Energizing Entrepreneurs meeting in Red Springs on Tuesday November 1, 2011

Message from Kim Pevia:

The Rural Center/Ft. Bragg Regional Alliance/SEA continued its roving series of entrepreneurship seminars. The agenda included:

·  A welcome from Red Springs mayor John McNeill

·   An update about the growing “fourth sector” of triple bottom line companies in North Carolina, and what regions are doing to support them (John-Paul Smith, Bull City Forward, and John Parker, Good Work)

· An update on the vision and directions for the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, including related to entrepreneurship development in the region (Cammie Hunt, Associate Vice Chancellor for Engaged Outreach at UNCP, and Kim Pevia, Southeastern Entrepreneurial Alliance); and

· A local look at entrepreneurship from the small town perspective of Red Springs, NC, one of several dozen STEP communities in rural NC (Margie Labadie and Kim Pevia).

Along with the STEP presentation given by Kim and Margie, two other presentations were given. For copies of the videos, please email Margie Labadie at margie.labadie@gmail.com.


Thanks!

October 17th Agenda and Meeting notes

Agenda for STEP meeting for Monday 10/17/2011

Welcome and call to order  6:30 (Johnny)

Update on progress and instructions for tonight  6:35

Break into Strategy Groups 6:45

-          Work on Project templates

-          Define expected resources to implement

-          Develop ideas on future projects

Return to main group  8:10

Report by Strategy Groups

 Leadership Team - Report by Mary Francis McClure

 Physical Design Team - Report by Janet Robertson

 Broadening Education Team - Report by Margie Labadie

 Entrepreneurial Team - Report by Kim Pevia

Confirm expected use of resources  8:25

Adjourn

Next monthly meeting with Chilton – Monday, November 14, 2011

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Meeting notes

The Leadership Team has a firm plan in place to begin Red Springs Ready and is working on developing a youth track – our planned budget request will be $12,500. – 1 Job created

The Physical Design Team reported on our association with Coaly Design and the work on the master plan for Red Springs, the Clean Teams and then asked for consideration of budgeting $10,000 to assist in developing new entrance signs and then discussed “downtown art” which would be printed on bill board canvas and placed in visible spots in town which would require $1000 and lastly discussed improvements to the Old Spring which will be developed in the master plan for the Town and asked that $1500 be budgeted as seed money to leverage against other funds to complete the Spring project.  Total request $12,500, direct jobs created 0

The Broadening Education Team shared their vision of the development of the Education andArt Center and the related programs which will become the corner stone of our STEP efforts to revitalize our community.  This group requested: $15,000 for program development, $1,500 for a screen and LCD projector, $3,500 for tables and chairs, $30,000 for the Director’s position and $15,000 for rent and utilities.  This totals $65,000 and will create one full time job.

The Entrepreneurial Team will work closely with the Broadening Education Team to develop entrepreneurial programs that help locals develop business plans and will also provide incubator space so that budding entrepreneurs will have startup space.  Their budget request of $15,000 covers materials and development of programs while the skilled positions will be leveraged through UNCP and Robeson Community College.

The total budget for our implementation is $105,000.00 which should come from our $100,000.00 implementation funds and the remainder of our planning funds.  Our Teams realize that additional funds will be necessary and the project templates that will follow by November 7th will give details for each project and will show a clear path for our expected out comes.
 

The next Red Springs Leadership Team meeting on October 17th

The next Red Springs Leadership Team meeting on
October 17th with full group - without Chilton!!!

Challenge! Invite as many people as possible!

The next meeting with Chilton Rogers will have the following agenda and dates:

AGENDA

RED SPRINGS NC STEP LEADERSHIP TEAM

COMMUNITY BUILDING (CROSS ST.)

MONDAY, November 14, 2011

6:30 – 8:30 P.M.

