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2009 Committee Executive Committee & General Policy Council Meeting Schedule
DDAA Hosts 2009 GIS Conference
Mar. 30-Apr. 1 in Huntsville, Alabama
The Development District Assoc. of America (DDAA) will host its annual GIS Conference Mar. 310-Apr. 1. It will include Policy and Technical Tracks and a planned tour of the NASA GIS Operations at the Marshall Space Flight Center on March 30 .
Session topics will include:
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ESRI Updates
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Getting Your GISP Certification
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ARC Grant Recipients/Best Practices
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Emerging GPS Technology
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Google Maps/Google Earth
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ARC GIS Server
For details, call John Buzzard at 716-945-5301 ext. 208 or email: jbuzzard@southerntierwes
.org
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Development
DATA CENTER UPDATE
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November Ohio Unemployment Rates Noted
Ohio's unemployment rate
was 7.3 percent in November, unchanged from October.
Rates in the region:
Athens: 6.2%
Hocking: 8.1%
Meigs: 10%
Monroe: 9.4%
Morgan: 10.4%
Noble: 10%
Perry: 8.5%
Washington: 5.5%
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Closser Business Center Welcomes New Tenants
The Appalachian Development Corporation and Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District opened the Thomas A. Closser Business Center for regional business development. The Business Center welcomes two additional tenants. A-1 Contracting and Consulting, LLC, and Target Polymers, LLC, join the business incubator facility.
Located at 245 Millers Lane (CR 9) in Marietta, has space available for rent. The Center has leasable offices ranging from 99-209 square feet and is conveniently located near SR 7 and I-77. The two-story building has two conference rooms, storage space, kitchen area, four restrooms, and convenient parking.
Secretarial Support, high speed Internet, phone and fax provided for a small fee. In addition to housing the Buckeye Hills Revolving Loan Fund Program, five additional businesses call the Center home.
Call today for space and lease details: 740-374-9436.
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IN MEMORY
 Frank Joseph Hoffer, Jr.
1933 - Dec. 31, 2008
Frank Hoffer and Senior News were partners with The Area Agency on Aging 8 in supporting its Senior Expo as the Title Event Sponsor. Frank was an advocate and voice for issues related to aging.
Hoffer was the founder, owner, publisher, and editor of the monthly senior publication The Senior News in Parkersburg, WV, which was established in 1987. It serves markets in Wheeling, Charleston, Huntington, and Parkersburg, West Virginia, Steubenville, Marietta, and Athens, Ohio, and Ashland, Kentucky.
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Buckeye Hills Thanks Board Members for Service
The Buckeye Hills-HVRDD General Policy Council and Executive Committee are an integral part of the work and success of the programs offered.
Executive Committee President, Bob Daubenmier, (Hocking County) has been involved for more than 16 years. He hopes to continue serving on the General Policy Council. Four other members leaving the Executive Committee include: Gary Starner: Hocking (14 years); Charlie Cowgill: Noble (13 years); Sonny Block: Monroe (3 years) and Jim Sheets: Meigs (2 years).
Buckeye Hills offers these public servants sincere thanks and appreciation for their dedication and sharing their time and talents.
Shown with Exec. Director Misty Casto from left are: Charlie Cowgill
(Noble) and Bob Daubenmier (Hocking).
Buckeye Hills AAA8 RAC Continues Service
The Buckeye Hills General Policy Council has an advisory committee to the Area Agency on Aging 8. Representatives from across the eight-county region serve on the Regional Advisory Council (RAC) to support the efforts of the district.
Shown at the December year-end meeting with AAA8 Planner Mindy Cayton from left are representatives from the Monroe County Council on Aging: Commissioner Sonny Block; Stewart Burkhalter; Jean Ackerman and Betty Weber.
Buckeye Hills Receives Grant for Regional Energy Inventory Project
Buckeye Hills received an ARC grant to create an inventory of the energy businesses in the 29 counties of Appalachian Ohio. The inventory will be used to develop energy business clusters, linkages, and investment opportunities across the region.
Appalachia Ohio is home to a high concentration of energy companies, including coal-fired power plants, gas-fired plants, ethanol facilities, fuel cell companies, stirling engine companies,
a planned hydroelectric project, solar panel component companies, and a wide array of other companies that support these industries. Buckeye Hills will contract with Ohio University's Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs to develop the comprehensive inventory.
Data from the study will be entered into a database and geocoded to make it available via GIS. The data and GIS maps will be placed on firstohio.com or ce3.ohio.edu and made available to officials working on economic development. This resource would be the first-of-its-kind for the region.
ARC Appalachian Community Learning Project Wraps Up with Event in Athens
 Representatives from a variety of regional community projects gathered at The Dairy Barn in Athens last month to celebrate successes. The ARC's Appalachian Community Learning Project is a leadership development, training and mini-grant program. In the Buckeye Hills region, projects included: The Athens Photo Project (Athens), Nelsonville "We Feed 'Em" (Athens), Chesterhill Multi-cultural Genealogical Center (Morgan), Library Lifelong Learners (Monroe County), and the Chesterhill Broadband Access (Morgan). Shown at left from the Monroe County group are (front from left:) Lifelong Learner Carol Bonsall; Sue Moreland Program Manager for the ARC; and Lifelong Learner Karen Frank. (back from left:) Wanda Harris, GOA and Gwynn Clifford, Buckeye Hills.
