Welcome to MEDA Online News

Welcome to MEDA Online News. The purpose of this webpage is to serve as a communication link within the MEDA membership. It is to be a member-to-member site to inform MEDA Members as to news within our organization. Let’s keep it simple: MEDA will send you an email to let you know when articles have been updated. If you would like to submit an article, an idea, a comment—please do. Let’s keep in touch and keep our network strong. Previous editions: January 2006; February 2006;    March 2006;   April 2006;
May 2006;   June 2006;  July 2006; August 2006; September 2006; October 2006;

NOVEMBER 2006


CRDC Update: During the past ten months, MEDA Online News has focused on ten of the twelve Certified Regional Development Corporations. Hopefully, it has been of value to you to learn of projects and activities of other CRDC's. The two remaining CRDCs will be featured at a later date as the Missoula/Ravalli County CRDC is just getting started and Shannon Harrison has just been hired to serve as Executive Director for the North Central CRDC. If you have a project you would like to have featured in the next newsletter, please send it to MEDA.


MEDA Membership Update: MEDA membership totals 217. New members for the month of October: Linda Burley, North Toole County Economic Development Group; Russ Connole, Butte Silver Bow; Cheryl Curry, Pondera Regional Port Authority; Brett Doney, Great Falls Development Authority; Patrick Pezzelle, Kootenai River Development Group; and Douglas Stuart, Rose Community Development (Harlem). Welcome to MEDA!  
      Print the MEDA Membership Directory.  

Grant and Funding Opportunities: Brownfields Assessment, RLF, and Cleanup Grants - Request For Proposals/Availability of Funds issued RFP# EPA-OSWER-OBCR-07-01. Closing Date for Submission of Applications: December 8, 2006. This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals from eligible entities to help states and communities around the country clean up and revitalize brownfield sites. Proposals may be sent through the U.S. Postal Service, commercial delivery service, or electronically through www.grants.gov - only one method should be used. Proposals sent through the U.S. Postal Service or sent via a commercial delivery service must be postmarked by 12/8/06; Proposals submitted through grants.gov must be received by 12/8/06. To view the Request For Proposals (RFP) announcement, please visit http://www.epa.gov/oswer/grants-funding.htm#epa-oswer-obcr-07-01

A full time VISTA volunteer can be yours for a full year to mentor in a community technology center for only $3500. The CTC VISTA Project is currently accepting applications for VISTA positions that begin in JANUARY, 2007. The Project places AmeriCorps*VISTA members with CTCs and other non-profit organizations undertaking technology projects that benefit low-income communities. Currently the Project is focusing its support on projects in 4 areas: community organizing, community networking, digital media and technology assistance to non-profits (organizations or programs that provide technology services to other non-profits. AmeriCorps*VISTA members serve full-time for one year and generally focus on program development, volunteer recruitment, fundraising and other capacity-building activities. Organizational APPLICATION GUIDELINES, PROCEDURES & DEADLINES are available at: http://www.ctcvista.org/guidelines


Working Groups...Are Working!: MEDA is adding a new Working Group: BEAR. It was announced at the MEDA Fall Conference that the MEDA office will be coordinating the statewide Business Expansion and Retention program. The MEDA BEAR Working Group will play a key role in planning how to implement the program across the state. Stay tuned!

Training Opportunities: Interested in sharpening your professional skills as an economic and community development practitioner?
    Congratulations to the following MEDA members that took advantage of the Rick Jones Scholarship competition: Sheldon Bartel $500 to attend Economic Impact Analysis (EIDC) training; Joe LaPlante $750 to attend NDC ED 101 training; Tina Oliphant $750 to attend NDC ED 201 training; Rodney Miller $500 to attend workforce development training (IEDC);and Andrew Zdinak $500 to attend credit analysis training (NADO).
    If you have never participated in the Gateway to Opportunity Entrepreneur and Economic Development Forum don't miss this one. You have plenty of time to arrange your schedule for January 3rd and 4th and plan to make the drive to Glendive. It will be well worth the trip. Check out this loaded agenda at http://www.dawsoncountyed.com/GTO.htm

For Your Tool Box: Check out these practical resources.

A great tool for any tool box is to learn from another project's success. This article was submitted by Dan Kern of Hardin.

Two Rivers Authority Finds a Smooth Path to Project Financing. Two Rivers Authority and the City of Hardin have closed financing on two economic development projects in 2006 and jump-started their economic development programs with the assistance of Municipal Capital. In April Two Rivers Authority closed a $28M revenue bond deal in order to finance a public detention facility that will create 110 new fulltime jobs for the community and produce a new revenue stream to pay for further growth. In September the City of Hardin closed a $12.6M tax increment bond deal to pay for expanding the city infrastructure into the new 800 acre Industrial Park. Two Rivers Authority is the port authority created by the City of Hardin to be the primary economic development organization and what a good move that has been. Both of these projects went smoothly because of the relationship built with Municipal Capital Markets Group, Inc. ("MCM") a NASD registered broker/dealer that specializes in providing long-term financing to its clients through the issuance of municipal bonds. Mike Harling, Executive Vice President of MCM has proven to be a valuable resource to assist seeking out and closing the appropriate financing. http://www.municapital.com/firm.asp


What the Numbers Say: Montana Department of Commerce

Montana's Oil and Gas Industry Update (MEDA Fall Conference October 19-20, 2006)
Selected Employment and Wages, 2005
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
For more information, contact CEIC staff at 841-2740 or sockert@mt.gov.


MEDA Conference Update: Over 117 people attended MEDA's fall conference. To see photos, a conference summary and presentation files, visit http://www.medamembers.org/highlightsfall06.html.

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MEDA Words of Wisdom.... ....heard in a talk given by Evan Barrett, Chief Business Officer for the Governor's Office of Economic Development: "I don't know what can't be done."



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