WASHINGTON COMMUNITY ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION TEAM

WA-CERT prioritization set for March 17

posted 02/21/03
San Juan County Economic Development Council (SJCEDC) completed the initial round of meetings introducing the WA-CERT (Washington Community Economic Revitalization Team) process to interested parties.Information meetings were held on all three main islands. The annual prioritization meeting will be held at noon March 17, 2003 at Key Bank in Friday Harbor in the Community Room downstairs. The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will approve or revise the recommendations on March 25, 2003.

WA-CERT is a process the state uses to assist communities in prioritizing economic needs and explore resources available (by agency and grant or loan program) to assist in meeting those needs. To be included in the program, applicants need to be entities eligible for state or federal funding. Being on this list is mandatory in some cases and, at minimum, a huge asset in applying for outside funding according to EDC President Cathaleen Cavanagh. The projects can be revised, added and reprioritized throughout the year.

Cavanagh says San Juan County has the distinction of having one of the most successful projects in the state funded due to the WA-CERT process - the mobile processing unit established initially on Lopez and now serving the entire Northwest part of the state.

The SJCEDC is available to assist interested parties in completing online registrations and two-page proposal forms. Interested parties need to call the EDC at 360.378.2906 for information and assistance. The EDC would like to have all applicants submit their project proposals by the March 10, 2003.

Annual WA-CERT process set for Feb. 18 and 19

posted 02/11/03
San Juan County Economic Development Council is initiating the annual WA-CERT process to prioritize projects that provide significant public benefit and job creation. People who are working on projects that can have a positive economic effect on the county should participate. The Lopez Pre-Schools, the Farmers Cooperative meat processing plant, the Town of Friday Harbor Wastewater Treatment Plant are a few of the county projects that have benefited from this process. WA-CERT stands for Washington Community Economic Revitalization Team, a program developed to help distressed rural communities tap into economic development funding.

Information and Work Session Meetings

Tuesday, Feb 18, 2003

4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Meeting - Lopez Library

Wednesday, Feb 19

8:00 am - 9:30 am - Meeting - San Juan Library

2:00 pm - 3:30 pm - Meeting - Orcas Senior Center Conference Room

A Public Prioritization Meeting will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Monday, March 17, 2003 at the Key Bank Community Room in Friday Harbor in order to finalize the priorities. These priorities will be sent to the Board of County Commissioners. The Commissioners are scheduled to make the final prioritization at 1:30 PM at their March 25, 2003 meeting.

"The great thing about WA-CERT is that it pulls together key coordinators of state, federal and local funding sources with project leaders so they can all figure our how to get a project built," says Arnie Klaus of the San Juan County EDC. "It takes the mystery out of who the key funding sources and funding decision makers are. Often times you have the most influential people right at the table ready to help you map out the process."

The San Juan County EDC is in the process of becoming an independent non-profit organization to pull together local, state and federal resources to help sustain and diversify our island economies. We want to help keep and create good paying jobs in the county and this means we have to work together to strengthen the types of businesses that are appropriate to the islands. Working together locally and attracting outside resources through the WACERT process help all of us in the county work together on critical projects.

For more information call Arnie Klaus at the San Juan County Economic Development Council at 360.378.2906.

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Second round of WA-CERT rankings June 6, 2001

posted 06/05/01
San Juan County, the Town of Friday Harbor, the ports, special purpose districts, and not-for-profit organizations will have another chance to qualify for state and federal money for their projects. The second round of Washington Community Economic Revitalization Team (WA-CERT) ranking will take place Wednesday, June 6 at Orcas Center.

The first round held in October brought $300,000 into the county for projects. After the ranking process, the next step is for the projects to be matched with potential funding sources. The state meets quarterly and reviews the project descriptions.

Richard Civille of the Island District Economic Development Council said entities involved with public infrastructure needed to establish urban growth area compliance with GMA are especially encouraged to enter the WACERT system. He reminded potential participants that the goals of the WA-CERT partners are community development, economic diversification and job creation and retention in rural Washington.

During the June 5 meeting representatives will have the opportunity to present their projects. A discussion of how these projects might fit into the WA-CERT framework, and the San Juan County Economic Development Plan will follow the presentations. The Board of County Commissioners will later adopt a resolution affirming the list.

For more information contact Richard Civille at 360.378.1927.

County commissioners OK WA-CERT project rankings

posted 10/26/00
San Juan County commissioners approved Oct. 24 the rankings of island projects seeking state funding support. Commissioners kept the WA-CERT rankings intact: 1. A food processing center championed by Lopez Community Land Trust; 2. Lopez Children’s Center, sponsored by Lopez Cooperative Pre-School; and 3. OPAL Buck Property Development, Of People and Land.

The stamp of approval from the BOCC means scoping agents will begin to work on seeking funding for the projects.

Food processing and child care
top list of county's needs

posted 10/17/00
Creation of a USDA-inspected meat processing facility in San Juan County is number one on the Washington Community Economic Revitalization Team (WA-CERT) ranking list created yesterday, Oct. 16, 2000. Development of a child care facility on Lopez Island ranks number two. Feasibility studies for affordable housing on the Buck property on Orcas Island came in third.