LAST Planning Phase Leadership Team Meeting with Coach

Monday, November. 14, 2011

I.  Welcome, Introductions and Announcements – STEP Co-Chair Willie Goodyear

II. Final Review of Project Importance, Order, and STEP Dollars Allocation

o   Review project list

o   Evaluate STEP funds allocation among projects

o   Where have additional/leveraged funds been found?

o   Project assignments – Who’s organizing, leading and working on which projects?

IV. Transition to Implementation

Ø  Economic Development Strategic Plan & Implementation Presented

to Leadership Team  (Nov.)

Ø  Presentation of Plan to Town Board to Secure its Approval (Nov.)

Ø  Contract with Rural Center (Nov./Dec.)

V. Adjourn – Next full Leadership Team meeting date – Monday, Nov. 14th  

Change of meetings announcement, agenda and meeting notes.

Notes from the Core Leadership Team meeting of October 10.

1. The STEP core Leadership team meeting at the American Legion building was from 6-8 PM. It was a very productive meeting and sets the stage for our STEP LEADERSHIP TEAM meeting NEXT Monday night. 

2. We will need all hands on deck to work on the final reports for Chilton Rogers. These must be sent
   to her before the November meeting. ALL should attend.

    

Agenda: October 10, 2011

Agenda
6:30-7:15
Welcome-Willie or Johnny

Overview of what is left-Margie or Johnny
     Meeting tonight to create a clear vision of what we want as the leadership to present to greater STEP team next Monday
     Next Monday with the greater STEP team
     One final committee meeting next week or following to finalize plan to send to Chilton
     Nov 14 to replace October meeting
     Nov 21 for our final plan for Chilton to present to Town of Red Springs

Presentation John Margie Kim Johnny (?)

General Discussion (Build excitement and vision)

7:15-8:15
Breakouts for Committee Meetings

8:15-8;30 
Reports back with what they want on the Presentation
Next steps for the committee
Templates and budgets ideas review
 
Adjourn Reminder Next Meeting Monday October 17, 2011 Challenge to invite a larger group to get excited!

 Announcement:

The next STEP Leadership meeting will take place on
Monday, October 10th at the
American Legion building from 6:30 - 8:30. 

FYI: Chilton will NOT be in attendance. 

AGENDA:  Focusing our strategies for final approval.

STEP Meeting September 19th, 2011: Agenda and Mintues

AGENDA

RED SPRINGS NC STEP LEADERSHIP TEAM

COMMUNITY BUILDING (CROSS ST.)

MONDAY, SEPT. 19, 2011

6:30 – 8:30 P.M.

I.  Welcome, Introductions and Announcements – STEP Co-Chair Willie Goodyear

II. Project Status: 

*  Completed templates  -- know exactly what it will take to carry out the project

*  Firm dollar estimates – no guessing

*  Prioritize Projects:  Which projects are most important to address immediately and in what order? 

*  Allocate STEP funds

*  Project assignments – Who’s organizing, leading and working on which projects?

           

III. Landscape Master Plan Progress – Kimberly Siran, Coaly Design

IV. What’s Next?

*  Coach will draft STEP Economic Development Strategic Plan and Implementation Strategy for leadership team to present to the Town Board as soon as possible. 

*  Prepare for Transition to Implementation: 

§  Who’s holding the Implementation Team together

§  Organize and facilitate monthly meetings? 

[Agenda, Meeting Notes, Track Project Progress]

§  Implementation Process and Procedures 

IV. Adjourn – Next full Leadership Team meeting Monday, Oct. 17, 2011

MINUTES
RED SPRINGS NC STEP LEADERSHIP TEAM
COMMUNITY BUILDING (CROSS ST.)
MONDAY, SEPT. 19, 2011
6:30 – 8:30 P.M.
Respectfully submitted by Margie Labadie

 1. Welcome and Announcements

 - Willie Goodyear welcomed everyone to the meeting.  
 - Chilton Rogers talked about Town Meeting. She thanked those who attended that meeting.

