For more informationcontact

Dr. Jim Owen,PresidentPiedmont Community College

Roxboro, NC336-599-1181

RCCI and the 21st Century Communities Grants: Two

Projects – Same Goals

RCCAOctober 2004

Dr. Susan Scaggs

Some Background

Piedmont Community CollegeNorth Central Piedmont of North Carolina

Two County Service Area (District)Caswell CountyPerson County

“Big Tobacco Country”

RCCI• PCC got on board in 2003• Some Early Decisions• Because our Service Area is Diverse• A Caswell Project and a Person Project• With a unified Steering Committee• Targeting – Economic Development, Access

to Education, and Civic Engagement

Caswell County and RCCI

• County steering committee formed• Steering committee education process• Look at Columbus County, NC• Identification of need for Strategic Plan

21ST Century Communities

• Caswell involvement began in Fall ‘03• NC Department of Commerce• Community-based readiness program• Year long strategic planning process

Caswell’s 21st Century

• First step was a Situational Analysis• Conducted in November 2003• Interviews were conducted with 30

community members• Strengths and Weaknesses were outlined

Situational AnalysisResults Highlights

StrengthsPeople of the CountyLand/Natural ResourcesGood LocationPCCRich HistoryQuality of Life

WeaknessesNo Countywide VisionWorkforce (education)Low Tax BaseLimited OpportunityNo Zoning ordinanceLack of Infrastructure

The College as Leader

PCC was identified as a StrengthWe are able to position to help

address weaknessesAnd to directly impact economic

development

Synergy

RCCI

Economic DevelopmentAccess to EducationCivic Engagement

21st Century

Economic DevelopmentStrategic Planning

Community PanningLeadership Development

Infrastructure ImprovementWork Force Development

Intergovernmental Collaboration

A Marriage

RCCI/21st CenturyNew joint Steering CommitteeMonthly Meetings

PROGRESS and SUCCESS

Give and Take

Benefits$$$$$

Challenges“Getting’ Political”

Where are we now?

• Some projects in process• Tourism and Farmers’ Market• High Speed Internet Access• Ag-Expo

Our greatest successes are not structured or formalized…

TrustEducation

CollaborationUnderstandingCommunication

Real potential for CHANGE

Where are your local opportunities for partnership?