2002 Annual Report Executive Summary
Beadle/Spink Enterprise Community (BASEC)
BASEC has completed the eighth year of this ten-year initiative. However, BASEC will operate far longer than the initiative. Self-sustainability was one of the key principles in the Round I EZ/EC program. BASEC residents continue to take that concept seriously in program development and in the overall strategic plan as evidenced by direction received from BASEC’s Continuous Improvement Council participants in April 2002.
Access to affordable capital for four main sectors of the community continues to be the cornerstone of BASEC’s strategic plan. This is being accomplished with the revolving loan fund (RLF) program that encompasses the areas of business, rural development, farm income development and housing development. BASEC has made low interest affordable loans totaling $2.8 million of the $2.95 million initial SSBG EZ/EC funding for the RLF. As of 12/31/02, $1.5 million of the revolved SSBG EZ/EC funds have been reloaned. Additionally, BASEC has leveraged over $2.5 million from other sources and have loaned those funds for the various RLF programs. Specifically for the year 2002, $744,876 was loaned out. This is a 161% increase from fiscal year 2001. 231 loans totaling $6.6 million have been made since 1996 with interest rates ranging from 1% to 6% to BASEC residents and projects located within the BASEC boundaries. The interest received on the loans is used to pay for administrative costs. The principle replenishes the RLF. Thus, BASEC is a self- sustaining organization that is viewed as a valuable resource in community development. Over $20 million have been leveraged from other sources for projects that BASEC was directly involved in since this EC designation. Now that BASEC is self-sustainable through the RLF programs, more efforts are being directed toward other community needs.
Building leadership capacity at all age levels is one area that BASEC continues to focus on as evidenced by the Nov. 9, 2002 Community Leadership Workshop that BASEC hosted. 42 community leaders ranging from middle school age to senior citizen age attended. This year’s workshop was different from all others. There were no famous dignitaries speaking nor were there any professional motivational speakers present. The motivation and inspiration came from BASEC’s own community leaders as they shared and highlighted community projects that have been developed and homegrown in their own communities and schools. The workshop evaluations revealed that this was the best of the 4 leadership workshops that BASEC has hosted.
Another $6,000.00 in pass through community mini grants was awarded for the 2002-2003 period. An overall total of $37,000.00 in pass through mini-grants has been awarded for over 113 community projects since 1999. Town beautification, cemetery maintenance and repairs, park improvements, community computer classes, fire safety education and heritage projects such as making a video documentary depicting life in a rural community are among the many projects. There is not a dollar amount that can measure the value and the merit of the efforts in this leadership capacity building. BASEC is reaching far more people with the leadership efforts than if BASEC were content with only the RLF program. Every resident of the EC has benefited from the EZ/EC initiative.
$489,440 in Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) funds has been passed on to very low and low-income residents for home repair and removal of health and safety hazards. The average grant passed on was $6,000 per home. In 2002, 10 homes were repaired and updated to remove health and safety issues with HPG grant funds. Since August 1997, BASEC’s HPG program assisted 82 very low and low-income family homes with grant funds. Additionally, BASEC has complimented the HPG grants and made $100,387 in home repair loans. BASEC has several other housing loan programs that financed the construction of 13 new homes and provided for the purchase of 17 existing homes.
Currently BASEC employs three full time employees; the executive director, housing director and fiscal manager and one part time receptionist. BASEC’s Strategic Plan was reviewed and updated in 2002 according to the desires and direction given to the BASEC Board of Directors and staff by the EC residents. Executive Director Lori Hintz, Housing Director Andrea Torgerson and seven board members attended the National USDA Rural Development Training Conference in Kissimmee, Florida this summer. BASEC staff also participates in local and state training and education workshops such as the South Dakota Governors Office of Economic Development Conference and the South Dakota Housing Authority Conference. Director Hintz is also an active member in the SD Northeast Governors Office of Economic Development Regional Planning Board.
BASEC
is cosponsoring a statewide teacher education program titled “Every Teacher
Counts” with the SD Department of Education and Cultural Affairs (DECA). This
is a $3.7 million dollar program over the next three years to help teachers
increase their knowledge of content requirements, attain more effective teaching
skills and how to advance student learning. This program will not only benefit
the school districts in the BASEC area but has the potential to benefit schools
on a statewide level.