A weekly compilation of news links about and for regional communities pursuing local and regional development.
Published on line since November 11, 2003.
Ever since a speaker raised the topic at a meeting of local business leaders in October, Cape Cod has been abuzz with the concept of regionalization.
Yesterday, the Cape's legislative delegation weighed in, telling a Times editorial board that the idea has merit but would require salesmanship to win over local officials and agencies.
"We shouldn't do it by force, " said state Rep. Jeffrey Perry, R-Sandwich. Perry and his fellow Cape representatives agreed that there are opportunities to regionalize services in Barnstable County, but that the push to do so should come from local officials rather than from the Statehouse.
Rep. Matthew Patrick, D-Falmouth, said Barnstable County was already a "hotbed of regionalization."
Most of that effort came first from the towns and moved upward to the county and state level, Patrick said.
…Missed opportunities, such as the potential conversion of the old Barnstable jail into a juvenile detention center, could have kept services local that now require a trip off-Cape, he said.
Emergency 911 dispatch is another example of a missed opportunity, said state Sen. Robert O'Leary, D-Barnstable. While a half dozen of the Cape's fire departments now use the Barnstable County Sheriff's Office for on-scene dispatch services, other departments and police have resisted similar moves and continue to maintain separate communications operations. "There was an enormous potential savings there that was not realized, " O'Leary said.
The senator disagreed with the Cape's representatives on the role lawmakers should play.
"If you just wait for it to happen, it won't happen, " he said.
And legislators could provide the necessary political cover for local officials to push through regional efforts, O'Leary said.
…
What legislators believe could be regionalized:
* Weights and measures
* Schools administration
* Assessors and engineers
* Wastewater
* Equipment purchases
* Building inspectors
* Housing authorities
2. Va. Supreme Court Strikes Down Transportation Tax Plan - Arlington Connection, VA
The Virginia Supreme Court ruled Friday that only elected bodies can impose taxes and fees in Virginia, and that the state legislature erred when it tried to empower a regional authority in Northern Virginia to levy taxes for billions of dollars in highway and transportation projects.
The decision unravels a delicate 2007 compromise that provided funds for Northern Virginia’s critical transportation needs while allowing members of the state legislature to avoid approving a statewide gasoline tax. It allowed some to claim they had not voted directly for tax increases.
"If payment of the regional taxes and fees is to be required by a general law, it is the prerogative of the General Assembly, as provided by Article IV. Section 1 of the Constitution, to make this decision, " said the opinion written by S. Bernard Goodwyn. Gov. Tim Kaine appointed Goodwyn to the Supreme Court.
"The General Assembly has failed to adhere to the mandates of accountability and transparency that the constitution requires, " wrote Goodwyn, "We conclude that the Constitution … clearly contemplates that taxes must be imposed only by a majority of the elected representatives of a legislative body."
The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, a 14-member group of appointed officials, charged with financing transportation improvements, began collecting new taxes and fees on January 1, 2008; a lower court had ruled the arrangement was legal. It has collected some $8 million in funds.
The decision, which puts on hold some $500 million in transportation projects set to begin as soon as this year, comes only weeks after a the U.S. Department of Transportation warned it might not fund its share of the first phase of the $5 billion Dulles Corridor Rail project.
Suddenly the two main plans to ease critical congestion on Northern Virginia roads and highways are in doubt.
…
3. Governor says 'urgency' needed on roads issue - The Virginian-Pilot, VA
As legislators in the waning days of the General Assembly session seek a way to empower regional transportation authorities to issue taxes, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine is encouraging lawmakers not to give up.
"We've got to approach this with a sense of urgency, " Kaine said Tuesday.
Debate over how to vest taxing power with regional transportation authorities in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia has emerged since the Virginia Supreme Court ruled last week those bodies can't impose taxes or fees.
"I think there is a huge imperative for the Hampton Roads legislators to sit down and talk about this, " Kaine said. "We're talking about solving this issue for Hampton Roads, and nobody should be away from the table, as far as this discussion goes."
While some lawmakers remain optimistic that a fast fix can be found, Kaine has said that a special session to resolve the issue is likely sometime after the scheduled Saturday conclusion of the General Assembly session.
Legislators remain divided. Leaders of the House of Delegates favor giving each city and county in the two regions the power to raise a group of taxes and fees that could be used for road projects.
Kaine, who opposes that approach, believes the General Assembly should take responsibility for raising the taxes and fees. The Senate is trying to muster support for a bill that takes that approach for Hampton Roads.
While opinions in the legislature vary, two legislators from different chambers, and different parties, on Tuesday agreed on one concept: New sales taxes are needed to fix the state's road problems.
Senate Majority Leader Richard Saslaw, D-Fairfax, renewed his call for a gasoline tax hike. His bill to boost the gas tax 5 cents a gallon over the next five years died in the House of Delegates …
Hampton Roads Transportation Authority
4. Region, not Hub, called job engine - Boston Globe - United States
The region is becoming economically independent of Boston, and state transportation money would best be spent making it easier for people to get around the southern suburbs, rather than into the city, according to a new report by the South Shore Chamber of Commerce.
