Feb 4, 2018. Most Indiana Counties Should Stop Pursuing Economic Growth by Michael J. Hicks, Ph.D. Director tor of the Center for Business and Economic Research, Ball State University.  Keyword “Most”

GUEST COLUMN: A study of tourism and economic sustainability Sep 20, 2017 –  By TIM CLARK, guest columnist. Economic impact studies of tourism in Indiana and Brown County reinforce the benefits of sustaining a tourism industry. However, tourism, by itself, has not and cannot provide a sustainable economic future for Brown County.

Survey Results, Community Readiness Initiative (CRI). Presented by David Terrell, Director, Indiana Communities Institute and RUPRI Center for State Policy, Rural Policy Research Institute, Ball State University 2017 Community Readiness Initiative Presentation

Summary of the presentation provided by Sarah Clifford, Brown County Democrat,  What are best bets for future of local economy? – Brown County …

ONE question for candidates for county offices  —

1. Should the county have a strategic plan that identifies what citizens want and do not want regarding economic and community development? If yes, why? If no, why not?Ref: Principle 3, Planning before Doing.

The county income survey in 2017 indicated that 53% of residents fall in the low to moderate income level.  This qualified the county to apply for comprehensive planning and for economic development strategic planning grants. (1)

What are the actual and projected average hourly wage trends in Brown County?  An economic development strategy for the county was not identified as a priority in 2018 by the new Redevelopment Commission (RDC), commissioners or council representatives (Baker, Critser, Byrd) at last night’s (Feb 8, 2018) RDC meeting.  No update was provided on the status of the county’s application for an economic development strategic planning grant.

Indiana Economic Development Corporation – Average and Project Wage – 2006 – 2017.

References – More Information

(1)  Brown County Income Survey -(copy sent to residents).   The Low to Moderate Income(LMI) level determined by dividing the total number  “above” the respective income level by the total number of those below.  See also:  Overview of the Calculation Process for the Moderate Income Level

(2) IU SPEA Report –Redevelopment Analysis – Brown County.  Prepared by Liza Bartlett, Daniel Lopez, Drew Sherman

Brown County Democrat, GUEST COLUMN: A study of tourism and economic sustainability

Brown County Commissioners, Brown County Council and Brown County Redevelopment Commission — 6 p.m., Salmon Room, County Office Building.

Agenda includes establishing guidance, structure and common goals among the three boards for moving the county forward economically; election of redevelopment commission officers; and other business.

Link below to the RDC Annual Report that includes suggested priorities for 2018:

RDC Reports:

• 2017-rdc-annual-report-20180111.  This report was distributed to the commissioners and council prior to the Jan 17 and 22nd meetings.   Included suggested 2018 priorities.
• 2017 RDC Mid Year Report 20170717
  
• 2016 RDC Annual Report 201601

Working together towards a more perfect county

As of January 29, 2018, The Indiana Nonprofit database identifies 284 organizations in Brown County – many of which are dedicated to improving the quality of life within the county.  This list does not include county government, schools, boards, and commissions. It also does not include other improvement related initiatives such as the Salt Creek Trail Project, Wellness and Heritage Tourism, Leadership Brown County, etc.

• Registered with the Secretary of State: 128
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS): 115
• Indiana Business Research Center (IBRC): 29 – Churches
• South Central Indiana –  United Way 2-1-1 Resource Database.
  • Brown County 2018 Quarter 2 Results
• GuideStar ” …. the most complete, up-to-date nonprofit data available“
• Brown County League of Women Voters – Who’s Where in Brown County
• Example:  Birth to Five: Services for children, aged birth to five, and their families in Brown County.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2018 significantly reduced the number of people that can claim a tax deduction for a charitable contribution. This will make it even more important for nonprofits not only to work together more efficiently but also to document and report their effectiveness to potential donors.

“Connecting the Community” aligns with Principle 4.0 — State of the County – Annual Assessment and Report.

The following initial plan is intended to develop a community support network among non-profits. The Plan, Do, Study, Act Cycle for continuous improvement and learning is used as the project management format.

