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Foothills Regional Weekly
April 7, 2022

This Week's Wins


Here are some things worth celebrating this week at Foothills Regional Commission and in our region.
  • The Town of Forest City and the City of Shelby are two of 22 community partners for the Watch for Me NC 2022 program. Now in its ninth year, Watch for Me NC provides training for law enforcement officers on ways to improve safety for road users in their areas. Groups also receive technical assistance, materials and purchased media promotion such as radio advertisements to bring attention to driver awareness and pedestrian and bicycle safety. Forest City and Shelby will now benefit from this comprehensive safety program aimed at reducing bicycle and pedestrian crashes and fatalities in North Carolina. Congrats to these municipalities! Learn more here.
     
  • Rutherford County is among the recipients of $162,000 in funding from the NC Housing Finance Agency’s Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation Loan Pool (ESFRLP), which aims to serve vulnerable, low-income households in need of rehabilitation and accessibility modifications. This investment is designed to help veterans, seniors and people with disabilities stay in their homes and out of costly institutions, saving on health care and long-term care costs. Homes with lead hazards occupied by a child six years of age or younger may also qualify. Congrats, Rutherford County! Read more here.
     
  • See the flier below for a Workforce Development win!
Got a "win" for the region or FRC that you'd like to see celebrated? Send it to Mackenzie Wicker at mwicker@foothillsregion.org to have it included in our next newsletter.

Local Event: Caregiving

Foothills Regional Commission Area Agency on Aging is participating in an upcoming event. Caregiving: Planning for the Future of Your Loved One (and You!) will be held May 11, 1-4:30 p.m. at Tryon United Methodist Fellowship Hall,195 New Market Rd, Tryon.

Topics for discussion and facilitators include:

  • AARP’s – Prepare to Care – Jane Armstrong, MSW
  • Caregiver Resources – Danielle Williams, BSW
  • Caregiver Specialist, Foothills Regional Commission, AAA
  • Nursing Home Care: How-To Start the Discussion, Choose and Advocate for Your Loved One – Lori Simpson, Ombudsman, Polk County, Foothills Regional Commission, AAA
To register, call Tryon United Methodist Church 828-859-9218 and give your name, phone number and email address. Leave a message if your call goes to voicemail. Attendance is limited to 30, so please cancel if you will not be able to attend. A waiting list will be created once capacity is met.

Rural Transformation Program Loosens Project Eligibility Requirements

The Rural Transformation Grant Fund project categories have been recently designated as Revenue Replacement by the US Treasury. As a result, the direct COVID-19 Impact requirement will be relaxed relative to your project design and proposed outcomes. You will still be required to document—even anecdotally (i.e. four businesses closed during COVID and only two re-opened)—that your community had impacts from the pandemic but will not need to tie it directly to the specific project for which you are submitting.

A few notes:

  • Eligible entities: Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties
  • Variety of Possibilities, including but not limited to:
    • Small Business Improvements
    • Main Street
    • Public Improvements
      • Water/sewer
      • Parks
      • Streetscapes
      • Affordable housing
    • Public Programs - Healthy Initiatives
  • Maximum amount: $950,000
  • No match
  • Application is relatively simple
Program guidelines for the Rural Transformation grants are available here

Questions can be directed to Hazel Edmond, Rural Engagement & Investment Program Director at hazel.edmond@nccommerce.com

Good Read: ARP/CSLFRF FAQs

The April 30 deadline is approaching for NC local governments to decide whether to elect the Standard Allowance for the Revenue Replacement category of their American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery funds (ARP/CSLFRF).

In a new UNC School of Government Coates' Canons Law Blog post, Public Law and Government Professor Kara Millonzi answers some frequently asked questions about the Standard Allowance. Read the post here.

Upcoming Events

  • Implementing the Standard Allowance for ARPA Local Funds - April 11-29. A course by UNC School of Government consisting of three parts: ~1 hour of short video overviews to be viewed before training; a live Zoom session April 11, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; and daily Zoom office hours for local govs to drop in for help with implementation issues, project completion and expenditure reports. More information and registration available here.
  • Code Enforcement: Navigating the "New Normal" Post-Pandemic - April 12, 1 p.m. Details and registration available here.
  • WNC Broadband Leadership Summit 2022 - April 20, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free, virtual event featuring a conversation about federal policy in 2022, state policy and funding, regional highlights, filling in the gaps to leverage solutions, and breakout sessions. Register here.
  • Virtual Retirement Planning Conference for Local Gov. Employees - (Cleveland, Rutherford, Polk counties) - April 28, 9:30 a.m. Great for anyone 0-5 years from retirement or for employees who just want to learn more about the retirement system. Register here.
  • Creating Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Workplaces - May 5,10 a.m.-1 p.m. with a lunch break. WCU at Biltmore Park, Asheville. Free workshop. Register or seek additional info by emailing Bob Boylan at rcboylan@wcu.edu with your name, job title, and the jurisdiction you are representing. Registration ends Thursday, April 28, or when the class reaches capacity (55 attendees).
  • Appalachian Health Leadership Forum - May 6, 10 a.m.-May 7, 2:30 p.m. Hear from national thought leaders on board governance best practices and how to effectively address social determinants of health in your community. More info and registration here.
  • NC Community Tree Webinar: Examples of How Trees are Used in Storm Water Control Measures - May 18, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Details and registration here.

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