"Our economic growth really does not depend on big commuting projects in and out of Boston, " said chamber president Peter V. Forman in a recent interview at the organization's headquarters in Quincy Center. "It's moving people within the region that is going to be more important."
The chamber's reasoning is that the South Shore has become its own economic engine, with a large enough labor pool to attract major employers, reducing the need for commuting to Boston.
For two decades, the South Shore Chamber of Commerce led the effort to restore the Greenbush line. The organization lobbied on Beacon Hill and mobilized public support for the commuter rail line.
With that battle won last year and trains now rolling from Scituate to Boston, the chamber recently launched its locally oriented transportation initiative.
…
State Representative Walter F. Timilty, a Milton Democrat and member of the Legislature's Transportation Committee, said focusing on transportation needs within the region makes sense.
"I know of many businesses that have relocated from Boston to the suburbs. I think the days are gone where a law firm has to be in Boston to be taken seriously, " said Timilty, an attorney.
Marc D. Draisen, executive director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, said the regional transportation systems need to be adapted to the shift in population, and jobs, to the suburbs.
"One of the weaknesses of our system now is that it was created at a time when the population and job base was concentrated in the urban core, " said Draisen, …
5. One Knox takes to the road again - Elizabethtown News Enterprise - Elizabethtown, KY, USA
Hello, everyone. Exciting times for our region continue as we prepare for the thousands of new residents coming due to the Fort Knox transformation. One Knox wants to continue to keep you informed about the work being done to prepare for their arrival.
We are extremely pleased with the governor’s budget recommendation of $100 million for our region for crucial transportation and infrastructure projects that include improvements to U.S. 31W, the Elizabethtown-Radcliff Connector and the extension of Ky. 313.
Now it’s in the Legislature’s hands and we’re encouraged by the work both the Senate and House are doing. They understand the impact BRAC and the Fort Knox transformation will have on our region and the entire state. In fact, we’ve traveled to Frankfort on several occasions to brief them and a key point we always mention is the estimated state tax revenue resulting from Fort Knox-generated jobs. Our projection is that state tax revenue attributed to Fort Knox operations will exceed $70 million annually, which would pay for the recommended improvements in a few short years.
In addition to the work we’re doing regarding the budget, the 2008 BRAC road show is about to get under way. This is where community leaders representing various organizations from throughout our region travel to the Army organizations that are moving to Fort Knox, so we can meet with employees who are trying to decide whether or not to relocate here. Careful consideration was made to ensure all sectors of the region are included. Participating organizations include area chambers of commerce, school districts, hospitals and boards of Realtors, etc. We did this in 2006 with great success and I’m pleased to say the participation by community leaders this time around is just as good. So our thanks for helping us take the welcome mat on the road once again.
RC: Lincoln Trail Area Development District
6. Building bridges: Other cities’ sharing could provide example for local disputes - ReporterHerald.com - Loveland, CO, USA
In 1986 the cities of Westminster and Thornton looked across Interstate 25 at each other and realized they needed a plan.
...
An atmosphere of competitive annexations and an inkling that Interstate 25 would become Colorado’s “Main Street” pushed the two cities to the table and into a revenue-sharing agreement.
…
Fort Collins City Manager Darrin Atteberry wishes people in Northern Colorado would focus more on the positive partnerships among various towns and cities.
“We have this tremendous history ... better than most in Colorado (of partnership), ” Atteberry said.
…
At Thursday night’s joint meeting of the Larimer County commissioners and the Loveland and Fort Collins city councils, the group decided to look at possibilities for a regional working group.
“Everybody talks regionalism, but we don’t get around to it, ” said Fort Collins Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Ohlson. “I’d just like to see us take it to the next level” — the next level short of forming a council of governments, Ohlson added.
The group at that table talked about the ways they already collaborate, even on the small scale of equipment borrowing.
“There’s a lot of operational regionalism, ” said Loveland City Manager Don Williams. “There’s just not a lot of public policy regionalism.”
And as those entities move forward with that, Loveland’s mayor, Gene Pielin, has put the first hand forward to cooperation with Johnstown.
He and Johnstown Mayor Troy Mellon plan to meet after Johnstown’s election this spring.
“We’re going to go there, and we’re going to find out where are some areas where we can work together for the benefit of both communities, ” Pielin said. “I think we have to find some places where we can work together.”
7. Appalachian governors call for regional approach to substance abuse problem - Chillicothe Gazette
At the annual meeting of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), Feb. 24 in Washington, the governors of the 13 Appalachian states and ARC Federal Co-Chair Anne B. Pope underscored the threat posed by substance abuse to Appalachia and called for a regional approach to addressing the problem.
Describing substance abuse as one of the top three health issues facing Appalachia and a "barrier to economic development, " Pope cited an ARC-commissioned study that concluded that Appalachia leads the nation in the abuse of prescription painkillers and is facing increasing rates of methamphetamine abuse.
Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear said substance abuse, including prescription drug abuse, is a significant problem for all the Appalachian states and affects the quality of the work force. He looked forward to working together with the commission in addressing the problem.
As an immediate step in addressing the problems identified by the governors, Pope said, ARC has created a new partnership with the federal Office of Rural Health Policy and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The partnership will focus specifically on substance abuse issues within Appalachia. …
8. S. Middleton sticks with bay lawsuit - Carlisle Sentinel - Carlisle, PA, USA
After much discussion Thursday, South Middleton supervisors decided there are no take-backs when it comes to a $2, 000 commitment to support the Capital Region Council of Governments in a challenge of the state’s Chesapeake Bay strategy.
The federal Clean Water Act requires states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, to reduce nitrate and phosphate pollution discharged into the bay.
The state DEP has come up with the tributary strategy to improve water quality in the 13 sub-basins that make up the Susquehanna and Potomac river watersheds by requiring farms, sewage treatment plants and other sources to limit pollution.
Members of the Capital COG are concerned about the cost impact of the Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy and are weighing a legal challenge of the state Department of Environmental Protection. The COG has asked its members for financial support in the legal action.
Last month, the South Middleton board agreed to contribute $2, 000 toward any legal action taken by the COG, figuring the challenge would buy them more time to comply with the stringent requirements to upgrade the township sewage treatment facility to reduce its nitrogen discharge by Oct. 1, 2012.
“I think ($2, 000) is a reasonable cost if it gets us more time to do it right, ” Supervisor Tom Faley said at the time.
But on Thursday, Faley raised concerns that perhaps the board put the cart before the horse. “I went through this agreement and a lot of red flags went up for me, ” Faley said.
Faley said the agreement sent to the township by the COG included a cost of $275 per hour for attorney fees.
...
The board voted unanimously to commit the $2, 000 to the COG, but nothing more until they get more information further into the process. ...
9. Survey unveils Coast future no-one wants - Sunshine Coast Daily - Queensland, Australia
It’s the summer of 2020 and you’re on your way to Mooloolaba beach.
As usual, the traffic is gridlocked across the Maroochy River Bridge.
When you finally arrive, it takes another 45 minutes to find a park. You put the steering lock on, set the alarm, and hide your valuables under the seat but you’re still nervous you’ll return to find them gone – this carpark is notorious for theft.
You would have taken the bus, but they run infrequently and are overcrowded.
You dodge the litter on the parched brown esplanade grass and note someone has defaced the Steve Irwin memorial again.
The beach is crowded with snap-happy tourists and you jostle to find a spot that isn’t shadowed by towering high rises.
This is the worst-case-scenario future no one wants but it is also the future many of us envision.
With only 15 days left until the formation of the new super council, the pressure is on our elected leaders to make sure this future does not happen.
This year, the Sunshine Coast Daily, Seven Local News, thedaily-com-au and the University of the Sunshine Coast joined forces to present a four-page survey to guage what really matters to you on the eve of a new era for our region.
…
As USC analysts began sifting through the responses three clear messages emerged time and time again.
• We do not want high rises.
• We do not want to be another Gold Coast.
• We don’t want our environment and lifestyle ruined by overpopulation.
…
He said the formative years of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council were vital to avoid a Gold Coast-esque landscape within the next two decades.
“You look at the Gold Coast and you look at the Sunshine Coast and we’re 10 years behind, ” …
10. U.S. regional communities - sub-State, State or multi-State - in news articles. Bold font words are Google search terms. Bold italic words considered worth noting. In this and section 11, links to websites of organizations are added to the news excerpt when this is the first time an organization has been found. A goal of this newsletter is to find every regional council in the
.10 Business groups want to spark Gulf Coast economy
MiamiHerald.com, FL
The tone of multistate regionalism struck by this first iTenWired meeting - … resonated with Andrea Moore, regional manager for international trade development for Enterprise Florida Inc. "I'm a strong believer in regionalism, " Moore said. "I don't see boundaries when it involves business opportunities." …
.11 Regional cooperation leads to success for metro area
Kansas City Star
The over-arching priority for this chamber is fostering regional cooperation and regional success. Go online, read our strategic plan, and you’ll see that virtually every goal is couched in regional terms. As incoming chairman of the chamber, ...
.12 US Senator Lindsey Graham Recognized for National Leadership on Economic Development Issues
By schotline
The NADO National Leadership Award is presented annually to a member of Congress who has made significant contributions in promoting regional development and job creation initiatives throughout small metropolitan and rural America. ...
.13 The Geopolitics Of Dope
ILW.com - New York, NY, USA
... There always have been uncontrolled economic transactions and movements along the border. Both sides understood that the cost of controlling and monitoring these transactions outstripped the benefit. Long before NAFTA came into existence, social and economic movement in both directions — but particularly from Mexico to the United States — were fairly uncontrolled. Borderland transactions in particular, local transactions in proximity to the border region (retail shopping, agricultural transfers and so on), were uncontrolled. So was smuggling. ...
.14 Connecticut's effort to fight crime
WTNH - New Haven, CT, USA
"Crime really is heavily regionalized, " Donnelly said. "Burglars tend not to go hundreds of miles and they tend to work in their own areas. ...