Senator Sherrod Brown Releases Report
 Sherrod Brown is shown at a Town Hall-style meeting in Monroe County in early December.
In December,
Senator Sherrod Brown completed his meetings with community leaders in all of Ohio's 88 counties. His roundtable discussions have provided the opportunity to work with community leaders so that policies crafted in Washington reflect values across Ohio. Brown's office released a two-year report to Ohioans, detailing his work in the 110 Congress. Read a copy of the report by clicking here. Congressman Zack Space Wins Seat on Powerful House Energy & Commerce Committee
 Space's appointment represents a major accomplishment for Ohio. Serving on the prestigious committee, which has the jurisdiction over issues that affect the daily lives of virtually every American, is usually reserved for more senior members, but Space was able to win widespread support both from the Ohio delegation and across a wide range of states and interests.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee has the authority to impact health care, advanced energy development and conservation, broadband deployment, and biomedical research, as well as authority over the Economic Development Administration.
In his candidacy, Space received support from the Ohio delegation and delegations in Pennsylvania and Kentucky, all of whom believed that the unique concerns of the Midwest had been seriously underrepresented.
State Senator Tim Schaffer to Serve as Vice-Chair of Ways & Means Committee
 State Senator Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster) has been selected to serve as vice chairman of the Senate Ways & Means & Economic Development Committee. Having served as a member of the committee since joining the State Senate in 2007, and serving on the Ways and Means Committee in the Ohio House, Senator Schaffer is familiar with Ohio's tax code and the issues being addressed by the Ways & Means & Economic Development Committee. |
AAA8 Receives Housing Program & Homeless Assistance Grants to Assist Region
$384,400 Housing Assistance Grant
The Office of Housing and Community Partnerships within the Ohio Department of Development has awarded Buckeye Hills a $384,400 Housing Assistance Grant to serve the eight county district. The grant is an increase of $184,400 above the funding received during the last grant cycle.
Added to this program are $ 40,000 from the Senior Block Grant and $100,000 from the USDA Rural Development program making the program total $524,400. The grant funding goal is to improve the living conditions of 110 homes in the district.
The Housing Assistance Grant is used for Handicap Modifications and minor home repair where the occupants met the 35% area median income guideline and the project meets the requirements set forth by the Ohio Department of Development Office of Housing and Community Partnerships.
Buckeye Hills' AAA8 has found that one of the most pressing needs for seniors is the modification of the home for personal mobility. The largest percentage of work accomplished is in the form of bathroom redesign (because of decreased mobility) followed closely by entry ramps where the senior can no longer negotiate steps without risk of falling.
$120,000 Homeless Assistance Grant
The Office of Housing and Community Partnerships within the Ohio Department of Development has approved Buckeye Hills grant request for four counties (Monroe, Noble, Washington and Morgan) for a Homeless Assistance Grant Program through the Ohio Housing Trust Fund.
In the past this funding source was never accessed and Buckeye Hills was provided the opportunity through our association with the local Continuum of Care Coalitions in these counties.
The Housing Assistance Grant of $100,000 will include:
- $65,000 to help those whom have a pending foreclosure and hope to help 47 families at an average cost of $1,383 per family. Maximum assistance is 3 months mortgage payments. Clients can not exceed the 50% Area Median Income (AMI) limit. This combined with any dollars that the family has should be enough to stem the foreclosure on the property. We have coordination agreements with all 4 Clerk of Courts and the Southeast Ohio Legal Aid who does the court required mediation process between the client and the lender.
- $25,000 for Rental eviction cases with the intent of helping 17 families at a cost of $1,471 OR 3 months rent maximum to stop the eviction process but a maximum income of 35% AMI. Once again are agreements with the Clerk of Courts will be used for identifying potential clients.
- $10,000 for placement of someone that is homeless or living in a shelter will be used in the hopes of helping 8 families or 12 individuals obtain decent housing at a cost of $1,250 per household. These funds have a maximum of three months rent, however that can be used for security deposits, utility deposits and rent in combination. Potential clients must be at 35% AMI.
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AROUND THE DISTRICT:
Athens County: Third Frontier Grant Awarded to Athens Manufacturing Company
Global Cooling Manufacturing in Athens was awarded a $1 million grant by the Ohio Dept. of Development through its Third Frontier Advanced Energy Program. The company produces Stirling coolers for commercial and consumer use that reduce the energy consumption and environmental impact of refrigeration. An estimated 200 jobs could be created during the next five years with half of those in Athens. The grant will help develop a new cooler with six times more capacity capable of reaching temperatures as low as minus 170-200 degrees Celsius. The new product could have applications in biomedical, materials sciences and pharmaceutical fields.
