REAP Review
May 2012
The following are highlights of the May 14, 2012 REAP Board Meeting. Please feel free to share these items with your Council/Commission and staff.
2012 Officer Elections
In accordance with the REAP bylaws, the 2010 REAP Nominating Committee Chairman officially nominated Commissioner Dave Unruh, Sedgwick County, to serve as Chair and Commissioner Brad Dillon, Reno County, to serve as Vice-Chair. Upon a vote of the REAP Board these nominations were accepted and it was recommended that Chairman Unruh nominate members to serve on the Executive Committee and seek approval of the nominations no later than the June REAP meeting.
Congratulations to Commissioner Unruh and Commissioner Dillon!
Also, special thanks to the members of the Nominating Committee: Mayor Kristey Williams (Augusta) – Chair, Commissioner Willis Heck (Newton), Mr. Tom Winters (Kingman County), Mr. John Deardoff (Hutchinson), and Mr. Joe Yager (REAP CEO).
Sustainable Communities Planning Grant Update
REAP has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to create a long-term regional plan for ensuring the health and productivity of our local economy. The grant will support community engagement to identify common values and goals, followed by local and regional efforts to enhance economic development, connect people with jobs, reduce housing and transportation costs, ensure public safety, and use of limited public funds efficiently in the years ahead. Additional information pertaining to this grant is available on the REAP website.
Focus Statement
The REAP governing body is the managing entity of the Consortium and has final decision making authority. While the planning process will help in enhancing the capacity of our region to grow economically and compete both nationally and globally, REAP believes sustainability in South Central Kansas will ultimately be defined by the citizens of our region and their elected representatives. As a first step in assuring local control, REAP adopted the following focus statement for our region to guide all work conducted under the grant:
REAP Mission: To guide state and national actions that affect economic development in the region, and to adopt joint actions among member governments that enhance the regional economy.
Consistent with its mission, REAP will focus all work relative to the sustainability grant on enhancing the capacity of South Central Kansas to grow economically and compete both nationally and globally. Activity conducted through the grant will address, as highest priority, the cost of living and doing business in South Central Kansas. Specific plans that lower our cost of living and doing business and result in greater competitiveness for our region will be identified. This focus will include community engagement to address housing, transportation, economic development, water resources, workforce development, and natural resource conservation.
In addressing the cost of living and doing business, grant funds will also be applied to understanding the fiscal impact of government on area residents within our region in comparison to other regions. The impact of taxing, spending, and borrowing by government—national, state, and local—will be analyzed in conjunction with all grant work.
This focus statement provides a starting point for work conducted under the grant. Furthermore, this statement aligns with REAP’s mission and with the alliance’s work and accomplishments over the past fourteen years.
Grant Project Director Position Update
A key component for the grant process is the project manager who is to be hired by the Hugo Wall School at Wichita State University, which already provides staff support to REAP. The project management staff will assist the Consortium Leadership Team and work teams in creating the Regional Plan. Staff was able to utilize the formal process that is required by WSU to evaluate 34 applicants and identify five candidates that were interviewed between Monday, May 7 and Wednesday, May 9.
Consortium Agreement Update
A draft consortium agreement was developed and vetted by Sedgwick County legal. Staff received affirmation from our HUD Grant Technical Representative (GTR) Stephen Cerny that we could proceed with initiating the consortium agreement. Sedgwick County voted to approve participation in the Consortium and agreed to serve as the fiscal agent on April 4, 2012. The Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WAMPO) voted to approve participation in the Consortium on April 10, 2012. The City of Wichita voted to approve participation in the Consortium on April 17, 2012.
Although we do not have a time constraint on passage by the other partners, we would like to proceed quickly and staff will work to schedule with the other partners.
Work Plan Development Update
A key deliverable is the work plan. This document will be able to be amended throughout the process, but the initial plan was due by April 13. A draft was forwarded out to all partners and feedback is requested to determine if there are concerns, questions, and if it is moving in the right direction. This draft work plan is available on the REAP website at: http://www.reap-ks.org/grant.html.
Financial Oversight Update
In accord with the REAP Consortium for Sustainable Communities Consortium Agreement, REAP made a formal request of Sedgwick County through its Division of Finance to manage the financial responsibilities for the HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant that established an official process from Budget Establishment through Audit Completion. REAP acknowledged that in doing so the County will assume responsibility for compliance with all financial terms and conditions of the grant and will bear any cost of noncompliance. To minimize the County’s risk, regarding this grant REAP agreed to adhere to procedures and direction of the County, and promptly respond to the County’s requests for data or documentation.
Special Presentation on Workforce Development
Mr. Keith Lawing, Executive Director of the Workforce Alliance provided an overview the workforce system as it works in our region. The presentation covered the basics of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and covered the workforce development system (programs, funding, role of elected officials, role of businesses, etc.). The presentation in its entirety can be found through the link above or on the REAP website meeting page.