.15 It's not the RDA's job to promote projects
Gary Post Tribune - Gary, IN, USA
The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority shouldn't spend money on promotions, or as it likes to call them, "educational materials. ...
.16 Regional policing ideas remain largely unrealized
PennLive.com - Harrisburg, PA, USA
For more than 10 years now he's pitched police regionalization to anyone who will listen, and the results have been less than spectacular. A lot less. ...
.17 Jobless data raise fears of recession in California
San Diego Union Tribune - United States
“These numbers don't bode well, ” said Marney Cox, chief economist for the San Diego Association of Governments. “We're seeing additional weaknesses in areas ...
.18 Volunteers take on invasive weed
KVOA.com - Tucson, AZ, USA
Now the Pima Association of Governments is working to remove as much of the invasive plant as possible. It's considered ten times more flammable than other ...
.19 General Motors Powertrain, Michigan Sugar push for regionalism in Bay City area
The Bay City Times - MLive.com - Bay City, MI, USA
Ray VanDriessche, director of community and government relations for Michigan Sugar, said his company believes a continued push toward regionalism is a key to helping weather the economic storm in the Tri-City area....
.20 All aboard: Train travel still viable in some regions
Elmira Star-Gazette - Elmira, NY, USA
The tourist train that occasionally runs along the southwestern side of Seneca Lake and the train planned for Eldridge Park are two more examples of how this region can tap into its nostalgia for train travel.
But for the present, passenger trains represent an era that has come and gone in the Twin Tiers. We need to work on our roads and keep our air travel competitive. …
.21 Health care emerges as region's top employer
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh, PA, USA
When manufacturing ruled in the Pittsburgh region three decades ago, six of the city's top 10 employers were steel companies. ...
.22 Boozman challenges community, stresses regionalism
Van Buren Press Argus-Courier
The congressman stressed regionalism, pointed out that Experian would not be in Van Buren if not for the help of the Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce and that the 188th Fighter Wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard and Marshal's Museum might not be in Fort Smith if not for the regionalism concept....
.23 Wholesale change in store for budgets
Fall River Herald News - MA, USA
If all the area municipalities purchase the same items every year, why not think regionally and buy them as a group? That’s what a group of regional cities and towns are considering to overcome budget shortfalls. ...
.24 OUR VIEW: Regionalize, but how far to take it?
SouthCoastToday.com - New Bedford, MA, USA
Freetown's ironic role as leader of a new regional buying group — the town has consistently resisted regionalization of its elementary schools with ...
.25 Map to the future
San Diego Union Tribune - United States
With just 4 percent of its 331 square miles available for new development, San Diego faces the daunting challenge of absorbing future growth without the luxury of expanding ever outward into distant suburbs. ... “This is the first time in the city's history where most of the growth will be predominantly through infill and redevelopment.” …
.26 On the Horizon: What Will Tourists Want
TriCities.com - Johnson City, TN, USA
“Geo-tourism is another trend that we can take advantage of. We’re fortunate to have the lakes, rivers and streams, the Appalachian Trail and the Cherokee ... Music will continue to draw people to the region, thanks in large part to Bristol’s designation as the Birthplace of Country Music and The Crooked Road, Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. …
.27 County groups pool money for airline incentive
Lathrop-Manteca Sun Post - Lathrop and Manteca, CA, USA
With federal money behind them, several county groups are pushing for a major airline to schedule twice-daily flights out of the Stockton Metropolitan Airport. By putting up $400, 000 in match money late last year, the San Joaquin Council of Governments — a government coalition that oversees transportation in the county — secured a $400, 000 federal grant to entice a passenger carrier to set up daily service at the Stockton airport ...
.28 Business intelligence for and about Virginia's business community
Virginia Business Magazine - Richmond, VA, USA
Chris Chmura, a Richmond economist who studied the local economy for the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance, says that for every 100 businesses that fail in the region, 138 new ones are started....
.29 A Boon Fort Smith?
Fort Smith Times Record - Fort Smith, AR, USA
Rusty Myers, assistant executive director of Western Arkansas Planning and Development District, said he expects the Pavilion project to result in ...
.30 Editorial: Cleveland's condition, spoken and left unspoken by the Mayor
The Plain Dealer - Cleveland, OH, USA
And he has furthered regionalism through no-poaching agreements with suburbs. Still, as crime and foreclosures drive out residents and investment, ...
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.31 WIRED Begins Healthy Workforce Initiative
Inside INdiana Business (press release) - Indianapolis, IN, USA
Indiana's WIRED (Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development) program is piloting a new program to train manufacturing employees how to use the health care system more efficiently and improve their health. …
.32 Cultural attitudes yield distinct air-taxi models
Aviation International News - Midland Park, NJ, USA
... plan is to offer “cost-effective, no frills transportation” by having a large fleet of smaller aircraft–in this case Eclipse 500s–and strict regional boundaries. ... one of the biggest hurdles for the nascent industry is introducing a new mode of transportation to the 90 percent of the population who have never flown in a private aircraft....
