Hello fellow NREDA Members and Partners,
I’m sure most of you felt that January was approximately 75 days long, I would echo those feelings. 2021 has tried its best to carry on the efforts of its kindred twin in 2020, but it is no match for our rural grit and dedication to a better future. As tough as it has been, February has shown great glimpses of normalcy, as the vaccines are sprawling through the country, we are starting to see a steady decline in Covid-19 cases overall. This is tremendous news for Rural America! I’m well aware that our Annual Conference Committee has put together an amazing plan for the Louisville conference. We can all tip our cap to the Vice President, Dan Boysel for this. To potentially have this conference, “in-person”, feels amazing! If you haven’t marked your calendar for November 10-12, please do so.
Additionally, with the month of February, we find ourselves as NREDA members, celebrating Black History Month by recognizing many of the historic and current contributions of African American’s. I’m sure we all have our favorites: Martin Luther King, Jr. and his dedication to civil rights, which directly uplifted the country. Or a favorite for many rural American’s in George Washington Carver, Mr. Peanut Man. Or we could explore the likes of the African American Revolutionary Hero’s, who fought for the birth of the country: James Armistead Lafayette, Peter Salem and his exploits at the Battle of Bunker Hill, or even one of my favorites; Henry Blair who lived in the Maryland area on the East coast. This American farmer developed and received a patented for two agricultural inventions in the corn planter and cotton planter. The corn planter had a way of dropping the seeds to the ground and the rakes would follow to cover them with soil.
So, February gives us the amazing chance to consider our past, present, and future, as rural developers and utility professionals. Recently, NREDA moved to add another historic piece to its tremendous legacy, a formalized Diversity & Inclusion focus, through committee and policy efforts. This is significant for our Rural communities and members. We know that true diversity and equity provide the stable workforce and quality of life which rural American’s fight for daily.
And finally, it was called to my attention by our amazingly talented, Executive Director, Kailah Schmitz, that there is one other historic feat to acknowledge for NREDA and its rural American membership… that not only am I the first NREDA President to wear and own a plethora of Bowties, but I’m also the first African American NREDA President in its long history. I’ll be honest, I was uncomfortable initially to acknowledge this moment in our history, but that discomfort disappeared when my 11-year-old daughter, Azlyn, stated the following, “Dad you talk about history all the time, isn’t it important to share history when you have actually made it?”, I must admit that America has always had some amazing moments to highlight and Rural America has always led in that regard. So, as we close on a month that highlights the significant impacts of those who have achieved or fought for the American dream, I’d like to thank you all for allowing me to a part of a very rich Rural NREDA history. Dream Big, Rural America, Dream Big!
NREDA President – Garry Clark
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Adding the Best Ingredients |
Fermentation is an important part of the production of a good, quality Bourbon. This is where the cooked grain mash and yeast are mixed together to make alcohol and where flavor components are developed in preparation for distillation which eventually ends up in the barrel and becomes Bourbon.
The NREDA Conference Planning Committee is in the process of adding the best ingredients to begin converting the creative ideas, discussions and thoughts into a flavorful program that will become a starter for future conferences.
Stay tuned for more on Distilling a Brighter Future for Rural America and mark your calendar to savor the flavor that is the NREDA Annual Conference!
NREDA 2021 Annual Conference
Distilling a Brighter Future for Rural America
November 10–12, 2020
The Galt House Hotel
Louisville, Kentucky
Questions? Contact Denise Hoffman, CMP, Event Management Professional meetings@nreda.org or (515) 334-1049
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NREDA Diversity & Inclusion Statement |
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Many things in 2020 grabbed our attention. As we watched the world battle the pandemic, we were also rocked by the civil unrest that erupted after several incidents. These actions drove us to think broader about both diversity and inclusion from an NREDA perspective. The board responded by creating a task force to discuss ways NREDA could foster diversity and inclusion. The initial results of the task force included this statement on behalf of NREDA:
This statement serves as our guiding principles related to diversity and inclusion, and your board will continue to build upon these principles as we move forward as an organization. - Nikki Pfannenstiel, Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Taskforce
Rural America is characterized by a dynamic mix of heroes from all walks of life. As economic developers fostering prosperity for our neighbors, the National Rural Economic Developers Association (NREDA) is committed to contributing to a more transparent, fair and accountable society. As a national organization NREDA believes that in order for us to reach our full potential as rural Americans, we must live together, build together, work together, and grow together.