PLAN a change or test aimed at improvement. 

• Connect the community and non-profits, provide visibility, and mutual support for respective improvement initiatives.
• Coordinate strategies through the Hometown Collaborative Initiative (HCI)  supported by the State of Indiana – Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA), Purdue University and Ball State University.
• Apply a standard format for capturing strategic plans and any performance-related plans. This information includes Vision, Mission, Values, Goals, Objectives, and Stakeholders.

• Strategy Map of the Concept:
  • WIP PDSA Based Approach  – Leadership Co-Op Concept

DO – carry out the change or test (preferably on a small scale).  

• Reach out to the individuals and groups within the county that are working to improve quality in one or more areas in our community. For those interested, add their strategic and performance plans into a community connection database.
• The information contained in the community connection database would provide input into the development of a county strategic plan.   Past  county initiatives have included:
  • 2014 – A Strategic Renewal of Brown County 2020: A Vision for The Future  
  • County Comprehensive Plan – 2012 and DRAFT 1993
  • April 2009 Brown County 2020: A vision for the future
  • 2008 Brown Countywide Needs and Assets Assessment
  • 2007 Brown County Needs and Assets Assessment

Examples of the concept, tools, and plans 

• Federal Government – Performance Framework
• StratML Part 1 Form – ISO Version -Input  Format:  Organization, Stakeholders, Vision, Mission, Values, Goals, Objectives.
  • ISO+17469-1-2015

• StratNavApp:
  • Information about the tool and strategy
  • Community Connection Database – Collaborative strategy development and execution tool.
• Connected Communities Network
• Hilton Head – Mayor’s visioning project.
• Strategy Markup Language (StratML) – U.S.  – Vision:  A worldwide web of intentions, stakeholders, and results.
• About Them
• Examples of a wide variety of plans — select “Styled” option
• Other Supporting Tools:
  • Example – Get Involved – City of Bloomington Volunteer Network  The City of Bloomington Volunteer Network (CBVN) seeks to build a strong, healthy and engaged community by connecting volunteers of all ages with opportunities to serve and by providing resources to volunteers and agencies in order to build creative and effective volunteer projects, programs and partnerships. It is our aim to inspire, support and celebrate volunteerism in our community.
  • Chicago Volunteer Expo The Chicago Volunteer Expo was founded in 2013  who wanted to create a one-stop shop where Chicagoans could discover all the ways they could give back to their communities.   Since then, the Expo has grown into an annual event highlighting a variety of organizations looking for volunteers from every ward in the city. The Expo has showcased hundreds of exhibitors – from the American Red Cross to the Women’s March – and welcomed thousands of passionate attendees inspired to contribute to their neighborhoods, schools, and more. ​
  • Community Event Calendar – Local Innkeeper

The platform and principles for “Independent Voters” is another initiative to raise community expectation for planning and collaboration that support continuous learning and improvement.

STUDY the results. Examine the results. What did we learn? What went went well and what did not?

• Review results on a periodic basis. This would include the number of organizations/projects added to the database, feedback from stakeholders, etc.

ACT. Adopt the change, abandon it or run through the cycle again.

• To Be Determined (TBD)

