Delta Grassroot Caucus Agenda
Delta Grassroots Caucus
April 21, 2011
SEE THE WEBSITE AT DELTACITIZENS.ORG, AND GO TO THE BLOG
DRAFT OF AGENDA: Delta Regional Authority Federal Cochairman Chris Masingill, Gov. Mike Beebe, Congressman Mike Ross, Congressman Rick Crawford, Alternate DRA Federal Cochair Mike Marshall of Missouri, the Hon. Rodney Slater, James "Skip" Rutherford, Dean of the Clinton School of Public Service, former FEMA Associate Director for President Clinton, Kay Goss, Delta Citizens Alliance CEO Larry Williams, Community Health House Network leader James Miller, Obadiah Simmons of Grambling State University in Louisiana, and grassroots leaders from across the region highlight the May 5-6, 2011 Delta conference at the Clinton Presidential Center. Below is the draft of the agenda, which will usually have a few last-minute changes.
President Clinton has given superb presentations live over the audio system and fielded questions the last three years, with job creation, renewable energy and green jobs, health care for the underserved Delta among his top priorities. Due to his hectic schedule we get confirmation of the exact time only right before the conference.
EARLY REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS SIX DAYS AWAY, APRIL 27: We have 110 written RSVPs at this point, but we do need to remind you that you register by sending in the registration fees, and right now we only have 55 registrations, although we know many are in the mail. We would hope we will not encounter space problems but if we do the space would have to go to those who are registered. The early registration deadline is six days away and after that late registration fees go up from $100 to $150.
If you will be able to join us on May 5-6, please make out the early registration fees by April 27 for $100 to "Delta Grassroots Caucus," and mail to:
Delta Grassroots Caucus
5030 Purslane Place
Waldorf, MD 20601
After April 27, the late registration fees go up to $150.
GROUP HOTEL: We would also encourage you to take advantage of the lower group discount at the group hotel and make your reservations ASAP. The group hotel is the Comfort Inn & Suites near the Clinton Library. To get the lower group rate of $79 (a good rate for downtown Little Rock) for the night of May 5, call the Comfort Inn at 501-687-7700 and say you are with the Delta Caucus.
Most people stay for the night of Thursday, May 5, check out the next morning on Friday and store their luggage at the hotel and then come back and pick it up Friday afternoon when the conference ends. Thus you only need to pay for one hotel night.
Some people also like to stay the night of May 6, and the lower group rate is available for that night as well.
SCHEDULE: The opening session starts on Thursday evening, May 5, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Clinton School of Public Service, with the opening presentation by DRA Federal Cochairman Chris Masingill and hosted by Skip Rutherford, Dean of the Clinton School. Dean Rutherford always does a great job of hosting the opening session and has shown a great deal of interest in the Delta for many years, and we want to express our appreciation to Skip by getting a good turnout at the opening session
The next day we meet all day at the Great Hall of the Clinton Presidential Library from about 8:30 a.m. to about 4:30 p.m. or so.
For the conference as a whole, over the two days we will want to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Delta Regional Initiative and the creation of the Delta Regional Authority in 2001, take a look back at what has worked, and most importantly plan for a brighter economic future. In addition to several panels, the main speakers will be US Rep. Rick Crawford, US Rep. Mike Ross, Gov. Beebe, President Clinton either by audio or in person, the Delta Regional Authority leaders in Federal Cochairman Chris Masingill and Alternate Federal Cochairman Mike Marshall, former US Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater, Skip Rutherford, Dean of the Clinton School of Public Service, James Miller of the Community Health House Network based in Mississippi, and grassroots leaders from all eight states.
We will have DRA Federal Cochairman Chris Masingill and DRA Alternate Federal Cochairman Mike Marshall of Missouri among the speakers. Chris Masingill and Mike Marshall have gotten excellent reviews as the new leaders of the DRA. Thanks--Lee Powell, MDGC (202) 360-6347
Agenda
"At the Crossroads: 10th Anniversary of the Delta Regional Initiative and the DRA's Creation"
Annual Conference, May 5-6, 2011
Clinton Presidential Center, Little Rock, Arkansas
OPENING SESSION: THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2011, 5 P.M. TO 8 P.M.
AT THE CLINTON SCHOOL OF PUBLIC SERVICE
5 p.m. to 5:25 p.m.--RECEPTION
Introduction--Lee Powell, Executive Director, Delta Grassroots Caucus
5:30 to 5:45 p.m.--Forum on Issues Regarding Development of Lignite in the Delta:
Rep. Garry Smith, AR, advocating for lignite development conducted in an environmentally friendly way to create jobs and reduce dependence on foreign oil
Former US Assistant Secretary of the Interior Ken Smith, environmental and energy expert, expressing concerns about environmental impact of lignite
5:45 to 5:50--James "Skip" Rutherford, Dean of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service and Clinton School Graduate Student
5:50 to 6:20 p.m.--Federal Cochairman Chris Masingill of the Delta Regional Authority--Presentation and then Questions and Answers--the DRA at its 10th anniversary, its accomplishments, remaining challenges for the future
Note: There will be question and answer periods here and at several other sessions. We are glad to have Dr. Elizabeth Hood, Distinguished Professor at the Arkansas State University Biosciences Institute, an expert in biomass, at the conference and we plan for her to take part in these discussion sessions to make sure renewable energy is included in the dialogue.