.33 Growing A Regional Firm
Hartford Business - USA
Competitor awareness and marketplace intelligence also enabled the firm’s leader to make initial selections of prospective acquisition companies. ...
Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco, CA, USA
... Cascadia is the originator of the Living Building Challenge, and represents Oregon, Washington, Alaska and the Province of British Columbia. Its mission is to effect market change toward sustainable building and design in the Cascadia bioregion. www.cascadiagbc.org
11. Other regional community news for our Local Planet.
.10 Eyes tear up at final acts of city council
Rockhampton Morning Bulletin - Australia
... Rockhampton City Council’s last mayor, Councillor Strelow, hung up those mayoral chains for the final time. About 60 people gathered in the gallery last night to watch the final council meeting before the March 15 elections, when the council, which became a municipality in 1861, will be absorbed into Rockhampton Regional Council....
.11 Today's view of tomorrow's city
NZ Herald Auckland Metro - Auckland, New Zealand
"Would the rural parts of Rodney, Franklin and Manukau be better served by being part of a different regional council?" Definitely, said Franklin Mayor Mark ...
.12 Managing Migration: The Global Challenge
Population Reference Bureau
This Population Bulletin, written by Philip Martin and Gottfried Zürcher, reviews the migration streams of the last several decades, globally and by world region. (BUL63.1; March 2008)
.13 Dynamics of trade and development
Hindu - Chennai, India
“In the absence of an appropriate multilateral framework, regional cooperation is likely to be a viable second-best solution.” As the fastest growing region ...
.14 CARICOM institutions pivotal to regional development, says deputy
Caribbean Net News - Georgetown, Cayman Islands
The ultimate goal of regional development through functional cooperation according to Ambassador Applewhaite was ensuring that the benefits of the Community were equitably distributed among its members, therefore, “functional co-operation in the telecommunications sector is a must and would contribute enormously to enhancing the level of integration and development in the Region.”
.15 Junta continues to quash Burma's media
By The Dutch Times(The Dutch Times)
Burma needs regional cooperation to attain press freedom. Journalists in Burma are hoping for more assistance, morally and practically, from international media groups. Without press freedom a nation cannot enjoy the taste of social ...
.16 Region council rejects makeup study
St. Catharines Standard - St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
The makeup of Niagara regional council won't change any time soon - unless the province makes it happen. Regional council rejected a study of its own makeup ...
.17 City to take regional reform to provincial facilitator
St. Catharines Standard - St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Stung by regional council's Feb. 28 decision to reject a study about its own makeup, St. Catharines city councillors are taking it to the next level. ...
.18 Arrow/Slocan Regional Development Council to select executive
Arrow Lakes News - Nakusp, British Columbia, Canada
… “In a nutshell, the goal will be to provide a regional voice for small rural communities in light of all the things that are happening as far as employment and small rural communities in B.C., …
.19 Several Chilean regions facing worst drought in a century
MercoPress - Montevideo, Uruguay
The newly added districts are located in Regions VII, VIII, and X; they are found as far north as Curicó in Region VII and as far south as Region X’s ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_Chile
.20 DOWN TO EARTH: Shipping out your produce regionally
NationNews-com – Barbados
... transport is not the only area which must be looked at if intra-regional trade is to be sustainable. Recent attempts by supermarkets in Barbados to trade with Trinidad and St Vincent have been frustrated by lack of continuity of supply, quarantine problems, lack of communication and co-ordination, and documentation problems among others. ...
.21 EI fund targets regional development
ElectricNews.net - Dublin, Ireland
The Enterprise Ireland investment aims to position Institutes of Technology around the country as regional enterprise development centres. ...
.22 UNDERSTANDING THE EPA, Part 8 - The development dimension
Jamaica Gleaner - Kingston, Jamaica
Of all the aspects of the recently initialled economic partnership agreement (EPA) with Europe, the one that remains the least defined is its development dimension. … EPA text proposes in general terms measures that aim to develop the region's productive capacity, encourage competitiveness and generally foster economic growth. …
The Daily Yomiuri - Osaka, Japan
The National Governors' Association on Thursday compiled a report proposing to abolish and integrate these regional organizations at the request of a central government panel tasked with reducing the overlap of functions at the central and regional levels. …
.24 European group of states affirms need for regional cooperation
Indian Muslims - San Diego, CA, USA
There was a concensus among the leading participants in the conference on the necessity of mapping out a "successful coordination strategy for the region .. and the Sofia meeting opened a new chapter for the regional cooperation, " Kalfenj said. The grouping comprises Albania, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo.
.25 Into the Pennsylvanian valleys
Independent - London, England, UK
Like the rest of this region, Johnstown and Cambria County are isolated from 21st-century development. Prowl the rural roads and you'll pass mountain lakes, ...
.26 Two countries obsessed with 'R and R'
Turkish Daily News (subscription) - Ankara, Turkey
They are both obsessed with religion and regionalism ROME----Italy and Turkey, two countries on the surface quite different, are going through the same ...
