Upper Shore

Regional Council

Fostering the physical, economic, and social development of Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne’s Counties, Maryland.

 

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.
 

  • 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.
     

  • Encourage media and community based organizational leaders to attend USRC functions.
     

  • Foster ongoing dialogue with community stakeholders to develop projects that will benefit the Council and the upper shore region.
     

  • Develop and establish a presence at community and business events that will increase knowledge of Council activities and Council projects.

Business Development

Identify opportunities to enhance business development and retention in the Upper Shore Region.

  • 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.
     

  • 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.
     

  • Infrastructure:  As a member of the Maryland Broadband Cooperative, create a business plan, and oversee the construction of a fiber optic cable infrastructure to provide wholesale bandwidth to Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISP) and Internet Service Providers (ISP) to bring ubiquity of broadband to the region and create competition that will stabilize prices at an affordable level consistent with urban rates. Identify and work with private sector Internet Service Providers (ISP) and Wireless Service Providers (WISP) within the region to provide last mile service to both business and residential customers.
     

  • 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.
     

  • Oversee the construction of the fiber backbone connecting existing components in Elkton and on Kent Island through the upper shore region.
     

  • Expand Economic Development Committee to include regional industries and educational representation to accomplish objectives.
     

  • Hold quarterly Economic Development Committee meetings and sub-committee meetings as necessary to complete objectives.
     

  • Support and investigate implementation of affordable housing report developed by the Kent County Chamber Workforce Housing Task Force to stimulate action of County governments by providing information and program support necessary to move forward with implementing initiatives, suggestions and guidelines to agencies and County representatives.
     

  • 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.
     

  • 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.

  • Expand the certification of the Maryland Department of Agriculture ISO 65 Certification for the exportation of agricultural non-gmo and Identity Preserved (IP) products.
     

  • Assist Chesapeake Fields Institute in the development of a regional educational and production facility.
     

  • Assist Chesapeake Fields Institute in the development of marketing and promotion of regional ventures as it pertains to packaged and wholesale products.
     

  • Assist in the marketing of regional agricultural products.
     

  • 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.
     

  • 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.
     

  • Maintain active membership on the Rural Maryland Council Board of Directors as well as explore opportunities to membership in national agricultural affiliations.
     

  • Convene quarterly and as necessary, monthly meetings of the USRC Sustainable Agricultural Committee.
     

  • Assist regional agricultural sales through publication of goods and services and assisting small businesses marketing programs.
     

  • Prepare a legislative agenda for distribution to and review of the USRC membership.
     

  • Determine the feasibility for establishing the position of a USRC Regional Agricultural Coordinator.
     

  • Research, update and implement reproduction and reprint of the Upper Shore Harvest Directory to include enhanced features for online accessibility and use.
     

  • Complete the development of multiple business plans for the creation of a vineyard management company (VCM) and other activities to support and encourage the development of vineyards and wineries within the region: solicit vineyard management companies to expand operations to the upper shore region or assist local farmers/entrepreneurs to establish a VCM in the region.
     

  • 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

Facilitate the Architectural and Location Study for a Regional Detention Center to serve the Upper Shore Region.

  • Participate in the Regional Detention Facility Planning Committee along with representatives of Kent County, Queen Anne’s County and Caroline County Detention staffs overseeing the Phase II Assessment of Planning of New Institutions by the United States Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections.
     
  • Facilitate discussion and exploration of modern telecommunications functions within the County Justice and Court systems incorporating plans and telecommunications abilities into the regional facility.
     
  • Utilize infrastructure of NetworkMD and the Maryland Broadband Cooperative to provide teleconferencing abilities within the County justice system to reduce transportation time and cost and enhance safety.
     
  • Work with the Upper Shore Regional Detention Facility location Committee consisting of County representatives, engineering staff and citizen representatives to recommend, hold public hearings and facilitate a location for the regional facility.
     
  • Participate in touring of Regional Detention Facilities in the Tri-State area in an effort to gather information necessary to move forward the Upper Shore Regional Detention Center project and draft management and organizational operating plans.

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 and providing information to encourage collaborative efforts and consideration of individual comprehensive plans.
 

·        Maintain membership on the Delmarva Leadership Team incorporating the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Sussex County, Delaware of the Urban Land Institute.

·      Follow-up the 2007 Upper Shore Regional Council Smart Growth Planning Conference with informational updates and meetings to bring municipal, county, and state efforts together by partnering with the Urban Land Institute Delmarva Leadership Team and the Maryland Department of Planning for the annual Smart Growth Planning Conference which will incorporate all Eastern Shore Counties through utilizing the Tri-County Councils.

·      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.

  • Develop and distribute pamphlets of citizen and visitor interest relating to the region.
     
  • Facilitate discussion of collaborative efforts to assist individual County tourist plans by utilizing regional programs and activities.
     
  • Investigate the expansion of the Delmarva Low Impact Tourism Experiences  (DLITE) to the upper shore region.

Council Operations

Expand Council operations to assist local and regional efforts by coordinating collaborative programs.

  • Research opportunities for funding sources to enhance, develop and expand local and regional projects and programs.
     
  • Investigate the potential of establishing a Research and Development position to assist County Chambers of Commerce, County Economic Development Offices and USRC with specialized projects.

Transportation

Explore regional transportation efforts by coordinating programs of collaboration with established transportation agencies.

  • Research opportunities for utilizing existing transportation agencies to develop a rural, regional transportation plan for the Upper Shore and Mid-Shore Counties.

 

 

 

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This Site Last Updated on 14 July 2008

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