COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION

OF THE STEUBENVILLE OHIO AREA

Meeting of the Board of Trustees – February 16, 2010

CALL TO ORDER   

President Kenneth Perkins called the meeting to order at 3:45 p.m.  The meeting was hosted by EM-Media, 2728 Sunset Blvd., Steubenville.

ROLL CALL              Present:  President Ken Perkins; Vice-President David Skiviat; Treasurer Edward Florak; William Blake, Immediate Past President; Trustees David D’Anniballe, James Emmerling, Kyle Brown, Robert Chapman, Lisa Quattrochi, Frank Bovina, Fred Brower, Derek Ferguson, Billy Petrella, Chuck Robinson, Susan Hershey, CommissionerThomas Gentile,

Dr. Thomas Graham

Absent but represented:  Anthony Mougianis represented by Chrissy Taylor, Dr. Laura Meeks represented by Tracee Joltes

Absent:  Secretary Alex Marshall; Trustees B.J. Smith, Karen D’Anniballe, Ross Patten, Deborah Venci, Geary Bates, Robert Hargrave, Joe Luckino, Joseph Glaub, Lou Petrozzi, Richard Delatore, Patrick Hyer, Huberta Siciliano, Tom Timmons, Steve Bohach, Kristin Cantrell, John Riley, Thomas Minor, Nick Cacciacario, Sam Shorac, Sheila Milic, Jay Phillipone, Jon Rogers, Don Snyder, Dave Hindman, Gary Folden, David Maple, Domenick Mucci, David Lalich, Ed Chanoski, John Geddis, Tom Bottorf, Geno Morelli, John Abdalla, Dominic Chappano, Sam Grafton

Others in Attendance:  Ann Womer Benjamin, Executive Director, Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education; Severine and Bobby Petras, Lamplighter Communities; Executive Director Ed Looman, Ruth Casey and Joanna Styczinski, Progress Alliance

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS

10-02-01          Following the board’s review of the minutes of the CIC meeting of January 19,Trustee Graham made a motion to approve the minutes as presented.  Trustee Emmerling seconded the motion; motion approved unanimously.

REPORTS OF TRUSTEES AND COMMITTEES

Fundraising Committee:  Chairman Ken Perkins reported that the committee’s goal is to acquire 12 new members in 2010; two new members have come on board to date this year: Barium & Chemicals and Sheila Milic.  The next meeting of the fundraising committee will be held on March 9 at 8:30 a.m. at Progress Alliance; Mr. Perkins invited anyone interested in assisting with this vital project to attend. 

REPORT OF TREASURER

Treasurer Florak reported that he reviewed all the bank account reconciliations and found them accurate and up to date.  He drew the board’s attention to the back of the balance sheet where the amount of funds available for CIC/Progress Alliance operations was listed; he also advised the board that he reviewed the credit card statements and found the expenditures appropriate and the records accurate.

Mr. Florak congratulated Jim Emmerling on the outstanding work he has done to remodel the facility. 

INTRODUCTION OF MEETING HOST and HOST’S REMARKS

President Perkins introduced EM-Media President Jim Emmerling, and thanked him for hosting the meeting.

Mr. Emmerling told the board that he began his business on April 1, 1996, in his home.  He said that EM-Media is a full service advertising agency for internal and external advertising and marketing, utilizing all forms of media:  television, radio, direct mail, and most recently, the internet.  All of the EM-Media staff has a history of media sales.  He thanked everyone for their compliments on the renovated building, and said that he was very proud of the meeting room, Bella Hall, where the meeting was being held.  He said that he had often considered moving his business out of his home, but had taken no action until Dave D’Anniballe, whose offices are next door to the new EM-Media location, told him that the former Women’s Club building was for sale.  Mr. Emmerling invited those present to take a tour of the building after the meeting.

Mr. Perkins said that Mr. Emmerling has done a wonderful job on the building renovations, and in a very short period of time.  Mr. Emmerling hosted a steak fry in the building in October, before renovations began.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Executive Director Ed Looman welcomed everyone to the meeting, and also complimented Mr. Emmerling on what has been accomplished on the building since the steak fry.  He said that the new EM-Media location is another source of Jefferson County pride.  He also welcomed Chrissy Taylor, representing Apollo Professional Cleaning for Anthony Mougianis, and Sevy and Bobby Petras, of Lamplighter Communities.

Mr. Looman said that he had been contacted by Dr. Laura Meeks, EGCC President, who suggested that he ask Ann Womer Benjamin, Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education (NOCHE), to speak at the CIC meeting.  He commented that he heard Ms. Benjamin speak earlier in the day at the Kiwanis meeting, and was impressed that NOCHE has formed a new partnership with CEOs of Cities.  He said that this type of community involvement plan is something we can perhaps borrow and modify for use in Jefferson County.  Ms. Benjamin previously worked as the Director of the Department of Insurance, was a state representative for eight years, and is now on the Ohio Board of Education.

Ms. Benjamin said that her organization, a non-profit, works to promote higher education and bring it together with business to promote economic development and talent development.  The board of NOCHE is made up of presidents of educational institutions in northeast Ohio and an equal number of business leaders from 16 counties.  She referred the board to the showcase on her website www.noche.org and explained that business attraction is key to development, both economic and talent.  She said that most people believe that if you have talent, employers will be there, so the key is to development talent through education.  Ms. Benjamin said that one of the most obvious connections between business and education is internship programs, and emphasized the need for a centralized program for creating internships with the cooperative efforts of universities and employers.

