industry resources and assets. Clallam actively encouraged large retailers to locate in the county. Jefferson County did not adopt the “cluster” model until recently and lacked the customer base to support major retailers. Average wages in the region are still 20-30% below the state average. Public school enrollment in Jefferson County has declined to the point where many of the rural schools are not sustainable with current property tax levies. Clallam County has also experienced a decrease in enrollment. This is due, in part, to competition from private schools, but also to the fact that many young people leave the area to find employment and raise a family. During the last 10 years, the region has attracted affluent retirees from California and elsewhere due to the natural beauty of the area and the low cost of housing (relative to other areas). As a result of this increase in demand and a shortage of land suitable for residential building, local property values have soared and are now far beyond the reach of the typical average working family.
The current low unemployment rate of 4.5% is, therefore, more a reflection of the exodus of our young job seekers to more lucrative job prospects outside the region and the influx of retirees rather than any significant increase in available jobs. The total population has not grown significantly but the 25-50 year old population has decreased and the over-50 population has increased in both counties.
Most recent retail sales data also indicates that the region is lagging the State. The State of Washington enjoyed a record 9% increase in retail sales last year while the Olympic Peninsula region only increased by 5.4%
In 2000, median home prices were $125,000 in Clallam County and $173,000 in Jefferson County. The Housing Affordability Index (HAI) was 117 for Clallam County and 82 for Jefferson County, with 100 indicating a balance of a family's ability to pay. In 2006, the HAI for Clallam County fell to an average of 91, with median home prices of $239,000 and Jefferson County's HAI dropped to an average of 67 with median home prices of $326,000. These lower numbers indicate a dramatic reduction in workforce housing affordability.
¹ A sustainable economy generates jobs which pay enough to permit the average family to afford a median priced home
A recent survey of local industries in Jefferson County clearly indicated that a lack of skilled workers is still a major issue. Washington State’s Community Trade and Economic Development funded Business Retention and Expansion surveys in Clallam County, confirmed that the same problem prevails there. The Marine Trade and Manufacturing Industry had seen significant growth both in Port Angeles and Port Townsend in the past. Recently it has leveled off in Port Townsend largely due to the cost of land and the cost of developing the infrastructure needed for expansion. Marine trades businesses in Clallam continue to grow at a steady rate.
The growth in retail jobs in the region occurred mainly in Sequim (Clallam County) due to the opening of a several big box stores within Sequim’s city limits. Efforts by the State of Washington and the local Joint Marketing Cooperative (Jefferson and Clallam) have stimulated tourism in the region. Similarly, the influx of retirees has resulted in an increase in the number of health care workers. Unfortunately, retail, healthcare and tourism are the lowest paid sectors of the regional economy. Together they represent 43% of the total workforce but less than 35% of the payroll. In contrast, local government employs 9% of the workforce but accounts for 15% of the region’s payroll. Growth in these low-paying sectors, unless outweighed by stronger growth in other sectors, actually reduce the region’s average wage and strain the already short supply of low income housing.
Conclusions
While the region’s economic development efforts have made a difference, it is clear that not enough is being done to stimulate family wage jobs creation in the region. Therefore, the Board of Directors of the Peninsula Development Association concludes the following:
• Growth created by increases in tourism and the healthcare and service sector demands of our retirees will lead to more serious shortages of low income housing and will not create family wage employment opportunities.
• A major effort is required to assist our high demand/high wage businesses, support local entrepreneurs starting new businesses, and attract new industries to the area in addition to stimulating our indigenous economy.
• The PDA needs to accelerate its evolution from an “umbrella” role, supporting the efforts of the local EDCs, to a regional development organization which identifies and focuses on broad projects that provide clear and immediate regional benefit. The PDA must reach out and encourage all the regional organizations to participate in the identification and adoption of a prioritized list of regional economic development projects.
I. McFall 7/30/2007
Scope of Work
As proposed within the 2006-07 Peninsula Development Association’s Planning Grant, Phase II was defined as follows:
Research and develop process for cluster sustainability through project development:
• Correlate Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS) document within identified regional industry cluster projects
• Develop project application process
• Develop project prioritization
• Research and develop additional finance and technical resources
• Research and implement ad
Therefore, beginning in funding year July 2007-June 2008 the following activities will occur
Activity Who When Budget
1. Update the historic and statistical data to represent the region comprehensively (ongoing during the year) that is required in the CEDS doc.
Contractor Ongoing.
2. Identify 3 to 5 “umbrella” topics such (for example only):
a. Workforce Training
b. Tourism
c. Infrastructure
d. Alternative energies
e. Transportation Board/contractor Fall 2007
3. Create an RFP project template
• Job creation
• Regional Impact
• Estimated Cost Board Fall/Winter 2007
4. Create a project prioritization process
• Scoring sheet
• Presentation by agencies/organizations Board/contractor Fall/Winter 2007
5. Publish RFP and receive regional projects from communities, ports, cities, etc. Board/contractor February 2008
6. Using prioritization process, identify viable projects that match CEDS overarching focus under umbrella topics Board/contractor March 2008
7. Identify in-house PDA projects to be included in CEDS document and begin identification of funding resources Board January-March
7. Hold hearings for project sponsors Board/contractor April 2008
8. Choose PDA sponsored projects through scoring and sponsorship Board April 2008
9 Compile and write first draft of CEDS 2008-09 document Board subcommittee May 2008
10 Finalize draft Board June 1, 2008
11 Submit 2008-09 CEDS document that includes identified projects to EDA Board July 1, 2008
12 Submit applications for project funding for both outside and in-house projects Partners and Board July 1, 2008
PDA minutes 9.27.07
PENINSULA DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
SERVING
JEFFERSON & CLALLAM COUNTIES
Board of Directors Meeting
September 27, 2007
Jamestown Community Center
1:30 p.m.
