Great Places Adv. Bd appt of Gil Spence
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MEMORANDUM
April 27, 2005
TO:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Leisure Services Manager Gil Spence
Leisure Services Manager GiI Spence has been appointed to the newly-created Iowa
Great Places Advisory Board by Governor Tom Vii sack.
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Michael C. Van Milligen -
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MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
THOMAS J. VILSACK
GOVERNOR
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
STATE CAPITOL
DES MOINES, IOWA 50319
515 281 -52 1 1
FAX 515-28 I -661 I
SALLY J. PEDERSON
LT. GOVERNOR
For Immediate Release:
Monday, March 28, 2005
For More lnfonnation:
Matt Paul, 515-281-0173
Vilsack previews Great Places
Initiative will help stimulate innovation; streamline resources
DES MOINES - Governor Tom Vilsack today provided a firs~ look at plans for the Great Places
initiative, which he announced in his Condition of the State address in and created by Executive
Order 39 in January.
"I've spoken often about my first experiences ofIowa and the connection I felt and how I was
drawn to build a life here. I know there are lots of folks - some born in Iowa, some who have
moved here and some who have only visited our state - who can share similar experiences,"
Vilsack said. "Great places mean different things to different people. We all know great places
in Iowa. We have a responsibility to preserve them, capitalize on them, learn from them, help
them become even greater. That's what the Great Places initiative will do."
The Great Places concept emerged through the state's new purchasing results budget process in
the area oftransforrning Iowa's economy. It is designed to bring together the resources of state
government to build capacity in communities, regions, neighborhoods or districts to cultivate the
unique and authentic qualities that make the places special. The Great Places initiative will also
bolster the state's other successful economic tools like Vision Iowa and the Iowa Values Fund.
"I am calling for bold thought, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, both at the local level
and across state government," Vilsack said. "1 want the state to be a true partner with the great
places, stimulating ideas and planning, streamlining access to available state resources and
helping leverage local and private resources and sharing technical expertise."
Vilsack was joined at a press conference by the directors of the Iowa Department of Cultural
Affairs, Iowa Department of Economic Development and Iowa Finance Authority, the agencies
charged with implementing the initiative. Cultural Affairs Director Anita Walker described the
Great Places process design, by which places will invite the state to partner with them to help
identify and access resources needed to achieve their vision.
"It's a breakthrough approach that demystifies state government." Walker said. "Rather than
building a dream piecemeal, we will provide a one-stop shop. We'll work together to
synchronize and streamline programs to fit a place's vision, not to make the vision fit our
programs. Our goal is to work in collaboration with local leaders, combine resources for high
impact and deliver results."
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Walker announced eight regional forums across the state would kick off the initiative: May 17 in
Clear Lake; May 18 in Spencer; May 19 in Council Bluffs; May 24 in Pella; May 25 in Cedar
Falls; May 26 in Muscatine; June 1 in Cedar Rapids and June 2 in Des Moines.
The state's Great Places team - made up of representatives from 18 state agencies - will receive
invitations by July 1 from places that want to pursue the initiative. Throughout July and August,
Great Places "coaches" will work with the places to get their offers ready for presentation in
September. By October 1, a citizen advisory council appointed by Vilsack will help select three
"pilot" Great Places. Negotiation of partnership agreements with those places will take place
through the fall, with fmal agreements by December 31,2005.
Following is the "Great Places" Executive Order:
EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER TIllRTY-NINE
WHEREAS, Iowa must transfonn its economy in order to be prosperous; and
WHEREAS, in order to transfonn its economy Iowa needs Great Places to live, work and raise a
family; and
WHEREAS, Great Places retain and attract young people, educated workers, business development,
entrepreneurs, families and retirees; and
WHEREAS, Great Places are culturally vibrant, offer diverse housing options, and capitalize on their
authentic constructed and natural environment; and
WHEREAS, local govemments,community leaders, businesses, and non-profits must be part of the
effort to develop Great Places; and
WHEREAS, Iowa must cultivate opportunities for bold thought, innovation and entrepreneurship at
the locallevel; and
WHEREAS, by focusing financial and technical resources the state can build local capacity, capitalize
on the unique strengths of place, and unleash Iowa's creativity;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Thomas J. Vilsack, Governor of the State ofIowa, by the power vested in me
by the Laws and the Constitution of the State of Iowa, do hereby order the creation and implementation of
the lOW A GREAT PLACES.
Purpose: Iowa Great Places is designed to bring together the resources of state government to build
capacity in communities, regions, neighborhoods or districts to cultivate the unique and authentic
qualities that make these areas special places to live and work, and among the assets on which
communities will capitalize are the arts and culture, historic fabric, built environment, natural
environment, housing options, retail amenities, entrepreneurial incentives, business development, and
diversity.
1. State agencies shall participate in the Iowa Great Places, identifying ways to package together
resources under their control into a competitive effort to be awarded to the
II. most creative and innovative communities, regions, districts or neighborhoods aspiring to be
Great Places.
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ilL The Department of Cultural Affairs, Department of Economic Development and Iowa
Finance Authority shall be responsible for the development of Iowa Great Places. Their
directors, and the directors of other state agencies including but not limited to Department of
Human Rights, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, and Iowa
Workforce Development, offering resources to Iowa Great Places, will serve as a Council to
determine awards to Great Places.
IV. Iowa Great Places will be housed and coordinated at the Department of Cultural Affairs.
V. A citizen advisory board of up to 12 members shall be established to advise in the design of
the Iowa Great Places and assist in the selection of three pilot Great Places. The board shall
include representatives from the following groups: community leaders, local government
officials, cultural leaders, housing developers, business owners, and parks officials.
VI. Design of the Great Places initiative will be completed by June 30, 2005. A report shall be
issued that includes the following:
. An inventory oftools, resources, funding sources and technical assistance available
. The completion of a kaizen of state programs to improve synchronicity, eliminate
duplication, improve accessibility and increase collaboration
· Definition of criteria for Request for Proposal
. Definition of criteria for readiness to participate in the Great Places program
· Strategies to prepare communities for the application process
. Measurement tools to assess the success of the Great Places program
VII. By June 30, 2006, three pilot Great Places shall be selected to receive a package of resources
to be detennined by the Great Places Council. These pilot Great Places will serve as a
learning laboratory for the new program. Funding will be applied to program design,
preparation of communities and investment through grants, loans, technical assistance and
services to pilot Great Places.
Nothing in this Executive Order shall be construed to contravene any state or federal law .
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto
subscribed my name and caused the Great Seal ofIowa
to be affixed. Done at Des Moines this 1 llh day of
January, in the year of our Lord two thousand four.
THOMAS J. VILSACK
GOVERNOR
ATTEST:
CHESTER J . CULVER
SECRETARY OF STATE
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