First Partnership Summit a success

More than 300 people attended the Partnership's Summit in Visalia on Oct. 4 to hear the Partnership's first report to the community at large on the work, progress, and accomplishments of this unprecedented regional collaborative effort.

The Summit featured the release of the Partnership's Annual Report, which details activities since the board was renewed by Governor Schwarzenegger's Executive Order in November 2006.

"The initial work of this bold, groundbreaking initiative has yielded unprecedented levels of cooperation across jurisdictions and has fostered collaboration from the Valley's business, government, nonprofit and community sectors," board leaders Connie Conway, Fritz Grupe and Resources Secretary Mike Chrisman wrote in a letter submitted to Governor Schwarzenegger and members of the Legislature as part of the Annual Report.

In presenting the Annual Report, Partnership Lead Executive Ashley Swearengin outlined "early wins" for the Partnership:

• $1 billion in funding for Highway 99;
• $5 million for initial implementation of the Partnership Strategic Action Plan;
• $5 million for UC Merced medical school;
• $3.5 million for additional workforce development funding;
• $1 million for UC Merced eHealth network;
• Launching of San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization;
• $340 million for air quality mitigation funding in the "Non-Port Truck Modernization Program" recommended by the Air Resources Board;
• Working as a region to support high-speed rail;
• Advocating for goods movement funding; and
• Promoting a comprehensive water bond that meets the long-term needs of the Valley and the state.

The Annual Report also highlights the Partnership's 10 work groups and Seed Grant projects that are intended to jump-start major initiatives that will result in significant immediate impact or will lay a solid foundation for long-term priority strategies and investments.

The Annual Report is available on the Partnership's Web site at http://www.sjvpartnership.org/docs/annualSummit/2007AnnualReport.pdf.

The Secretariat's presentation on the Annual Report is available at http://www.sjvpartnership.org/docs/annualSummit/MainPresentation.pdf.

A video highlighting the efforts of the Partnership's 10 work groups also is available at http://www.sjvpartnership.org/announcements/10042007video.html.

Fresno Bee Editorial: Partnership seen as 'model of governance'

Following is a portion of an editorial from the Oct. 8 edition of the Fresno Bee and reprinted in the Modesto Bee on Oct. 9. It is reprinted with permission from the Fresno Bee:

Why don’t we try doing it like this?

A regional partnership formed to address the historic neglect of Valley needs and interests continues its work, and in the process may offer us an alternative model of governance that might work a great deal better than the dysfunctional system in place in Sacramento.

The California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley, which just held its annual meeting, has already achieved some impressive results, pulling in millions in funding for job training efforts and helping to secure a $1 billion chunk of state bond money as a down payment on improvements to the crumbling Highway 99, the main transportation artery of the Valley.

The 30 members of the Partnership -- state and local officials, business leaders, civic group representatives and activists of various stripes -- are broken into committees to address broad issues such as job creation, transportation, air quality, water problems and others.

The upshot of their work to this point is a 10-year plan to improve the economy of the Valley, its environment and to address the many quality of life issues that face us.

The rest of the editorial is available at http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/story/158640.html.

Expert on regional economies urges collaboration in Valley

The San Joaquin Valley must draft a strategy based on collaboration and its economic strengths to compete in the global economy, an expert on regional economies told attendees at the Partnership's Annual Summit.

Dr. Mark Drabenstott of the RUPRI Center for Regional Competitiveness at the University of Missouri-Columbia, a seasoned observer of regional development and policy issues, told Summit participants that globalization has made regions the new "athletes" in the global economic race. As a result, regional collaboration, combined with innovation and entrepreneurship, is the key to economic success.

To succeed in a global economy that rewards innovation, Dr. Drabenstott said regions must craft a regional strategy centered around their unique competitive advantage, build robust regional governance, deliberately pursue innovation, and grow a lot of entrepreneurs.

