Lew Stiff Re-Elected to Rural Partners Board

Mattoon - Lew Stiff was re-elected to a three-year term to the Rural Partners Board of Directors at the 12th Annual Rural Community Development Conference: Launching New Initiatives. Jeanne Gustafson and Denny Burrell, of Coles Together, the economic development council for Coles County, also participated in the conference sponsored by the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA), in conjunction with Rural Partners and the Governor's Rural Affairs Council. Nearly 300 community leaders, development practitioners, elected officials, and others participated in the annual meeting held in Springfield, Illinois.

Many experts on local development issues addressed the meeting at which Lieutenant Governor Corinne Wood, during the keynote address, spoke about the work of the Governor's Rural Affairs Council, the recent Rural Leadership Forms, the annual GRAC/IIRA report and plans for the next legislative session. Mark Drabonstott, the Center for the Study of Rural America, spoke about challenges facing rural communities and options available to address these issues. Tom Bonnet from Public Policy Consulting, a New York firm, discussed ways in which communities can compete in the New Economy.

Sessions on implementing technology in rural Minnesota, balancing growth with quality of life, value-added agriculture and rural vitality, and successful rural housing strategies were presented. Those attending the conference also participated in sessions on telecommunications planning, managing conflict, and ways in which to finance economic development efforts.

The conference, held on February 21-22, is an annual event to help community leaders stay current with the latest thinking about successful local community and economic development efforts. More information about Coles Together is available from www.colestogether.com or by calling 217-258-5627 or 217-348-5627.

Used with permission from Mid-Illinois Newspapers
Publishers of the Mattoon Journal Gazette and the Charleston Times-Courier

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Coles Together
400 Airport Road
Mattoon, Illinois 61938
(217) 258-5627 FAX (217) 235-9492