Greetings and welcome to Friday – I hope everybody had a productive week and maybe even learned something new!

Here’s our update for the week –

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Suzan’s week:

* Daily/ weekly routine tasks
* Update database
* Study/research QBO
* Minutes
* Deposited checks/post in QBO
* Office & desk reorganization
* Staff meeting
* Submit timesheet
* Invoice

 

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Paul’s week:

Toledo Arts District – On Tuesday, folks gathered for a second time (I Zoomed in from PDX) to discuss enhancing downtown Toledo with an emphasis on making Main Street an arts district. A number of low-cost, high-priority projects were identified, and we had some break out sessions to plan work going forward. I’ll be working with Mayor Cross to reach out to absentee commercial landlords. I’ll also be assisting with a “phantom gallery” project – a way to energize empty storefronts with portable front-window art galleries.

Fire Impact on Businesses – We (Dave Price, Bethany Grace Howe and myself) had several calls and emails this week with BusinessOregon to try to get a handle on just how many businesses were adversely affected by the Echo Mountain fire. It turns out that it’s a non-trivial question to answer, since a number of folks operated “under the radar” with unregistered businesses and gig work. It looks like this process will take some time, since many of the most profoundly affected are still numb and dealing with the incredible changes in their lives.

Stakeholder Listening Sessions – I spent some time this week reworking the single-pager providing some context to these sessions (after some great feedback from Commissioner Hunt), and have the invites ready to have Kristi Peter at the county send out. I also set up the Zoom meetings and built the partially-empty polls that we’ll use to assess priorities during those listening sessions in November.

Community and Economic Development Grant – I met with Kristi Peter about the grant process this week. Currently, there are three applications in the new system, with a deadline of 10/29. I’ll get digital copies of the applications out to the board, and we’ll make our recommendations during our 12/3 board meeting – the Commissioners will review our recommendations on 12/21 with final awards decisions being made on 1/4.

Blue Economy & Marine Innovation Center – There was an inspiring and high-energy kick-off call this week on work to make the Marine Innovation Center (“The MIC”) a reality – I know a number of you were on that call. After the call, I sent some thoughts and comments off to Mark Farley and Rachael Maddock-Hughes. Looking forward to helping in this wonderful initiative to grow the Blue Economy in our region.

DEI Training – This week was the first session of our several-week-long Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training, provided by Travel Oregon. It’s a small class of about 15, but out of the gates, we’ve already learned a lot and most of us were a bit uncomfortable, which I think is how it’s supposed to go. I’m really looking forward to this program and doing a deep dive into whatever unconscious biases I have lurking under the surface!

OEDA – The Oregon Economic Developers Association’s annual conference is going virtual this year and will run Monday through Wednesday next week, with sessions wrapping up before 1pm each day. Looking forward to learning from and networking with other statewide economic development practitioners.

Online Bill Pay – We’ve got online bill pay now activated (as of Monday) and I’ve begun work entering in our payees into the system. So looking forward to streamlining our process and not having to drag folks in for their signatures!

Office Update – We have Suzan nearly set up in her new desk and I found a home for her old desk – it’s going to be helping a family out with a couple of kids doing online schooling. We’ve got a little more moving to do and also setting up new surge protectors and a pair of nifty cordless phones. Another week or two and we’ll be ready to get some art up on the walls!

Have a great weekend! Thanks for all that you are doing out there! Please reach out to me if you need anything at all.

 

Cheers,

-Paul 🙂