NREDA represents the diverse and welcoming communities they serve. NREDA’s mission as an organization continues to be the advancement of rural economic development through education and networking from those from all demographics of sustainable rural life, industries, and opportunities. NREDA leadership will continue to amplify the voices of an open and inclusive environment that supports the advancement of rural economic development and our hometowns.
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First Electric School Bus in Missouri!
Lewis County REC is a rural electric cooperative located in Lewistown, Missouri, with electric service in portions of eight counties in Northeast Missouri. Lewis County REC has always been committed to the communities it serves. From the very beginning, the cooperative was founded to improve the quality of life of its membership. To further enhance this commitment, the cooperative aspires to assist its rural schools in securing funding to purchase money-saving, energy-efficient electric school buses. Thanks to the work of LCREC and Knox County R-1 Schools, the first 100% electric school bus in the state of Missouri arrived in rural Edina, MO in February 2021.
School districts are the cornerstone of many rural communities and creating a thriving educational system is a great achievement in Rural America. Schools that implement at least one all-electric bus are likely to save over $8,000 a year in fuel and maintenance costs. The new technology associated with electric buses is becoming increasingly popular in other states, and Lewis County REC desires to be at the forefront of implementing this technology in rural Missouri.
To achieve this goal, Lewis County REC worked closely with local school superintendents, legislators, and the United States Department of Energy to assess interest in the program and identify potential funding sources. Knox County R-1 showed a strong interest in pursuing this opportunity for their district. The district indicated that it would like to be the first Missouri school district to acquire an all-electric school bus if funding sources could be identified that would assist in offsetting the up-front cost of the bus. Knox County R-1 school district is one of the leading rural schools in the state in regard to technology implementation. Therefore, the school recognized that this as an opportunity to educate not only the staff and students at their school but also schools throughout the state, about the technology associated with electric vehicles and advanced batteries.
With this project, there are several benefits to the school district, as well as for Lewis County REC. The school district will see decreased emissions with an electric bus over their traditional diesel buses. The decrease in emissions is beneficial to the environment and also eliminates exhaust fumes being inhaled by students. Electric buses are much quieter than diesel buses, which will allow better communications capabilities on the bus.
The electric buses will charge to full capacity in 3 hours and have a full range of approximately 120 miles per charge, which would be suitable to the needs of the school and their current bus routes. The school district currently spends about $0.31 per mile on operating diesel buses and it is forecasted that the electric bus would cost $0.15 per mile. This cost savings would be very beneficial to the school district and the savings could be spent on other valuable educational opportunities for the students.
Lewis County REC views this program as a way to give back to its rural communities, which has been the goal of the cooperative since its inception. Assisting in securing funding for this project is also an economic development opportunity for the cooperative. In addition, Lewis County REC strives to stay on top of new and emerging electrical technologies and being involved in this acquisition will help the cooperative to better educate itself, as well as its membership, on the benefits associated with electric vehicle ownership. There may also be opportunities going forward to use these buses for battery storage to offset peak load times when the buses are not in use.
In order to make the electric school bus affordable to the school district, four funding sources were utilized.
Lewis County REC seeks to be at the forefront of implementing electric vehicle technology in its service territory in order to continue its mission of strengthening and bettering the communities served by the cooperative. Electric school bus and electric vehicle technology is emerging and will soon be commonplace in many communities. Therefore, by taking the appropriate measures to assist its communities in achieving these advancements, Lewis County REC desires to inspire other utilities and school districts to work together for the implementation of electric school buses for the betterment of rural America as a whole.
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8 Ways to Improve Your Talent Attraction Activities in 2021
As I See It | Janet Ady
In recent years, access to talent eclipsed all other site location drivers to become the single most important factor. As a result, the world of economic development is changing. Economic developers can no longer attract a company and expect talent to organically follow. Now companies are driven to locate where they have confidence they can get the talent they need. This was the trend prior to 2020 and the COVID-19 Pandemic only makes it more pronounced.
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Request for Applications for Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design Workshops Open through March 12
The Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design™ is now accepting applications through March 12 for an opportunity to participate in four local Design Workshops that address specific community challenges, and an online Design Learning Cohort program that will allow up to 15 communities. All rural communities of 50,000 or less are eligible to apply for the CIRD local Design Workshop and Design Learning Cohort opportunities. Workshops should plan to follow local health safety guidelines and virtual workshop options are available. CIRD encourages applications from nonprofits, tribal or municipal governments, regional planning organizations, and other community partners. Click here for more information and to apply.
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Outdoor Recreation Roundtable Releases New Toolkit for Rural Communities to Build Their Outdoor Recreation Economies
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Executive Director
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