.27 Manitoba Development Pause Lifted-Permanent Regional Moratoriums Implemented
Farmscape Online - Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
Manitoba Conservation has announced indefinite moratoriums on the construction of new or expanded hog operations in three regions of the province and new ...
.28 Pacific Forum And Commonwealth To Cooperate On Local Government
pacific - Honolulu, HI, USA
Both recognise the value of partnership and regional cooperation, ” stated PIFS Acting Secretary-General Peter Forau. The MoU acknowledges that the Pacific ...
.29 LSC launches recruitment campaign for Regional Councils
FEnews.co.uk
Chris Banks, LSC Chair, said: “Regional Councils will provide challenge, support, and leadership to the LSC’s work; and in doing so will shape a world class education and skills system for each region.
.30 There's no success like failure
CNNMoney.com – USA
In an excerpt from his new book, "Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations, " author Clay Shirky argues that community Web sites like Meetup.com benefit from making failure into a rapid-fire form of free research. ...
.31 Home decorating with maps
The Star-Ledger - NJ.com - Newark, NJ, USA
Want to get a piece of the hottest trend in map decorating? Get a wine-region map. "It seems like everyone is a wine connoisseur these days, " says David ...
12. Blogs
.10 BFD Learning Moment: Entrepreneurship, innovation and prosperity
Written by: Ed Morrison
A new report came out this week from the Kauffman Foundation on the importance of entrepreneurship to urban and regional prosperity. The report urges local, regional and state officials to focus on forming and growing new companies in their cities and region. …
.11 RGP, Marc Lautenbach, March 6th
By Keith Instone
The role of information technology is becoming an important element in the local discussions about regional economic development. For example, recent meta-plan meetings have started the face-to-face sharing of information among the ...
.12 Thoughts on the GCP strategy
By "outsourcing" its economic development responsibilities to these organizations, GCP undercuts the utility of these organizations as neutral regional networks and reinforces the impression (and reality) that these organizations are ...
.13 Greater Baltimore & Washington Transit Future version 2
Greater Greater Washington
I also wonder about the poor unwitting European who happens upon this glorious (that's not sarcasm) map while researching a trip to Washington, DC. It could lead to a vast misunderstanding of the region's transit infrastructure.
.14 Regionalism
By Frank
I think Goldy's basically right about the fear of regionalism in greater Seattle. We are, in fact, one big family, one big economy, and it's silly to pretend otherwise. That said, I think the obvious rejoinder is that Goldy's native ...
.15 Regionalism, "Affordable Housing"
By Martin(daimajin)
I usually don't post "What he said" items, but... what Frank at Orphan Road said. The especially interesting part to me:. As to the childless part, again, if we're one region, why does it matter? If we're all connected by a reliable ...
.16 Regional Public Safety Beneficial
YorkBlog
When YorkCounts’ volunteers first announced the Metro York recommendations, which include regionalizing public safety resources, I wrote to congratulate the group’s leaders for recognizing that regionalization is the future of police ...
.17 Video: Creative Capital Transforms Regions
Creative Capital can transform regions. This story talks about the value of open conversations, building networks, collaborating, and sharing experiences to accelerate innovation in communities and regions...
.18 Regionalism: Listen to Peter
By John Bebow
Zeiler's well-intentioned rant about Cobo could easily be expanded to other key issues that the region's elected leaders have delayed action on for years, including Airport City, mass transit, and a compromise on the management structure of the Detroit water system which serves more than 100 suburban communities." ...
.19 You’ve been Quango’d!, NLGN
by ourkingdom
Stuart Weir reviews You’ve been Quango’d! Mapping power across the regions by Chris Leslie and Owen Dallison, NLGN. A new NLGN report calls for quangos to be more representative.
.20 Anti-Authoritarian People of Color Meetings at NCOR
Guerrilla News Network
… networking and orginizing regionally (regional convergences). • networking and organizing interregionally (interregional and general convergences). • mass mobilizations and the presense of unified apoc at them (plans for apoc are to ...
.21 OBC Meeting Sunday
CycleDog
The factionalism, regionalism, and infighting may have created too much animosity for any of us to overcome. This is a disservice to Oklahoma cyclists who clearly deserve better. I'll undoubtedly write more about this after the meeting ...
.22 The 2008 Silicon Valley Index
By Panagiotis Tsarchopoulos
Silicon Valley experienced a sixth consecutive year of productivity gains in 2007 that surpassed previous highs… The Index, published annually since 1995, measures the strength of the region’s economy and the health of the community. …
.23 Can we multilateralise regionalism?
Vox
Finishing the ongoing WTO talks is important, but regionalism is the new reality. To maintain its relevance, the WTO must adapt, as regionalism is here to stay. …
.24 Multilateralising Regionalism: The Book
By Dingel
The fact that regionalism is here to stay is not news to those who follow these issues. But Baldwin and Philip Thornton have a new book that makes a first pass at policy recommendations to address the new reality: ...
