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.