Announcements: 

 - Rural Partners Forum will be November 16-17 in Raleigh. The title is, “re imagine rural: Transforming North Carolina’s rural communities through youth engagement”.
- Governor is holding forums in small towns regarding small town competitiveness. Billy Ray Hall will also be there. The closest one to us is in Thomasville, NC on Wednesday, September 28th; 8 AM to noon. Davidson Community College, 297 DCCC Road. See the Rural Center website for details.

- Kim announced: NC EntreSummit.org (http://www.ncentresummit.org/) From the website:  “The 2011 NC Governor’s Entrepreneurship Summit is a gathering of entrepreneurs and leaders from across our diverse state on a mission to break the mold by developing innovative products and services, create jobs and help NC grow.”

II. Project Status Reports

 Embracing Entrepreneurship - Kim reported

 - We will share space with Broadening Education.

 - Establish “No Wrong Door” program for the extension and enhancement of information.
There will be no cost as it will be covered by the Institute for Rural E-ship but applied specifically to Red Springs.

 - Branding: Branding will use UNCP to help develop a program for logo/graphics.

 - We must attend the Youth Entrepreneurship program on October 19th, 10 AM - Noon. Sponsored by the SouthEastern Alliance. Margie and Willie will attend. They will also attend the preliminary meeting on September 29th from noon - 2 PM.

 - Financial Literacy - will be a program working in the Elementary school along with NC REAL in the middle school.

Broadening Education - Margie reported

Building:

 - Regarding the Bodenheimer building. A representative group of the Leadership Committee met last Thursday with the owners. Unfortunately they do not want to sell the building for less than tax value ($139K) and of that, they will only donate a small portion (25K). The price is out of our range. It was decided to have an appraisal done of the building. The building is in need of repair and we would need a fund-raising plan. There will have to be money set aside for programming, utilities, staffing.

 - We will re-contact the owner of the laundromat, Mr. Desai, to revisit the possibilities of renovation, lease or rent.

Programming: 

 - Art exhibitions and musical performances will be done in the space. The space will be utilized for internationally diverse programing.

 - Robeson Community College will supply computers (25-30) to hold classes (currently offered in several locations in Red Springs, to be consolidated into the building). These classes will be between 8:00 and 2:30 PM. RCC has offered to pay partial utilities. We are also seeking a grant to move other initiatives forward including a business incubator. RCC can cover the matching funds and in kind.

After school programs for Red Springs Middle School and Red Springs High School kids. What are these? Creative computing (need software/hardware). Audio and video
  training.

The programs from the Embracing Entrepreneurship and Leadership strategies will be held in the space.

 - Computers will be used for Red Springs seniors and we will partner with COG.

- Computers will be used for filing unemployment.

Leadership: Johnny reported for Mary Francis

Red Springs Ready program. See template now posted on the Red Springs STEP Blog for August 16th along with the other templates.

Asthetics: Johnny reported

- Clean teams are already underway. The Clean Team project will begin on Saturday around 9:00 AM and last for a couple of hours; Rotary is hosting lunch for that day around noon.
 

III. Landscape Master Plan Progress – Kimberly Siran, Coaly Design

- Introduction of Kimberly Siran of Coaly Design:

Kimberly showed an image, (Google Map?)  with Red Springs town boundaries. She asked for suggestions from the Leadership Team and community on what kinds of projects we could do.

A focus group session with Kimberly is scheduled for September the 29th from 3:30 until 5:30. This meeting is so that community members have a chance to express their thoughts about how Red Springs could transform our image over the next 5 years. Kimberly needs you to dream big and share your ideas about things you would like to see take place in our community.


IV. What’s Next?

 Chilton will draft STEP Economic Development Strategic Plan and Implementation Strategy for leadership team to present to the Town Board probably in November. 

We will prepare for Transition to Implementation

IV. Adjourn – Next full Leadership Team meeting Monday, Oct. 17, 2011

Red Springs Gets Update on STEP Program

Red Springs Gets Update on STEP Program

Tuesday, September 6, Chilton Rogers presents at Red Springs Town Hall