The talent development program was inspired by CEOs of Cities, urban leaders coming together to refurbish urban areas, through Team NEO.  She commented that Progress Alliance is perfectly suited to take from these ideas and make them their own. 

Increased education creates increased incomes, and Ms. Benjamin said that a 1% increase in per capita income created about $1,900 to $2,290 per year for the average household.  She posited that, based on Jefferson County’s population, an increase of 1% of persons with a college degree would only require an additional 400 people to attain that goal.  She said that the way to attain this 1% increase is to re-engage adults with some college, but no 4-year degree; increase transfer rate of students in 2-year institutions to 4-year institutions; retain current students for completion of degrees; increase college-going behavior of high school students.  She said that initiatives shown here are a great start.

Mr. Looman thanked Ms. Benjamin for speaking and said that Ms. Benjamin’s presentation ties into a couple local initiatives in the Community Investment Plan.  He said one of its goals is to bring children back into the community when they finish college, and to keep them here.  The 1-2-3 Jobs Initiative is going to provide a target list of industries.  Mr. Looman said that we have what we need to get this kind of program started, between EGCC and Franciscan University.  He said that the 1% increase in residents gaining a 4-year degree would translate into $350,000. 

Mr. Looman said that Team NEO is a super-sized developmental organization in northeast Ohio which promotes a multi-county area.  He said that he hopes the Power of 32 can be that kind of organization, to promote the 32 involved counties and the entire region. 

Two deadlines are approaching:  the Best of County nominations and sponsorships are due by Friday.  We have received 21 nominees for awards at the BOC dinner and sponsorships are still being sought.  Mr. Looman said we hope to turn the dinner into a fundraising event to generate marketing funds.  The BOC committee will meet next Wednesday to choose the award winners.  The Steubenville Herald-Star will create a special edition to promote the dinner, the award nominees and our organization.

Mr. Looman updated the board on the status of the “Big Idea” contest, stating that ten applications have been received so far.  He encouraged anyone interested in applying to go the MCBI website and complete the form available there.  Mr. Looman said that he is still seeking the proper niche for this organization to create a business incubator, asking for assistance from EGCC and Franciscan University. 

Mr. Looman briefly addressed the matter of creating a port authority in Jefferson County, saying that he has discussed the matter of a co-existing port authority and a CIC with Guernsey County officials, where both entities work within one agency, with the same staff and facilities, using the unique powers of both a CIC and a port authority to the best advantage of the overall organization.  The Guernsey County director is Norm Blanchard, well known to several members of the CIC as a former teacher and coach at Big Red High School.

  Mr. Looman said that he recently met with Lisa Duvall of the Ohio Dept. of Development regarding two projects he is working on; both projects appear to be extremely viable.  He said that bringing an economic development project to fruition is very slow-moving, requiring planning for financing, job creation, facilities location, and other issues, but that he is currently working on six projects which are moving slowly along.  These projects will eventually create approximately 400 jobs and bring investments of $750,000 to $1 million dollars to the county.

Mr. Looman is planning a Be Jefferson County Proud Breakfast Series, beginning in September and continuing through May, which will be held from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. at the EGCC Pugliese Training Center.  Each meeting will provide a light breakfast, followed by a guest speaker.  The speakers will be Jefferson County business people who have interesting stories to tell about their businesses.  Mr. Looman is seeking sponsors, so the events can be held without cost to the CIC.

REPORT OF PRESIDENT OR OTHER OFFICERS

Trustee Hershey, president of the chamber of commerce, announced that a soccer tournament called the Riverview Soccer Spectacular, for 8- to 15-year-olds, will be held in Jefferson County with as many as 7,000 people in the area for a weekend.  The economic impact of this event on the community will be considerable, as attendees will require hotels, meals, and may have time for sight-seeing. Ms. Hershey also called to board’s attention to the Jefferson County Airpark brochures included with their meeting literature, and handed out copies of the Richland Engineering survey for the airparks needs.  She said that one needn’t be a pilot to complete the survey, just interested in the airpark improvements, and asked anyone who hadn’t completed a survey previously to do so, either by mail or on line.  Mr. Perkins said that the Carrollton airport has a charming restaurant, and a facility like that should do well at the Jefferson County Airpark.

President Perkins asked that anyone who hasn’t yet made reservations for the BOC dinner do so.  He reminded the board that the dinner is a fundraising event, with the proceeds to go toward replacing the marketing funds formerly provided by a TANF grant.  He said that our marketing sets us apart from other economic development organizations, and asked the board members to become sponsors or buy a table for 8.

NEW BUSINESS

There was no new business to place before the board.

OLD BUSINESS

There was no old business to place before the board.

ADJOURNMENT

10-02-02          Trustee Graham made motion that the meeting be adjourned.  Trustee Gentile seconded the motion; motion approved unanimously. 

President Perkins declared the meeting adjourned at 4:27 p.m.

___________________________________                                     

Kenneth R. Perkins, President                                                          

Community Improvement Corporation

   of the Steubenville, Ohio, Area

                                                                        Minutes prepared by Ruth Casey