Representatives from 15 projects gathered in San Juan Island Grange to present their proposals, listen to others, and prioritize the projects. WA-CERT does not have funds. It is a clearing house for funding sources. After voting (see story below for scoring criteria) the results were tabulated and the projects were ranked in a list.

"The Food Processing Center has a lot of local support," says Richard Civille, who is helping to coordinate the WA-CERT process in San Juan County. "It has received some federal funds, but has never gotten state funds." The center will most likely be considered for a revolving capital loan fund according to Civille.

Currently the closest meat-processing facility is 200 miles away. Farmers have to take their livestock to a processing center south of Tacoma. The quality of the meat suffers due to dehydration which occurs in animals under stress says Civille.

Project proponents believe the existence of a strong local market for island-grown produce and meat will be enhanced by the ability to process food in the county. More agricultural land will become commercially viable once the center is in operation according to their application.

Feasibility studies begun in 1996 and were completed last year. Legal incorporation was done this month (October, 2000). Lopez Community Land Trust, the applicants, expect the meat processing facility phase of the three phase project will take 12 months to complete.

Lopez Cooperative Preschool group wants to build a 2,500 square foot facility to house childcare and preschool programs for up to 30 children. Their application states: "By providing for the island's children we allow families with young children to remain on the island and thereby ensure a diverse, healthy environment."

The next step is presentation of a resolution to the Board of County Commissioners tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 24. The BOCC can approve the list as is or make changes.

If the BOCC gives its stamp of approval, scoping agents from WA-CERT will be assigned to the projects. According to Richard Civille, who is helping to coordinate the WA-CERT process in San Juan County, a particular emphasis will be given to the top three.

Eileen Ackerman, project manager with the Community Economic Assistance Center, will see that the projects are put in contact with appropriate funding sources. For example, Civille says some state funding sources are only interested in feasibility studies. They would focus their attention on the projects further down on the list which are asking for such funding.

Requests ranged from $750 for a 501(c)3 form for San Juan Community Land Trust to $500,000 for the food processing project.

Richard Civille, who is helping to coordinate the WA-CERT process in San Juan County, noted one of the benefits of the process is everyone learns from each other rather than being so narrowly focused. "I hope there will be more meetings which will open more eyes across the county."

Scoring criteria

Participants were asked to rank projects using the five criteria listed below. Each criteria could be given up to 10 points and each one was weighted equally.

1. Economic diversification
Extent the project addresses the long term, year round economic health of San Juan county businesses and citizens.

2. Readiness
Extent the project is feasible and ready to be implemented as demonstrated by existing plans, agreements and financing, or clearly proposes the necessary studies or planning efforts as a necessary first-phase step.

3. Impact
Extent the project has, or potential to have, a county-wide or regional impact.

4. Local commitment
Extent the project demonstrates good local commitment, for example: local cash and in kind contribution, involvement of other agencies, clear public support, etc.

5. Other factors
Extent the project shows additional promise in areas including but not limited to community-wide benefit, job creation, environment benefit, business retention and expansion, compliance orders, new company relocation, etc.

The state encourages counties to hold WA-CERT ranking meetings at least once a year. This was the first one in San Juan County. Civille expects many more will be held.

For more information about WA-CERT call Civille at 360.378.1925. Wa CERT's Web site has information about the agency and project guidelines.

The fifteen projects in ranking order

1. San Juan County Food Processing Center $500,000

2. Lopez Children's Center $330,600

3. OPAL Buck Property $25,000

4. Town of Friday Harbor Wastewater Treatment Plant requested amount not listed

5. San Juan Community Land Trust $750

6. Eastsound Water Users

7. Business Retention and Expansion Program $43,000

8. (tied) Lopez Village Infrastructure Planning $18,000

8. (tied) Eastsound Infrastructure Planning $18,000

10. Agricultural Resource Redesignation $10,000

11. Central Administrative Building $420,000

12. Forest Resource Redesignation $7,500

13. Mental Health/Alcohol Rehabilitation Building $64,000

14. Homeless Teen Shelter $50,000

15. Eastsound Village Square Development $125,000

Ranking first step in funding process

posted 10/13/00
What project will be number one on San Juan County's wish list for state and federal funding. Representatives of agencies and organizations looking for funding will gather in San Juan Island Grange from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16. A Washington Community Economic Revitalization Team (WASERT) program manager will lead a project ranking meeting.

"WA-Cert has no money, but is a clearing house for coordinating funding sources," Richard Civille told Friday Harbor Town councilmembers at a September meeting. " Some state funding programs require going through Wa-Cert." Civille is serving as a consultant to the Island District Economic Development Council and is helping coordinate the Wa-CERT process in San Juan County.

The agency was created in 1993 to coordinate delivery of state and federal programs to impacted communities, businesses and workers. Projects must all into one of four categories:

• Communities and Infrastructure
• Business and Industry
• Workers and Families
• Ecosystem Investment

For more information about WA-Cert call Richard Civille at 360.378.1925. Wa Cert's Web site has information about the agency and project guidelines.

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