ATTENDEES
Board Members: Katherine Baril, Herb Beck, Bill Hannan, Marlin Holden, Tony Ingersoll, Laurie Medlicott, Will Purser, Linda Rotmark, David Sullivan
CALL TO ORDER:
MINUTES:
TREASURER REPORT:
Bill Hannan, treasurer is NOT running for re-election. Proposed and Approved auditing the books at the end of 2007 to ensure clean record for new officers.
PLANNING GRANT UPDATE
Success: got the approval from EDA---
NEW BUSINESS:
Port Recruitment Activities:
Herb talked about a port contract with Ian for $500 an aviation job
Ian reported Port has property/ land and must be aviation related- look for some aviated related industry- EDC will have a flat fee plus a finders fee of $500 an employee. . .Ian like to throw up an idea (not talked about with Board) I don’t see EDCs doing enough- we need to bring some real industry- PDA is best organization to do industrial level work because the EDCs are not of the scale as business recruitment (Thurston County funded with advertising by local business – serious effort to sell the area) . . .all the things that we are doing but not enough- EDC brought two projects- serious marketing program—
New PDA staff report:
Discussion of how and whether to hire a new coordinator of PDA funded by EDA funds.
Subcommittee Report: job description for new PDA Position
Katherine reported on the subcommittee results
Linda Rotmark- Dave Timmons was right we need a project manager
Marlan- if don’t give a tax incentive don’t get the new business
Ian- yes we don’t have the job skilled training and so you’d have to sweeten the pot- go to Olympia and lobby B&O tax to do this—
Marlan- it’s a workforce its training- its affordable housing. . .
Ian- tourism and health care lowest wages in the county- initially they will be imported people-
Rotmark- expect to spend $50,000?
Ian, no put together local advertisers. . . there are opportunities to get money
Rotmark- yes EDC does recruitment plan- but EDA is about further regionalizing the projects- benefit all of us—infrastructure—EDA not availing ourselves of USDA rural development- and EDC funds- this is what the planning grant does—it’s a planning grant not a recruitment grant—the planning grant helps us tell us as a region—
Bill Harnan- lead to $150,000 Barging money. . . want to see a couple of projects a quarter—
Herb- at port to port Quilcene we have a marina—others want to come in Broders and Gunstone but the problem ins the infrastructure – so the port does public water and over $100,000 to do the septic. . .
Bill Harnan- to achieve what’s necessary to get a major business here for Herb’s jobs- takes more than just the port doing it- more than EDC- when the port was working with Westport e.g. into the running against Anacortes and Westport for 100 jobs at $60,000 with benefits- the port had property. . . . it took tax incentives. . it took the college to create the training.. . now we’d have to tackle affordable housing- Westport wants to double and tripe- wall there for affordable housing and workforce- it takes a lot more collaboration than we had before that---
From PDA talk about affordable housing and workforce it’s a two county area and tackle the issue on a regional basis.
1) help overcome the obstacles
2) coordinate the mass collaborative effort to recruit
Ian – look at Arlington and you have 300 employees hired in a spectrum of industry.
Rotmark: identify scope of work- transportation, housing, fibre, workforce training and those are the regional priorities --- build capacity to compete for funds- these are our four big priorities that support economic development and start asking for people—give us a project- then link that with federal/ state funding. . . .
Bill: not think competitively but collaboratively
Rotmark- deal with the infrastructure that helps businesses do what they do. ..
Ian- where does the money come from?
Bill Hanan- we need to demonstrate collaboration
Doherty- everyone is going the same way together
Sullivan- build grants/ build team/ start part time and then build the organization. . . .
Doherty- this grant pays part time. . .
Outstanding Invoices/ Bills:
Invoice coming from Ian—Linda has problems with that First item on agenda when we see invoice
EDC role on the PDA_ next meeting
RCD NCW EDD Jay Kenhne. . .
EDA Proposal – Status report:
Ian: where are two EDC project. .1) the network for the visitors center and 2) workforce development.
Hanna: clarifies that when projects are bought forward the PDA blesses them but don’t fund them –don’t coordinate them- PDA just say it fits the perameters and the proponent has PDA support to move forward. .. it’s the proponent’s responsibility to move forward.
SERVING
JEFFERSON & CLALLAM COUNTIES
Board of Directors Meeting
September 27, 2007
Jamestown Community Center
1:30 p.m.
ATTENDEES
Board Members: Katherine Baril, Herb Beck, Bill Hannan, Marlin Holden, Tony Ingersoll, Laurie Medlicott, Will Purser, Linda Rotmark, David Sullivan
CALL TO ORDER:
MINUTES:
TREASURER REPORT:
Bill Hannan, treasurer is NOT running for re-election. Proposed and Approved auditing the books at the end of 2007 to ensure clean record for new officers.
