STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
COUNTY OF RUTHERFORD
TOWN OF RUTHERFORDTON
October 16, 2013
The Rutherfordton Town Council held a special meeting this day at 6:00 pm, in the Council room of Town Hall, 129 North Main Street. The purpose of this special meeting is to have the presentation of the STEP projects. Mayor Jimmy Dancy welcomed all present and call the special meeting to order with the following Councilmembers present: Henry Giles, Stan Clements, Christy Bare and Terry Cobb. Also in attendance were STEP leadership committee members: Dr. Doug Sheets, Sallie Cowan, Jerry Stensland and Brian Rathbone. Town Manager Karen Andrews was also in attendance.
Mayor Dancy thanked everyone involved in the STEP process for their continued efforts over the past eighteen months. As he reminded all present the STEP funds and their use belong to those on the leadership committee of STEP, they are not Town funds. The projects are designed to help the Town and community move forward with economic growth.
Dr. Sheets presented an overview of the STEP process from its beginnings last year to the present time. STEP is North Carolina Small Town Economic Prosperity program. The objectives were to develop a team of local citizens and leaders empowered by the Town for economic long term development. There was funding for planning and project implementation. STEP is not a top down approach, it is not a strategic plan to be placed on a shelf, and it is not a plan with no implementation strategy or funding. The purpose is ultimately to create jobs and to increase public and private investment in the community, to leverage our resources and eventually develop a better standard of living. One of the first tasks was to develop a mission statement which is: Rutherfordton STEP is a Community Based Team working as a catalyst for community partnership and economic development while preserving local history, heritage and natural resources.
Sallie Cowan, representing the Marketing Committee, presented their various projects. The order of presentation did not include the order of priority decided by the Marketing Committee. Those which were included: Second phase of Branding / Marketing with Arnett Muldrow; Public Relations Campaign; Woodrow Jones building being developed into a museum / visitors center; making empty storefront windows appealing; Rutherfordton Ambassador Program; feedback postcard; printed materials for marketing purposes; and an outdoor electronic kiosk.
Jerry Stensland, representing the Sense of Place and Destination Committee, presented their various projects, which again were not in priority order. Those included: Ambassador Program; Heritage Tourism – Bechtler / Museum / Mint site; Rutherfordton Trail System development; and a Feasibility Study for the Design on Central Street.
Brian Rathbone, representing the Economic Development Strategies Committee, presented their projects, again not in a priority order. Those projects included: Certified Retirement Community; Parking Study / Strategy; STEMulate; Wi-Fi in the downtown area; and a Medical Incubator feasibility study.
Council requested to see the projects in their rankings from each committee. During the next STEP meeting, to be held on October 28th, those rankings will be confirmed before coming to Council for approval during the December meeting.
Being no further business, at 7:28 pm, Councilmember Giles made a motion to adjourn, with Councilmember Bare seconding. Motion passed unanimously.
______
______Mayor Jimmy G. Dancy
Karen E. Andrews, Town Manager