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Posted: January 14, 2016
An elected subcommittee of the Newberry Springs Economic Development Committee
met January 12, 2016 at the Newberry CSD building and organized the initial portion of the work
required to qualify for a federal
Promise Zone
grant.
The subcommittee consisting of Paul Deel, Paula Deel, Ellen Johnson,
Vickie Paulsen, Lorrie Steely (Advisor), and Ted Stimpfel (Rte 66 Assoc.),
decided that under the grant's minimum required population of 10,000 and economic criteria,
that the proposed Promise Zone boundary would include a portion of Barstow and overlay Route 66 to
Needles and include the Chemehuevi Indian reservation and the northern portion of the community
of Lucerne. Kimberly Hammack, representing the Barstow area on the subcommittee, could not
attend the meeting.
The subcommitee's plan proposes that Barstow, Needles, Lucerne's Economic
Development Association, and the Chemehuevi reservation partner with Newberry Springs and each
operate their own economic development association (EDA) within the Promise Zone under a
single grant.
Paul Deel and Ellen Johnson.
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As multiple EDA's within the Promise Zone would create more federal reporting data
than the Newberry subcommittee feels that the small community of Newberry Springs could administer,
the subcommittee has acquired the volunteer services of the
Desert Mountain Resource Conservation and Development Council
(DMRC&D) to handle the management and extensive reporting requirements. In handling this
responsibility, the DMRC&D will act as the lead entity that will file the Promise
Zone application. As the grant could last for up to 10-years, the acquisition
of the DMRC&D partnership is a major benefit that the subcommittee welcomed.
Lorrie Steely, Paula Deel, and Vickie Paulsen.
Due to Daggett's low population, and the low population of other communities
along Route 66 between Barstow and Needles, the subcommittee is proposing that the smaller
communities not be invited to become separate partners within the Promise Zone as such would
likely weaken the chance of winning the grant; but rather, be included within the sphere
of the larger communities to acquire benefits.
It remains uncertain as to whether an application for the Promise Zone grant
can be prepared in time for the rapidly approaching deadline; however, the attempt is being
made and the subcommittee's members feel that good things are happening. Even if a
Promise Zone grant is not acquired, a mechanism has been formed to construct a new Community
Plan, pursue high-speed Internet, and the filing for other grants.
As Lucerne Valley already has an economic development organization called the
Lucerne Valley Economic Development Association (LVEDA), the subcommittee decided to encourage
the partnering Promise Zone members to harmonize their name for uniformity. The subcommittee
proposes that the Newberry Springs' body be called the Newberry Springs Economic Development
Association (NSEDA [ nuh sea da ]).
The subcommittee is planning one additional work session prior to presenting its
work before the next General Meeting scheduled for January 25 at 11 A.M. at the Newberry
CSD community building. All residents of Newberry Springs, and the surrounding communities,
are encouraged to attend.
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