usda rural development
DESCRIPTION
Randy Parry's presentation at the USDA Rural Development Training in Rapid City, SD on February 24, 2010.TRANSCRIPT
USDA Rural Development Rapid City, SD
Wednesday, February 24, 2010Randy Parry, President
What comes to mind when you see the above?
•From Texas to Canada—1600 miles—10 States 20% of US land—4% of the population
•60% of the Great Plains Counties declined
•The Great American Desert—six residents per square mile
•Coastal Counties—17% of US land—53% of the population
•2010 California—50 million—1,050 per square mile
•Northeast states have twice the population density of any other U.S. region—654 people per square mile
What comes to mind when you see the above?
•Lack of money•Lack of opportunities•Decline of the family farm•Limited basic services•Less well educated
•Hardworking •Strong Sense of family•Commitment to their communities•Deeply held religious beliefs•Self-sufficiency
Rural America is Changing!
Some rural communities will successfully meet the challenge of Change by:
◦ Understanding their place they call home◦ Being Strategic◦ Being Intentional◦ Creating a Multi-dimensional approach to community
development◦ Building the capacity to share their vision and story◦ Developing the ability to project and measure local impact◦ Building strong collaborations and partnerships
A Learning Journey Of Change
Miner County, SD
Our Context
Highest outmigration of youth in SD
Highest percentage of elderly in SD
61st out of 66 counties in median home value
income
Farm, 26%
Transfer Payments,
16%
Dividends, Interest & Rent, 21%
Wages & Salaries,
24%
Non-farm Pro-prietors, 12%
1990
Farm; 21%
Transfer Pay-
ments; 18%
Dividends, In-terest & Rent;
20%
Wages & Salaries;
26%
Non-farm Propri-etors; 14%
2005
51655864
76618560 8376
6836
62685398
44543739
32722884
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
Miner Historical Population Trends
Miner County Historical Population Trend
We were living on our equity,
hoping for change!
Our Story
Grassroots Effort
Multi-Dimensional Approach
Collaborative Partners
Grassroots
Kids spark community understanding
Leadership from within
Strategic community plan
Vision
What do we want to: Look Like
Be Like3-5-10 years from now
Transformation vs. Revitalization
Multi-Dimensional Solutions
Creation of a Long-Term Strategic PlanDo away with “Silo Mentality” LeadershipBroad-based Informed Decision MakingDevelop Regional CollaborationsInvest & Support LocalDevelop a New Economy--Economic
Engines Create Life-Cycle Housing
The Plan
Economic Development
Housing
People & Organizations(capacity building)
If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always gotten.
Partners
Local Taxing Entities
Business and Industry
Educational Entities
Funding Entities
Government Entities
Miner CountyA Growing Community
Community revitalization work began in 1996 at Howard High School
Northwest Area Foundation invested in the work in March of 1999
MCCR, a formal non-profit organization, was formed to lead the community revitalization movement
Focus on a multi-dimensional approach
Miner CountyA Growing Community
247 new jobs have been created in Miner County since 2002
In addition, 125 jobs have been retained in Miner County
Sales tax figures continue to increase in Howard—from 2007 (a record setting year) to 2008, sales tax grew by 24%
17.61% Job Growth in Miner County compared to -0.27% average in rural SD between 2002-2008
Miner CountyA Growing Community
Total leveraging of assets of over $74.1 million
Projected population increase by 2010 (SD GOED) for the first time in 90 years
Miner County Population
1990
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2010...
-
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500 3,272
2,884 2,8062,629
2,814
Miner County Taxable Growth
0
50,000,000
100,000,000
150,000,000
200,000,000
250,000,000
300,000,000
350,000,000
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Miner County Tax Levies
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Howard Sales Tax Revenue
195,359.92
218,464.71 282,532.51
306,893.22
397,570.84
494,591.49
100,000.00
150,000.00
200,000.00
250,000.00
300,000.00
350,000.00
400,000.00
450,000.00
500,000.00
550,000.00
1996 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
USDA Rural Development
An early collaborator
◦Networking—Information Exchange
◦Coordination—Altering activities to achieve a common purpose
◦Cooperation—Sharing resources
◦Collaboration—Enhancing the capacity of each other
Brick Home Apartments
Licensed Child Care
Fund for Rural America
Intermediary Loan Program
Horizon Healthcare, Inc.