.25 Creativity: driving local economic development
By Philippe Kern
Some regions have understood the need to collaborate and have set up pan-European networks to foster collaboration in the sector. Take the Cine-regio network which gathers more than 30 regional bodies active in supporting co-production amongst regional authorities involved in film financing in Europe. …
.26 Aid is increasing, but can we spend it well?
By Guest blogger(The Interpreter)
When the most influential voices in Australia say that aid doesn’t work, we lose whatever small entrée we have into making regional development the significant issue that it needs to be. What needs to happen is a radical review and ...
.27 “unique” can be regional
By Benson Hines
By crossing “regional lines” (of all sorts) on this trip, I’ve discovered surprising similarities between ministries, schools, and churches. Even for those ministries or settings that actually are “groundbreaking, ” that peculiarity can ...
.28 (North Carolina) Commission Unveils Draft Plan for Regional Transit System
By Jon Sorensen - ITS Engineer(Jon Sorensen - ITS Engineer)
The 29-member Special Transit Advisory Commission on Friday unveiled its draft plan for a multibillion-dollar regional transit system that would involve commuter rail, buses and 55 miles of asphalt. Connecting Chapel Hill to Durham ...
.29 10 core ATL counties have more people than 24 states
By ACE
The 10 core counties of metro Atlanta are now home to more people than 24 states, according to Atlanta Regional Commission's 2007 Population and Housing Report published Wednesday. The area -- Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, ...
.30 Get Your Yard Off Drugs!
By hgfn
Natural Landscaping is the practice of cultivating plants which are native to your bioregion without resorting to artificial methods of planting and care, such as chemical fertilizer, mowing, or watering by other than natural processes. ...
.31 Dynamic warehousing
By dipalit
There is buzz that heightened concerns about supply chain resiliency are prompting tactics of regionalization of the supply chain process, keeping inventory closer at hand, if not necessarily taking possession sooner. ...
.32 Google East African Gadget Competition
By Kaushal(Kaushal)
The competition will provide an opportunity for students to apply theoretical knowledge in a practical, hands-on way, and that a number of the resulting Gadgets will feature regionally-useful content. ...
.33 workshop" Interhelping - sort of Geotourism"
By politmarket
Green tourism is a concept not yet widely spread throughout Ukraine, but many contemporary social problems are caused or aggravated by the persistence of unemployment and by low involvement of women into business activity in rural ...
.34 Kentucky, Great investment, Fixer upper/price reduced
By fred8998
Pennyrile Area Development District (PADD) Fort Campbell Economic Development Council City Stats Hopkinsville Quick Facts (US Census Bureau) Christian County Government Christian County History and Genealogy Hopkinsville Nostalgia ...
13. Announcements and Regional Links
.10 The Many Faces of Regionalism from the Mega to the Micro - April 16-17, 2008 – Indianapolis
“Regionalism” is becoming more and more commonplace in conversations and in practical applications within Indiana and elsewhere. It is a multi-faceted concept and expresses itself in many varied and different ways. In today’s globalized economy the “mega-region” is a particularly useful concept. It is essential to understand how the mega-region creates both opportunities and constraints for local and statewide action.
This conference is designed to explore the richness of the "regionalism” concept and how it is being used and thought about in very different settings, including workforce development, transportation, energy development, and economic development. Regional leadership, barriers to regional collaboration, and other topics will also be featured as part of the conference agenda. Additionally, applied research and analytical “tools” designed to support regional initiatives and opportunities will be showcased and demonstrated. Finally, opportunities will be provided for networking among conferees.
.11 Oil and Water: Adapting to Scarcity – April 18, 2008 – New York City
Leaders from the New York City Metropolitan Region and beyond will explore the question of how we most effectively adapt to the finite nature of oil and water while maintaining economic competitiveness. The 18th Annual Regional Assembly of the Regional Plan Association takes an in-depth look at energy and water and how their increasing scarcity impacts the economic growth and prosperity of the region. As the presidential election looms on the horizon, discussing these pressing topics of national significance in our region can help lay the groundwork for an enlightened vision of sustainability both regionally and nationally.
.12 EU External Cooperation Programs – Work With Us
This section of the website provides useful information for individuals and organisations who wish to work with EuropeAid. It explains the kind of grant financing that is made available through Commission budgets and explains contracting and job opportunities and modalities.
.13 METREX - Network of European Metropolitan Regions and Areas
This is a network of practitioners, that is, politicians, officials and their advisers, concerned with the spatial planning and development at the metropolitan level. Future meetings: METREX Amsterdam meeting, 14 - 17 May, hosted by the City of Amsterdam, will address innovative metropolitan strategies by focusing on four closely related themes: investment, governance, public participation and consultation.
This free public service website was created to give the public, law enforcement, military, and government individuals a new way to visualize, and become instantly aware of terrorism and security incidents across the world.
14. Subscription
.10 Where's the beef ? - Lake Sun Leader (subscription) - Camdenton, MO, USA
THE QUESTION: Do lake taxpayers get back what they should from the Lake of the Ozarks Council of Local Governments?