PLANNING GRANT UPDATE
Success: got the approval from EDA---
NEW BUSINESS:
Port Recruitment Activities:
Herb talked about a port contract with Ian for $500 an aviation job
Ian reported Port has property/ land and must be aviation related- look for some aviated related industry- EDC will have a flat fee plus a finders fee of $500 an employee. . .Ian like to throw up an idea (not talked about with Board) I don’t see EDCs doing enough- we need to bring some real industry- PDA is best organization to do industrial level work because the EDCs are not of the scale as business recruitment (Thurston County funded with advertising by local business – serious effort to sell the area) . . .all the things that we are doing but not enough- EDC brought two projects- serious marketing program—
New PDA staff report:
Discussion of how and whether to hire a new coordinator of PDA funded by EDA funds.
Subcommittee Report: job description for new PDA Position
Katherine reported on the subcommittee results
Linda Rotmark- Dave Timmons was right we need a project manager
Marlan- if don’t give a tax incentive don’t get the new business
Ian- yes we don’t have the job skilled training and so you’d have to sweeten the pot- go to Olympia and lobby B&O tax to do this—
Marlan- it’s a workforce its training- its affordable housing. . .
Ian- tourism and health care lowest wages in the county- initially they will be imported people-
Rotmark- expect to spend $50,000?
Ian, no put together local advertisers. . . there are opportunities to get money
Rotmark- yes EDC does recruitment plan- but EDA is about further regionalizing the projects- benefit all of us—infrastructure—EDA not availing ourselves of USDA rural development- and EDC funds- this is what the planning grant does—it’s a planning grant not a recruitment grant—the planning grant helps us tell us as a region—
Bill Harnan- lead to $150,000 Barging money. . . want to see a couple of projects a quarter—
Herb- at port to port Quilcene we have a marina—others want to come in Broders and Gunstone but the problem ins the infrastructure – so the port does public water and over $100,000 to do the septic. . .
Bill Harnan- to achieve what’s necessary to get a major business here for Herb’s jobs- takes more than just the port doing it- more than EDC- when the port was working with Westport e.g. into the running against Anacortes and Westport for 100 jobs at $60,000 with benefits- the port had property. . . . it took tax incentives. . it took the college to create the training.. . now we’d have to tackle affordable housing- Westport wants to double and tripe- wall there for affordable housing and workforce- it takes a lot more collaboration than we had before that---
From PDA talk about affordable housing and workforce it’s a two county area and tackle the issue on a regional basis.
1) help overcome the obstacles
2) coordinate the mass collaborative effort to recruit
Ian – look at Arlington and you have 300 employees hired in a spectrum of industry.
Rotmark: identify scope of work- transportation, housing, fibre, workforce training and those are the regional priorities --- build capacity to compete for funds- these are our four big priorities that support economic development and start asking for people—give us a project- then link that with federal/ state funding. . . .
Bill: not think competitively but collaboratively
Rotmark- deal with the infrastructure that helps businesses do what they do. ..
Ian- where does the money come from?
Bill Hanan- we need to demonstrate collaboration
Doherty- everyone is going the same way together
Sullivan- build grants/ build team/ start part time and then build the organization. . . .
Doherty- this grant pays part time. . .
Outstanding Invoices/ Bills:
Invoice coming from Ian—Linda has problems with that First item on agenda when we see invoice
EDC role on the PDA_ next meeting
RCD NCW EDD Jay Kenhne. . .
EDA Proposal – Status report:
Ian: where are two EDC project. .1) the network for the visitors center and 2) workforce development.
Hanna: clarifies that when projects are bought forward the PDA blesses them but don’t fund them –don’t coordinate them- PDA just say it fits the perameters and the proponent has PDA support to move forward. .. it’s the proponent’s responsibility to move forward.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
PDA projects 7.27.07
Peninsula Development Association
Jefferson County Projects
Contents
Olympic Peninsula Visitor Center Reservation System
Water Quality Improvement project for Quilcene Port Facility
Quincy Street Dock Refurbishment
Marine Trades Apprentice Program
Olympic Peninsula Visitor Center Reservation System
Project Description
There is a need, expressed by many tourism related enterprises and the Olympic Peninsula Joint Marketing Board to provide the various Visitor Centers on the OP with a means to determine the availability or rooms, RV space, Transit booking, event tickets etc., through a centralized on-line availability/reservation system.
Phase I of the project would determine the computer hardware and software needs to create such a system and determine the costs of procurement, installation and user training. Local tourist, ferry and transit operators would be asked to partner in this project and assist in the determination of the features and technical specifications required to meet their needs. This phase would be conducted by the EDC and technical consultants who may include potential hardware/software vendors.
Estimated Cost of this phase is $30,000. Deliverables would be a recommendation on the technology direction and software solution with detailed estimates of procurement cost, installation cost and user training costs. In addition, an overall implementation schedule would be derived based primarily on vendor input.
If at this point the project is determined to be economically feasible and participation by subscriber businesses is sufficient then Phase II would be undertaken. Phase II would involve selecting a vendor for the system via a bid process, soliciting the funding and overseeing the implementation of the system and implementing the training process. At this early stage, it is difficult to estimate the total cost of the project other than by using averages of generic system costs. Assuming that the objectives can be met with off-the-shelf software and a minimum amount of local customization and estimate of 25,000 –30,000 per center is reasonable. For 7 centers that amounts to $175,000. Installation and training are typically ½ of the cost of these generic systems so that total cost of phase II would be $350,000 and take from 6 to 9 months.