Athens Area Chamber Names New President
 Wendy Jakmas was hired Monday as the new Athens Area Chamber of Commerce president. According to current Chamber CEO Jennifer Simon, Jakmas has been a dedicated volunteer with the organization for several years.
Jennifer Simon is the current CEO of the chamber and president of the Athens County Economic Development Council. However, the chamber and economic development departments will part ways in 2009. Simon will continue as the president of the Athens County Economic Development Council, which will relocate to the Innovation Center on West Union Street. The chamber will remain at its current location on East State Street.
Meigs County: Pomeroy-Mason Bridge Ribbon Cutting
The Ohio Department of Transportation District 10 hosted the ribbon cutting and opening of the Pomeroy-Mason Bridge on State Route 833 in Pomeroy on Dec. 30 with state and local officials from Ohio and West Virginia. The new bridge replaces the Pomeroy Mason Bridge built in 1928. The old bridge is now closed to traffic and will be dismantled.
Local and state officials from both Ohio and West Virginia gathered for an official ribbon cutting ceremony. A formal dedication for the Bridge of Honor will be held in the spring.
 Shown with State Rep. and Senator-elect Jimmy Stewart was Christi Mash representing Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland. The bridge is dedicated to three honorees: the late Staff Sgt. Jimmy Stewart, Cpl. Edward A. Bennett and Gen. James Hartinger. The bridge honors them and all the men and women who serve and defend the United States.
 Meigs County Commissioner Mick Davenport called the bridge a "focal point for this valley for years to come. The old Pomeroy Mason Bridge connected these communities for quite some time and now this new bridge continues that bond."
Morgan County: Bill Morgan to Serve as McConnelsville Administrator
The new McConnelsville Village Administrator, Bill Morgan, began his duties in Morgan County in mid-December. Morgan comes from Barnesville where he served as Village Administrator and head of the Belmont Port Authority. He replaces John McCort who retired in 2008.
Hocking County: Hocking Energy Institute Receives ARC Grant of $48,500
The Hocking College Energy Institute received a $48,500 federal grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The federal funds will support the college's new Energy Institute, which will train at least 175 students to work in the advanced energy technology sector.
"This is great news for Hocking Technical College," said U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). "These federal dollars will help train the next generation of energy experts. By investing in renewable energy, we can create new jobs and make Ohio the Silicon Valley of Alternative Energy."
Set to open in 2009, the institute will provide 12,000 sq. feet of training and lab space for organizations that are producing new energy products. Training in wind and solar energy development, biofuels production, and fuel cell production will be included in the programs offered.
Ventaire, Inc. - Receives Rapid Outreach Grant $50,000
Ventaire, Inc., located in Logan (Hocking County), received a $50,000 Rapid Outreach Grant from The Ohio Dept. of Development for the costs associated with the acquisition of machinery and equipment in support of the company's expansion. Ventaire, established in 1946, is a privately owned company that designs, manufactures, and erects metal construction products and finished structures for the retail petroleum, fast food restaurant, big box retail, and other end-user markets. This $1.2 million project is expected to create 50 positions.
Washington County: Solsil Receives State Grant
Solsil, Inc. received a $750,000 Rapid Outreach grant to assist in purchasing equipment for the high-purity silicon processing plant near Waterford. The $55 million project is expected to create 30 and retain 40 jobs within its first three years of operation. Preparation work has begun on the site on Wells Road in Waterford Township. The project also received a $2.8 million tax credit and a $10 million low-interest loan to help make Ohio the location of choice.
A partnership of organizations has formed to make necessary offsite infrastructure improvements for the project, including: the State of Ohio, Washington County Commissioners, Washington County Engineer's Office, Washington County Auditor's Office, Waterford Township, the Village of Beverly, Tri-County Water, Waterford Water & Sewer Association, Wolf Creek Schools, Southeastern Ohio Port Authority and Buckeye Hills Regional Development District.
"Not only will this project create needed, family-supporting jobs locally, but it will also help solar energy to become more widespread and cost-effective globally," said Mike Jacoby, Executive Director of the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority. "I am really pleased to see another groundbreaking innovation come out of Washington County, and I am gratified the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority will be able to add value to the project."
Hands-On Mobile Training Now Available
 Thanks to the efforts of the Mid-Ohio Valley Maintenance Council, a $250,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and The Washington County Career Center - Adult Technical Training, a mobile industrial training unit is now available to regional employers at an affordable cost. Counties served include Washington, Morgan, Monroe, Noble, Meigs, Athens, Hocking and Perry. The Mobile Industrial Training includes:
· Instrumentation
· Electricity
· Maintenance
· Safety
· Customized Industrial Topics
· Computer
· Communication
· Leadership and more.
The mobile labs will be developed based on employers' specific training needs. Funding assistance for training costs may also be available. Advanced scheduling is now available by calling 740-373-6283 or 800-648-3695. Learn more at www.mycareerschool.com. | |
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