01022015 ECC Weekly Information Bulletin

ECC Weekly Information Bulletin
January 2, 2015
Quote: And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been. Rainer Maria Rilke
January brings managerial changes to Swansboro
Swansboro’s manager Dave Harvell has resigned his position effective the end of January. Planner
Jennifer Holland is leaving Swansboro to work for Onslow County. Clerk Paula Webb has taken a new
job in Carteret County. Public Safety Chief Bob Ritchie is retiring. We wish everyone good luck in their
new endeavors.
Holly Ridge hires new manager
The new Holly Ridge town manager — a Leland police lieutenant with a master’s in management — will
fill the position occupied by the town’s police chief for four years. Joseph Pierce formerly of Brunswick
County will start January 5th. We welcome our region’s newest manager.
ECC hires new Finance Director
Executive Director Judy Hills announced that Jennifer (Jenny) Miller has joined ECC on December 30th as
ECC’s new Finance Director replacing Tamika Williams who moved to Pensacola, FL. Jenny had been the
Business Officer for Lenoir County DSS. Please join us in welcoming Jenny. She can be reached at
[email protected] (252) 638-3185 x 3028.
USDA Announces Community Connect Grant Program
This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service announced the Community
Connect Grant Program for fiscal year (FY) 2015. These grants are intended to provide financial
assistance to eligible applicants for unserved rural areas, on a community-oriented connectivity basis,
with broadband service that fosters economic growth and delivers enhanced educational, health care,
and public safety services. The minimum grant amount is $100,000; the maximum grant amount is
$3,000,000. Applications are due by February 17, 2015. Click here for more information, eligible
organizations, and application criteria.
Health Considerations in the Comprehensive Planning Process
The State of North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services has released the guide entitled
“North Carolina Guide to Incorporating Health Considerations into Comprehensive Plans” which is
intended to start a conversation about how health can be incorporated into the planning process. This
guide is a compilation of strategies that were researched and developed by practitioners across the
state and can be used by anyone who is involved in developing comprehensive plans, including
municipal planners, health officials, and community residents. The guide provides examples of
comprehensive plan goals and strategies to address health considerations related to: 1) active living, 2)
healthy foods, 3) emergency preparedness, 4) environmental exposures, 5) health, human and public
services, and 6) social
cohesion. http://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/HealthConsiderations/HealthConsiderations.html.
SAFER & FP&S grant announcements
The Funding Opportunity Announcements for the FY 2014 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency
Response (SAFER) and the 2014 Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grant Programs are now available
online! The FY 2014 application period’s for both programs are right around the corner. The application
periods are currently scheduled for the following dates (subject to change): Staffing for Adequate Fire
and Emergency Response (SAFER): February 9, 2015 – March 6, 2015; Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S):
March 16, 2015 – April 17, 2015. Begin preparing your application now by reviewing the guidance
materials that are available now. It is important to read the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)
thoroughly. The FOA contains the key programmatic updates and application requirements necessary,
for all eligible applicants. You can view the 2014 SAFER and 2014 FP&S Funding Opportunity
Announcements 2014 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Funding Opportunity
Announcement 2014 Fire Prevention and Safety Funding Opportunity Announcement
New Pentagon Mandate: Make Military Bases Livable, That’s an Order!
. . . After a process that involved senior planners from all four branches of the military, as well as military
families (who expressed a strong preference for compact and walkable communities), the new rules
came out a year ago: the Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) for Installation Master Planning [PDF]. It’s the
first update since 1986. And as Rep. Blumenauer told the Smart Growth America-affiliated developers,
the new UFC looks like something they would have written themselves. Here’s one excerpt: Sustainable
planning leads to “lasting” development – meeting present mission requirements without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The goal of such development is to make the most
effective use of limited resources, reduce fossil fuel use and increase the use of alternative fuels, and to
create more compact and sustainable communities that still meet security and safety requirements. It
goes on to exhort planners to incorporate principles of compact, transit-oriented, mixed-use infill
development into their master plans and area development plans. Noting that physical fitness is key to
military readiness, the document stresses that “high connectivity, mixed land uses, and well-designed
pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure decrease auto dependence and increase levels of walking, running,
and cycling.” It includes a sample transportation plan, a pedestrian and bikeway plan, and an open space
plan. And it incorporates some factors that most planners never have to deal with: antiterrorism
concerns, surveillance, and other security issues . . . http://dc.streetsblog.org/2013/06/18/newpentagon-mandate-make-military-bases-livable-thats-an-order/
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit Released
In response to input from the State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and
Resilience, a partnership of federal agencies has released the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit, which
provides easy-to-use tools, information, and scientific expertise to help communities build resilience to
climate-related impacts and extreme events. The toolkit centralizes information from across the federal
government to meet the information needs of policymakers at all levels of government, planners,
resource managers, businesses, and citizens. It includes: The Climate Explorer: A visualization tool that
offers detailed maps of climate stressors and impacts, as well as interactive graphs showing daily
observations and long-term averages from thousands of weather stations across the nation. Steps to
Resilience: A five-step process that users can follow to initiate, plan, and implement projects to help
make their homes, communities, and infrastructure more resilient to climate-related hazards. Taking
Action” Stories: More than 20 real-world case studies describing climate-related risks and opportunities
that communities and businesses face, steps they’re taking to plan and respond, and tools and
techniques they’re using to improve resilience. Federal Resource Database: Future climate projections
and other free tools for accessing and analyzing climate data, generating visualizations, estimating
hazards, and engaging stakeholders in resilience-building efforts. Access the U.S. Climate Resilience
Toolkit here. Click here to watch a short video overview of the toolkit, and here to read the White
House announcement. The recommendations of the State, Local and Tribal Leaders Task Force on
Climate Preparedness and Resilience are summarized here.