Purpose
To increase OP revenues from tourism by providing a more convenient way for tourists to be informed of tourism opportunities in the county, to determine the availability of these facilities and make advanced reservations at any visitor center or, on-line from their homes.
Partners
Joint Marketing Board, Washington State Parks, possibly Washington State Ferry System
Benefits to the Olympic Peninsula
Increased Tourism activity and revenues
Estimated Total Project Cost: $380,000
Priority #2
Water Quality Improvement project for Quilcene Port Facility
Project Description
The Port of port Townsend operates a facility in Quilcene which services a number of Oyster businesses. Silting in Quilcene Bay has degraded the ability of this facility to provide clean water from the Hood Canal for required for Oyster Breeding. The market for Oysters continues to grow and local product is now being limited by the supply of fresh, clean water. The Port needs to extend the existing water supply system further into the Canal, into deeper cleaner water in order to increase the capacity without having to increase the capacity of expensive filtration and temperature control equipment.
Purpose
To increase Oyster production capacity in Quilcene Bay and provide jobs for about 28 more people.
Partners
Port of Port Townsend
NRCS RC&D
Coast Oyster
Benefits to the Olympic Peninsula
Jobs for 28 more people at an existing facility.
Estimated Cost
$425,000
Priority #4
Quincy Street Dock Refurbishment
Project Description
“Soundliner” tours is currently planning to use a 192ft Alaskan Ferry to operate Kayak, Bicycle and Walking tours at three of four destinations around the Puget Sound. The company is close to securing funding and is in the process of purchasing the vessel. The company has selected Port Townsend as one of its route “destinations” and would consider it as its “home base” if we had adequate facilities. The vessel is too large for either marina and for the NW Maritime Center who had offered use of their facility.
The Quincy Street Dock would be ideal for this purpose and for other large cruise boats we could entice to Port Townsend. The facility (currently owned by the City) is currently unserviceable and may require “upward of $1,000,000” to refurbish according to Port authorities. However, Soundliner is willing to contribute to this cost if it could be used as a permanent base.
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to research the feasibility and cost of refurbishing the dock, sharing it’s use with local restaurants and shops and converting it into a small cruise-boat center to develop tourism for the Peninsula.
Partners
City of Port Townsend
Port of Port Townsend
Joint Marketing Board
Soundliner
Victoria Express
Benefits to the Olympic Peninsula
Increased tourism revenues and several Marine jobs
Estimated Cost
Phase I: determine costs of dock refurbishment $60,000 (3 months)
Phase II: Actual refurbishment : between $1.6 and $2.0 million. (2 years)
Priority #3
Marine Trades Apprentice Program
Project Description
Several companies in both Jefferson County and Clallam County have expressed the need for more skilled people. Various attempts by local community colleges and the NW school of Wooden Boat building have not been able to satisfy this demand effectively. The industry is looking for a way to train (and cross train) the people they already have employed rather than hiring graduates from these Community College programs. Discussions with the owners of several of the local Marine Trade businesses indicate that there are shortages of very specific skills in both Clallam and Jefferson and these could best be filled by some kind of “apprentice” program. (we have in fact started this project “on a shoe string” with funds from the Marine Trade Association)
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to formally determine the current needs of the local Marine Trades in a very select group of skills (Composite Finishing for example) and then work with the Community Colleges and the NWWBS to provide a tailored curricula and obtain grants to fund instructors drawn from local industry.
Partners
Marine Trades Association
Townsend Bay Marine
Westport Marine
Olympic Workforce Development Council
NW School of Wooden Boatbuilding
Peninsula College
Benefits to the Olympic Peninsula
A shortage of skilled labor is one of the biggest problems in this industry. Solving the problem will enable the local industry to grow at the market rate.
Estimated Cost
Operating Costs : Instructors and Materials for the first year $120,000
Capital Costs: Additional building for welding instruction and composite finishing $400,000
Priority #1
Jefferson County Projects
Contents
Olympic Peninsula Visitor Center Reservation System
Water Quality Improvement project for Quilcene Port Facility
Quincy Street Dock Refurbishment
Marine Trades Apprentice Program
Olympic Peninsula Visitor Center Reservation System
Project Description
There is a need, expressed by many tourism related enterprises and the Olympic Peninsula Joint Marketing Board to provide the various Visitor Centers on the OP with a means to determine the availability or rooms, RV space, Transit booking, event tickets etc., through a centralized on-line availability/reservation system.
Phase I of the project would determine the computer hardware and software needs to create such a system and determine the costs of procurement, installation and user training. Local tourist, ferry and transit operators would be asked to partner in this project and assist in the determination of the features and technical specifications required to meet their needs. This phase would be conducted by the EDC and technical consultants who may include potential hardware/software vendors.
Estimated Cost of this phase is $30,000. Deliverables would be a recommendation on the technology direction and software solution with detailed estimates of procurement cost, installation cost and user training costs. In addition, an overall implementation schedule would be derived based primarily on vendor input.
