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Ten at the Top
Upstate News
January 10, 2012 - Vol 3, Issue 1 |
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UPCOMING SCHEDULE
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Jan. 12 - TATT Executive Committee Meeting - Trehel Corp. Office - 408 East North Street, Greenville - 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Jan. 31 - Our Upstate Vision Forum - BMW Zentrum - 3:00-5:00 p.m.
February 23 - TATT Board of Directors Meeting - Location TBD - 12:00-2:00 p.m. |
CONTACT US
| Dean Hybl
Executive Director
Ten at the Top
Email: dhybl@tenatthetop.org
Phone: 864.283.2315
Jacquelyn Fehler
Program Manager
Ten at the Top
Email: jfehler@tenatthetop.org
Phone: 864.283.2313
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LOCAL TRANSPORTATION ORGANIZATIONS APPROVE COLLABORATION AGREEMENT
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The agreement is also expected to help entice the region for economic development, reduce costs while improving efficiencies, improve communications regarding plans, projects and programs and better position the region for being awarded regional transportation grants.
While agreements of this nature are common among neighboring transportation planning entities across the nation, this is the first such agreement in the Upstate.
"There are many commonalities between what we are doing and what is being done at GPATS," said Jim D'Amato, Transportation Planning Manager for SPATS. "This agreement will allow us to formally identify where we can work together and increase efficiencies across the Upstate."
The agreement was approved by the SPATS policy board at their meeting on November 14th and by the GPATS policy board during their meeting on January 9th. The Appalachian Council of Governments agreed to serve as a third partner because they serve as the transportation planning organization for the non-urban areas in Greenville, Spartanburg and Pickens counties as well as for Cherokee, Oconee and Anderson. The hope is that this agreement will eventually also include the Anderson transportation planning agency as well as the other councils of governments that support the transportation needs in the non-urban areas within Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens and Union counties.
"By approving this MOU we have now sent a message that we are taking collaboration and regional planning for future transportation needs seriously here in the Upstate," said Rick Danner, Mayor of the City of Greer and a member of the GPATS Policy Board. "Hopefully this will help trigger greater coordination with state and federal authorities to ensure that they understand and support fulfilling the long-term transportation needs within this region."
In addition to the three partners, local cities and counties other organizations involved in the discussions that led to the Memorandum of Understanding include Greenlink, GSP Airport, SPARTA, Ten at the Top and Upstate Forever.
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REGISTER TODAY FOR THE JANUARY 31ST REGIONAL FORUM
|  Be sure and register today for the first Our Upstate Vision Forum of 2012, which will be held on Tuesday, January 31st, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. (reception to follow) at the BMW Zentrum. This is the first of four free forums that will be held during 2012 focusing on components of the Our Upstate Vision and how the Upstate can continue to be a great place to live, learn, do business and raise a family as we continue to grow.
The topic for the first forum is "Communicating Information Across the Upstate" and will include the official unveiling of the Upstate's new Information Hub, which is currently being developed through an initial grant from the Graham Foundation. The Upstate Information Hub will serve as a regional portal for existing web sites and information that residents are looking for across the Upstate.
In addition, the forum will include a discussion on Social Networks and how the increase use of the internet and Social Networks has changed how we access news and information.
Amy Wood, News Anchor for WSPA Television, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies and provide insight into how she uses social media and local information to increase her involvement in the local community.
She will also moderate a panel of local experts who have different perspectives on how technology has changed how we gather and disiminate information locally and across the globe.
Panelists will be Ryan Beck - President and Senior Designer of Mediasation, Steve Brandt - Publisher of the Greenville News, Robbin Phillips - President, Brains on Fire, and Todd Stephens - Director of the Spartanburg County Library System.
Click here for more information or to register for the forum.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the January 31st event or for the entire forum series. If you are interested in learning more about sponsorships please click here for a sponsorship packet or contact Brandy Humphries from the Hughes Agency at 864-271-0718 or brandyh@hughesagency.org.
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UPSTATE ELECTED OFFICIALS DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF REGIONAL COLLABORATION
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More than 100 elected and business leaders from across the Upstate gathered on January 5th to discuss the upcoming legislative session and how city, county, state and federal leaders can work together to ensure key issues impacting the Upstate are addressed.
This marks the third year that local elected leaders and business leaders have gathered for regular conversations about key issues facing the region. The series is sponsored through a partnership of seven regional organizations: Appalachian Council of Governments, Catawba Regional Council of Governments, Ten at the Top, Upper Savannah Council of Governments, Upstate Chamber Coalition, Upstate Forever and the Upstate SC Alliance.
Dan Hamilton, Chairman of the Upstate Legislative Caucus, provided an overview of what issues will likely be addressed during the upcoming legislative session. In addition, representatives from the Municipal Association of South Carolina and the South Carolina Association of Counties shared their legislative agendas.
