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Regional Plan
Community
Introduce the work of the Council to community
stakeholders with the objective to partner with stakeholders in efforts to
obtain feedback for review of current and future products, and elicit
information and potential community support membership for committees and
sub-committees.
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Communicate with local press members
to announce USRC projects and success; present issues and projects to
community based organizations and identify community leaders and
citizens with skill sets to match project needs.
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Encourage media and community based
organizational leaders to attend USRC functions.
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Foster ongoing dialogue with community
stakeholders to develop projects that will benefit the Council and the
upper shore region.
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Develop and establish a presence at
community and business events that will increase knowledge of Council
activities and Council projects.
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Maintain
regular communications with staff of the Maryland Departments of
Economic Development, Planning, Agriculture and other Maryland State
agencies as necessary to identify programs and opportunities of interest
to the region and the Council and to assist these agencies in their
programs and missions to benefit the citizens and businesses of the
region and the State.
Business Development
Identify opportunities to enhance business
development and retention in the Upper Shore Region.
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Infrastructure: Work with the county
economic development offices, county planning departments and county
information technology departments, and the individual county chambers
of commerce to identify and support development of infrastructure needs
to accommodate appropriate business development.
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GIS Mapping: Work with county
planning departments and county website developers to implement and
maintain current GIS mapping and information for economic development
activities in an effort to promote business retention and solicitation.
Work with Washington College and/or other resources to continue updating
data base and GIS mapping of business parks, industrial parks and other
regional facilities for concentrating economic development activities.
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Infrastructure: As a member of the
Maryland Broadband Cooperative, oversee the construction of the Route
213 fiber build out (EDA Project) through the upper shore region and
work with existing Internet Service Providers, Wireless Internet Service
Providers, governmental agencies and private businesses to support the
delivery of last mile connectivity, encourage competition to reduce
costs to businesses and residents, and maximize sharing of
infrastructure resources.
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Investigate the potential for
expanding medical economic development opportunities including services,
medical educational programs and telehealth/telemedicine business in the
region.
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Assist the County Economic Development
Offices to investigate potential development of high tech industries and
programs that can utilize the development of broadband capability for
economic development or for the general welfare and education of the
region.
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Expand Economic Development Committee
to include regional industries and educational representation to
accomplish objectives.
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Hold quarterly Economic Development
Committee meetings and sub-committee meetings as necessary to complete
objectives.
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Bring the region's Hospitals and
Health Departments, University of Maryland Medical System, Maryland
Rural Health Association and related health facilities together to
determine the feasibility of collaborating and/or sharing
telehealth/telemedicine programs.
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Seek funding to research the potential
for secondary level vocational education on a regional scale by
determining the business need for vocational training, working with the
Chambers of Commerce within the region and other groups to explore the
need for vocational education to supply trained personnel for the
region’s workforce.
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Research and explore the possibility
of partnering with the Upper Shore Workforce Investment Board, the
Department of Business and Economic Development and Chesapeake College
to provide opportunities for businesses to access training in an effort
to build, support and sustain sufficient workforce.
Agriculture
Support alternative approaches to
profitable agriculture and preservation of agricultural land.
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Expand the certification of the
Maryland Department of Agriculture ISO 65 Certification for the
exportation of agricultural non-gmo and Identity Preserved (IP)
products.
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Assist Chesapeake Fields Institute in
the development of a regional educational and production facility.
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Assist Chesapeake Fields Institute in
the development of marketing and promotion of regional ventures as it
pertains to packaged and wholesale products.
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Assist in the marketing of regional
agricultural products.
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Identify and educate congressional,
state, and local legislative bodies on laws, ordinances, and policies
that are reducing the potential for successful and sustainable
agricultural programs within the region.
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Track and support legislative issues
that impact agricultural interest and provide essential information to
individuals and businesses within the region that are affected by
government programs.
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Maintain active membership on the
Rural Maryland Council Board of Directors as well as explore
opportunities to membership in national agricultural affiliations.
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Convene quarterly and as necessary,
monthly meetings of the USRC Sustainable Agricultural Committee.
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Assist regional agricultural sales
through publication of goods and services and assisting small businesses
marketing programs.
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Work with the County Tourism Offices
and the Maryland Winery Association to encourage participation of the
Eastern Shore Wine Trail.
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Determine the feasibility for
establishing the position of a USRC Regional Agricultural Coordinator.
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Research, update and implement
reproduction and reprint of the Upper Shore Harvest Directory to include
enhanced features for online accessibility and use and to incorporate
wineries and tourist available vineyards.
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Administer the Kent County Vineyard
Loan Program.
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Initiate dialogue with the Upper Shore
Workforce Investment Board to develop, research, and implement workforce
training opportunities to increase labor pool necessary to support and
sustain vineyard management company project.
Regional Detention Center
Determine
interest in moving forward with a Regional Detention Center to serve the
Upper Shore Region.
Planning
Assist Counties and towns within the region and on the Eastern Shore of
Maryland to establish regional planning efforts through facilitation and
leadership of Smart Growth programs.
· Maintain
communications and collaboration with the Delmarva
Leadership Team incorporating the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Sussex
County, Delaware of the Urban Land Institute.
· Represent
the Rural Maryland Council on the Maryland Sustainable Growth Commission
to represent rural interests and bring the resources of the Commission
to provide leadership, education and other benefits of the State
Commission back to the upper shore region.
· Participate
in county efforts to accommodate issues related to BRAC planning for
potential residential growth and economic development of technology
transfer to private sector applications.
· Participate
on the Eastern Shore BRAC Opportunities Subcommittee to research, explore
and discuss opportunities for regional inclusion for BRAC related business
activity for economic development on the Eastern Shore.
Tourism
Assist regional
tourism efforts by coordinating programs of collaboration by County
Tourism Directors.
Council Operations
Expand Council
operations to assist local and regional efforts by coordinating
collaborative programs.
Transportation
Explore regional transportation efforts by coordinating
programs of collaboration with established transportation agencies.
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