Workforce Development Discussion
In order to further understand the complex issue of workforce development, several experts were gathered to provide insight into our region’s workforce system, labor market, and some perspectives from business and education/training looking forward. Mr. Jeremy Hill, CEDBR, provided a brief overview of the economic outlook for the region. This presentation focused on trends we are seeing in our region in regards to the labor market, including different business practices and needs. He provided some perspective into future projections in regards to what is happening with our current regional developments (like wind production, oil and gas exploration, etc.). This was followed by discussion of a panel consisting of: Dr. Tony Kinkel, President, WATC; Ms. Martha Webb-Jones, Senior Manager of Workforce Planning, Spirit; and Gabe Schlickau, Manager of Economic Development, Black Hills Energy and current President of the Wichita Manufacturing Association.
REMINDER: 2012 REAP Regional Water Conference “Hang Together, or Hang Separately”
On Thursday, May 24, 2012, the REAP Water Resources Committee will hold its 2012 Regional Water Conference in Newton at the Meridian Center (1420 E. Broadway Ct.) titled “Hang Together, or Hang Separately." The featured keynote speaker is Carolyn Brittin of the Texas Water Development Board. To accomplish its goals of planning for the state's water resources and for providing affordable water and wastewater services, the Texas Water Development Board provides water planning, data collection and dissemination, financial assistance and technical assistance services to the citizens of Texas.
REAP Water Conference Information
This half day event is FREE for REAP Members and will provide a networking forum including presentations and discussion on the value of regional water planning. The event is open to participants from all areas, including private, nonprofit, and government representatives. Sessions include lessons learned from infrastructure planning and investments, efforts to promote regional water systems, and a legislative update with Tracy Streeter, Director, Kansas Water Office.
Kansas Affordable Airfares Program Update
The Executive Committee is charged to administer the Kansas Affordable Airfares Program and assure that all statutory requirements for programming, evaluation, accounting and auditing, financial management, and reporting are met. The following highlights were provided:
Legislative Liaison Reports
Tom Bruno, REAP Legislative Liaison, provides the committee with updates on the 2012 legislative session. Bruno’s reports are available on the REAP website at www.reap-ks.org. In addition, an update of REAP specific legislative priorities is listed in the agenda packet, pages 9-12.
2012 Legislative Committee Listening Tour
One of the items identified in the 2012 Legislative Committee work plan is to “Conduct a Listening Tour to identify issues of importance.” The Legislative Committee reviewed a draft proposal for the 2012 Regional Listening Tour for this summer to help connect REAP with the communities in the region. The tour will allow REAP members to identify issues that are important to individual communities that could be beneficial to the region. The Committee has noted that although many issues may not be of regional importance, if they are important to that community REAP should be aware and supportive as long as the issue does not hurt any other community in the region. The Committee hopes to have formal announcements for the Listening Tour at the June REAP Board meeting.
Local Area IV Chief Elected Officials Business
Action was taken to affirm additions to the Eligible Training Provider List and additions of the On the Job Training (OJT) programs as presented on page 13 of the agenda packet. In addition, action was taken to accept the PY10 a-133 Audit, and receive and file the budget updates on page 15 of the agenda packet. Updates, including information on the Kansas Engineering Excellence Project (KEEP) Agreement; Youth WIA Service Provider Agreements; and update on grants received by the WA were received and filed. All information on each of these items is available in the agenda packet, pages 13-18.
In addition, a summary of the Workforce Alliance Workforce Center Operations and Performance can be found in the 2011 Workforce Alliance Annual Report which is available on their website.
NOTICE: Congressman Pompeo Invited for June Board Meeting
The theme for the June 11 REAP Board meeting is legislative update and Mayor Williams has secured a commitment from Congressman Mike Pompeo to speak and field questions at the meeting. Additional information pertaining to this meeting will be forwarded prior to the event.
Upcoming Meetings and Events
The following is a schedule of upcoming meetings and events:
May 24 REAP Water Conference, Newton Meridian Center, 8:00 AM
May 25 REAP Legislative Committee Meeting, Wichita Workforce Center, NOON
June 11 REAP March Board Meeting, WSU Metroplex, 8:00 AM
June 15 Kansas Affordable Airfares Program RFP’s Due
June 22 REAP Legislative Committee Meeting, Wichita Workforce Center, NOON
June 28 REAP EDC Meeting, Wichita Workforce Center, NOON
October 30-31 Governors Water Conference, Manhattan Conference Center, Manhattan
A complete listing of all REAP meetings for 2012 is available on the REAP website.
www.reap-ks.org
Joseph S Yager
Chief Executive Officer
Regional Economic Area Partnership
1845 Fairmount St
Wichita, KS 67260-0155
w - (316) 978-6542
c - (316) 214-7788
joe.yager@wichita.edu
www.reap-ks.org