Welcome
Deborah Tootle opened the meeting and welcomed everyone. Sandra Thompson and Gae Broadwater agreed to take notes in the secretary's absence.

CSREES/USDA Report - Sally Maggard
Sally provided a written update report.

PLC Update - Gae Broadwater and Tony Windham
Next year's meeting will run Monday through Friday (rather than Sunday through Thursday as in previous years). The dates are August 27-31, 2007; PLN will meet Tuesday through Thursday. The group is looking for a hub city rather than having a host state.

NACDEP
The National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals was accepted into the Joint Council of Extension Professional (JCEP). The next meeting is April 16-19, 2007, Declaration of Interdependence: The Fabric of Community , in Philadelphia. We the People-Building Inclusive Communities is the theme of the pre-conference workshop. September 29 is the deadline for conference proposals such as posters, success stories and projects, program curricula, and research.

The 2008 conference will be part of the Galaxy conference with FCS, 4-H/Youth, and Natural Resources organizations in Indianapolis.

---

State Reports

A new system was put in place this year for online submission of state reports. Please review the template to make clarifications and recommendations on how to use in the future. We will discuss this item, including a discussion on consistency, on the next conference call.

University of Tennessee Update
George introduced Michael Wilcox as the Tennessee state contact for future endeavors. Dayton Lambert will join the Tennessee staff as a teaching and research economic development specialist. University of Tennessee has an opening for 100% Extension appointment for an endowed chair in agribusiness and a Ph.D. is not required. Check their website for more information.

FAMU Update
Sandra Thompson announced that FAMU is hosting a Creating Business Success Conference, October 8-11, 2006 in Tallahassee, and she shared a flyer with details of that announcement.

Tuskegee Update
Ntam Baharanyi announced staff changes at Tuskegee in that he is now Extension Team Project Leader for Community Economic Development.

NCSU Update
Ed Jones announced that Jim Zuiches has now joined NC State as Vice Chancellor for Extension, Engagement and Economic Development.

University of Kentucky Update
Steve Isaacs announced that Kentucky will be hiring a 2 nd fine arts agent for a 2-year period with funding from state legislature.

Auburn Update
Joe Sumners from Auburn created a new unit - Economic and Community Development Institute, combing resources of university and Extension.

Puerto Rico Update
Ruth Lebron from Puerto Rico shared a written report and announced that she is the new program leader for CRD (and also for 4-H). There are 3 specialists in support of their program area. They have a new Spanish CRD curriculum. For the first time, there is CRD cooperation with other units in Sea Grant and Land-Grant.

Mississippi State Update
Alan Barefield announced that Mississippi State has a new Associate Extension director/operating officer - Will McCarty.

Virginia Tech Update
Brian Calhoun announced that Mark McCann was named permanent director July 1. Brian also was able to give up the FCS responsibilities, and that Ray Ali from West VA state is joining them as director of field operations. The sixth community viability specialist will be joining their staff on July 1. An endowed chair for community viability position is in the works.

LSU Update
LSU wants to fill the vacancy that was left by Deborah Tootle's move to Arkansas. The position is posted on the LSU AgCenter website.

Clemson Update
Dave Lamie suggested that the reporting system needs a heading/category for institutions to share information that may have implications for other states and the region.

---

Annual Plan of Work

For the past year we had six items, and five of the items focused on CECP (Cooperative Extension Curriculum Project) modules.

[Alan Barefield provided an explanation of CECP. It is only located in the Southern Region as on-line, internal professional development for Extension agents and specialists.]

PLN - Program Leadership Network - includes directors, administrators, committee members, etc.

PLC consists of 2 representatives from each of the 8 program committees.

The annual report is an accountability process from the Program Committee to the PLC so that emerging issues can be identified and inform decision-making for PLC.

Work plan discussions around CECP modules were discussed and are listed below in these notes.

• The items for this year's work plan need to report their status toward completion by October 1.
  
  CECP Modules
  Alan shared information from a meeting between CECP and eXtension representatives. There is now movement to make CECP working space available on eXtension's wiki site for content of curriculum development. What is not available on wiki that is available on TAMU's site is the testing features and tracking. Also, the appearance of these materials needs to be standardized. CECP has this feature available so that this does not need to be of concern to the specialist(s) developing the materials.
  
• Alan has been developing a list of reviewers and will circulate so that it can be updated (LINK).
  
• Sally Maggard asked the group to consider how to develop how to systematically collect impact data-what did agents and specialists do as a result of these training activities, etc?
  
  1. Economic Diversity - Mike Woods reported that he ready to share an on-line economic development training modules that is now available on WebCT. It is in draft form with materials, test questions, etc. These materials are ready for review and editing.
  • This is ready for technical review.
    
  2. Natural Resources - George Smith shared the worked completed on this module, which is taken from an EPA package. This was accomplished with permission from EPA. It may be viewed at http://cecp.ag.utk.edu . There are 17 modules with a brief description for each. The SRDC has hired a student to transpose these materials into CECP codes.
  • This work is ready for a technical review.
    
  3. Leadership & Civic Engagement - Greg Taylor provided an update on the work on Building Connections: Community Leadership Program , http://buildingconnections.tamu.edu , 4 chapters, 14 modules developed by Chris Boleman and Greg Taylor, Texas Cooperative Extension. The website is open to anyone and for a nominal fee it may be purchased in hard copy-notebook, CD, etc.
  • It is ready for technical review and to be transposed into the CECP format.
    
