Conference and Candidate Forum Thanks to the Fall Conference - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Welcome! MEDA Fall Conference and Candidate Forum

Thanks to the Fall Conference Committee: Toni Schneider, Russ Fletcher, Brian Obert, Charles Robison, Jim Atchison, Lad Barney, Lorraine Roach, Rick Edwards and Sarah Converse.

Thanks to our generous Membership Sponsors

Today’s Schedule

 8:00am – 8:55am MEDA Legislative Strategy with Rick Edwards 9:00am – 9:30am Senate Candidate Forum with Steve Bullock  9:30am – 10:00am Breakout Topics:

 Next Gen – Steve Arveschoug  Broadband –Tracy McIntyre  Montana Passenger Rail - Missoula County Commissioner David Strohmaier and House District 100 Rep. Andrea Olsen  Workforce – Brian Obert  Value Added Ag – Sarah Converse  Community Tools – Lorie Higgins, Tara Mastel

 10:00am – 10:30am Wrapping it all up: We’re In This Together

What’s happening today…

MEDA Fall Conference October 2020

 Not sure what the session will look like physically.  Funding appears to be tight.  Hot button items will likely include budget, infrastructure,

taxes, and education.

 It is critical that we communicate our platform, work closely

with our partners, and when the session begins, we need to have clients prepared to share program successes.

 Election Day 2020

• November 3, 2020

 Session Begins

• January 4, 2021

 MEDA Days @ Rotunda -

February 2, 2021

 Last Day of Session

• April 28, 2021

 Promote & Retain Key Community Economic Development Tools  Improve Economic Development Effectiveness  Improve Broadband Access, Reliability and Affordability  Improve Critical Infrastructure  Workforce Attraction & Development  Improve Competitiveness Among Competing States

▪ Keep Tax Increment Financing (TIF) as an effective

local- directed economic development tool.

▪ Maintain current funding levels for state economic

development programs.

▪ Maintain funding for local and regional tourism

entities

 Increase flexibility and ease of use of existing

programs

 Enhance statewide teamwork  Launch effective business attraction partnership  Make greater use of Montana Board of Investment

 Support Montana Infrastructure Coalition’s policy

efforts

 Maintain funding for Treasure State Endowment

Program

 Improve local access to passenger and freight rail

service

 Use Next Gen Study as starting point

for developing strategies to improve Montana’s economic competitiveness

 Host forum(s) to share

competitiveness factors with legislators and administration

 Foster better partnerships with MDLI and its workforce

programs, colleges, adult ed, and economic development

• rganizations.

 Increase relationships with OPI, vocational schools, high

schools, etc.

 Build relationships and educate on the apprenticeship

programs available

 Increase incentives and/or ease of access to workforce and

apprenticeship programs for companies

 Identify Talent management strategies to retain, attract, and

develop workforce.

 Seize today’s situation with people moving to Montana to

recruit talent: Come Home Montana

 Use the NextGen report findings for launching efforts  Collaborate on marketing messages for a united message  Follow workforce legislation carefully  Investigate options for two year technology schools to

improve speed in response to training needs

MEDA CANDIDATE FORUM

Senate Candidate Forum with Steve Bullock

BREAKOUT GROUPS DISCUSSION AND SHARING ON A TOPIC OF INTEREST TO YOU

Breakout Topics:

➢ Next Gen – Steve Arveschoug ➢ Broadband –Tracy McIntyre ➢ Montana Passenger Rail –

Missoula County Commissioner David Strohmaier and House District 100 Representative Andrea Olsen

➢ Workforce – Brian Obert ➢ Value Added Ag – Sarah Converse ➢ Community Tools – Lorie Higgins, Tara Mastel

Reminder: Sign up for Tell Us Something Workshops Oct 19 – 23rd

Thank you!

Save the Date: November 6th, 11am MEDA Storytelling Celebration

We’re In This Together