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Saline County Study Members Present: Mark Belwood, Kathy Borgman, Wayne McReynolds, Marc Harris, Roy Hunter, LeAnn Haling
Saline County Study Members Absent: Richard Clemens, Vince Buck, Becky Plattner, Ruthie Cramer
Saline County Commissioners Present: Mike Dillon, Richard Pemberton
Saline County Commissioners Absent: John Stouffer
Saline County Extension Staff Present: Cynthia Crawford
Saline County Extension Absent: Gerry Snapp, Darin Starr
University Partners Present: Chris Fulcher, Tom Johnson, Vincent Burke, Chris Barnett, Anna Cox, Anna Kovalyova
University Partners Absent: Mubarak Hamed, John Lory, Kathy Miller
Media Present: Chris Post, Democrat News
Guests Present: Mark and Terry Tomlinson, George Ebai

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Belwood at 7:00 p.m. Minutes were approved as mailed.

Odor Committee Report: We did receive response to the Land Values study by county resident Bill Livengood. He was invited to attend this meeting. Mark Belwood addressed two specific concerns: 1) Should the report have received a full blown press release? Mark and Mike Dillon’s response was that we have treated this report the same as all the rest, i.e. the press reported on it and it has been placed on the Internet. 2) The validity of the report was questioned. Tom Johnson responded that he felt all needed pieces of information were considered.

This response brought up the question of whether newspaper coverage and the web were enough places to make the information available. Wayne McReynolds suggested summaries and information disseminated in a more popular format is needed; very few people will read the entire report. The possibility of doing an insert in the Saline County Citizen was discussed. The communications committee is to consider this; Roy Hunter will provide cost information. Mike Dillon moved, Roy Hunter seconded that full reports in hard copy be placed in the Marshall, Slater, and Sweet Springs libraries. Carried.

Options Committee Report: Cynthia Crawford reported on the meeting with Dr. Ron Powers concerning year three of the study. Attending were Cynthia Crawford, Darin Starr, Gerry Snapp, Mark Belwood, Chris Fulcher, Richard Pemberton, and Mike Dillon. She distributed a report listing the benefits of the study. All agreed that a third year for the study would be valuable and an amendment to the original agreement is being drafted to fund the study for a third year.

Ron Powers will retire this summer from his position with Extension but will continue work in the area of rural and economic development. He has agreed to lead the study group in a public issues forum on land use. He could do this mid to late October.

The commissioners invite all current study members to serve a third year. However, It is also honorable to retire if you so wish. The commissioners will consider members are returning for a third year unless a member informs them otherwise preferably by the end of July.

After an unsuccessful attempt to agree on dates for a fall retreat, Chairman Belwood halted the discussion indicating we would return to this later in the meeting.

The commissioners had no report on the Linn County court case concerning CAFOs. They will continue to monitor its progress.

Mark Belwood introduced Terry and Mark Tomlinson who spoke about the Virtual Training Initiative. This Initiative seeks to bring young entrepreneurs into the county and to provide capital and training for technology jobs. Mark Belwood, Roy Hunter, and Darin Starr accompanied the Tomlinsons to two Kansas City bio-science businesses to learn about their work and the possibility of creating jobs in Saline County. One, Midwest Research Institute, wants to bring about 15 people together for a brainstorming session. Fee would be $5,000. Tomlinson requested a vote or indication that the Study Committee support the Virtual Training Initiative.

Mike Dillon asked the study group to remember the reason each one came to the group, i.e. CAFOs and land use. Vince Burke described his idea of the group as a kind of "think tank" from which ideas could "spin off" to groups that took on specific projects. Some members of the group will be participating in the Initiative by virtue of their occupations and interests. Roy Hunter moved, Kathy Borgman seconded, that Mark Belwood be the liaison to the Virtual Training Initiative Group. Carried.

Anna E. Kovalyova presented the Saline County Retail Trade Analysis: Sales, Employment, and Income report from CPAC (Community Policy Analysis Center). Also contributing to the report were Tom Johnson and Anna Cox. The following key findings were enumerated in the Executive Summary:

After adjusting for inflation, Saline County’s retail sales increased from $146 million in 1990 to $150 million in 1998 - an average growth rate of .39 percent per year.

Retail sales have declined in real terms between 1996 and 1998 - from $158 million to $150 million (1998 dollars).

The number of retail firms in Saline County increased from 674 in 1990 to 715 in 1998.

County retail sales grew similarly to that of the State over the last 10 years.

In 1996, almost 1,600 people were employed in retail businesses in Saline County - making up over 16 percent of total county employment.

Income from the retail sectors totaled more than $16.3 million - 7.8 percent of the wage, salary and other labor earnings of Saline County residents.

Saline County’s pull factor was .79 in 1990 and .61 in 1998. This indicates that Saline residents’ demands for goods and services are not being fully filled by the local businesses.

Several retail categories in Saline County how promise for expansion. These are the categories with pull factors less than one and high growth rates: General Merchandise, Auto Repair Services, Eating and Drinking Places, Miscellaneous Retail and Building Materials.

Mike Dillon moved, Roy Hunter seconded that we accept the report and put it on the web. Carried. Thanks was expressed for the quick turn around time for this report.

Chris Barnett and Chris Fulcher have been working on the web site completing internal converting of data. The animal feeding operations layer is now on GIS, and the park study is on the web.

Cynthia Crawford announced there will be an Iowa Technology Road Trip on July 14 and 15. Representatives from Saline County will visit three Iowa communities to observe their success with increased technology. This trip is being sponsored by V.I. Connectivity Technology, Virtual Training Project, Missouri Valley Human Resources, and University Outreach and Extension. Marc Harris moved, Roy Hunter seconded, that $100 per person be allowed for any steering committee member to attend. Carried. Interested members are to contact Cynthia.

Scenarios Committee Meeting: Roy Hunter, Richard Pemberton, Becky Plattner, and Mark Belwood are hoping to meet Tuesday with Joe Driscoll of the Department of Economic Development to discuss a pilot project to help counties target industries for their communities.

Vince Burke asked Mike Dillon to further comment on his observation that we need to stay focused on the original problem that precipitated the formation of the study group, i.e. CAFOs and land use. Mike reiterated our need to remember why we each got involved in this process. Tom Johnson asked the question, "So how are we doing? Are we making any headway?"

Kathy Borgman expressed her opinion that in year three we need to take some of these studies and deal with what they mean. We need to bring closure and make recommendations to the county. Others asked if we would also bring recommendations to the legislature who must deal with the CAFO issue in 2002.

This discussion led us back to the retreat schedule for reflection and planning for the third year. Tom Johnson suggested we plan an earlier retreat in September and follow that with the one night public issues session with Dr. Powers, possibly in October to replace our regular meeting. September 12 and 13 was set for the retreat in Arrow Rock. The October meeting will be moved for this month only to October 18 contingent on Dr. Power’s schedule.

Mark Belwood showed several Saline County photos received. Tom Johnson suggested we turn the project into a continuing one and that they be placed on the web so when you clicked on an area photos would come up. The photo committee will continue to work with this project.

Meeting adjourned 10:00 p.m.
Kathy Borgman, recorder

This web site is hosted  by CARES- University of Missouri - Columbia
This web site is maintained jointly by the Saline County Study Steering Committee and CARES
For problems or questions regarding this web contact the Saline County Steering Committee or  Chris Fulcher (CARES).
Last updated: October 13, 2000