With files from Laurie Page
At their annual general meeting on November 28, the Nakusp and Area Development Board (NADB) reviewed progress made and ongoing projects and directions for the future.
In her report on the AGM, President Laurie Page noted that the organization has a strong team with good representation across sectors as well as connections with other organizations such as the Chamber, the Village, NACFOR and Community Services. The board directors have been busy in the last year attending conferences and summits, learning and contribution their knowledge. Page acknowledged in her report that directors are keen to contribute to projects, but that time is at a premium, and that some additional skills need to be learned.
In the past year, the NADB has been working on a way to organize a community roundtable where different sectors would be represented in a public event so people could connect with them. It’s been difficult for the board to figure out exactly how this would work so each sector is represented and people are able to attend more than one sector meeting without repeating the NADB 2010/2011 meetings.
The organization has been focusing on tourism, and formed a committee devoted to it. On January 29, there will be a public presentation at the arena auditorium called “Seven Deadly Sins Communities Make in Tourism” by Mike Stolte of the Centre for Innovative and Entrepreneurial Leadership; the following day a tourism workshop is being held for those interested in tourism (registration is required).
At the moment, the NADB business directory which will list local businesses and organizations is behind due to unforeseen circumstances, but it is still in the works.
Part-time residents are a great curiosity to the NADB who would like to find out what their plans are: are they going to move here permanently one day? What products and services would help them make that decision?
Vivien Berry has taken on the business retention and expansion survey to find out more about what local businesses need to continue on. Necessities could be anything from finding training for people or discovering how businesses can be more resilient to discussing succession planning. Surveys will be distributed in a number of ways to collect information about our local businesses.
The board has given NACFOR funds to look into the feasibility of wood waste bioenergy generation here in Nakusp. NACFOR is in conversation with Diana Brooks, director of Regional Economic Operations for East and West Kootenay and Boundary areas.