Present:

Harry Strawn, Auburn University
Virgil Culver, Mississippi State University
Greg Taylor, Texas A&M University
Hank Cothran, University of Florida
Alan Barefield, Southern Rural Development Center
Ed Jones, North Carolina State University
Bo Beaulieu, Southern Rural Development Center
Bonnie Teater, Southern Rural Development Center
Larry Arrington, University of Florida
Warren McCord, Auburn University
Sally Maggard, CSREES
Dana Glenn, West Virginia State College

Advisor Reports (Larry Arrington)

• No news

PLC Update (Ed Jones)

• Last meeting: December, 2002
  
  
• Discussed: Splitting IT and Communications into 2 different committee
  
  
• Directors approved reorganization of Southern Region PLC
  
  
• Southern PLC Meeting is August 24-27 - Directors will come in on Tuesday and stay through Thursday or Friday
  
  
• Each of the program groups will need to come up with a work plan. CRD group might be a model for their groups.
  
  
• CCEP taxonomy must be coordinated across groups

SRDC Update (Bo Beaulieu)

• RCCI Update - conference call
  
  
• 30 nominations, 17 formal applications (7 from South). All have been accepted.
  
  
• Breakdown from South:
  
  • 4 NC
    
  • 1 MS
    
  • 2 TX
    
    
• Things going well. CD leaders and directors have been supportive.
  
  
• SRCD/SARE
  
  • 48 proposals for SARE Community Innovation
    
  • Quality of proposals is much higher this year. This year there is a community development component built in to most of the proposals.
    
  
  
• Regional Training
  
  • Will SRDC have to slow down training because of the state budget crunches?
    
  • Economic Impact and Smart Growth Trainings will go on as planned.
    ·
• GIS not confirmed yet
  
  
• CDI
  
  • Because of the train-the-trainee format, the intent is not to hold this every year.
    
  • Training material is on the web.
    
  • Bonnie asked how SRDC can support training in the state
    
  • Bo - might revisit CDI every third year.
    
  • The states need to move this training in their own area.
    
    
• Leadership Plenty Team
  
  • Not heard officially, but unofficial word is that it has been approved.
    
  • Putting a team together to attend a training session in Denver in the Spring.
    
  • Southern Growth Policies Board is looking at leadership as a major component.
    
    
• Health SERA Meeting will be in March. Things are coming together.
  
  
• Someone is putting together a disaster response curriculum. Can we pull PLC groups together to look at curriculum to see how extension can be a resource in the event of a disaster?

CRED Follow-Up

• Base teams are no longer, but there is still interest.
  
  
• If there are enough people at Galaxy, might try to have a sub-meeting.
  
  
• Talked with some other regional centers - How do we keep the interest going?
  
  
• Suggestion was raised (Virgil) - Draft some by-laws and move forward.
  
  
• So much enthusiasm after the Orlando Conference. In Orlando, we discussed having a National CRED meeting every other year and regional meetings yearly.
  
  
• Should we have a Southern region event to keep the momentum going?
  
  
• Might combine some training opportunities with a regional CRED event in the Spring of 2004.
  
  
• Bonnie - Need to have a committee (county reps, district rep) to move this forward and to plan for the next conference.
  
  
• Bonnie asked the group to please submit some names of middle management/county reps with a CD focus to serve on this committee. Hank will help.
  
  
• Still moving on certification. Had a small group meeting with Planning and Development.
  
  
• Sally - Interest in some Bachelor's/Master's programs in CD. Reported that Cornelia Flora from the N. Central Rural Development Center is trying to put together a coordinated CD Master's program
  
  
• Bo - trying to pursue a certification, continuing program. If anyone has a model of a good certification program, get information to Bo.

CSREES Update (Sally Maggard)

• Sally - Met with USDA group coordinating CD and FY05 proposals.
  Topic: How will CD relate to Homeland Security?
  
  
• CD extension efforts are doing a lot in the capacity building and strengthening communities.
  
  
• Request: How can we package competencies and program areas into a Community Security Program?
  
  
• Steve Daniels is putting together a group of CD people to get a Western team mobilized.
  
  
• Stephan Goetz is putting together extension and land-use researchers to put something together.
  
  
• N Central - Looking at staff training methods and strengths/weaknesses across state.
  
  
• In summary, we are getting closer to having national capacity identified.

Announcements (Warren McCord)

• Auburn is restructuring cooperative extension
  
  
• 3 program leader Asst. Director's announcements out.
  
  
• FCS/CD have been combined under one Asst. Director.
  
  
• Warren would like to see some CD/NR people apply - does not have to be FCS!
  
  
• Please send people their way? If you have any questions or want more detail, call Warren.
  
  
• Bo - How do we get more people with diverse backgrounds to apply for CD positions? Need to get more people aware of these positions.
  
  
• Once more from Sally:
  
  • RC&D council having leadership forum. Sally sent information to them about SARE, the regional rural development centers and trainings. 200 copies will go out, so there might be some interest from RC & D on training opportunities.
    
    
• Conversations going on about developing an MOU between extension and NRCS to further the Farm Bill. Maybe do another one with RC&D councils. Sally will check on status.

Next call is Monday, March 31 @ 10:00am (9:00 central).