Community Development Committee
Conference Call
May 31, 2007

Present:

Alan Barefield, SRDC/Mississippi State University
Bo Beaulieu, SRDC
Brian Calhoun, Virginia Tech
Hank Cothran, University of Florida
Steve Isaacs, University of Kentucky
Adolphus Johnson (representing Louis Whitesides), South Carolina State University
Dave Lamie, Clemson University
Emily Shaw, SRDC
Greg Taylor, Texas Cooperative Extension
Deborah Tootle, University of Arkansas
Tony Windham, University of Arkansas
Tia Wright (representing Sandra Harris Thompson), Florida A&M University

Due to the absence of the chair and vice-chair, Brian Calhoun, secretary, moderated the call.

Advisor's Update

No update.

CSREES Update

No update.

PLC Update

Emily Shaw gave a brief update on the August meeting (August 27-31, Louisville, KY, http://srpln.msstate.edu/conferences/07pln/). Additionally, she resent the state report link to the committee that has been provided for each state's use prior to the conference: http://survey.uaex.edu/PLN2007/CDC/plncdc050707.htm.

CECP Update - Alan Barefield

Alan reported that the CECP Campus will be moved from being hosted by Texas A&M into eXtension. Larry Lippke and the committee have chosen a platform called Moodle (open source code). We can now start using extension tools to put up our modules. We need to train 2-3 representatives per program area to use this Moodle system and to be technical assistance for rest of committee. Emily Shaw and Michael Wilcox are the two identified representatives for our committee thus far. Alan asked for suggestions for an additional person, who needs to be somewhat computer savvy, and if possible in the sociology area. Dave Lamie offered his recommendations off-line. Hank suggested Allen Wysocki, and Bo recommended Mark Brennan, both from the University of Florida.

Follow-up from the National CRED Program Leaders Meeting

Gae Broadwater is the co-chair of the National CRED Program Leaders group. In her absence from the call, she provided the following report via email:

The group is working to collect the notes from the four subgroups: (1) partnerships, (2) growing support for CRED, (3) program thrusts, and (4) professional development. They hope to have a website established soon to post notes and share information. Right now they are identifying participants to move forward with the Strategic Planning Group; NACDEP Regions (not regional reps) will be tapped to serve on this team. They hope to meet in September to move this forward. The co-chairs (Tom & Gae) will be drafting a letter to be shared with both the Council and the CRED Program Leaders' membership to be sent to Directors/Administrators that will communicate who we are, key priorities, etc.

Deborah Tootle offered additional information. This group is not talking about a national strategic plan but rather getting a national message out about CRED and what it does. Colein Hefferan's idea of a strategic plan but described it as getting the message out about what our group does. Different levels of need for funding and support were talked about/different dimensions of support and where we need to be focusing.

Follow-up from NACDEP Meeting

The profit will not be as high as expected. The final participant count was approximately 300. No decision was made at this meeting regarding meeting frequency. A decision was made to have a meeting the year after Galaxy. The final determination about annual meetings has still not been made, but Dick Senese is getting together a committee.

SRDC Update - Bo Beaulieu

Mark Harvey in our Center will be leaving at the end of July to become an assistant professor at Florida Atlantic University. We have a new staff member, Roberto Gallardo, working with various data projects. He is working to update the information in the Southern Region Information Toolkit (http://srit.srdc.msstate.edu/).

The strategic plan document will be released electronically in the coming month. Following the formal release of the strategic plan, we will begin deciding about a catalogue of regional training opportunities. Is there enough demand for a fall "Intro 101" CDI? Brian Calhoun has six new agents, and he would like for them to attend. Dave Lamie, Steve Isaacs and Deborah Tootle all reported that they would have people to send. Bo thinks 25 minimum would be the target. Bo asked that everyone come to PLN with content suggestions. There would be new information in addition to some of the content from past institutes. [August meeting agenda item.]

Michael Wilcox expressed a desire for a series of leaflets of 1-4 pages on a host of CD related topics that could be available on the SRDC website. These leaflets could be background readings such as community power structure, different approaches to CD, asset mapping, business retention and expansion. The group will spend time at the PLN meeting deciding on the topics that we could offer. There was consensus that these documents would be helpful but would need "for more information" resources. We could look to the CECP taxonomies as a starting point. [August meeting agenda item.]

Bo gave an update on the national e-commerce training, "E-Commerce Strategies for Small Businesses and Communities," which will be held June 4-6. Matt Wenger from PacketFront will serve as keynote, and Elbert Dickey from the University of Nebraska will also be there to share his perspective on e-commerce. We have 70 total participants. On a related matter, the deadline for the e-commerce grants full proposals is June 1. Eleven individuals were invited to submit full proposals.

The Latino SERA group continues to grow, and people will continually be invited to become involved.

The RIDGE report that was previously mentioned to the group will be going out next week in hard copy.

The Health SERA is coming back to life. The group is having a fall meeting in Atlanta September 10-12. Speakers from CDC and public health sector will be present.

eXtension Entrepreneurship CoP Update - Bo Beaulieu

The SRDC-led team is still recruiting members for the Regional Resource Teams. The South currently has nearly 70 people on the list. The team made two presentations at NACDEP, which were well received. They plan on a soft launch of the site this summer. The team will meet again in September.

Next Call

The next conference call is scheduled for Tuesday, July 31 at 9 am Central.