References and Background Information

• The Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) Cycle – also known as the Shewhart Cycle for Learning and Development is a continuous quality improvement and learning model consisting of a logical sequence of four repetitive steps.
• During WWII, quality control methods developed by Walter Shewhart and W. Edwards Deming were applied to improve the quality of war materials produced during WWII. After the war, these methods were declassified and shared throughout the world – most notably starting in Japan.
  • Deming’s contributions in supporting the application of the new methods and tools were recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the nine turning points in world history and by Fortune Magazine as among the greatest contributions to business history.  Deming was also nominated for a Nobel Prize in Economics.
• After the war, quality experts and manufacturers sought ways to sustain the many quality-improvement techniques used during wartime and formed the American Society for Quality (ASQ). Today, ASQ has become a global organization, with members in more than 130 countries.
• The U.S. Department of Defense built on lessons learned during the war and created Military Specification MIL-Q-9858A (Quality Program Requirements) of the U.S. government (first issued as MIL-Q-9858 on April 9, 1959, and revised to MIL-Q-9858A on December 16, 1963).
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO).  MIL-Q-9858A is the origin of the ISO 9001 standard and all other quality management system standards and regulations around the world. MIL-Q-9858A was titled “specification” because it was intended to be used as a contract specification for military contractors. However, it is actually a “quality management system standard” in its nature. It was withdrawn by the U.S. government in 1996 because of a policy decision to support industry consensus standards over government directives. These voluntary standards are maintained by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
•  ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS) is internationally recognized as the world’s leading quality management standard and has been implemented by over one million organizations in over 170 countries globally. The ANSI standard is identical to the ISO 9001:2015 standard.
• Strategic and Performance Plans. ISO 17469:2015 provides a standard vocabulary and format for the information commonly contained in strategic and performance plans and reports. This includes  Mission, Vision, Values, Goals, Objectives, and Stakeholders.
• The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) requires all federal agencies to develop five-year strategic plans outlining its vision, mission, long-term goals for the agency’s major functions, performance measures, and reporting results. GPRA Example – Department of Labor
  • General Accountability Office (GAO). GAO-04594T: RESULTS-ORIENTED GOVERNMENT: GPRA Has Established a Solid Foundation For Achieving Greater Results GAO issued a report reviewing the 10 years since the introduction of GPRA and has pronounced it alive and well. Read highlights from the report.

The term corruption is often associated with instances of illegality.  A broader description of the term was recently described by Pope Francis.  He described corruption as to when a person’s conscience no longer registers right and wrong.  He went on to say that:

“The corrupt person cannot accept criticism, discredits anyone who criticizes him, tries to belittle any moral authority who would question him, does not value others and insults anyone who thinks differently. If the balance of power permits, he persecutes anyone who contradicts him.”

America’s founding fathers certainly understood that power corrupts individuals. The founder’s built-in checks and balances on power to help mitigate corruptive tendencies. Their concern was reinforced  by John Adams in his statement:

“The jaws of power are always open to devour, and her arm is always stretched out, if possible, to destroy the freedom of thinking, speaking, and writing.”

The broader description of corruption resonates with me.  I have written several guest columns in the Brown County Democrat on the process used to fast-track the Maple Leaf Project.

What was surprising to me was the feedback I received from many residents.  They thanked me for the articles and shared their concerns with the process and the project. They also expressed a fear of some form of retribution for themselves and others if they shared their concerns in a public setting.  Interesting that when I talked to even more residents to help determine if this (speaking truth about the use of power) was an isolated situation or a common belief within the culture, their perception is that it is common.

Many residents also told me that questioning the Maple Leaf project in public meetings and my articles on the topic would ensure that I would not be reappointed in 2018 to the Redevelopment Commission (RDC) – which I was not.  The commissioners and council did not and do not have to provide a reason.   I appreciated the opportunity to contribute to the county and will continue to do so.  More information on the fast-track process for the Maple Leaf project and the 2018 RDC appointments are available at Independent Voters of Brown County IN (all one word).

Share your opinion

Regarding the needs, culture and quality of leadership within the county, Brown Countians have an opportunity ( until Feb 20) to share their opinions in support of Brown County’s Hometown Collaborative Initiative (HCI).  The survey is available online at indianahci.org/communities/brown.php  I hope you also register for the community forum on March 7.

The HCI Initiative led to the creation of the Brown County Leader Network. A fact and process based approach for supporting improvements.

An individuals support or lack thereof for the platform and principles for Independent Voters can help provide needed insight for selecting quality candidates in 2018 and beyond.

Jan 24, 2018.  “Commissioners engage firm for 5-year financial plan” Brown County Democrat, Staff Reports.

The Brown County  League of Women Voters has worked for over two years on a Fiscal Management study that included input from elected and appointed county government officials.

