MAINE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

CONFERENCE CALL MEETING MINUTES

Friday, June 24, 2005

Attendance:  Matt Eddy, Carolee Hallett, Al Smith, Peter Lyford, Tony Levesque, Isaac Wagner, Jim Gulnac, Dan LaPointe, Joella McBreairty, Mike Baran and Mary Walton.

Discussion of MCDA participation in 2005 MMA Convention on October 5-6, 2005.

The meeting was called to order at 10:05 a.m.

Mike Baran stated that Mike Starn had contacted him concerning a request from the US Census to participate in the MMA convention.  As there was no room left under the General Session agenda, he thought that MCDA may be interested in hosting a speaker under our agenda.  Mike also stated that the group had discussed a session involving Regional economic development and base closure issues panel with Brian Hamel as a speaker.   Jack Shultz from Boomtown USA was also a possible speaker to talk about innovative approaches to small town economic development.

A discussion ensued concerning MCDA’s agenda for the MMA convention, with the following outcome:

·        The Wednesday session from 2-4 would be Boomtown USA speaker Jack Shultz, sponsored by MCDA with possible co-sponsorship from Maine Association of Planners, MTCA, and MEREDA.  Funding for the speaker could come from MMA

·        The MCDA Annual Meeting will be on Thursday from 11:30 am to 1 pm with a guest speaker from the US Census and an OCD update from Orman, as well as election of officers.

·        There would be a 1 hour break between this and the afternoon session.

·        The afternoon session would be comprised of a 2 1 hour sessions.  The first hour would relate to Base closure issues.  Matt will moderate this session and possible panel speakers include:  Brian Hamel, Craig Seymour of RKG Associates Inc., and a town representative from either Kittery of Brunswick.  The second hour session would address Regional Economic Development issues and the panel would be comprised of a representative of the Office of Business Development, a representative from the Lewiston-Auburn area and a regional development organization representative such as Alain Ouellette, who could speak about the Aroostook Partnership for Progress and the Empowerment Zone.  We will inquire as to whether Commissioner Cashman could moderate this session and if he’s not available, Isaac was asked if he could moderate.  There was also discussion about involving Maine Technology Institute in the sessions.

·        The sessions could be advertised through MEREDA and EDCM to membership.

·        Contact phone calls to be made include:

o       Tony will contact Brian Hamel

o       Matt will contact Craig Seymour

o       Jim will contact John Carter or Mark Green(?)

o       Matt will contact Maine Technology Institute

o       Al will contact Greg or Bob Thompson from AVCOG

o       Joella will contact Alain Ouellette

·        We should send out a separate flyer aside from MMA’s if we want a good turnout.  We could combine our luncheon with MAP’s.

·        A nominating Committee was formed comprised of Tony, Isaac, Jim and the immediate past president.  All executive committee members’ terms will be expiring except for Michelle and Jim’s.

Mike Baran asked if everyone had gotten notice about the CDBG ITV Forum scheduled for various locations around the state on July 11^th at 10:00 am concerning proposed changes to the Program Statement.  He requested that everyone take a look at the proposed changes and that the session was a good way to increase public participation and make community voices heard.   A draft statement would be available approximately one and one-half weeks later with the final statement being published around the 10^th or 12^th of October.  A public forum on the statement is planned for CD Appreciation Day in August.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 am.

Respectfully submitted,

 

Mary A. Walton
For Joella McBreairty