"The problem with most regions today is that they just don’t do their homework," Dr. Drabenstott said. "They never ask, 'What are we best at?'"

Dr. Drabenstott's presentation is available at http://www.sjvpartnership.org/docs/annualSummit/DrabenstottPresentation.pdf.

Partnership Board to meet in Lodi in November

The California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley Board of Directors will hold its final 2007 quarterly meeting in Stockton on Friday, Nov. 9. The meeting will be held in the Garden Ballroom of Wine & Roses, 2505 W. Turner Road, Lodi.

The Board will take up in-depth issues related to health and human services, water, housing, and transportation. It will also receive updates on several Partnership work groups and seed grants. A memorandum of understanding between the Partnership's San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization and the national 25 x ’25 organization will be signed, which will establish the San Joaquin Valley as a demonstration project for the 25x’25 initiative.

More information on the agenda will be available soon at www.sjvpartnership.org.

Partnership seed grant spurs UC Merced telemedicine project

A $250,000 Seed Grant from the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley is helping UC Merced establish the "San Joaquin Valley eHealth Network Project," an initiative aimed at creating a telehealth network in the San Joaquin Valley.

The landmark project will improve access to health care and connect underserved communities with advanced communications services while providing a fundamental building block for a medical school at UC Merced.

UC Merced was awarded the Partnership seed grant in April to help establish four eHealth centers in the Valley, with a particular emphasis on underserved and rural regions, along with a hub at UC Merced. The centers will be located at existing health care facilities in the Valley and will provide telemedicine services via videoconferencing with electronic storage and forwarding capabilities, training for physicians and staff and educational opportunities for high school and college students in the region.

More than 100 sites in the Valley from Stockton to Bakersfield and surrounding foothill communities are being considered as eHealth centers. From that number, four sites will be selected.

"The California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley is pleased to support this effort," said Connie Conway, chair of the Partnership and vice chair of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors. "The UC Merced eHealth project is very much like the Partnership because of the unique opportunity it provides as a vehicle for future forward advancement that will affect the quality of life in the region now and for generations to come. Improving the health status of residents and positioning the Valley and its community members to compete in a global economy are among the Partnership’s chief priorities."

According to the American Telemedicine Association, "telemedicine is the use of medical information exchanged from one site to another via electronic communications to improve patients' health status." Telemedicine is closely associated with "telehealth" or "eHealth," which, in addition to clinical services, encompasses a broader spectrum of remote health care such as videoconferencing, continuing medical education and transmission of still images.

In addition to the Partnership seed grant, the project also received grants of $500,000 from the AT&T Foundation and $200,000 from the California Emerging Technology Fund. California Emerging Technology Fund monies will be used to develop a long-term vision for the network, including identifying current and future needs, location of needs and how to best address them. The AT&T Foundation grant, to be paid over the next three years, will be used to support the implementation of telemedicine and establishment of the eHealth centers.

For more information on the announcement, visit the UC Merced Web site at http://www.ucmerced.edu/news_articles/09262007_uc_merced_set_to.asp.

UC Merced seeking telemedicine project director

UC Merced is seeking a Regional Affiliations Telemedicine Project Director to oversee the work on the university's exciting new telemedicine initiative. The initiative includes setting up four eHealth centers and creating the plan for an eHealth Network for the San Joaquin Valley.

The vision for the Valley eHealth Network will include site assessment of 90-100 sites in the Valley (primarily rural underserved, although there will be some urban underserved).

A position description can be found at
http://jobs.ucmerced.edu/n/staff/position.jsf?positionId=1248.

Comment period extended for high-speed rail

High-speed rail stakeholders from throughout the Valley are encouraged to provide public comment on the proposed Central Valley-Bay Area Corridor to the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) by October 26.

