Webinar: Smart Growth for Rural Communities - August 16

1. Essential Smart Growth Fixes: Ideas for Rural Communities
   This webinar will focus on tools and strategies that can help rural communities spur economic growth while maintaining their rural character. Presenters Ben Herman (FAICP and Principal of Clarion Associates, a national land use firm) and Dean Severson (AICP and Principal Agricultural and Rural Planning Analyst for the Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Planning Commission) will highlight zoning strategies from EPA's recent publication, "Essential Smart Growth Fixes for Rural Planning, Zoning and Development Codes," and provide tips for implementation. Download the report from http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/publications.htm
   
   AICP members can earn Certification Maintenance credits for this activity. Please note this is a repeat of the webinar held on July 19.

Webinar Details
Thursday, August 16, 2012, 2:00-3:00 Eastern
https://epa.connectsolutions.com/epasmartgrowth
No pre-registration is required.
No phone call is required. Participants will be able to hear the meeting audio through their computer speakers.

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Strategies to Spur Disaster Recovery in Rural Communities

Monday, July 30th, 2:30-4:00 pm ET

This free webinar will highlight best practice examples of how to prepare your organization and your business community to be more resilient in the wake of a disaster, providing case examples from rural-based communities. The webinar will feature lessons learned from Joplin, Missouri and its recovery from an EF5 tornado on May 22, 2011 as well as catastrophic flooding in Minot, North Dakota on June 25, 2011.

Hear what Joplin local officials did to prepare a disaster plan to ensure business continuity, as well as their pro-active efforts immediately after the disaster to retain 80 to 90% of their impacted businesses, effectively communicate with local and national media, and develop an action plan to move forward on long-term recovery.

Learn how Minot officials effectively communicated with the public during devastating floods and how the community came together to advocate and procure federal recovery funds in the wake of disaster.

Space is limited, so register today.


Our Expert Speakers:
Jerry Chavez
President and CEO
Minot Area Development Corporation
Minor, North Dakota

At his current position since 2005, Jerry has developed economic development initiatives that produced immediate results while having long term applications. As of May 2012, MADC has facilitated over $750M in capital investment and creation of over 600 new jobs. Prior to joining MADC, Jerry served as the Vice President of Marketing for the Great Falls Development Authority. There, he developed a three-pronged, $300,000 budget marketing plan that has produced 150 new client projects. Jerry has conducted presentations to community-wide groups and civic organizations for the purpose of education and promotion of economic development, necessary infrastructure development and much-needed political cooperation. Jerry has three children and enjoys hunting, fly fishing, hiking, and travel.

Rob O'Brian, CEcD
President
Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce
Joplin, Missouri

Rob O'Brian, President of the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ball State University with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications, and minors in journalism and political science. His civic/business activities include President of the Joplin Business and Industrial Development Corporation, Vice-President of the Joplin Industrial Development Authority, current Board Member and Past-President of the Missouri Economic Development Council, Board Member and Past-President, Missouri Economic Development Financing Association. O'Brian was a member of Governor Blunt's State Government Reform Commission and was instrumental in writing the Enterprise Zone and Quality Jobs Act legislation. Since the May 22, 2011 tornado that devastated one-third of Joplin, O'Brian has been at the forefront of the recovery efforts by amassing resources for the business community to ensure that businesses can rebuild and thrive in the community.

Kirstie Smith
Communications Director
Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce
Joplin, Missouri

Kirstie has more than 19 years of experience in marketing and communications. Prior to joining the chamber in 2005 she held marketing positions at both area health systems in Joplin. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from Ottawa University with a double major in Marketing and Theatre. Her responsibilities include all marketing decisions, media and public relations, governmental affairs, website design and maintenance duties, editing, writing and all creative design for the area's largest chamber of commerce which serves over 1,100 business members.

About the Free Webinar Series:

IEDC invites you to take advantage of these no-cost online learning events. Attend all remaining five - or any combination - of the new Free "Economic Recovery in Disaster-Impacted Communities" web seminars. Based on real pre-disaster planning and post-disaster experiences, each seminar will equip you to plan and sustain your community's economic recovery in the wake of disaster.

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is conducting this web seminar series with grant funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA).

HUD-DOT-EPA-USDA Report on Rural Sustainability

The HUD-DOT-EPA Partnership for Sustainable Communities and the USDA has released Supporting Sustainable Rural Communities, a report that discusses how small towns and rural places are using federal resources to strengthen their economies, provide better quality of life to residents, and build on local assets such as traditional main streets, agricultural lands, and natural resources.

The report includes sections on how HUD, DOT, EPA, and USDA programs support environmentally and economically sustainable growth in rural places; performance measures rural communities can use to target their investments; and 12 case studies of rural communities using federal resources to achieve their development and economic goals. It also outlines steps the Partnership for Sustainable Communities is pursuing to support small towns and rural places.

To read the report, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/pdf/2011_11_supporting-sustainable-rural-communities.pdf

For more information on the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, please visit http://www.sustainablecommunities.gov