Greetings and welcome to Friday!
Susan and I got back on Tuesday night from a ten-day romp in the high Rockies, based in Leadville (elevation: 10,200 ft). Six years ago, I almost took a job doing economic development there (for an EDO that is now defunct) – so we thought it’d be a great place to revisit and escape to the mountains. We crossed the perilous Independence Pass (twice!), took a mountain train ride, rode UTVs up to the peak of Prospect Mountain (in the Mosquito Range), explored the abandoned silver mines of the 1880s and drank wine nightly under the watchful granite eyes of Mount Massive and Mount Elbert (the two highest peaks in the Rockies). What a ball!
Here’s our staff update for the week:
Broadband::
This week, we received an initial walk-through of the “Rapid Design Study” for Lincoln County put together by Breaking-point Solutions. This work was done as part of the EDA Broadband Feasibility grant for Lincoln, Linn and Benton counties. It’s a very complex, multi-layered tool that provides a wonderful scaffolding and baseline from which to start conversations and eventually work to prepare a BEAD infrastructure application by year’s end. – Paul
Community Connecting::
Leslie and I received word this week from the Ford Family Foundation’s legal team that they can indeed enter into a grant agreement with a 501c6 (previously, that was not possible). We received a list of documentation and steps required to receive funding from the FFF – none of it is too arduous or goes beyond information we already have at the ready for other grantors. Leslie and I will be meeting next week to see how we can set things up to continue the Community Connector position within EDALC – we’ll keep you posted! – Paul
Creative Economies::
For ART Toledo this week, I created a vendor survey and sent it to all the vendors from the July 1st Art, Oysters & Brews and thanked them for their participation. So far the responses have been positive! I updated the current website with new vendor guidelines and some promotion for the Michael Gibbons mural presentation that is happening during the August 5th Art, Oysters & Brews. I also wrote and sent out a press release for that event. For further marketing, I added the August 5th AOB and mural dedication onto the KLCC and Corvallis Gazette times event calendar. – Sarah
Innovation:
This week, I pulled together a second round of invites to the Cascades West Innovation Hub listening sessions to be held next week and in early August. I was helped out by our own Gregory Price and Anne Whittington of the COG – it’s the next step in putting together a report and potential application for a fully function ing (through probably virtual) Cascades West I-Hub. – Paul
Project Work::
This week I organized the office and got ready for the OCCC all managers meeting being held at the Waldport building. I continued to work on the major employers report and summer newsletter. I updated the opportunities for entrepreneurs slider on the EDALC website and updated Oregon Prospector entries. Lastly, I started to put together the board meeting minutes from June’s board meetings. – Sarah
Supporting Our Partners::
Cascades West Council of Governments/Economic Development District – This week (after a pretty long dry spell for applications) the Loan Review Subcommittee came together to consider and confer on a refinance for an existing loan portfolio. – Paul
Newport Chamber – Today, I had a working lunch with new Chamber Executive Director Wayne Patterson. We discussed the Chamber, the tourism leg of our regional economic stool and ways we can collaborate together in the future. I think he’s going to be the change agent the Chamber needs! – Paul
OCCC – Jeanette Campagna and I continued planning the OCCC Foundation board retreat on August 3rd (before our BoD meeting). I also took the oath of office and participated in my first OCCC School Board meeting. -Paul
Upcoming::
Next week, Sarah and I (plus Mark Farley) will be meeting with Courtney Flathers (South Valley/Mid-Coast Regional Solutions Coordinator for the Governor’s office) and Laura Engstrom (our new Business Oregon Regional Development Officer) to discuss general Lincoln County economic development, plus upcoming Blue Economy priorities. – Paul
As a reminder – your Board of Directors resource page is here:
Thanks for ALL that you are doing out there! Please reach out to me if you need anything at all. Have a wonderful weekend!
Cheers,
-Paul 🙂