Rural community Health Centers
Telemedicine capabilities connect patients in rural areas with doctors in more urban areas
Headquartered in Howard, SD
www.horizonhealthcare.org/
A Diversified Economy
Miner County Economic Engines Renewable Energy Rural Entrepreneurs Health Care (seniors,
telemedicine) School System Rural Learning
Center
Growing our economy required a multi-dimensional approach—including a look at what kinds of businesses would compliment existing industry and regional skills
Miner County Development Corporation (MCDC) dba
Whispering Winds Assisted Living
Beyond Miner County
Rural Learning Center founded in 2002-- focused resources on small, rural community capacity building
To date has worked in 32 states and 6 countries
In 2008, MCCR and the Rural Learning Center merged
Growing the Wind Industry
Industry in Demand
Need for 9,000+ new wind technicians in the next two years—currently technical schools are producing 600 each year
Midwest is poised to see significant growth in renewable energy, specifically related to wind development
Currently, Howard has 100 people directly employed in the wind industry
Broadwind Energy/EMS
Energy Maintenance Services was the first wind energy company located in South Dakota
Miner County native, Joe Kolbach, founded EMS
This partnership allowed Howard to become the first municipality in SD to own and operate wind turbines
First renewable energy collaborative training in SD
www.energyms.com
Knight & Carver Wind Group
Wind blade repair and manufacturing
26,000 sq. foot facility opened in Howard in 2007
Currently, 60 employees
www.knightandcarver.com
Airstreams Renewables, Inc.
Renewable energy training company, currently located in Tehachapi, CA
5 year partnership agreement with the RLC to offer courses in Howard
Troops to Energy Partnership
National Distance Learning Collaborative
Airstreams Renewables, Inc.
Airstreams model is based on short, intensive courses
Wind technician course is a 20 day program
Currently, Airstreams is partnering with community colleges and universities on wind technician curriculum, alongside their private training program
The Path out of the Valley appears when you
choose to see things differently.
Rural Learning Center
Rural Conference Center, Training Classrooms, Restaurant, Hotel
Seeking LEED Platinum certification
Total facility cost= $6.3 million
Public/Private Partnership
Construction set to begin Spring, 2010
www.rurallearningcenter.org
Rural Learning Center
Green Energy Demonstration, showcasing the following:
• Geothermal• Solar• Wind energy • Energy efficiency
technology • Green materials
Job creation at the facility will total 15+ FTE’s
Local economic impact of $6 million per year
www.rurallearningcenter.org
"The time is always right to do what is right. "
Change Inevitably Happens
•We can ignore it
•We can deny it
•We can react to it positively or negatively
•We can anticipate it
•We can create it
“It was hard for the people to believe they had the power to change things, but they were the only ones who could.”
Conversations => Trust
Actually, what we are saying is that conversations can build social capital, which in turn helps communities get things done.
Where We Intend to Go:ReImagine Rural
Deep Dialogue—Host
Connecting the Dots—Broker
Resources for Action—Provider
www.rurallearningcenter.org
Connecting the dots
Deep Dialogue
Resources for Action
Keys to the Future
“Sense of Community”
Faith/Churches
Recreation
Safety/Support
Location
Dining/Social
Arts/Culture
Community Appearance
Other
Business Development(People/Ideas/Passion)
Agriculture(Production/Processing)
Manufacturing/Processing
Wealth Transfer/Investment(Area Foundation)
Government
Senior Services
Visitor (Recreation/Tourism) Impact
Other
EducationHealthcare
HousingInfrastructure
Qualit
y o
f Li
feEco
nom
ic Issu
es
Attitude: Confidence in the Future
Perspective: “Community” As Region
Relationships: The Rural Learning Center
Individuals
Organizations
Communities
Regions
Organizations Communities
Regions
Individuals
Regional RelationshipsThe Rural Learning Center
Imagine…
Reimagine Rural is a place where our children do not wish to flee but where they dream to return
It is a place where people do not talk about what used to be on Main Street but where they dream about what will be there two decades from now for our children and grandchildren to return to be entrepreneurs.
Make It Happen!
We need to make a decision that luggage is no longer an acceptable gift to high school graduates but the investment of getting them back home is the responsibility of all.
Logic will get you from point A to point B; Imagination can take you wherever you want to go.
What is it going to take?
Collaborative CommitmentCollaborative Hard WorkCollaborative CommunicationCollaboration of Partners in Strategic
PlanningCollaborative ImplementationCollaborative Work For Positive Rural
Policy Changes
Thank You!
Together let us
ReImagine Rural and become
the Architects of Change