Rural By Choice-PCDI Annual Meeting
Russ Baldwin | Mar 07, 2014 | Comments 0
One Prowers County resident was elected to the Prowers County Board of Directors and three current members retained their seats on the board during the annual PCDI meeting on Wednesday, March 5.
Aaron Leiker was elected as a board member-at-large and Debra Choat, John Marrin and Doug Thrall will retain their seats on the board. As there were no nominations from the floor and no additional nominations beyond the existing vacancies, no actual ballot count was required.
Town of Holly Administrator, Marsha Willhite, who ended her term as board president did not run for re-election. She recapped the past year of PCDI activities for the annual meeting, held at the Lamar Community College Wellness Center. Willhite thanked the two major financial contributors, the City of Lamar and Prowers County for their annual donations of $50,000 to fund the economic development organization for a year. Regarding Lance Benninghoff, the new executive director, Willhite said, “We are very fortunate to have him on board.” Benninghoff replaced former director Lisa Nolder after she submitted her resignation in the early part of 2013. The outgoing president also praised her current board of directors, stating that they have brought in a new mix of talents with their business acumen and ideas, offering a new approach to helping increase business development in the county. Willhite added, “We’re seeking to become more fiscally autonomous and develop new revenue streams for PCDI, and we will always remain fiscally accountable to the tax payers of the county.” She noted that the rental of the former Big R warehouse and office complex on East Washington Street in Lamar has helped develop monthly income for PCDI as well as being designated third party administrator when ARPA and WildEarth Guardians resolved their lawsuit earlier this year. Benninghoff, with the board’s approval, will receive payment for his services from the lawsuit agreement which will go to PCDI.
Benninghoff, who was hired in August, remarked that he wants to continue to help small business and local entrepreneurs develop their interests in the county. He also thanked the board for their support during his first six months as PCDI executive director and added that he intends to develop partnerships, locally and around the state with economic organizations that would be of use in the county for years to come. “We’re in the top ten counties in Colorado for agricultural production, coming in at 6th place,” he said. Benninghoff said that economic distinction can be used for future development along with other priorities for Prowers County including, job growth, health care and transportation. He noted that PCDI will always have an open door policy for those seeking advice on business development and that PCDI will begin to hold a series of business oriented seminars beginning this spring which will focus on website management, business planning, business succession, safety training and customer service.
Keynote speaker, Marci Penner, from the Kansas Sampler Foundation, spoke about rural culture and how it can help play a role in economic development for smaller towns and cities. She defined rural culture as a combination of eight elements that she had gleaned from her research travels to every town in Kansas: Architecture, Art, Commerce, Cuisine, Customs, Geography, History and People. Penner said she seeks out people who are ‘rural by choice’. “They are the group that can help keep your county and others like it alive and thriving,” she explained. She also keyed on those between the ages of 21-39, suggesting that the community give this age group an invitation to participate in current organizations, but cautioned that they should be urged to voice their opinions and ideas on community developments, not just listen to what has always been done before.
By Russ Baldwin
Filed Under: Agriculture • Business • College • community • County • Economy • Environment • Events • Featured • Granada • Holly • Hot Topics • Lamar • Prowers County • Tourism • Transportation • Utilities • Wiley
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