2004 Annual Report Executive Summary

Clare County Enterprise Community

There were two very significant accomplishments this year. The first was a very successful housing rehabilitation initiative, Group WorkCamp. The second was the completion of a mid-term evaluation of Clare County Enterprise Community (CCEC).

The CCEC Board of Directors felt that as implementation of the CCEC strategic plan reached the mid-point (completion of year 5), it was time to determine where resources, both human and fiscal, should be directed in years 6-10.   Specific benchmarks:

• Benchmark 21. Annual meeting and elections held with representatives from every census tract. January 2004

• Benchmark 14.1. A workgroup of the EC continued to rally support and gifts from churches, service clubs and families to sustain the domestic violence/sexual assault shelter in Clare County.
• Benchmark #11.3. The EC supported the Village of Farwell’s continued work to enhance the new industrial park and area infrastructure with upgraded sewer.
• Benchmark #13.1. Clare County was added to the service area of the Growth Finance & SBA 504 Loan Program.
• Benchmark #19.1 Vocational and Ag Education options being explored with area Superintendents. February 2004
• Benchmark 21. Officers and Executive Committee elected
• Benchmark 6.2 Plans begin to feature WPA Art work at the Clare Middle School
• Benchmark 1.1. Citizen Planner begins.
• Benchmark 22. The Heart of Michigan Planning Group (Link MI) Technology presentation outlines final report and findings at HAEDCO annual meeting.
• Benchmark 22. EC supports Harrison Community Library for an analysis study regarding technology.
• Benchmark 22. EC supports Garfield Memorial Library to upgrade online catalog.
• Benchmark 20.3. EC supports MidMichigan Visiting Nurse Association to utilize and expand use of telemedicine to serve residents in their homes.
• Benchmark 18.3. EC learns that having supported Listening Ear’s efforts to establish Transitional Housing for homeless youth, a five year grant has been awarded. March 2004
• Benchmark 11.5. Middle Michigan Development Corporation reported that of the 35 new jobs created last year, 26 were in Clare County.
• Benchmark 21. EC supports cost of hosting “Framework for Understanding Poverty” education
• Benchmark 1.1. Clare County Planning Commission makes final revisions to Master Plan. April 2004
• Benchmark 3.1. EC supports first electronic recycling event
• Benchmarks 11.4. and 13.1. EC supports joining local chambers and assigning liaisons to promote Small Business Initiative
• Benchmark 4.1. EC supports After Prom Parties for all three area schools. May 2004.
• Benchmark 5.1. The Parks & Recreation Commission developed a 30 month funding plan and submitted its first grant request.
• Benchmark 24. The Leadership Institute graduates its first class.
• Benchmark 12.2. Gateway Farmers Market announces opening day, is featured in the USDA report and has an article in the Life in the Middle of Michigan magazine. June 2004.
• Benchmark 21. Progress Team meets for two day Evaluation and Visioning as part of the Mid-Term Evaluation to study the progress made to date and prioritize goals for the next five years. Doug Woodard, a Doctoral student at Michigan State University recently completed a case study using interviews, focus groups and data collection. The benchmark goals deemed the most important for the next five years: 1. Economic Development, Industrial Parks and a new Small Business Initiative with a revolving loan fund, 2. Expanded Family Enrichment with positive role models for young parents, stressed families, and youth, 3. Ethics and Character promotion, 4. Recreation opportunities, 5. Housing Advocacy and Assisted Living, 6. Developing the Farmers Market complex, and, 7. Establishing a Health Clinic in northern Clare County that offers Emergency/Urgent care as well as health promotion. July 2004
• Benchmark 18.3. Dale Sherwin, USDA State Director, presented Clare County Housing Commission with a check in the amount of $70,000 for a Housing Preservation Grant to repair or replace wells and septic systems in owner-occupied homes in Clare County.
• Benchmark 18.4. Fifty-seven homes across Clare County received a face-lift thanks to the efforts of Clare County Cares, an initiative of Clare County Enterprise Community, and the faith-based organization Group Workcamp Foundation. Nearly 375 youth and 40 adult Group Workcamp volunteers from 16 states repaired and/or painted homes free of charge for homeowners who were physically or financially unable to do the work themselves. They were supported by 120 local contributing organizations and individuals who donated construction knowledge or lent tools, helped with trash disposal, provided communications, provided snacks and food, and performed other tasks. EC plans to repeat Group Workcamp effort in 2006. August 2004
• Benchmark 18.9. DASH, workgroup of the EC, explores the ‘Self-Help Housing’ project.
• Benchmark 11.1. Environmental study completed for expanding Clare Industrial Park.
• Benchmark 21. EC supports purchasing 50% of Doug Woodward’s time from Michigan State University to work on Small Business Initiative and Housing benchmarks.
• Benchmark 18.7. EC supports Housing Advocate who served over 100 families during the last year.
• Benchmark 21. In preparation for signing year 6 grant agreement, an additional $200,000 was allocated and benchmarked. September 2004.
• Benchmark 14.1. EC workgroup holds Golf outing to support women’s shelter. · Benchmark 6.2. Successful WPA mural and Art Walk held.
• Benchmark 22. Analysis completed for Harrison Community Library determining that the library needs to stablize funding and establish a district library to meet needs of expanding elder and children populations. October 2004.
• Benchmark 4.1. Character Counts! distributes posters and other materials in schools.
• Benchmark 16.1. Community Resource Directory completed.
• Benchmark 3.1. EC supports 2005 Scrap Tire grant request to finish cleaning up the M-61 scrap tire site having leveraged $210,000 in 2004 to clean up the M-61 site and $250,000 in 2002, $75,375 in 2003 and a supplemental $672,000 to shred and remove over 1 million scrap tires from the Kirby site.
• Benchmark 5.1. The Parks & Recreation Commission secures its first private grant and finishes work on creating a cultural and landmark tour with signage and garners community support for a roving leader youth recreation program.
• Benchmark 3.1. EC supports Solid Waste’s application for USDA Solid Waste grant funding to provide technical assistance for recycling in local communities and thereby reduce recyclables from the solid waste stream entering the landfill.
• Benchmark 20.3. MidMichigan Visiting Nurse Association learns it has received a USDA RUS $215,915 grant to expand use of telemedicine to serve residents in their homes.
• Benchmark 3.1. Successful Household Hazardous Waste/Electronic Recycling Day held. November 2004.
• Benchmark 21. Nominations Committee established for 2005 elections. December 2004.
• Benchmark 20.2. EC supports efforts to locate Veteran’s outpatient clinic in Clare County to improve access to health services.
• Benchmark 21. Mid-Term Evaluation report presented with plans for sharing highlights with legislators and the general public.
• Benchmark 1.1. Master land use plan has been approved. Next emphasis of the Planning Commission is Coordinated Land Use. The sprawl issue, which is encroaching on farmlands, needs to be slowed down or prevented.
• Benchmark 4.1. EC supports efforts to offer “Ethics in the Workplace” to employers.  

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