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Darren “Squirrel” Small facilitates the emergency services discussion group at yesterday’s Golden LEAF Foundation meeting at Vance-Granville Community College’s Civic Center in Vance County.
Pat Cabe of the Golden LEAF Foundation opened Monday’s fifth meeting by telling the hundred or more people in attendance that they were “coming into the home stretch”.
The Golden LEAF Foundation was created in 1999 to help to distribute North Carolina’s share of the tobacco settlement funds. It is currently looking to award $2 million in grants to Vance County.
Cabe told members that the goal for the meeting was to finalize result statements of what members of the group want to achieve.
The meeting was broken up into three smaller groups: emergency services, education, and economic development. Each group was assigned by Cabe to create no more than three prioritized results statements that tell what each group wishes to accomplish.
Cabe stressed several times that the goals needed to be “measurable and actionable”.
The Golden LEAF facilitator refered attendees to documents distributed at the beginning of the meeting for some sample statements.
The education group was led by local activist Deryl von Williams and included Henderson City Council member Garry Daeke, Vance County Board of Commissioners members Terry Garrison and Danny Wright, along with Vance County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Norman Shearin.
The emergency services group was by far the smallest group, and it included Vance County Board of Commissioners Chair Dan Brummitt and Lt. Bennie Franklin of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office.
The economic development group had among its number Vance County Manager Jerry Ayscue, Henderson City Council candidate Cathy Ringley, as well as local businessmen George Watkins and Sam Watkins.
After working for approximately 50 minutes, the economic development group and the emergency services group produced statements.
The economic development members wrote that their goal was to reduce the county unemployment rate to that of the state average in three years by adding new jobs that pay a living wage, making improvements in infrastructure, job skills training, and community partnerships.
The emergency services group stated goals of lowering insurance rates for residences and businesses in three years, increasing response times by ten percent, and increasing property conservation by ten percent to create a more favorable environment for residences and businesses.
Cabe then told attendees that the Foundation wants individuals and groups to send their best project ideas. She said that the Foundation staff would review the proposals and give feedback on them.
Proposals are due to the Golden LEAF Foundation by Monday, August 10, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. 501(c)(3) charitable organizations and government entities are eligible to apply.
When Cabe was asked what applicants should do if they do not have 501(c)(3) status, she suggested that they partner with an organization that does.
The next meeting was scheduled for Monday, August 17, 2009.
After members of the emergency services and economic development groups were dismissed for the evening, members of the education group were reconvened to work on their goal statement. After approximately an additional half an hour of discussion, the following statement was agreed upon:
Increase the number of future-ready students in Vance County by increasing graduation rates, increasing test scores, decreasing drop-out rates, increasing college acceptance rates, increasing scholarships and financial aid opportunities, increasing job placement rates which will help us to create 21st century learners who are critical thinkers, globally competitive, leaders, and with increased support from parents.