If at this point the project is determined to be economically feasible and participation by subscriber businesses is sufficient then Phase II would be undertaken. Phase II would involve selecting a vendor for the system via a bid process, soliciting the funding and overseeing the implementation of the system and implementing the training process. At this early stage, it is difficult to estimate the total cost of the project other than by using averages of generic system costs. Assuming that the objectives can be met with off-the-shelf software and a minimum amount of local customization and estimate of 25,000 –30,000 per center is reasonable. For 7 centers that amounts to $175,000. Installation and training are typically ½ of the cost of these generic systems so that total cost of phase II would be $350,000 and take from 6 to 9 months.
Purpose
To increase OP revenues from tourism by providing a more convenient way for tourists to be informed of tourism opportunities in the county, to determine the availability of these facilities and make advanced reservations at any visitor center or, on-line from their homes.
Partners
Joint Marketing Board, Washington State Parks, possibly Washington State Ferry System
Benefits to the Olympic Peninsula
Increased Tourism activity and revenues
Estimated Total Project Cost: $380,000
Priority #2
Water Quality Improvement project for Quilcene Port Facility
Project Description
The Port of port Townsend operates a facility in Quilcene which services a number of Oyster businesses. Silting in Quilcene Bay has degraded the ability of this facility to provide clean water from the Hood Canal for required for Oyster Breeding. The market for Oysters continues to grow and local product is now being limited by the supply of fresh, clean water. The Port needs to extend the existing water supply system further into the Canal, into deeper cleaner water in order to increase the capacity without having to increase the capacity of expensive filtration and temperature control equipment.
Purpose
To increase Oyster production capacity in Quilcene Bay and provide jobs for about 28 more people.
Partners
Port of Port Townsend
NRCS RC&D
Coast Oyster
Benefits to the Olympic Peninsula
Jobs for 28 more people at an existing facility.
Estimated Cost
$425,000
Priority #4
Quincy Street Dock Refurbishment
Project Description
“Soundliner” tours is currently planning to use a 192ft Alaskan Ferry to operate Kayak, Bicycle and Walking tours at three of four destinations around the Puget Sound. The company is close to securing funding and is in the process of purchasing the vessel. The company has selected Port Townsend as one of its route “destinations” and would consider it as its “home base” if we had adequate facilities. The vessel is too large for either marina and for the NW Maritime Center who had offered use of their facility.
The Quincy Street Dock would be ideal for this purpose and for other large cruise boats we could entice to Port Townsend. The facility (currently owned by the City) is currently unserviceable and may require “upward of $1,000,000” to refurbish according to Port authorities. However, Soundliner is willing to contribute to this cost if it could be used as a permanent base.
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to research the feasibility and cost of refurbishing the dock, sharing it’s use with local restaurants and shops and converting it into a small cruise-boat center to develop tourism for the Peninsula.
Partners
City of Port Townsend
Port of Port Townsend
Joint Marketing Board
Soundliner
Victoria Express
Benefits to the Olympic Peninsula
Increased tourism revenues and several Marine jobs
Estimated Cost
Phase I: determine costs of dock refurbishment $60,000 (3 months)
Phase II: Actual refurbishment : between $1.6 and $2.0 million. (2 years)
Priority #3
Marine Trades Apprentice Program
Project Description
Several companies in both Jefferson County and Clallam County have expressed the need for more skilled people. Various attempts by local community colleges and the NW school of Wooden Boat building have not been able to satisfy this demand effectively. The industry is looking for a way to train (and cross train) the people they already have employed rather than hiring graduates from these Community College programs. Discussions with the owners of several of the local Marine Trade businesses indicate that there are shortages of very specific skills in both Clallam and Jefferson and these could best be filled by some kind of “apprentice” program. (we have in fact started this project “on a shoe string” with funds from the Marine Trade Association)
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to formally determine the current needs of the local Marine Trades in a very select group of skills (Composite Finishing for example) and then work with the Community Colleges and the NWWBS to provide a tailored curricula and obtain grants to fund instructors drawn from local industry.
Partners
Marine Trades Association
Townsend Bay Marine
Westport Marine
Olympic Workforce Development Council
NW School of Wooden Boatbuilding
Peninsula College
Benefits to the Olympic Peninsula
A shortage of skilled labor is one of the biggest problems in this industry. Solving the problem will enable the local industry to grow at the market rate.
Estimated Cost
Operating Costs : Instructors and Materials for the first year $120,000
Capital Costs: Additional building for welding instruction and composite finishing $400,000
Priority #1
Thursday, July 19, 2007
PDA planning grant 2007
Narrative
Background
The Olympic peninsula is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the West, The Straights of Juan de Fuca to the North, Admiralty Inlet and the Hood Canal to the East and Mason County to the South. Access from the mainland is limited to one highway ( HWY 101 from Olympia) and three ferries. The Hood Canal Bridge connects the Peninsula to Seattle via Bainbridge Island and Bremerton ferries. There are also ferries from Port Angeles to Victoria and from Port Townsend to Whidbey Island. There is no local passenger of freight rail service.
The region consists of two counties Clallam (pop 67,000) and Jefferson (pop 27,000). More than 95% of the region is National or State Park, the largest of which is the Olympic National Park, a major tourist attraction.
The incorporated cities in the area are:
Port Angeles 19,010
Port Townsend 8,865
Forks 3,175
Sequim 5,330
Total 36,380
Rural 57,620
Total Region 94,000
Until the mid 1980s, the Olympic Peninsula was a burgeoning economy based almost entirely on lumber, the area’s most abundant natural resource. Ecological regulation enacted at that time to protect the endangered Spotted Owl, soon put a major part of the local workforce out of a job and turned the entire region into an economic disaster area. The decline of the local fishing industry has exacerbated the economic problems and efforts to create a new basis for a sustainable economy in the area have been slow and not dramatically successful.
