MINUTES

FOCUS MACOMB

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

 

 

 

Macomb County Administration Building                                                                               April 25, 2006

One South Main, 9th Floor, Conference Room

Mount Clemens, MI  48043

 

 

Members Present: 

Roy Rose, President, Anderson, Eckstein and Westrick, Inc. ~ Focus Macomb Co-Chair

     Member Quality of Life Committee, Member Transportation Committee

Don Torline, President, Baker College of Clinton Township ~ Focus Macomb Co-Chair

     Member Business Development Committee, Member Education and Workforce

     Development Committee

Richard Kincaid, K & F Electronics ~ Business Development Committee Co-Chair

Ron Reed, Community Central Bank ~ Business Development Committee Co-Chair

Barbara Rossman, St. Joseph Mercy of Macomb ~ Education and Workforce Development

     Committee Co-Chair

Paul Socia, Citizens State Bank ~ Quality of Life Co-Chair

Anthony Lombardo, Lombardo Companies ~ Transportation Committee Co-Chair

Gregory Windingland, Lombardo Companies

   

Macomb County Planning and Economic Development Staff Present:

Stephen Cassin, Executive Director

Robert Tess, Program Manager, Economic Development

   ~ Business Development Committee Staff Advisor

Jeffery Schroeder, Program Manager, GIS and Graphic Services

   ~ Education Committee Staff Advisor

Michael Rozny, Program Manager, Community Development Services

   ~ Quality of Life Staff Advisor

John Crumm, Program Manager, Planning and Environmental Services,

   ~ Transportation Committee Advisor

Maria Zardis, Grant Coordinator

   ~ Focus Macomb Staff Coordinator

 

Guests and Speakers Present:

Nancy White, Chair, Macomb County Board of Commissioners (Welcoming Speaker)

Daniel P. Hunter, Manager, Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services (Guest Participant)

 

Members Not Present:

Frank Blowers, Lakeside Community Bank ~ Education Committee Co-Chair

Karen Parenteau, Health Alliance Plan ~ Quality of Life Committee Co-Chair

Anthony Viviano, Sterling Heights Dodge ~ Quality of Life Committee Co-Chair

FOCUS MACOMB

Executive Committee Meeting

April 25, 2006

 

 

 

 

The meeting was brought to order at noon, by Macomb County Planning & Economic Development Executive Director Steve Cassin, following welcoming remarks by Board of Commissioners Chair Nancy White, and introductions of the attendees.  Executive Director Cassin provided a brief history leading to the formation of Focus Macomb, stating  “we do not want to reinvent the wheel,”1  but rather follow the successful format of the Business Roundtable of Oakland County.

 

 

PRESENTATION ON OAKLAND COUNTY BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE

 

Daniel P. Hunter, Manager of Oakland County Planning & Economic Development Services, provided an overview of the history, mission and evolution of the Oakland County Business Roundtable from its beginning in 1993 to present; as well as key considerations in making the Roundtable a success.  He stressed the importance of diversity in committee membership and the liaison between industry, labor and government entities.  The majority of Roundtable Committees meet quarterly, for sixty to ninety minutes in length, with the exception of the Quality of Life Committee and its sub-groups which require more frequent meetings.  The four focus areas of the Roundtable are: 

 

¨ Economic Development – The committee identifies potential growth areas, encourages new business ventures, and identifies problem areas in economic development.

 

¨ Quality of Life – A catch-all committee, it is divided into key sub-committees that study a multitude of broad issues that impact the citizens of the County and makes recommendations to the County Executive for improvements under the control of county government.

 

¨ Transportation (and Land Use) – The committee works closely with the Oakland County Road Commission, as well as MDOT and other government agencies, reviewing transportation issues and proposing  solutions relevant to the County and the region.

 

¨ Workforce and Education – In 2005, the Committee focused on three target areas:

1.      Marketing the County’s workforce and educational programs.

2.      Developing partnerships with business.

3.      Retaining, training, retraining and recruiting workers for the County’s high demand jobs.

 

 

INTRODUCTION OF COMMITTEE ADVISORS

 

Executive Director Cassin told the four Focus Macomb Committee Co-chairs they will be supported by the staff of the Department of Planning & Economic Development (PED) and introduced the Program Managers, explained their areas of expertise, and the Committees they will support.  Grant Coordinator, Maria Zardis further touched on the individual Program Managers and how they could

 

FOCUS MACOMB

Executive Committee Meeting

April 25, 2006

 

 

assist the Committee Co-Chairs.  She briefly outlined the expectations of the Board of Commissioners and how the PED staff can assist the Co-Chairs in their presentations and recommendations for their Committees at the November 22nd Board of Commissioners Meeting.  The outline, Ms. Zardis recommended for Board presentation, in outline form, is (quote):

 

1)       We’ve studied this issue.

2)       We’ve identified this to be a possible solution.

3)       This is what we are will to do – meaning our Committee (and) the business community we represent.

4)       And here is what we need from you – meaning the Board of Commissioners who can make this happen. (end quote) 2

 

 

TIMELINE AND GOAL SETTING RECOMMENDATIONS TO COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS

 

Executive Committee Co-Chair Rose advised the Committee Co-Chairs, to be ready to make recommendations will be made to the Board of Commissioners at the November 22nd Board Meeting.  He asked that proposed recommendations and reports be presented for review in early October.  He advised the Co-Chairs to have their first committee meetings in mid-May, a couple of meetings in June, and then monthly meetings thereafter.  He asked the PED to notify the committee members of their appointments and forward copies of the handouts (see, endnote 3) to each committee member before their first meeting.  He told the Executive Committee members that a meeting would be scheduled in late June to review the goals and progress of the individual committees.

 

 

CLOSING REMARKS

 

Executive Committee Co-Chair Torline further discussed the role of the PED, Committee Co-Chairs and committee members, the enthusiasm of the Board of Commissioners and the business community for the success of Focus Macomb.  Executive Committee Co-Chair Rose, told the attendees, “We are here to better Macomb County.  As business people in Macomb County, as the County begins thriving, it will benefit all of the ...County’s economic environment.” 4 

 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 1:20 pm.

 

 

Respectfully submitted by,

Kate Doyle

_______________________________________

1     Stephen Cassin, Executive Director, Macomb County Department of Planning & Economic Development (Tape1\FOCUS MACOMB

Exec. Committee Mtg’s.).

2        Maria Zardis, Grants Coordinator, Macomb County Department of Planning & Economic Development (Tape 1\FOCUS MACOMB

Exec. Committee Mtg’s.).

3        Publications:  Macomb County marketing Communications Plan/Strategic Visioning Task Force; Capital Reader Summary of

The World Is Flat, by Thomas L. Friedman, Farrar, Straus and Giroux; Macomb Community College 39th Macomb Opinion

Survey(Fall 2005); Leadership Macomb Legacy Report Executive Summary (May 15, 2003); 2005 Annual Report, Oakland County

Business Roundtable. 

4        Roy Rose, Co-Chair, FOCUS MACOMB Executive Committee; President, Anderson, Eckstein & Westrick (Tape 1\FOCUS

MACOMB Exec. Committee Mtg’s.).