The Authority is receiving comments from the public and public agencies on the draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Central Valley-Bay Area Corridor. Public input from Valley stakeholders is essential as the Authority considers such issues as the preferred alignment path for the train and where the hubs should be located. High-speed rail through the Valley would impact a variety of issues important to its residents such as air quality and health of residents, job growth, smart growth, and transportation planning.

The Partnership recently sent a letter to the Authority outlining its support for connection for the whole Valley from Bakersfield to Sacramento and recommending that the economic viability of developing both the Altamont and Pacheco Pass routes be evaluated. If it turns out that only one route is economically viable, or if one route must be implemented before the other, the Altamont corridor is the preferred route.

Partnership representatives also have provided comment on the draft EIR/EIS at Authority hearings in Merced, Stockton, Gilroy, and the Bay Area.

Written comments may be submitted to: California High-Speed Rail Authority, EIR/EIS Comments, 925 L Street, Suite 1425, Sacramento, Calif. 95814. Public comments also may be provided online through the Draft Bay Area to Central Valley High-Speed Train (HST) Program EDIR/EIS Comment Form at www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/public_notice/Comments/default.asp.

The recently enacted state budget provides $20.69 million to continue development of the high-speed rail project. Activities include completion of a more detailed and achievable financial plan, and completion of preliminary engineering and environmental studies. A total of $3.5 million of the funding is allocated to the Orange County Transportation Authority for high-speed rail infrastructure in that area.

Partnership seed grant to help entrepreneurs, business owners

A $225,000 seed grant from the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley is being used to design a series of workshops to support entrepreneurs and business owners in their efforts to grow their firms and assist in creating a dynamic economic climate in the San Joaquin Valley.

The workshops include:

• Entrepreneurship Training Level 1, designed to provide entrepreneurs with an overview of the key issues that should be addressed when starting a small business. The workshop will expose entrepreneurs to topics such as business idea feasibility, finances needed, target market and skills relative to running a business. The workshop will also touch on the key elements of business plan creation and the infrastructure needed to sustain a new business.
• Equity 101: Demystifying Venture Capital and Private Equity, geared toward introducing entrepreneurs to venture capital and private equity as a potential method of funding the growth of their business. Entrepreneurs and company owners will be exposed to the key aspects of private equity and the different types of equity investors. The workshops will also address common reasons entrepreneurs might seek equity capital and how equity capital is different from debt financing. Participants will also be exposed to key topics like term sheets and company valuation, preparing investor presentations, and developing financial projections.
• Supporting Business Startups and High-Growth Companies, workshops geared toward organizations and professionals that work with, support, and provide services to entrepreneurs, owners, and managers of high-growth small businesses. The workshops will address key issues facing these individuals as they start and grow successful businesses. Topics will include idea feasibility, product and technology commercialization, intellectual property, and financing, among others.

SJVGrowBiz.com is the Web site established to promote these workshops. Be sure to check the site often for upcoming workshops.

In addition to the Partnership seed grant, the project also received funding from the Golden Capital Network, Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Central Valley Business Incubator, and Pacific Community Ventures. For more information, contact Kristine Walter at kristinew@lylescenter.com.

Valley Nursing Education Consortium making progress

The San Joaquin Valley Nursing Education Consortium has taken significant steps in its work to increase registered nurses in the Valley by 250 per year beginning in 2008.

The Consortium was awarded $500,000 to be administered over a two-year period. Its four main objectives are to increase retention of nursing students and NCLEX passing scores by 10 percent, increase the supply of nursing faculty, increase the availability of clinical placement slots for nursing students, and increase access to registered nursing education programs in underserved areas.

The Consortium has surveyed nursing programs in the region and identified the need for support programs such as tutoring and mentoring that will help students remain in nursing programs. In addition, the Consortium is working on test-taking strategy programs that will help students in nursing programs pass the National Council License Examination (NCLEX).

The Consortium also helped to establish a faculty training certificate program through California State University, Fresno, to help registered nurses who would like to become clinical faculty learn teaching strategies, gain skills in working with students, and help support academia in providing additional clinical faculty for different clinical sites. Twenty-three registered nurses completed the program in September; another class will begin in January.