The fishing industry has not recovered and, more than twenty years after the cessation of logging, the last of the spotted owls are now being rounded up for a captive breeding program. Mitigation funding from the Federal and State government has hardly been proportionate to the scale of the economic disaster perpetrated by the Spotted Owl and much of that funding is scheduled to expire next year.
Change in Average wages 1990 to 2000 adjusted for inflation
Average wages in the region, (adjusted for inflation), actually decreased from 1990 to 2000. Unemployment exceeded 25% during this period. Economic Development Organizations were formed in both counties with a view to reversing this dire economic situation.
Recent Developments
Clallam County adopted a regional locally driven, self-sustaining “cluster” economic development model designed to leverage indigenous industry resources and assets. Clallam actively encouraged large retailers to locate in the county. Jefferson County did not adopt the “cluster” model until recently and discouraged major retailers from locating in the county.
The results of the efforts to develop the economy have been mixed. Average wages in the region are still 20-30% below the State Average. Public school enrollment in Jefferson County has declined to the point where many of the rural schools are not sustainable without property tax levies. Clallam County has seen a slight upturn in enrollment, a reflection of the fact that new family wage jobs are being created.
During the last 10 years, the region has attracted affluent retirees from California and elsewhere due to the natural beauty of the area and the low cost of housing. (relative to other areas) As a result of this increase in demand and a shortage of land suitable for residential building, local property values have soared and are now far beyond the reach of the typical average working family.
The current low unemployment rate of 4.5% is more a reflection of the exodus of our young job seekers to more lucrative job prospects off the Peninsula, and the influx of retirees (40% of the population vs. 25% in 2000) rather than any significant increase in available jobs. The total population has not grown significantly but the 25-50 population has decreased and the 50+ population has increased in both counties.
Most recent retail sales data also indicates that the region is lagging the State. The State of Washington enjoyed a record 9% increase in retail sales last year. Clallam increased by only 7% and Jefferson by a meager 0.8%, a reflection of the growth of the retail industry outside of Jefferson County.
Retail Tax Revenue/Growth 2005/2006
Area Taxable Retail Sales(millions) Retail Trade Only(millions) TRS/person Median Income
Clallam County $1020/ 7.2% $484/3.5 % $15,700 $42,367
Jefferson County $372/0.8% $119/2.1 $13,800 $42,620
Washington State $110,500/ 9% $49,400/7.5% $17,300 $51,794
Median Home prices were $231,000 in Clallam and $179,000 in Jefferson Co. in 2000 approximately 5 times the average regional wage. Today the median home price in Jefferson County is $312,000, 7.3 times the average wage. Clallam County faired slightly better with homes costing about 6.5 times the average wage. A two income family making average wages cannot afford the median priced home in this area.
Median Household Income 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2005 % of WA
Clallam County $38,052 $39,702 $39,863 $40,124 $41,108 $42,367 81.8%
Jefferson County $39,122 $40,923 $41,385 $40,852 $41,801 $42,620 82.3%
State of Washington $48,397 $49,286 $49,771 $50,664 $51,762 $51,794
A recent survey of local industries in Jefferson County clearly indicated that a lack of skilled workers is still a major issue. No survey has been made recently in Clallam, but anecdotal evidence suggests that the same problem prevails there. Jefferson County’s manufacturing industry is dominated by Port Townsend paper, the regions largest employer in the private sector. This company has struggled financially for several years and entered bankruptcy in 2006 from which it has recently emerged. The Marine trade industry has seen healthy growth in Port Angeles and Port Townsend in the past. Recently it has leveled off in Port Townsend largely due to a lack of available land zoned appropriately for expansion. Marine trades and Manufacturing in Clallam are continuing to grow at a modest rate.
According to this same survey, Jefferson County is still not a “business friendly” community. This view has been a common result of surveys conducted since 2003
Recent data on the relationship between the public and private sectors is not available for Clallam County.
The growth in Retail jobs paralleled the growth in trade and efforts by the State of Washington and the local Joint Marketing board stimulated tourism in the region. Similarly, the influx of retirees has resulted in an increase in the number of health care workers. Unfortunately, Retail, Health-Care and Tourism are the lowest paid sectors of the regional economy. Together they represent 43% of the total workforce but less than 35% of the payroll. In contrast, local government employs 9% of the workforce but accounts for 15% of the region’s payroll. Growth in these low-paid sectors, unless matched by similar growth in other sectors actually reduce the region’s average wage and strain the already short supply of low income housing.
Conclusions
While the region’s economic development efforts have made a difference, it is clear that not enough is being done to stimulate family wage jobs creation in the region. Growth created by increases in Tourism and the Health Care demands of our retirees will lead to more serious shortages of low income housing and will not create family wage employment opportunities. A major effort is required to increase or higher wage jobs and attract new industries to the area in addition to stimulating our indigenous economy. Some changes therefore need to be made to the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy submitted to the EDA in 2006.
To accomplish this the PDA needs accelerate its evolution from an “umbrella” role, coordinating the efforts of the local EDCs, to a regional development organization which identifies and focuses on broad projects which provide clear and immediate REGIONAL benefit. The PDA must reach out to all the regional organizations to create a prioritized list of these projects.