The contract with Umbaugh and Associates for a five-year financial plan is a needed improvement in support of transparency and fiscal management.

It is expected that the plan will be available before next years budget hearings.  Other counties have posted their plans on their websites which helps to facilitate public discussions on the fiscal health of the county.  A county strategic plan is helpful to provide context for priorities and plans.

In addition to transparency and fiscal management, this 5-year financial plan can support the other four principles of good governance that include Planning before Doing, Continuous Learning, State of the County Assessment and Report and Collaboration.

The county Redevelopment Commission (RDC)  has also been working with IU/SPEA Graduate Program in developing a county decision-making model that factors in population projections and trends in debt, taxes and spending. More Information – Financial Decision Support Model

The League of Women Voters has also recently completed a fiscal study (2018) on the county’s financial management practices.  A committee is being formed (August 2018) to assess the status on Positions.

2017 League of Women Voters Fiscal Study and Positions

• Study
• Positions

Five Basic Facts

• Maple Leaf required the approval of the Commissioners, Council and CVC. CVC members are appointed by the Council and Commissioners. Keith Baker (Council) and Diana Biddle (Commissioner) were the advocates and leaders for this project on behalf of their colleagues.
• CVC/CVB  members identified the type of investment that would be made (music venue), the size, scope, location, and financing. They also took the lead in informing the public of their decision.
• Commissioners approved the funding for the legal expenses associated with the project of approximately ($30K).
• Revenue from the Innkeepers tax- which is being used as collateral for the  12.5 million dollar loan,  is a county “government” asset.  Innkeepers cannot assess a tax (requires state government), appoint themselves to the CVC (requires appointment by council and commissioners (elected county government officials), account for the revenue (requires county government auditor/treasurer).  The CVC cannot review and approve their budget (county council responsibility).
• AT NO TIME did the commissioners or council advertise or announce an official public meeting to ask for citizen input on the desirability and feasibility of this project. Discussions could have included identifying other investment options.

QUESTION FOR CANDIDATES

Should the commissioners and council have held public meetings to ask for input from the citizens on the desirability and feasibility of the Maple Leaf project?  If so, why?  If not, why not?

Are changes also needed to the Brown County Innkeepers Tax?  Revenue from the innkeeper’s tax must be used to promote tourism.   The majority of CVC members have to represent innkeepers.  Tourism categories include art, history, agritourism, education, culture/preservation, wellness, mountain biking, wine, craft beer, spirits (hard liquor), and entertainment, e.g., just about anything.

Maple Leaf Project – For The Record. Chronology of events.

The Maple Leaf Music Venue and Performing Arts Center is to be a government-owned and managed venue.  The County Commissioners and County Council declined to answer questions or hold public hearings to listen to input from citizens regarding their concerns and desirability of the project.  Reference:   Maple Leaf Project – For The Record. Chronology of events.

The proposed project was announced on June 20, 2017. Final approval by the commissioners was on December 20, 2017. Although taxpayers may not be obligated for the 12.5 million debt, this could change in the future.

Question. How does the process used to fast-track the Maple Leaf project align with the Independent Voters Platform and Principles of  Transparency, Fiscal Management, Planning, Assessment, Continuous Learning, and Collaboration?

Dec 19, 2018. Commissioner meeting – Follow-up on the Appointment/Re-Appointment process. Facebook Post – Brown County Matters.  New policies have yet to be documented.

2017 Process for 2018 Appointments.  Appointments to the Redevelopment Commission (RDC) are for one year.  Commissioners and Council Members can choose to identify a vision and goals for redevelopment and share with the RDC and public. They can select volunteers that support their vision/goals.  They can choose not to re-appoint members and/or remove RDC members at any time. They do not have to provide a reason for removal or non-selections. Vacancies and requirements are announced in the Brown County Democrat newspaper.

Reappointments of existing members to boards and commissions that attend meetings and fulfill their responsibilities have been the norm.  Commissioners and council can and have selected applicants from each other’s lists of applicants.

