News
GO Virginia Region 8 Council Accepting Round 3 Proposals
The GO Virginia Region 8 Council is pleased to announce that it is accepting the third round of proposals for per capita projects to be funded through the State’s GO Virginia initiative. For a project to be considered by the Region 8 Council, complete the pre-application and submit to the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) to bonnie@cspdc.org no later than Wednesday, February 7, 2018.
A planning calendar with key regional and state deadlines and upcoming meetings is available here: GOVA Region 8 Important Dates 01.10.18 The next full meeting of the GO Virginia Region 8 Council will be on Monday, March 5th, from 10:00 am to Noon at Mary Baldwin University’s Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences in Augusta County, located at 100 Baldwin Blvd, Fishersville, VA 22939. In addition to the March 5th meeting, the Region 8 Council is also planning on convening on Friday, May 11th from 10 am to Noon at a location TBD in the Southern part of Region 8.
The Region 8 Council has approximately $928,000 in per capita GO Virginia funds to award to projects in the region for this round of applications. In addition, approximately $11.3 million in competitive statewide GO Virginia funds are still available for projects.
Successful projects will address one or more of the region’s five targeted industry sectors:
- Financial and Business Services
- Health Care
- Information Technology/Communications
- Light Manufacturing
- Transportation and Logistics
Projects funded will address one or more of the region’s framework initiatives developed around the following broad areas:
- Recruit and/or retain the talent needed in the region
- Grow existing businesses, develop existing clusters, and scale-up small and mid-size companies
- Establish start-ups from commercializing university-based research and supporting entrepreneurs
- Support potential joint economic development activities such as site development and training initiatives
Projects supported by GO Virginia funding must:
- Involve private sector employment that pays an annual wage greater than $41,000,
- Include the collaboration of two or more localities,
- Commit non-state sources of matching funds (50/50), and
- Generate new spending to the Shenandoah Valley (not just recirculating local spending)
For further information about GO Virginia Region 8’s project priorities, please refer to the Region 8 Economic Growth and Diversification Plan. The entire plan with appendices is available at the Shenandoah Valley Partnership’s website at www.shenandoah-valley.biz/tools-resources/go-virginia/. Additional information about GO Virginia also is available at the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) at http://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/index.php/go-virginia.html.
Virginia Breeze Inaugural Ridership Brisk
The Virginia Breeze bus line, launched on December 1 by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), had 1,022 passengers in December. Dulles International Airport and Washington – Union Station stops accounted for 88% of northbound trips, and Harrisonburg, Blacksburg, and Christiansburg accounted for 82% of the southbound trips. Of those riders, 105 made connections via ticketing agent Megabus to other cities, with the majority traveling through to New York City and Philadelphia.
The Virginia Breeze connects travelers from Blacksburg to Washington, D.C. with multiple destinations in-between, including Lexington, Staunton, and Harrisonburg. Each bus has free wifi, in-seat power outlets, luggage compartments, and is handicap accessible. All tickets for the modern 56-passenger coach, as well as access interline tickets for destinations beyond Washington, D.C. can be conveniently purchased through Megabus. This pilot program is funded through the Federal Transit Administration’s 5311 Intercity Bus Program.
SAWMPO to host WWRC Transportation Study Final Open House
The Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (SAWMPO) will host a final public meeting for the Wilson Workforce and Rehabilitation Center (WWRC) Transportation Study on Wednesday January 31, 2018, at the Wilson Middle School Cafeteria at 232 Hornet Drive, Fishersville. The meeting is from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM.
The study examines alternative/secondary access locations to the WWRC Complex, access management along US 250 (Jefferson Highway), and operational and safety issues along the corridor with the intent of developing short- and long-term improvement recommendations. Study recommendations presented at the meeting will be used to guide future transportation improvements in the area. The public is encouraged to attend the meeting and provide input. The SAWMPO is leading this effort in collaboration with Augusta County, and the Virginia Department of Transportation. To learn more about the study please visit the study website at: http://www.sawmpo.org/wwrc-small-area-transportation-study
Project Impact Calendar Distribution Begins
STAUNTON (December 4, 2017) —A popular locally-produced calendar that features a collection of historic photos from around the Shenandoah Valley and amusing “holidays” for each day of the year is currently being distributed in the cities of Staunton, Waynesboro, Harrisonburg, Lexington and the counties of Augusta, Rockingham, Rockbridge, Highland and Bath. The unique calendar, produced by Shenandoah Valley Project Impact (SVPI) and the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC), has become a community holiday tradition around the region, and is available at government centers, libraries and other locations, while supplies last.
“We start getting calls asking when the calendars come out as soon as the holidays hit,” said Rebecca Joyce, Community Program Manager with the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission, developed the first calendar in 2003 and has been supervising production ever since.
This year’s calendar features the towns of the Shenandoah Valley, and contains a mix of entertaining historic photos and facts. But the underlying purpose of the publication is to provide easily accessible information about disaster preparedness and mitigation pertinent to each season. The distribution of materials to help the general public prepare for emergencies is part of SVPI’s mission to educate the community about opportunities and planning for severe weather events and emergencies of all kinds.
“We want the information at people’s fingertips all year long, so that’s where the idea of a calendar was born,” Joyce added.
The calendar is part of SVPI’s ongoing efforts to create awareness about preparedness. Since its inception in September 2000, SVPI has conducted hundreds of trainings, demonstrations, surveys, forums and planning meetings, as well as developed important plans and printed materials to educate Valley residents on ways to protect their families, homes and properties, and businesses from the impact of severe weather, emergencies, and disasters. SVPI is also a pilot community within the Resilient Neighbors Network, a national program that will forge stronger efforts within local communities to prepare and respond to emergencies.
Locations where the calendar is available (while supplies last) can be found HERE.
Request for Proposals – Auditing Services
The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) is requesting proposals from qualified firms of Certified Public Accountants to contract for financial and compliance audit services for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018 through June 30, 2020 with the option to extend the contract for four subsequent years.
If interested, you may obtain a copy of the Request for Proposal in electronic form by emailing Bonnie Riedesel, Executive Director bonnie@cspdc.org or refer to the RFP on the CSPDC website (www.cspdc.org) for detailed instructions regarding submission and for a description of the entity and records to be audited.
Proposals must be submitted no later than noon on Friday December 29, 2017. One electronic copy plus four (4) hard copies should be delivered to:
Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission
Bonnie Riedesel, Executive Director
112 MacTanly Place
Staunton, VA 24401
bonnie@cspdc.org
The CSPDC reserves the right to reject any, all or part(s) of responses. There is no expressed or implied obligation for the CSPDC to reimburse responding firms for any expenses incurred in preparing proposals in response to this request. CSPDC will select the proposal with the best overall value to the Commission.