Chip Felkel, CEO of The Felkel Group, provided a preview of the 2012 presidential election and U.S. Representative Mick Mulvaney also shared a federal government update.
The event concluded with a panel discussion including Greenville Chairman Butch Kirven, Spartanburg Council Member David Britt and Greer Mayor Rick Danner on the importance of cities and counties across the region working together on key issues.
The Upstate Elected Officials will meet twice more in 2012 with future meeting dates to be announced in the coming weeks.
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CAROLINA THREAD TRAIL HOSTING OPEN HOUSE SESSIONS IN CHEROKEE COUNTY
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 The Carolina Thread Trail, a regional network of greenways and trails in North and South Carolina, will be hosting a series of open house meetings in Cherokee County to receive additional public input on local trails.
Tuesday, February 28th
6:00 - 7:30pm
Spartanburg Community College, Gaffney Campus - Community Room
523 Chesnee Hwy. (Hwy. 11)
Gaffney, South Carolina
Thursday, March 1st
6:00 - 7:30pm
Blacksburg Community House
103 S. Shelby Street
Blacksburg, South Carolina
Tuesday, March 6th
6:00 - 7:30pm
Corinth Baptist Church
190 Corinth Road
Gaffney, South Carolina
For more information, go to the Carolina Thread Trail web site or contact their offices at 704-376-2556.
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2012 CATAWBA WATERSHED SUSTAINABLE GROWTH SPEAKER SERIES ANNOUNCED
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The South Carolina Rural Water Association, in partnership with a number of area businesses and organizations, will be hosting a speakers series to discuss components of sustainable growth. Though the sessions are being held in York and Kershaw Counties, the topics still have value for the Upstate and anyone interested in participating is invited to attend.
The January topic is Sustainable Growth and Economic Development and will include presentations from Milt Rhodes from New Urban Water Works, Dr. Christine Boyle from the UNC Finance Center and Jeff Allen from the Strom Thurmond Center. The programs run from 9 am-noon and identical sessions will be held each month in both counties. The January program will be held at the York County Baxter Hood Center on January 11th and the Kershaw County Government Center on January 25th. Topics for the remainder of the series include Sustainable Community Design and Strategic Watershed Based Planning, Alternate Stormwater and Site Design, Green Building and Xeriscaping and a Sustainable Growth Policy Roundtable. For more details and to register, go to the SCRWA web site or call 864-238-0505.
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TATT WELCOMES NEW BOARD MEMBERS
|  Ten at the Top has added fifteen new members to its current 50-member board comprised of business, non-profit and civic leaders from the ten different counties in the Upstate. The new members include:
* Greg Alexander - President & CEO - Laurens County Chamber of Commerce
* John Campbell - Partner - Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP
* Rick Davis - Managing Shareholder - Elliott Davis, LLC
* Joan Dilworth - Director, Employee Outreach - ScanSource Charitable Foundation
* Patricia Hartung - Executive Director - Upper Savannah Council of Governments
* Randy Imler - Executive Director - Catawba Regional Council of Governments
* Lisa Jones - Publisher - GSA Business
* David Lominack - Market President - TD Bank
* Jeff Quinley - Manager, Major Accounts - Charter Business
* Jeff Richards - Manager -Badcock Furniture - Clinton, SC
* Kayla Robbs - Executive Director - Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce
* Jim Shew - Regional Director - Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina
* David Sudduth - Administrative Director of Finance & Governmental Affairs - Bon Secours St. Francis Health System
* Frank Wideman, III - President - Self Family Foundation
* Doug Wilson - President & CEO - Broad River Electric Cooperative
TATT board members are charged with representing the region and their community in fostering trust and collaboration within the region, serving as an advocate for regional thinking within their specific city or county, assisting TATT in engaging elected officials, business and community leaders within their community, and supporting general organizational functions. They must also be willing to attend board meetings as well as other events or committee meetings as directed by the regional initiatives.
"These new members are a great addition to what is already one of the strongest and most engaged boards in the Upstate that is working together and within their communities on Our Upstate Vision which calls for the 10-county Upstate region to be universally recognized as one of the leading places in the United States to live, learn, do business and raise a family," said Neal Workman, in-coming TATT Chairman.
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TEN AT THE TOP THANKS FUNDING PARTNERS FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT
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| SHARE YOUR UPSTATE NEWS |  If your city, county or organization has news you want to share or an event you want to promote with people across the 10-county Upstate Region, send it to us and we will include it in the next Ten at the Top e-newsletter.
The TATT newsletter is typically distributed the first Monday of each month (except for when there is a holiday) to more than 6,500 residents across the Upstate. The deadline for submitting information is the Thursday prior to the first Monday of the month.
Send information about an upcoming event, special recognition or anything else you think is of regional interest to Dean Hybl. |
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