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--
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