In addition, the Consortium has sent out request for proposals for a clinical placement program that will identify all of the clinical sites available in the Valley and potential new or additional space for nursing students. Finally, the Consortium is planned to work with area junior colleges that currently provide nursing programs through distance education to help enhance the service.

The Consortium is a collaborative effort of Hospital Council of Northern and Central California, California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley, Regional Jobs Initiative, California Institute for Nursing and Healthcare, hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, nursing leadership councils, local workforce investment agencies, community colleges, and universities.

For more information, contact Pilar De La Cruz-Reyes, executive director of the San Joaquin Valley Nursing Education Consortium, at preyes@hospitalcouncil.net or 559.650.5693.

Meet the Board:
Hallowell is a name we can 'trust'

In the Fresno area, the Hallowell name can evoke the arts, museums, Bulldog football or the San Joaquin River. A native of the San Joaquin Valley, Coke Hallowell has committed her time and resources to bringing attention to this part of California – both here and across the United States.

In January 2007, she was fittingly appointed for a second term to the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley by Governor Schwarzenegger.

"It is my hope that the Partnership can elevate the region so that people will know more about us and understand the extent of our contributions made here and around the world," Hallowell said. "When we get the attention of political leaders, we have more of a chance to be included in the state’s budget, which will help us achieve the goals we have set."

Hallowell is a founding member and the current director of The San Joaquin River and Parkway Conservation Trust and, in fall 2000, the Trust opened the Coke Hallowell Center for River Studies at Riverview Ranch on Old Friant Road in Fresno.

"When people think of California, they think of Los Angeles and San Francisco – they don't know about us, and we're the best part." Hallowell said. "To show people what a treasure it is, I always recommend Gerald Haslam's 'The Other California'; he compiles letters and literature about the Valley to give the reader a picture of its people and its landscape."

Hallowell serves on the statewide boards of The Planning and Conservation League Foundation and the California Council of Land Trusts. She has been involved in education both as a teacher then as a trustee of the State Center Community College District and its Foundation.

She is active in city organizations such as The Downtown Fresno Coalition. One of its projects is a favorite of Hallowell's: the Fulton Mall, which, she points out, was designed by famed landscape architect Garrett Eckbo. "Fulton Mall," she said, "is featured as an example of his work in a class at Yale."

In 2005, Hallowell was selected by the Jefferson Awards Board to receive the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for "Outstanding Community Service Benefiting Local Communities."

It’s easy to understand how proud Hallowell is of the San Joaquin Valley. She and her husband James have established a conservation easement for their 700-acre cattle ranch in Madera County where they have lived for 13 years. Hallowell enjoys spending time with her family – she and her husband have two daughters and two young grandsons.

Legislative Update

Legislation Consistent with the Partnership Strategic Action Plan

AB 575 (Arambula) - Prop 1B AQ Mitigation Criteria/Funding

A bill to require that $1 billion to mitigate air pollution from goods movement, approved by voters under the Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act of 2006 (Proposition 1B), be appropriated to the highest priority projects according to a set of region-neutral criteria.

• Status: Held in Assembly Appropriations Committee. However, the allocation of Proposition 1B “Goods Movement Emission Reduction” (AQ Mitigation) Program funding has been determined by criteria passed as part of the 2007-08 budget through trailer bill SB 88.
• On Sept. 19, the California Air Resources Board released its draft concepts for implementation of the Prop 1B Goods Movement Emission Reduction Program http://www.arb.ca.gov/bonds/gmbond/docs/gmbondfinalstaffdraftconcepts1.pdf. CARB has scheduled public workshops in the four trade corridors, including a workshop in Fresno on Oct. 10.