6:20 to 6:28 p.m.--Robert Cole, East Arkansas Enterprise Community, on the value of regional approaches to economic development
6:28 to 6:36--Mayor Jack May, McGehee, Arkansas, on the new Japanese American Center commemorating the story of Japanese Americans held in southeast Arkansas during World War II--an excellent example of Delta heritage-related tourism
6:36 to 6:40 p.m.--Mayor May presents Inspire Hope Institute Award to a distinguished grassroots leader in the Delta for his decades of service to economic development in the Delta; this is only the second time the Inspire Hope Institute Award has ever been given (it is jointly awarded by the Delta Grassroots Caucus and the Inspire Hope Institute of Jonesboro, Arkansas, Chair, Laymon Jones)
6:40 p.m. to 8 p.m.--Best Practices and Models for Development in the Greater Mississippi Delta region
1. Obadiah Simmons, Grambling State University, Louisiana, Moderator and Speaker
2. Bill Ransdall, Missouri Department of Economic Development, Governor Jay Nixon's DRA Designee for Missouri (Governor Nixon is the state cochairman of the DRA)
3. Mayor James Sanders, Blytheville, Arkansas
4. Mississippi County (AR) Judge Randy Carney
5. Charita Johnson Burgess, Shiloh Distribution Center, Lexington, Tennessee
6. West Kentucky representative (invited)
FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2011, GREAT HALL OF THE CLINTON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY
8:30 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M.
8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.--Big Picture Panel on Regional Economic Development
1. Johnnie Bolin, Moderator and speaker, executive director, Arkansas Good Roads Transportation Council (Mr. Bolin is from Crossett in Ashley County)
2. J. William McFarland, Alabama, Director of the Center for Business and Economic Services, University of West Alabama College of Business, Livingston, Alabama
3. Joe Black, Southern Bancorp, Helena-West Helena, AR (Southern Bancorp conducts extensive development activities in many locations across the Delta)
4. Mayor Jo Anne Bush, Lake Village, Arkansas
5. James Stapleton, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
PRESIDENT WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON (INVITED) 9:35 A.M. TO 10 A.M. Introduced by a Clinton School of Public Service graduate student. (President Clinton has given superb live presentations over the audio system the last three years in a row and we expect he probably will this year as well, but due to his hectic schedule the exact time cannot be confirmed until shortly before the conference. This may require some adjustments for other speakers.)
10 A.M. TO 10:30 A.M.--Congressman Mike Ross
Introduction by Chicot County Judge Mack Ball
10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.--Governor Mike Beebe
Introduction by Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives, Rep. Robert Moore of Arkansas City
11 A.M. TO 12:15 P.M.--PANEL ON REGIONALISM--WHY SHOULD WE TAKE A REGIONAL APPROACH TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?
1. Lee Powell, Executive Director, Delta Grassroots Caucus, based in Washington, DC
2. Larry Williams, CEO, Delta Citizens Alliance, based in Greenville, Mississippi, active in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi
3. Mike Marshall, Alternate Federal Cochairman, Delta Regional Authority, Sikeston, Missouri
4. Kevin Smith, former aide to US Senator Dale Bumpers and then Gov. Bill Clinton, former state senator, now a businessman in Helena-West Helena, Arkansas
5. Jerry Smith, Arkansas State University economic development center
LUNCHEON--12:15 P.M. TO 1:30 P.M.
1. Kay Goss, SRA Corp., Associate Director of FEMA in the Clinton administration
2. The Hon. Rodney Slater, US Secretary of Transportation in the Clinton administration, now parter, Patton Boggs, Washington, DC
3. CONGRESSMAN RICK CRAWFORD
Introduction by Rex Nelson, President, Arkansas Independent Colleges and Universities and former DRA Alternate Federal Cochairman
1:30 p.m. 2:50 p.m. to HEALTH CARE AND NUTRITION PANEL
1. James Miller, manager of Community Health House Network, Oxford International Development Group, Oxford, Mississippi
2. Tamidra Marable, Heifer International
3. State Senator Jack Crumbly, east Arkansas
4. Vivian Fry--Greer, Shiloh Distribution Center, Lexington, Tennessee
5. Natalie Jayroe, CEO, Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana, Louisiana; Mike Kantor, public policy coordinator, Second Harvest Food Food Bank of Greater New Orleans
2:50 p.m. to 4:20 p.m.--ARKANSAS BAPTIST COLLEGE AND COOPERATIVE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP SESSION
1. President Fitzgerald Hill, Arkansas Baptist College
2. Anitha Kobusingye, Arkansas Baptist College student from Rwanda
3. Arkansas Baptist College student or staff--speaker of President Hill's choosing
4. Catherine Bahn, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship project, Helena-West Helena, AR
5. Terrance Clark, nonprofit THRIVE organization, manager for Phillips County Small Business incubator project
Sponsors for the Delta Grassroots Caucus, May 5-6, 2011
Clinton Presidential Center, Little Rock Arkansas
Major Co-Sponsors
Nucor Yamato Steel and Nucor Southeast Arkansas Delta
Steel of Arkansas, Blytheville, Arkansas Grassroots Partners
Inspire Hope Institute, Chairman, National Housing Assistance
Laymon Jones Council, Washington, DC
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Arkansas Heifer International
Delta Citizens Alliance, Greenville, MS Grambling State University,
(Active in Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas) Louisiana
Susanna Wesley Family Learning Center, McGehee Industrial Foundation,
Southeast Missouri Arkansas
University of Arkansas Clinton School Mississippi County Economic
of Public Service Opportunity Commission
Sponsors
Desha County Judge Mark McElroy Southeast Missouri Delta
Grassroots Partners
East Arkansas Enterprise Community Shiloh Distribution Center
Lexington, Tennessee
Northeast Arkansas Delta Grassroots
Partners
Delta Grassroots Caucus Partners
Last but not least, we would like to thank the hundreds of people and organizations who made smaller contributions in the range of $50 and $85 in the form of annual membership dues, registration fees and other contributions. For a grassroots regional coalition, we need to have a diversified, broad base of financial support from large numbers of relatively small contributions. The large number of these contributions really adds up to a major part of our budget, and we could not do our work without these donations.
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