Cascade Pacific R.C. and D. recruits ideas from Linn County

Left to Right: Cascade Pacific RC and D Dan Lara, Karen Strohmeyer, Paul Harcombe, Mayor of Tangent Seaton McLennan, and Linn County Commissioner Will Tucker

Who: Commissioner Will Tucker, Mayor of Tangent Seaton McLennan and Cascade Pacific members Karen Strohmeyer, Paul Harcombe, and Dan Lara.
What: Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation and Development (RC and D) (www.cascadepacific.com)
Where: Linn County Fairgrounds in Albany, Oregon
When: April 29th 6:30-8:00
Why: Meeting to create a five year vision based on regional communities' ideas and needs to create rural development and healthy eco-systems.

Linn County Commissioner, Will Tucker, hosted a meeting for Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation and Development on April 29 at the Linn County Fairgrounds. The meeting was held in effort to bring citizens together to share ideas based on the needs of the rural communities to create a five-year project focusing on rural development. Speakers in the meeting included Commissioner Will Tucker, Mayor of Tangent Seaton McLennan, Pacific Cascade Resource Conservation and Development Coordinator Karen Strohmeyer and members on the Board of Directors Paul Harcombe and Dan Lara. Pacific Cascade Resource Conservation and Development areas of concentration are energy efficiency, local food programs, creating jobs, land use, and water treatment. And their areas of work include Polk, Marion, Lincoln, Benton, Linn, and Lane counties. If you would like to share an idea you can contact them at http://www.cascadepacific.com/

This meeting, and others that will follow, are important for they draw citizens of the regional communities together to blend ideas and seek what is needed, such as the need for energy conservation or the need to create jobs. Cascade Pacific RC and D link people and their ideas to the fundings and needs neccesary to carry out and maintain projects for rural development. Cascade Pacific is seeking a five year vision so it's company can expand rural development and needs the citizens of these counties help creating it.

The Mayor of Tangent, who is also a board member of Cascade Pacific R.C.and D. Seaton McLennan,explained what the focus of tonight's meeting was;

"It is an effort for Cascade Pacific to grow more. When a company like this is not enlisting any projects and get stagnent they start to lose their funding. This meeting is an effort to collect ideas and create projects with the communities to expand rural development." said McLennan.

Commisioner, Will Tucker, begins the meeting;

"Cascade Pacific R.C. and D. are here tonight because they want your input and ideas for rural development for the surrounding areas."

"I want a world where I don't have to use fossil fuels but it may be diffucult when you invest way more money than there is energy being produced," said Tucker, "It would cost me $70,000 to put solar and wind panels on my house alone."

Tucker explained that there is still hope for ideas to come together and make projects happen because 70% of the budget is already there from available grants.

McLennan asked the members attending the meeting, "What improvements are needed in the communities? What do you envision of your community in the next five years?"

"What Resource Conservation and Development programs do in general is try to bring the interesting ideas and people together and link them with those who can make the ideas happen." said Dan Lara.

Dan Lara further explains that Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation and Development promote economical and resource development ideas. When start up companies seek funding the funders will put certain companies under certain grades as to where they would put their money. For example, LBCC's new science buildings were on the "A" grade for recieving funding for all the green resources being used and the thought of the students being able to interact and learn from the building such as the power producing windows and bioswale in the garden.

Paul Harcombe, a member on the Board of Directors, mentions some goals created by Cascade Pacific R.C. and D. such as the Local Food Connection and the Oregon County Trails that is to increase tourism by creating guides for all the trails in Benton, Deshutes, Lane and Lincoln counties.

Harcombe said they have a goal to provide water conservation in rural and farm areas.

"In 2009 we had 9 plans in the works for assisting farmers and were hoping for at least 15 more by 2010." said Paul Harcombe.

Paul also mentions that there are only two irrigation systems in the county and a grant out there for $2 million waiting to be used.

Cascade Pacific RC and D is a non-profit organization under the umbrella of USDA Natural Resources and Conservation services, according to RC and D Coordinator, Karen Strohmeyer.

"Our goal is to create a five year vision based on the input from the communities." Karen explained.

Strohmeyer explained Cascade Pacific R.C. and D. are only permitted to help in the rural areas. "Land use laws are a big factor that stop these ideas from happening."

Ideas from the citizens attending the meeting include:

1) Zero energy use community center (off the grid)

2) Transportation/alternative energy (solar) recharging stations.

3) Inventory of ALX generator options in the valley.

4)Wind generation

5) Energy conservation (green box attached to homes that uses hot air)

6)Plan in the making created by Adair Master Plans called "Corvallis to the Sea". Promotes tourism and jobs through city connections of "City Trails" for bike riders. No more riding on the streets.

There were only five couples who showed up for the meeting. The meeting was left with no definate plans, but rather some ideas on the board to think about.

Cascade Pacific will be holding other meetings within the eight regional areas and are hoping that fresh, creative ideas will be presented according to the communities needs.

If you are wanting to share any ideas, or see if Cascade Pacific can help make your ideas grow, you can contact Cascade Pacific at http://www.cascadepacific.com/