AB 1223 (Arambula) - Net Energy Metering

A bill to permit an agricultural customer who uses solar or wind generation to offset the customer's own electrical needs to aggregate the electricity use of properties adjacent or contiguous to the generator that are under the same ownership to its full electricity usage over a 12-month cycle at the retail rate. This legislation directly addresses the Air Quality Work Group’s objective of “implementing a net metering program within [the] same agricultural operation or water district,” and the Energy Work Group’s objective to “work with state agencies to explore and demonstrate innovative approaches to increase use of renewable energy, including trading of net metering credits, streamlining requirements for interconnection to grid, and structuring incentives for renewable energy production.”

• Status: Assemblymember Arambula says that the bill will now be two-year bill and be taken back up in January. Bill currently rests in the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee.

AB 1129 (Arambula) - Housing Trust Fund

A bill to establish the San Joaquin Valley Rural Regional Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

• Status: Held in Assembly Housing Committee as a two-year bill.
• SB 586 (Dutton) has been sent to the Governor. This bill allocates the $100 million Affordable Housing Innovation Fund created by the Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act of 2006 (Proposition 1C). The Partnership worked with Mayor Alan Autry to write a letter in support of this legislation.

AB 1403 (Arambula) – Education

This bill is to establish an innovative, five-year Central Valley School District Improvement Pilot Program. Specifically, this bill would allow two County Superintendents (Fresno and Tulare) to opt to assume additional responsibility for ensuring the academic success of those struggling school districts within their jurisdiction that are both identified for program improvement or corrective action under the federal No Child Left Behind and have 50 percent of more of their schools ranked in deciles 1 and 2 of the state Academic Performance Index.

• Status: Placed on the Suspense File in Senate Appropriations, and did not pass out of committee.

AB 1455 (Arambula, Villines) – Air Quality Zones

The bill as most recently amended would authorize the State Air Resources Board to designate “California Air Quality Zones” for the purpose of providing incentives for owners of mobile and stationary sources of air pollution to invest in air pollution control equipment that produce surplus emission reductions, and for owners of stationary sources of air pollution to invest in the production and utilization of renewable energy technologies. Areas eligible include those that: 1) have been in nonattainment for PM 2.5 and in serious, severe, or extreme nonattainment for ozone using the 8-hour rule, and 2) have countywide unemployment rate at least 50% higher than the statewide average for at least two of the last three years.

The bill’s goal is to improve air quality in the state’s dirtiest air basins and generate jobs in the most disadvantaged communities.

• Status: Placed on the Suspense File in Senate Appropriations, and did not pass out of committee.

SB 23 (Cogdill) – Vehicle Replacement

On July 26, the Executive Committee agreed to offer support for SB 23 as introduced. The bill, as introduced, would require the Air District, in consultation with the Air Resources Board, to develop and administer a vehicle exchange program to replace high polluting vehicles with donated, smog-compliant vehicles according to specified conditions.

• Status: Signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger.

Action Taken by Executive Committee

AB 340 (Hancock)

This bill creates a pilot project in up to five counties that will allow county welfare departments to merge duplicative foster placement processes for licensing and approving relatives, foster families, and adoptive parents.

• Status: Signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger The Partnership is in the process of approving a letter to send to Secretary Belshe asking that at least one of the pilot projects be implemented in a Valley county.

Dates to Know

October 26

California High-Speed Rail Authority
Deadline for public comments on draft environmental impact statement/environmental impact report for the Bay Area to Central Valley.

October 30

San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization
10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Professional Exchange Service Corporation
4747 N. First Street, Suite 140
Fresno

November 8

K-12 Education Work Group
3 to 5 p.m.
San Joaquin County Office of Education
2901 Arch-Airport Road
Stockton
For more information, contact Marcy Masumoto at mmasumoto@csufresno.edu.

November 9

California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley Board of Directors meeting
Garden Ballroom - Wine & Roses
2505 W. Turner Road
Lodi
For more information, visit www.sjvpartnership.org/meetings.html