The PDA should revise the current (interim) CEDS and also create a detailed five-year plan of key economic development activity with measurable milestones and results. This plan should strengthen and focus the efforts to develop the indigenous industry clusters and include some radical changes in our approach to providing these industries with the skilled people they need. Effective, timely workforce development must be a top priority.
The PDA in conjunction with the local EDCs should embark on a major program to recruit new synergistic businesses to the area and to attract intellectual property developers who offer the opportunity for family wage jobs. Initially companies like this would have to import most of their employees, but eventually would provide family wage jobs to young people educated in the region. Attracting these industries requires identifying and building the modern technology infrastructure needed and providing incentives to these businesses to relocate.
The Scope of Work document attached and the interim CEDS update to be published shortly reflect these changes in direction.
Scope of Work
o Educate the PDA board in the Regional Economic Development process
o Determine concise, formal and measurable goals for the PDA. A reasonable goal would be “Achieve, within 5 years, a regional wage so that a dual-income family can afford the median price home” Set interim annual goals for Average Wage, Number of employees by sector and number of new businesses established
o Institute a formal Project Funding Application process and communicate the application process to all the relevant regional agencies. The application form should mirror EDA requirements to estimate the increase in jobs resulting from the project, the total cost of the project and the partners who support and promote the project.
o Create a formal “Project Review Committee” set regular meetings and develop funding criteria.
o Schedule the participation of Board members to participate in the developing the next CEDS and the five-year-plan according the procedures set out in the guidelines. Both the CEDS and the five-year-plan need to be a “living” document much like a business plan in the private sector where board members participate in its evolution and MEASURE their progress at least quarterly.
o Form Subcommittees charged with each of the major projects areas and have them report formally to the board with the same diligence as the treasurer might. The project areas must include
Workforce Development
o Skill set requirements
o Training requirements
o Joint ventures with local industry
Infrastructure Development
o Zoning
o Sewer & Water
o Fiber Optic and other technology
Solicitation strategy
o Determination of target industries and companies
o Determination of infrastructure and workforce requirement
o Highly targeted solicitation process.
Background
The Olympic peninsula is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the West, The Straights of Juan de Fuca to the North, Admiralty Inlet and the Hood Canal to the East and Mason County to the South. Access from the mainland is limited to one highway ( HWY 101 from Olympia) and three ferries. The Hood Canal Bridge connects the Peninsula to Seattle via Bainbridge Island and Bremerton ferries. There are also ferries from Port Angeles to Victoria and from Port Townsend to Whidbey Island. There is no local passenger of freight rail service.
The region consists of two counties Clallam (pop 67,000) and Jefferson (pop 27,000). More than 95% of the region is National or State Park, the largest of which is the Olympic National Park, a major tourist attraction.
The incorporated cities in the area are:
Port Angeles 19,010
Port Townsend 8,865
Forks 3,175
Sequim 5,330
Total 36,380
Rural 57,620
Total Region 94,000
Until the mid 1980s, the Olympic Peninsula was a burgeoning economy based almost entirely on lumber, the area’s most abundant natural resource. Ecological regulation enacted at that time to protect the endangered Spotted Owl, soon put a major part of the local workforce out of a job and turned the entire region into an economic disaster area. The decline of the local fishing industry has exacerbated the economic problems and efforts to create a new basis for a sustainable economy in the area have been slow and not dramatically successful.
The fishing industry has not recovered and, more than twenty years after the cessation of logging, the last of the spotted owls are now being rounded up for a captive breeding program. Mitigation funding from the Federal and State government has hardly been proportionate to the scale of the economic disaster perpetrated by the Spotted Owl and much of that funding is scheduled to expire next year.
Change in Average wages 1990 to 2000 adjusted for inflation
Average wages in the region, (adjusted for inflation), actually decreased from 1990 to 2000. Unemployment exceeded 25% during this period. Economic Development Organizations were formed in both counties with a view to reversing this dire economic situation.
Recent Developments
Clallam County adopted a regional locally driven, self-sustaining “cluster” economic development model designed to leverage indigenous industry resources and assets. Clallam actively encouraged large retailers to locate in the county. Jefferson County did not adopt the “cluster” model until recently and discouraged major retailers from locating in the county.
The results of the efforts to develop the economy have been mixed. Average wages in the region are still 20-30% below the State Average. Public school enrollment in Jefferson County has declined to the point where many of the rural schools are not sustainable without property tax levies. Clallam County has seen a slight upturn in enrollment, a reflection of the fact that new family wage jobs are being created.
During the last 10 years, the region has attracted affluent retirees from California and elsewhere due to the natural beauty of the area and the low cost of housing. (relative to other areas) As a result of this increase in demand and a shortage of land suitable for residential building, local property values have soared and are now far beyond the reach of the typical average working family.
The current low unemployment rate of 4.5% is more a reflection of the exodus of our young job seekers to more lucrative job prospects off the Peninsula, and the influx of retirees (40% of the population vs. 25% in 2000) rather than any significant increase in available jobs. The total population has not grown significantly but the 25-50 population has decreased and the 50+ population has increased in both counties.
Most recent retail sales data also indicates that the region is lagging the State. The State of Washington enjoyed a record 9% increase in retail sales last year. Clallam increased by only 7% and Jefferson by a meager 0.8%, a reflection of the growth of the retail industry outside of Jefferson County.
