June 2024 Board Meeting Minutes

West Central Mountains Economic Development Council
June 2024 Board Meeting Minutes
June 11, 2024 3:00pm
Flying S Title, 616 N 3rd St STE 101, McCall (Alpine Village)

ZOOM MEETING LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88412171046?pwd=QWhaZGlDaHo4MUl1cHk4aUZuVytzQT09

In-Person Board Members:  Dylan Martin, Sherry Maupin, Trace McKellips, Delta James
Online Board Members: Sherry Maupin, Vonna Torrey, Cynda Herrick, Julie Good, Belinda Provancher, Tiffany Dobbs
Guests: Lindsey Harris, Trace McKellips, Tiffany Dobbs (St. Lukes), Tom Reinhardt (Cascade Medical Center)

Executive Session 2:30 (Open unless otherwise specified)

• Review agenda items

Board Meeting 3:00pm

• Call to Order at 3:06pm
• Approval of June Agenda ACTION ITEM
  • Amendments: Add Money Market Account, Lindsey’s Contract as action items
  • Motion by Julie, 2^nd by Sherry to approve Amended Agenda. Motion passes.
• Approval of May Minutes ACTION ITEM
  • Motion by Delta, Dylan 2^nd. Motion passes.
• Treasurer’s report
  • Approval of May Treasurer’s Report ACTION ITEM
    • Motion by Sherry, 2^nd by Belinda. Motion passes.
  • Money Market Account ACTION ITEM
    • 8% percent on a money market account for 150k. Sherry inquired about comingling funds and Julie clarified that because we have a budget with line items and earmarked funding with proper reporting, we are not hindered to lump sums together. Belinda asked about the housing funding, we have paid out $84k.
    • Motion by Cynda to move funds to the money market account, 2^nd by Belinda. Motion passes.
  • Letter(s) of support:
    • Tom Reinhardt: Cascade Medical Center USDA Grant Application Ask ACTION ITEM
      • Discussion: Grew from 40–75 employees=60 FTE’s with a median wage $35/hr. Invested 200K in the Donnelly Clinic in 2024. Bond has failed to build a new facility. Looking to expand, plan is to create additional capacity to keep up with demand and need to engage a planning expert to develop a Master Facility Plan. Seeking Technical Assistance Grants. Matching funds. Discussion ensued regarding spend. Is it a direct payment or reimbursement process from USDA? What is the audit process?  Concern regarding the reporting, auditing and timing of reimbursement, how many contractors might be involved as well.  Requesting the information to be returned from Tom to make an educated decision. How much is 350K grant money, but 75K range to be submitted.
      • Motion by Cynda, 2^nd by Belinda. Delta offered to also consult with the Executive Board
    • Executive Director Contract: ACTION ITEM
      • Conversation about continued emphasis on a funding mechanism in the future. Grant funding is not a given, nor is it timely in resource. Lindsey is engaged in various alternative resources for funding for her position. Focus on summit sponsorships and those who have not supported in the past few years. There is money in the general fund that could be pulled over into her salary, we could afford 85K, as well as a portion of the summit funds could be moved to her salary.
        • Motion by Sherry to renew contract and fund at 85K, 2^nd by Delta. Motion passes
      • Executive Director Update
        • Rural ED Pro Grant Application – see attached
        • Progressive Club Grant
        • Stibnite Advisory Grant
        • Donnelly & Cascade City Council Presentations
        • Commerce visit with Brent Haynes, new advisor
      • Executive Items
        • Special Fundraising Session: Tentative Hold for June 19^th from 9-1030am
        • Joel Ockunzzi Resignation
          • Sherry motion to accept Joel’s resignation, Dylan 2^nd. Motion passes.
        • Community Reports
          • Valley County: $400m worth of new construction. Wildfire mitigation grants open now. Minimum of $500 grants. Public hearing on shooting ordinance scheduled on Monday. Lost their grant writer and they are looking for a replacement. New Emergency website built by BSU, open to the public, able to look at your own property for hazards and risk information site: https://www.boisestate.edu/research-hcri/highlighted-research/humanizing-flood-and-other-hazard-data-for-use-in-local-resilience-planning/. County is looking for a solid waste management site. Purchased the AmeriTitle Building in Cascade. Forest Service has designated our area as a mature growth forest, which could limit recreation activity.
        • Cascade: City is very busy with infrastructure updates and sourcing grant opportunities. New growth in business activity.
        • Donnelly: Donnelly Farmers Market starts tomorrow for the summer
        • McCall: Local option tax collections continue to trend down 20+%, still above the 5-year average. Lots of construction, mission street reconstruction with bike lanes– funded by a grant in 2016. ITD project still moving forward, consultant firm was selected, hoping to be started this year. City Manager interviews are currently being done, top 3 candidates, open house tentatively set for June 24^th 6p-8p.
        • New Meadows: Childcare center approved, planning for October. Gold line is now 5 days/wk, park is the new pick-up spot 30K grant from Blue Cross and local businesses. Preliminary plat approved for a in a subdivision, phased up to 48 homes, 7 single family homes. 3, 4 plex’s underway at the intersection on Hwy 55. Construction on all 3 entrances into town
      • WCMEDC Updates
        • Early Childhood Education (Trace) – Jordan Sheridan MDSD attending, two nights will need to be covered by her. IDAEYC will cover three nights for Trace. Down to Earth Dads events with Patrick Mitchell. Conference coming up this week, AEYC is covering his 3-night stay. Patrick Mitchell Idaho’s Down to Earth Dad was at events in our area. New Meadows childcare center, create a new non-profit to take on this project and operate it. Brundage is re-opening their child care center at the end of the year, connected them with Idaho Stars. Graphic Designer connection from Lindsey to McKenzie to create a pamphlet of childcare resources. Idaho AEYC has 10K coming in designated for early developmental screening.
        • Housing
          • Regional Housing Assessment: Regional Housing Assessment draft has been received, submitting thoughts back to them on changes, then plan to take to the Housing CAT for review
          • WCM Housing Trust: continuation of monthly meetings, reorganization, new property management, etc.
        • Community Development
          • Creative District Update (Delta): Artisans in the mountains tour is scheduled July 20-21, =25 artists. Idaho Commission on the Arts partnership with Summer Soiree at Roseberry.
          • Payette River Scenic Byway (Cynda): next board meeting is June 20^th in Cascade.
        • Infrastructure
          • 6/10 CAT meeting update
        • Broadband
          • BAT updates, active this past month. Assessing the BEAD challenge process.
        • Workforce
          • May 24^th SBA Events update. Nearly 25 people attended the McCall Chamber event and nearly 15 attended the Cascade Chamber event. A success!
        • New Business:
          • The county is receiving funds tied to the Valley County Opioid program
          • Ignite is trying to create programs for substance abuse, something to coordinate the conversation
          • Substantial Grant funding pending between Ignite, St Lukes and Central Idaho Counseling, specific to substance abuse treatment – hope to hear success on this grant in July
        • Public Comment: NONE
        • Adjournment at 5:03pm