  4. Decision Making/Asset Mapping - Deborah Tootle reported that she and Bo will work with John Allen to prepare it for WebCT or Blackboard and then move it toward CECP.
     
  5. Community Services - Ed Jones did not have anything to report to date. The focus will be organized around disaster preparedness. Bo reported that there are topics under e-commerce, such as community connectivity, that may fit into this section.
     
  6. Cashing in on Business - is folded into economic diversity.

Nomination Committees
These will report back on Tuesday afternoon with nominees for the following positions:

CRD Program Committee Secretary (needs be to 1862 member to fit into the rotation)- Gae Broadwater, Greg Taylor, Tony Windham

NACDEP slate from Southern Region - Brian Calhoun and Bo Beaulieu

Certification
Deborah reported on the discussions that have occurred in the thinking of developing this process. There are a number of options for acquiring education including NC Region, TAMU, NACDEP, and CECP. Bo has proposed a set of coursework that would ask people to take 18-hr of work - with an emphasis on (1) Economic Development and Community Services and (2) Leadership and Civic Engagement.

We already have these emphases.

1 st Step

2nd step work on credits & management - Henry Finley, Bo Beaulieu & Deborah Tootle, assigned to certification committee

---

Southern Rural Development Center Report - Bo Beaulieu's Report:

Listening Session on Entrepreneurship
Presented map of where listening sessions have taken place; 8 sessions were implemented in the south. Can find information on SRDC site at http://srdc.msstate.edu/entrepreneurship/. Total of 35 implemented nationwide. Contracted with a private entity to compile the 8 reports.

Mike Wood's graduate student has been synthesizing the reports from all 4 regional centers. Identified major & minor themes in each regions and nationally. Beginning to synthesize questions (FAQ) that came out of the listening sessions, the outcomes will benefit eXtension.

Jenny Fertig of WVSU- developing a model....

Bo Beaulieu-Key highlights from the Listening Sessions:

Youth entrepreneurship

Financing Options

Developing legislative policy around support of entrepreneurship

Looking at broadband

What makes a community entrepreneurial

One-stop system

eXtension will be looking to synthesize curriculums; Want to create an entrepreneurship resource team (national team). Regional resource teams will be the base to pull representatives for placement on the National Resource Team. Regional development centers have been assigned responsibility for establishing community of practice.

Community interest: Constituents

Discussion of how sites for listening sessions were determined. Sites selected from applicants who did not receive funding.

Roundtables
Want to establish a new strategic plan. 14 states involved. Surveys are being used to help determine priorities. CRD members were asked to present the number of roundtable participants. In general there was a diverse base of participants, however, some states did not have diverse representation. Also want to invite non-Land-Grant participants. Dr. Blackwell will provide contact info for Alabama Arise to participate in a regional follow-up synthesizing meeting. The final reports to date area available at http://srdc.msstate.edu/sp/06staterdroundtables.htm.

What will come out of the October meeting
Kellogg gave $50,000 for the initiative. A survey will be submitted to evaluate SRDC at the October meeting.

e-commerce update
In the next several months there will be six curricula. They will be accessible in electronic format via SRDC. Will get e-commerce money to keep the information relevant.

Partnership with SARE regarding sustainable Ag- RFP available at http://www.southernsare.uga.edu/scig_page.htm. Due date 11/28/06. Level 1= $10,000. Level 11 - $50,000.

Southern Region Information Tool Kit - Comprehensive data based on areas: county level, regional, state and national. Site will launch as http://srit.srdc.msstate.edu. Delta revitalization effort provided some monies to develop site. Frequency of updates has not been determined. It is necessary for users to inform SRDC of the need for the site.

Success Stories

Some responses provided. Six to eight are being edited for presentation.

Group called Latino Task Force - find people who could help develop a training program in community development; help their communities know that their communities or changing

Q/A

Strategic Planning Effort
State Roundtables
Regional Roundtables Convening
Electronic Survey

Training Activities

Annual Plan of Work

Continue work on modules for the review process:

Economic Development -Complete review & ready for CECP approval by 8/1/07

Natural Resource Module - Complete review & ready for CECP approval 8/1/07

Leadership and Civic Engagement - Complete review & Ready for CECP approval 8/1/07

Decision Making (module) Tools --
Asset Mapping review & ready for CECP approval 8/1/07
Data Took Kit to be vetted and beta tested by 1/2007

Community Services module vetted & ready for CECP approval by 8/1/07

Develop organizational plan for the certification plan by 8/1/2007

E-Commerce Training - Monies to bring e-commerce training electronically. Two to three curriculums will be ready for March. Bo, Mike & Alan will determine a date. An RFP will be coming out for e-commerce via SRDC.

Need to articulate the CRD plan of work for disaster recovery

Explore development of a database on bio/renewable energy resources; Determine the relationship between community and economic development and agricultural economy and bio-base/bio-energy resources.

Other conversation:

Based on suggestion by Dave Lamie, a recommendation was made to explore with FCS Program Committee regarding how CRD may want to approach the impact of "meth" in communities. Sally Maggard and Bo Beaulieu will bring up on the next conference call between Regional Rural Development Centers and the health and obesity initiative and inquire about FCS involvement on this issue.

Ntam Baharanyi asked group to consider how the regional resources can be made more accessible to the 1890's and how to strengthen the need for CRD work.

Alan Barefield brought up that there is the SERA 19 Health Group (Southern Extension Research Activity). Next meeting will be at the Preister Conference next year in Kansas City. Please give him the names of anyone doing Extension health work including their contact information.