updated policy that has an immediate and far-reaching effect on your locale? More than likely you are not alone.

Let your membership in SEAGO work for you. Tell us about that particular is-sue adversely affecting your community, and ask for the support of SEAGO’s Executive Board for your community’s po-sition. Your membership in SEAGO can deliver the mu-tual support of 14 incorpo-rated cities, four counties and a Native America Tribe to your bargaining table – power in numbers. And best of all, the support of SEAGO’s Board for your community’s position comes at no additional cost!

By Randy Heiss

Aesop, the famous Greek fabulist, political pundit and commentator once wrote: "Union gives strength." Many centuries later we morphed this expression into “there is power in num-bers”.

We are often overwhelmed with the sheer volume of our tasks, let alone facing new threats, new challenges and new problems created by any number of factors outside our ability to control let alone defeat – unless – unless we form alliances, band together and seek sol-ace in sharing a common burden with others. In es-sence, this is the working definition of SEAGO: a

working alliance of com-munities, counties and a Native American Tribe doing our collective best to seek equity and stare down dragons and demons that

soak up funds, deplete our resources, take away rights, or threaten our very exis-tence by damaging the deli-cate balance of commerce and jobs.

How often have you been surprised by a new man-date, revised rule change or

Everyone has a photographic memory but not everyone uses film. Such is the case with all the stories and news about the proposed I-11 Corridor.

In November 2011 the initia-tive to form a coalition, de-velop the best route and gather the financial and politi-cal muscle to see this effort to

fruition began in earnest. Fast forward ten years and we find ourselves with a decade of research that have identified truck traffic, rail traffic and the growing need for an additional trade route able to handle traffic from Mexico, California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washing-ton, British Columbia and

Alaska.

The scope of this project and the resulting benefits are ex-ceptional. This is just the first of a series of articles that will explore the I-11 concept and how it may benefit all areas of Arizona, but in particular our own home-sweet-home South-eastern Arizona. Come back next month for more news.

Are you missing out on opportunities?

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

USDA releases

new Atlas 2

Do you Know

Your

Region?

2

Arizona Commerce

Authority 2

US Mexico Trade

event April 8 3

What is AAED? 3

SEAGO region

Calendar of Events 4

What’s Happening

At the Capitol 5

How much do you know about Interstate 11?

S O U T H E A S T E R N

A R I Z O N A

G O V E R N M E N T S

O R G A N I Z A T I O N

SEAGO

NEWS and DIGEST M A R C H , 2 0 1 1 V O L U M E 1 I S S U E 3

S P E C I A L

P O I N T S O F

I N T E R E S T :

SAVE THE

DATE, APRIL 8

AAED

SEAGO RE-

GION CALEN-

DAR OF EVENTS

Local First

Arizona Tech

Council

www.SEAGO.org

P A G E 2

17 percent of

the U.S.

population

lives in non-

metro

America

NADO WEBINARS

ARE POSTED TO

THE CALENDAR,

NO COST TO

SIGN UP USDA Releases New Online Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America

The Arizona Commerce Authority Story

Know Your Region? Be honest, do you really know your SEAGO region? Frankly, most people do not.

How much or how little we know about what our neighbors are doing, can impact (good or bad) on an event or project that conflicts with a neighboring city or unincorpo-rated area with a similar activity.

This is one reason why NADO has begun a series of webinars

that help pro-mote a greater understanding of each others’ needs and how to leverage our strengths to over come areas of weakness.

These webinars are free to you and can bring value to your planning discussions and help pinched budgets.

We have posted a bro-chure from NADO

(National Association of De-velopment Organizations) on the SEAGO EDD Web site, or click here to see KYR..

We added an two upcoming webinars we believe will bene-fit you community on the SEAGO Calendar of events. (see page 4). To sign up Call or write:

Mike Bellamente at 202.624.7809 or

mbellamente@nado.org

ways to solve our problems instead of pointing the finger of blame.

New legislation in the form of the Arizona Competitiveness Package has been passed by the legislature and signed into law.

As we go to press our State leadership is actively laying the

Once we are able to recog-nize we have much more in common than what sets us at odds with others, we have the genesis for creativity and cooperation.

Must we always agree on everything? Certainly not, the free exchange of differences and ideas often help us find

foundation for Arizona to seek out Science & Technol-ogy; Aerospace & Defense; Small Business & Entrepre-neurship; Renewable energy and Business retention as the cornerstones for our future.

SEAGO is proud to be a partner with the ACA.

covering approximately 2,000 counties. All four counties within SEAGO are considered rural, non-metro.

Economic and social chal-lenges facing rural areas, small towns and frontier cities differ greatly from those affecting larger cit-

ies, and vary substantially from one

rural county to the next.

The Web site can be found here: http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/ruralatlas.

The visit is worth your time and effort. Search by population demographics , agriculture-indicators, job conditions or county typologies.

Finding data on non-metro counties in the United States just became a little easier.

Non-metro, or Ag-urban, infor-mation has recently been com-piled and updated. With this new tool from USDA, much needed rural data can be found in one place.

17 percent of the U.S. popula-tion lives in non-metro area,

Rural Arizona

needs a strong

ACA...

S E A G O

AAED is success-ful because of the diversity of its members. There are numerous ways in which to get involved with AAED. AAED is a working or-ganization that utilizes vol

Pathways Out of Poverty Green Jobs Grant

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 1 I S S U E 3

SEAGO is working with our national organization, the Na-tional Association of Regional Councils, (NARC) on a Depart-ment of Labor grant to assist eligible dislocated and unem-ployed individuals in becoming job-ready for employment within emerging green industries.

