CDC looks for innovative ways to make due with less money for 2003
With the year?s end comes the budget crunch woes experienced by most governmental entities, which can fall like cascading water over the dam down to all who rely on funding. The Presque Isle County Commission was forced to cut budgets and appropriations all-around and the County Development Commission/Economic Development Corporation (CDC/EDC) were no exception. They will receive almost $8,000 less than last year.
In order to make things work, treasurer Clarkson Most made the cuts where they would hurt the least, cutting from $500 to several thousand dollars in different categories. Mary Ann Heidemann, Community and Economic Development Agent through Michigan State University Extension, brought before the County Development Commission board a creative way help cut costs.
?I was approached by people at MSU to help out on some of their initiatives with citizen education on land use and planning matters,? Heidemann said. ?I told them to forget it, but they said, ?well, what if we put 20 percent of your salary in fringes?? and that?s an interesting proposition given the budget cuts we just received.?
MSU EXTENSION knew Heidemann has expertise in the area of land use and planning and extension officials are hard up, according to Heidemann, for people to teach a citizen planning class in areas around the state. Heidemann has been talking to MSU Extension Director Dave Glenn about a proposition that involves a series of 10 classes offered around Michigan that issues a certificate of ?citizen planner? to participants when completed. ?We have yet to have one those (classes conducted) here, but we could,? Heidemann said. ?They need someone with professional planning background to teach the courses they are committed to.? The funding for those courses comes from the Kellogg Foundation and also from the MSU Provost.
According to Heidemann, the proposal to Presque Isle County is, ?let us buy back a day per week of Mary Ann?s time and we?ll fund her position at 20 percent of the salary and fringes.? ?I think it may be a good deal,? Heidemann said, ?and will set a precedent of the state funding the position.? Heidemann said her thoughts were to try it for a year and see how it goes.
?THE WAY IT would work is when we receive two billings per year for my salary, we would still receive the two billings but if we accept the offer, we would only receive a billing for 80 percent of the salary and the state would fund the other 20 percent.? Heidemann would give the MSU Extension four days per month and they would pay for travel and overnight expenses as needed for her to teach the classes being offered. ?I also would have to participate on an ?area of expertise? team for land use, and when the classes are being taught, they would be shadowed, so I would be training other staff on how to teach the class,? Heidemann said. ?If we take the deal,? Heidemann said, ?I would recommend we change our budget for next year, which is $92,000.
?We could take $10,000 out of the salary line and put it back into the consulting line, which would allow us the flexibility needed to be able to hire some extra help, probably in the engineering and marketing area.? CDC member Peter Pettalia expressed concern that the PI Commissioners might see the 20 percent savings and decide to cut the budget even more to reflect the savings. But Heidemann told him that her position is fully funded with an agreement that does not change.
?THERE IS a written agreement and commitment that would have to go back to the County Board in order to be changed. The County Board has asked us to seek creative sources for funding,? Heidemann added. The motion was unanimously passed to allow Heidemann to spend 20 percent of her time with MSU Extension with compensation ($10,000) being saved to be put into the consulting portion of the budget.
IN OTHER business: ?The Link Michigan project will be conducting a survey on high-speed Internet access to be sent to all businesses in Presque Isle County. The surveys should arriv
Local medical service providers, engineering firms, printing and newspaper companies, on-line business, home-based businesses, wholesale or otherwise need to learn more about this very important issue. A ?Learn More & Lunch? pizza buffet lunch has been scheduled for Thursday, January 16 from noon until 1:30 p.m. at the Lighthouse Restaurant in Rogers City.
The luncheon is free but reservations are required to attend a presentation by Ron Choura, project director, on business opportunities provided by the telecommunication improvement project. Choura also will answer questions about the survey. All area business owners and representatives of the four chambers of commerce are invited to attend by calling 734-8446 by January 14 for a reservation.