Comments: 2018 Selection Process.  When you identify a recruitment and selection process that you are going to follow, then don’t circumvent it.  The Commissioners can appoint/re-appoint anyone they want. No need to fabricate a story to justify a selection (s).   

What the following transcript does not include is the “optics.” When Mr. Harris reinforced his interest in an appointment and asked questions about the selection process, the Commissioners avoided eye contact, shuffled papers and talked among themselves.   Commissioner RDC Appointments

2017 RDC Members: Dave Redding, Jim Schultz, Tina Bedey, Tim Clark, Jim Kemp. All but Dave Redding applied for reappointment but he intends to stay involved.

2018 Commissioner Appointments – Jan 17, 2018 (3): Commissioner Jerry Pittman, Danny Key, TIna Bedey.  Jerry Pittman attended one RDC meeting in 2017, Danny Key did not attend any.  Tina Bedy withdrew her application and the vacancy (per commissioner Biddle), will be readvertised.

• Other commissioner applicants:  Jim Schultz and Tim Clark (2016  and 2017 RDC members) and Brandon Harris.   Brandon Harris was a volunteer/supporting member of the RDC and attended 6/6 board meetings in 2017. He supported several projects.

Council Applicants (2).  Jim Kemp (2017 RDC member) Jim Schultz and Tim Clark (2016 and 2017 RDC members), plus one additional application.

Council Appointments – Jan 22, 2018.  Jim Kemp, Jim Schultz.  The council followed the established process. The council required RDC applicants to attend their November 20, 2017, meeting and to make some brief comments regarding their desire for an appointment.  The commissioners did not follow a similar process.

•  The audio recording of the meeting  See: Public Meeting Audio, County Council Minutes Audio Link 11/20/2017).

Question:  If commissioners and council can identify vision and goals and can select and remove RDC members, what is the expectation of having a representative on the RDC?

Significant Events.  The commissioners and council members unanimously voted to approve funding($12.5 million) for the Maple Leaf Performing Arts Center (MLPAC). The RDC took no official position and remained neutral.  Individual RDC members publically advocated for the project (Jim Schultz) as well as questioned one or more aspects of the project  (Tim Clark).  These individuals stated that they were representing their individual views and not the position of the RDC.  Brandon Harris also voiced concerns with some aspects (emergency related services) of the MLPAC project.

RDC REPORTS

• 2017-rdc-annual-report-20180111.  This report was distributed to the commissioners and council prior to the Jan 17 and 22nd meetings.  No questions were asked by any of the commissioners or council members.  No feedback has been provided.
• 2017 RDC Mid Year Report 20170717
• 2016 RDC Annual Report 201601

Commissioner and Council Policy and Process (not formally documented).

• Optional: Identify vision and goals for redevelopment. Share with the RDC and public.  This was not done in 2017 and should be aligned with a yet to be developed county strategic plan.
• Optional.  Attend meetings; request updates, provide periodic feedback.
• Advertise for vacancies.
• 15 December 2017 – Letters of Interest from applicants were due to Commissioners
• Interview applicants. If not an acceptable pool of candidates, re-advertise vacancies and repeat the process.
• Make Selections:
  • 20 December 2017 – Commissioner Meeting.  The announcement of selections delayed:   Danny Key and Jerry Pittman were not identified as applying for a vacancy.
• Optional: Thank those that applied and were not selected.
• Optional:  Transition.  Meet with outgoing members.
• Optional: Attend one or more meetings; review mid-year and/or annual report (s);  discuss and review priorities for the following year.

The statement below included in the transcript of the meeting by Commissioner Biddle to Brandon Harris regarding the selection process. 

How do you know if a candidate meets your requirements if you do not interview them?

” You know these are 1 year terms and we don’t um, there’s no requirement on our part to reappoint anyone from year to year so it’s real….we had 6/7, 6 candidates on our side. Council had 4 on their side. It’s just a matter of picking those candidates that we think will carry the commissioners and the councils vision forward in terms of economic redevelopment. And that’s what we did.”