New online tool released to provide data on household security
CFED, in partnership with Citi Community Development, has released a new web-based tool that
provides data and information on household financial security at the county and city level, including
estimate of household wealth and financial access. The Assets and Opportunities Local Data Center, as
the tool is called, has data on a range of measures. To access the tool, please go to:
http://assetsandopportunity.org/localdata/.
Census Bureau releases annual state population estimates
The US Census Bureau released their annual state population estimates today. North Carolina’s
population is estimated to pass Michigan’s population to make North Carolina the 9th largest state in the
nation. In terms of total population growth, North Carolina had the sixth largest growth in population
from 2013 to 2014 in the nation. You can browse the Census Bureau’s press release for today’s release
at http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2014/cb14-232.html . The Census Bureau will
release county population estimates in 2015. Please remember that these are Census Bureau
population estimates and not state certified population produced by the State Demographer.
ECC offers a number of services at reduced cost for member governments. If you need the following,
please check first with ECC:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Maps (all sizes);
Special studies (e.g., pay classification);
Staffing for planning and zoning boards;
GPS services;
GIS mapping services;
Map scanning (will make that ratty looking map look almost new and give you a digital copy);
Surveys (citizen, special issue, employee, P&R);
Various types of plans (P&R, revitalization, redevelopment, business development, etc.);
Interim help (finance, planning);
Staff training (communication, customer service, team building, managing employees, grant
writing, grant management, etc.)
Executive Searches (managers, executive directors, police chiefs, etc.)
Save the date for the 2015 NCCCMA Winter Seminar
We are just a few months away from the 2015 N.C. City & County Management Association (NCCCMA)
Winter Seminar, which will be held February 4-6, 2015, at the Sheraton Imperial in Research Triangle
Park/Durham County.
Attendees can go ahead and register for this great event, simply by going to the Association’s website:
www.ncmanagers.org
Workshops/Meetings/Events/Deadlines coming up soon
1/1/15 ECC office closed for New Years’ Day
1/7
NC Rural Infrastructure Grant application due click here for information
1/8
NBAMPO TCC meeting 1:30 PM 3rd Floor, Dunn Bldg. 248 Craven St. [email protected]
1/15
ECRPO meeting at Train Station in Mount Olive 9:30 to 11 AM [email protected]
1/22
NBAMPO TAC meeting 11:00 AM 3rd Floor, Dunn Bldg. 248 Craven St. [email protected]
1/23
SOG Human Capital Webinar 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM http://bit.ly/SOGEmployeePerformanceEvaluation
1/27-29 Capital Financing in Local Government, SOG course—Chapel Hill http://www.sog.unc.edu/Node/941
2/4-6 NCCCMA Winter Seminar in RDU www.ncmanagers.org
3/10
NC Rural Infrastructure Grant application due click here for information
3/12
NBAMPO TCC meeting 1:30 PM 3rd Floor, Dunn Bldg. 248 Craven St. [email protected]
3/18-20 NC Main Street Conference in Morganton http://www.ncmainstreetcenter.com/
3/19
ECRPO meeting at Train Station in Mount Olive 9:30 to 11 AM [email protected]
3/26
NBAMPO TAC meeting 11:00 AM. 3rd Floor, Dunn Bldg. 248 Craven St. [email protected]
5/5
NC Rural Infrastructure Grant application due click here for information
5/14
NBAMPO TCC meeting 1:30 PM 3rd Floor, Dunn Bldg. 248 Craven St. [email protected]
Note: The material contained in this bulletin is a compilation from a number of electronic and print
sources.
Eastern Carolina Council P0 Box 1717 New Bern, NC 28563-1717
Phone 252.638.3185 Ext. 3005 Fax 252.638.3187 Web http://www.eccog.org email [email protected]