In the latest CONNECT Beyond advisory committee meeting, held on April 28, seasoned community builders and transportation professionals shared their vision for how a holistic and integrated transportation system can improve the lives of everyone in the Centralina region.
After over ten years of dedicated service to our region and a 40+ year career in the Carolinas, Michael (Mike) Manis will be retiring from his position at Centralina Regional Council effective May 31, 2021. An expert economic developer and devoted public servant, Mike led the Community Economic Development Department and served as the President/COO of the Centralina Economic Development District (CEDD), a 501c3 affiliated organization of the Council. During his decade of service Mike made significant contributions to shaping the regionâs economic development strategy and supporting Centralinaâs local government members secure resources and technical assistance for transformational projects in their communities.
CONNECT Our Future was an initiative that united residents, businesses, educators, elected officials, non-profit organizations and other interest groups around a common desire for more cooperation in the region and the need to work together to fulfill shared goals.
Since the 1950âs, many federal and state agencies have relied on the Census Bureauâs determination of urban areas to deliver funds, set standards and accomplish goals and objectives. The Census Bureau re-evaluates urban determination criteria with each Census year to ensure fair standards. On February 19, 2021, the Census Bureau published a notice in the Federal Register of newly proposed criteria for determining urban areas under the 2020 Decennial Census.
CONNECT Our Future was an initiative that united residents, businesses, educators, elected officials, non-profit organizations and other interest groups around a common desire for more cooperation in the region and the need to work together to fulfill shared goals.
Older adults often express a desire to remain living independently in their homes as long as possible. In order to meet this collective preference, especially in the coming decades, communities will not only need to offer more senior housing, but also housing that is more accessible and affordable. Continue reading to learn about 1) older adult housing trends 2) ways communities can help 3) housing grants / programs and 4) community planning policies.
As part of the Centralina Learns local government training series, Centralina Regional Council partnered with the UNC Charlotte MPA Public Management Academy to give a sample of what they have to offer participants. The webinar, Building Budget Champions, pulled information from the Academyâs The Power of Data for Managers session, which features budget and resource strategies.
Professor Jim Douglas provided best practices on how to advocate for and secure resources in a competitive environment.
Census 2020 has wrapped and under normal circumstances, the data used for redistricting would be released to the states and the public this spring. COVID-19 has caused significant delays, however, pushing out the delivery date of the statutorily required delivery of the PL 94-171 data to Sept. 30, 2021. This delay affects the usual 16-week timeframe that communities have to adjust their boundaries before local elections begin.
The Davis-Bacon Act requires that prevailing wages be paid on federally funded public works projects, such as construction, repair or alteration of public buildings, or construction of public roads or bridges. States must abide by the Davis-Bacon Act when federal funds are involved in public works projects within the state.
An important part of any planning process is the periodic evaluation or assessment of accomplishments and the identification of activities that remain. To that end, Centralina is pleased to announce that we are embarking on a five-year review of our regionâs groundbreaking growth plan, CONNECT Our Future. Over the next months, we will be evaluating accomplishments and highlighting data and local and regional successes for the purpose of informing our future priorities.