As a college student, I had the opportunity to work for a regional planning commission coordinating a Community College Without Walls, a concept funded by the Danforth Foundation.
I was stationed in the main office and the eight students I supervised were in various counties throughout the region.
It gave me a unique perspective on how regional planning commissions function or should function. This one (Lake of the Ozarks Council of Local Governments) appears to be dysfunctional.
In looking at the others throughout the state, this one has the fewest counties, and is one of two without a Web site.
I went into the Web site of the planning commission that I had once worked for and was amazed at all the information available to interested citizens.
However, when Normac's sewer project was moved up in front of Camelot Estates, ' I called my local Council of Local Government office and requested information because they had initiated the project.
It never arrived and finally I had to go to the Rural Development office in Clinton.
This Council or its director acts like it is a personal fiefdom and not an arm of the government that serves all the citizens within its boundaries.
Maybe that is why its boundaries are so small and one county (Pulaski) pulled out.
…
Think we are getting our monies' worth?
The dollars flow into this local Council of Local Government, but then it is almost impossible to find out where it goes.
They refuse to turn over their records and have to be sued to do so, which uses our tax dollars for purposes other than that for which they are intended.
Where does that money go?
…
.11 Regional Planning Bill Remains A Priority - California Planning and Development Report
Although the state’s mounting budget deficit is expected to predominate in Sacramento for many months, 2008 could be a blockbuster year for land use legislation. Scores of bills related to planning, the California Environmental Quality Act, redevelopment, housing, the Subdivision Map Act, and other land use matters have been introduced during the first two months of the year or remain leftover from 2007.
.12 Pioneer Editorial: Unity comes for regional events center - Bemidji Pioneer - Bemidji, MN, USA
The route the proposed Bemidji Regional Events Center has taken over the past 18 months has been bumpy and full of roadblocks. But the center’s inclusion in the Senate capital projects bonding bill — and at the fully requested $22 million, at that — represents a major hurdle now cleared and supporters, while not being overly optimistic, can claim there is light at the end of the tunnel.
That the proposed bonding is in the Senate Capital Investment Committee’s bonding bill is key, but also this week is another key development. Monday’s signing of a joint Statement of Commitment serves as an important bond of unity among the major players in Bemidji who realize that the regional events center is a logical next step in developing a full-service regional center in northern Minnesota.
The statement recognizes that a number of factors have now come together — the need for a regional events center, for south shore redevelopment and to secure the future of Bemidji State University’s NCAA Division I hockey program.
“The Bemidji region is poised for a more prosperous future. The events center and south shore redevelopment will have immediate and long-term economic benefits estimated at $7.5 (million) to $13.1 million annually. Benefits include short- and long-term job creation, additional tax revenues, more tourists and visitors to the region, and the opportunity to attract conventions, conferences and other groups in need of large meeting space,” says the statement.
Significant is the unity shown by those signing the statement: representatives of the city, BSU, Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Development Authority, Joint Economic Development Commission, Headwaters Regional Development Commission, “Bemidji Leads!” and VisitBemidji. As stewards of the community, however, they need to continue to seek the best project for Bemidji, one that is cost-effective and designed to be a welcome asset to the lakefront.
And that unity must continue, …
15. Custom search: region, regions, regional communities
To search on topics like those in Regional Community Development News use this custom search engine which utilizes regional related sites. Entering the term sustainable returned 184 items, sustainable green – 205 items, sustainable green region – 285 items . Please recommend links for inclusion.
My name is Tom Christoffel. I've worked in the field of intergovernmental cooperation since 1973. As a consequence, "I see regions work." Regional Community Development News is published weekly based on news reports as of Wednesday.
Making visible analysis and actions at multi-jurisdictional regional scales is its purpose. "Think globally, act locally" was innovative in its time. Today the local scale is often too small to address today's needs and opportunities. "Think local planet, act regionally, " is my candidate paradigm. (No one said we're only allowed one paradigm.)
We can see that “regional communities” are organized locally and now act both to avoid tragedy in the commons and gain benefits. An effective multi-jurisdictional regional community has DNA: it is geographically Defined; has a common Name and its Alignment is inclusive of smaller communities and participatory in larger communities. So, by scanning this compilation, reading articles and checking organizations - you too will be able to see the regional communities that already exist.
News references are found using the Google News search service. Media article links are “fair use” to transform globally scattered reports to make regional approaches visible. Links go to the publisher and do not compete with it. Such publishers are likely to have related stories and thus be seen by new customers. “Regional” is an emerging news category. There is no charge for this service and no profit is made from its use, though any user can become more aware of the topic itself.
To read and search previous issues go to: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/regions_work/
The term “Development” was added to the name in January, 2006.
For a free subscription use this email link – no additional information required:
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For the Google Groups version go to:
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Editions since April 11, 2007 can also be found at: http://regional-communities.blogspot.com/
Questions, comments or items to feature in Regional Community Development News?
Please e-mail the editor: Tom.Christoffel@gmail.com
Thomas J. (Tom) Christoffel, AICP Making regions visible for Leaders and Problem-solvers. www.regionalintelligence.com