Retail Tax Revenue/Growth 2005/2006
Area Taxable Retail Sales(millions) Retail Trade Only(millions) TRS/person Median Income
Clallam County $1020/ 7.2% $484/3.5 % $15,700 $42,367
Jefferson County $372/0.8% $119/2.1 $13,800 $42,620
Washington State $110,500/ 9% $49,400/7.5% $17,300 $51,794
Median Home prices were $231,000 in Clallam and $179,000 in Jefferson Co. in 2000 approximately 5 times the average regional wage. Today the median home price in Jefferson County is $312,000, 7.3 times the average wage. Clallam County faired slightly better with homes costing about 6.5 times the average wage. A two income family making average wages cannot afford the median priced home in this area.
Median Household Income 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2005 % of WA
Clallam County $38,052 $39,702 $39,863 $40,124 $41,108 $42,367 81.8%
Jefferson County $39,122 $40,923 $41,385 $40,852 $41,801 $42,620 82.3%
State of Washington $48,397 $49,286 $49,771 $50,664 $51,762 $51,794
A recent survey of local industries in Jefferson County clearly indicated that a lack of skilled workers is still a major issue. No survey has been made recently in Clallam, but anecdotal evidence suggests that the same problem prevails there. Jefferson County’s manufacturing industry is dominated by Port Townsend paper, the regions largest employer in the private sector. This company has struggled financially for several years and entered bankruptcy in 2006 from which it has recently emerged. The Marine trade industry has seen healthy growth in Port Angeles and Port Townsend in the past. Recently it has leveled off in Port Townsend largely due to a lack of available land zoned appropriately for expansion. Marine trades and Manufacturing in Clallam are continuing to grow at a modest rate.
According to this same survey, Jefferson County is still not a “business friendly” community. This view has been a common result of surveys conducted since 2003
Recent data on the relationship between the public and private sectors is not available for Clallam County.
The growth in Retail jobs paralleled the growth in trade and efforts by the State of Washington and the local Joint Marketing board stimulated tourism in the region. Similarly, the influx of retirees has resulted in an increase in the number of health care workers. Unfortunately, Retail, Health-Care and Tourism are the lowest paid sectors of the regional economy. Together they represent 43% of the total workforce but less than 35% of the payroll. In contrast, local government employs 9% of the workforce but accounts for 15% of the region’s payroll. Growth in these low-paid sectors, unless matched by similar growth in other sectors actually reduce the region’s average wage and strain the already short supply of low income housing.
Conclusions
While the region’s economic development efforts have made a difference, it is clear that not enough is being done to stimulate family wage jobs creation in the region. Growth created by increases in Tourism and the Health Care demands of our retirees will lead to more serious shortages of low income housing and will not create family wage employment opportunities. A major effort is required to increase or higher wage jobs and attract new industries to the area in addition to stimulating our indigenous economy. Some changes therefore need to be made to the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy submitted to the EDA in 2006.
To accomplish this the PDA needs accelerate its evolution from an “umbrella” role, coordinating the efforts of the local EDCs, to a regional development organization which identifies and focuses on broad projects which provide clear and immediate REGIONAL benefit. The PDA must reach out to all the regional organizations to create a prioritized list of these projects.
The PDA should revise the current (interim) CEDS and also create a detailed five-year plan of key economic development activity with measurable milestones and results. This plan should strengthen and focus the efforts to develop the indigenous industry clusters and include some radical changes in our approach to providing these industries with the skilled people they need. Effective, timely workforce development must be a top priority.
The PDA in conjunction with the local EDCs should embark on a major program to recruit new synergistic businesses to the area and to attract intellectual property developers who offer the opportunity for family wage jobs. Initially companies like this would have to import most of their employees, but eventually would provide family wage jobs to young people educated in the region. Attracting these industries requires identifying and building the modern technology infrastructure needed and providing incentives to these businesses to relocate.
The Scope of Work document attached and the interim CEDS update to be published shortly reflect these changes in direction.
Scope of Work
o Educate the PDA board in the Regional Economic Development process
o Determine concise, formal and measurable goals for the PDA. A reasonable goal would be “Achieve, within 5 years, a regional wage so that a dual-income family can afford the median price home” Set interim annual goals for Average Wage, Number of employees by sector and number of new businesses established
o Institute a formal Project Funding Application process and communicate the application process to all the relevant regional agencies. The application form should mirror EDA requirements to estimate the increase in jobs resulting from the project, the total cost of the project and the partners who support and promote the project.
o Create a formal “Project Review Committee” set regular meetings and develop funding criteria.
o Schedule the participation of Board members to participate in the developing the next CEDS and the five-year-plan according the procedures set out in the guidelines. Both the CEDS and the five-year-plan need to be a “living” document much like a business plan in the private sector where board members participate in its evolution and MEASURE their progress at least quarterly.
o Form Subcommittees charged with each of the major projects areas and have them report formally to the board with the same diligence as the treasurer might. The project areas must include
Workforce Development
o Skill set requirements
o Training requirements
o Joint ventures with local industry
Infrastructure Development
o Zoning
o Sewer & Water
o Fiber Optic and other technology
Solicitation strategy
o Determination of target industries and companies
o Determination of infrastructure and workforce requirement
o Highly targeted solicitation process.
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