Pathways offers on-the-job train-ing and transitional employment opportunities, as well as training

and certification in designated green industries. Enrollees will be able to continue to advance with continuing education and through the development of a DOL Registered Apprentice-ship Program.

Eligible applicants include un-employed, disadvantaged, and

dislocated workers in the SEAGO region.

In addition, the program devel-ops industry employer-partners to assist companies in recruit-ing and hiring employees with appropriate training and skills.

Pathways provides funding for on-the-job-training for the first two quarters of employment.

Expanding and Develop-ing Sustainable Business between Agua Prieta and Douglas

International, Federal & State Financial, Govern-ment and Business Re-sources

Meet Government Officials, Decision-Makers, Interna-tional Trade Specialists, and Foreign Dignitaries. You do not want to miss this impor-tant border conference event! Agenda topics include: The Importance of Mexico/U.S. trade to this region

To participate in this one day conference focusing on US-Mexico Trade and Marketing Opportunities contact Mark Schmitt

520-515-5478 or schmittm@cochise.edu

committee and achieve tangi-ble objectives. It is through this active involvement that the volunteer member recog-nizes the real benefit of asso-ciation in this important or-ganization. Committees - the heart and soul of volunteer organiza-tions - allow members to

demonstrate leadership and management skills. By actively participating in AAED members help the organization remain the top professional economic devel-opment association in the State of Arizona. Visit the Web site: www.aaed.com

AAED is the only statewide economic development asso-ciation focusing on success for all of Arizona. AAED is successful because of the diversity of its members. There are numerous ways in which to get involved with AAED, perhaps the best way Is to volunteer to be on a

What is AAED?

April 8 - International Trade Event

Currently some $16 Billion

dollars of trade crosses be-

tween Mexico and Arizona

AAED, networking

and problem

solving…

Placement services in apprenticeships or entry level positions within their fields is also part of the scope of the pro-gram. For more infor-mation, please contact:

Chris Ventrees

520-432-5301 x 221

cventrees@seago.org

P A G E 4 V O L U M E 1 I S S U E 3

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 NADO,

Tapping your ex-port potential

11 Bisbee

Women’s Revue 12 Bisbee

Women’s Revue

13 Bisbee

Women’s Revue

Hereford, Arizona Folklore Preserve

14 Cochise

County Work-force presents “Medical Mari-juana Seminar”

15 16 17 Patagonia,

St Patrick’s Day Dinner

18 Graham

County BLM Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Micro-grant deadline

19Graham

County BLM Wild Horse and Burro Adoption

20BLM Wild

Horse and Burro Adoption Hummingbird banding, Ft Hua-chuca

21 22 23 Cochise

College SBDC Wage & Hour Laws Seminar

24 NADO

Entrepreneurship Innovations

25 26 Tubac,

Spring Art Walk

27Tubac,

Spring Art Walk 28 29 30 31 April 1

Greenlee Cham-ber Spring Ram-page 1st & 2nd

April 2 Sunglow Ranch Under the Stars and among the grapes 1st & 2nd

March 2011 something missing? Your event is not here?

Be sure to send in your events, brochures and web links!

Arizona coming together on GYSD to strengthen commu-nities through service.

Through the generous support from Youth Service America and Every Voice in Action Foundation, our Youth Service and Leadership Coalition (formerly known as the Youth Advisory Council) will be awarding mini-grants up to $100.

Project proposals will be scored and selected with priori-tized support going towards youth-led service projects, youth groups that have never before engaged in service, and towards established service

Youth Now Collaboration is pleased to offer youth and youth programs in Southern Arizona an opportunity to ap-ply for project funds for Global Youth Service Day.

Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) is the largest annual celebration of young volun-teers, where millions of young people in countries everywhere carry out thousands of com-munity improvement projects.

This year, GYSD will take place on April 15th-April 17th. The Volunteer Southern Arizona’s Youth Now Col-laboration envisions hundreds of young people in Southern

clubs and com-munity organizations that involve larger numbers of youth from out-side their group who do not typi-cally engage in service (e.g. a school service club that organizes the general student body to engage in service), or towards community agencies that engage youth groups as previously described. However, we strongly encourage all inter-ested groups to apply.

Please see click here for pro-posal information. All proposals are due on March 18th by 5 pm.

Or call Danielle Flink

(520)881-3300 ext. 143

118 Arizona Street

Bisbee, AZ 85603 Phone: 520-432-5301

Fax: 520-432-5858

www.seago.org

1. SCR 1028-- Protects right of Arizona workers to make own politi-cal decisions by prohibiting automatic deductions from their pay-check for support of candidates without their written approval. 2. SB 1322-- Will require large Arizona cities to open up city services to competition from the private sector. 3. SB 1340-- Would phase out defined benefit pension plans for gov-ernment workers and phase in defined contribution plans such as 401K plans used by the private sector. 4. HB 2409 and SB 1544-- Would adopt "loser pays" Tort Reform for all tort actions in Arizona (not just medical malpractice but also products liability and other standard tort actions), making Arizona a leader in Tort Reform and giving us a fairer and less expensive litiga-tion system. 5. HB 2501-- Would require all city and county ordinances and regu-lations to be written unambiguously and clearly so that investors/job creators can comply quickly and efficiently without unfair and expen-sive delays and "interpretations" by government regulators.

Economic Development District

A’kos Kovach Economic Development

Planner

Global Youth Service Day Grants

“SEAGO stimulates economic and social progress in our four-county

region.”

V O L U M E 1 I S S U E 3 P A G E 5

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE CAPITOL? THESE BILLS ARE UNDER DISCUSSION—KNOWLEDGE IS POWER—

NOW THAT YOU KNOW YOU CAN OPPOSE OR SUPPORT - EXERCIZE ONE OF YOUR LIBERTIES