Raisch here for small businesses
Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
One job and one small business at a time.
That was the message from Highland County Chamber of Commerce President Katy Farber and new Highland County Enterprise Initiative Facilitator Sid Raisch at Wednesday's meeting of the Highland County Board of Commissioners.
"This is grass-roots economic development one job at a time," Farber
told commissioners Gary Heaton, Shane Wilkin and Tom Horst. "This is working directly with people who have ideas and passion to develop small businesses. Sid can help develop a business plan, help grow existing business and maybe help save a business."
The enterprise initiative is based on the Sirolli Institute Enterprise Facilitation (www.sirolli.com) program, and was implemented through the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Technical Assistance Grant.
Farber said Tony Logan of the USDA, Sen. John Carey, Jeff Spencer of the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission, current and former Southern State Community College Presidents Dr. Kevin Boys and Dr. Sherry Stout, respectively, and SSCC Dean of Corporate and Community Services John Joy all worked to secure a $95,000 grant to fund the program for Highland County
business.
"As I understand it, only two places in Ohio were approved for this,"
Wilkin said.
Farber said Highland County received the rural grant and a Columbus
suburb received the urban funding.
Raisch, who is from Miamisburg but has lived in Highland County for 15
years, said he has a ³passion for small business."
"If there are distressed businesses, I'd love for them to come to me and ask for help," Raisch said. ³This (program) is very people-oriented. We are starting to identify people in the community who are willing to help and be a part of a resource board. We want to help businesses get financial help or improve their product so they don't need financial help."
Raisch is working with 11 local businesses and encourages anyone with an interest in small business to contact him at (937) 302-0423 or by e-mail at sidraisch@gmail.com. Raisch said there is no physical office for his position.
"We need for you to get to know Sid and introduce him to whoever you can
think of who cares about local business," Farber told commissioners.
"He can't solve every problem, but he has ideas and resources to get people together. It's free and it¹s confidential," Farber said.
Raisch emphasized his belief in the Sirolli method of identifying
strengths and weaknesses in areas of production, marketing and financial
management.
"Typically, the new business owner excels at one of
the three and is weak in the other areas," he said.
"One thing that Sirolli has found is that the successful businesses
didn't do it all alone."
•••••
Commissioners also met with Heather Gibson on the proposed budget for the Help Me Grow program.
Gibson said she is anticipating a budget that closely resembles the current budget for the coming fiscal year. "I'm projecting the same budget, pending any changes in April (2011)," she said.
Gibson said the state has been sending monitors to all 88 counties to examine stimulus funds and how they are reported, for the federally mandated program.
Commissioners asked where future dollars would come from if stimulus funds were eliminated.
"This is part of what we're all looking at," Gibson said.
With the Help Me Grow program slated to be under the Ohio Department of Education next year, there's concern about future funding.
"I did hear that the Department of Education cuts will begin at the administrative level," Gibson said.
Heaton asked Gibson if she has considered a "worst-case scenario" budget for next year.
"I've already started on it," she said. "But we won't know a lot until April."
Gibson asked commissioners to approve (which they did, 3-0) extending
Help Me Grow associate Amy Hutchinson's weekly hours to 30, effective Dec.
5, and to be paid through stimulus money.
"We need the help and we have to spend the money or it goes back to the
state," Gibson said.
"It's a Catch 21," Horst said. "You can't save the money, you have to
spend it."
Wilkin referenced the county's current economy and told Gibson, "Your services go up as everyone's revenues go down."
Gibson also informed commissioners that the Help Me Grow Adopt-a-Family for Christmas program has had very good local support. "As bad as it is, we
have had overwhelming support from several churches, the Leesburg American
Legion and private donors and sponsors," Gibson said.
Gibson said 129 families in need are receiving some assistance through
the Adopt-a-Family program.
Heaton praised Gibson¹s effort on the Help Me Grow program, saying,
³Since you¹ve taken over, you¹ve done an excellent job.
For more on the commissioners¹ meeting, go to www.highlandcountypress.com.
One job and one small business at a time.
That was the message from Highland County Chamber of Commerce President Katy Farber and new Highland County Enterprise Initiative Facilitator Sid Raisch at Wednesday's meeting of the Highland County Board of Commissioners.
"This is grass-roots economic development one job at a time," Farber told commissioners Gary Heaton, Shane Wilkin and Tom Horst. "This is working directly with people who have ideas and passion to develop small businesses. Sid can help develop a business plan, help grow existing business and maybe help save a business."
The enterprise initiative is based on the Sirolli Institute Enterprise Facilitation (www.sirolli.com) program, and was implemented through the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Technical Assistance Grant.
Farber said Tony Logan of the USDA, Sen. John Carey, Jeff Spencer of the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission, current and former Southern State Community College Presidents Dr. Kevin Boys and Dr. Sherry Stout, respectively, and SSCC Dean of Corporate and Community Services John Joy all worked to secure a $95,000 grant to fund the program for Highland County business.
"As I understand it, only two places in Ohio were approved for this," Wilkin said.
Farber said Highland County received the rural grant and a Columbus suburb received the urban funding.
Raisch, who is from Miamisburg but has lived in Highland County for 15 years, said he has a "passion for small business."
"If there are distressed businesses, I'd love for them to come to me and ask for help," Raisch said. "This (program) is very people-oriented. We are starting to identify people in the community who are willing to help and be a part of a resource board. We want to help businesses get financial help or improve their product so they don't need financial help."
Raisch is working with 11 local businesses and encourages anyone with an interest in small business to contact him at (937) 302-0423 or by e-mail at sidraisch@gmail.com. Raisch said there is no physical office for his position.
"We need for you to get to know Sid and introduce him to whoever you can think of who cares about local business," Farber told commissioners.
"He can't solve every problem, but he has ideas and resources to get people together. It's free and it¹s confidential," Farber said.
Raisch emphasized his belief in the Sirolli method of identifying strengths and weaknesses in areas of production, marketing and financial management.
"Typically, the new business owner excels at one of
the three and is weak in the other areas," he said.
"One thing that Sirolli has found is that the successful businesses didn't do it all alone."
•••••
Commissioners also met with Heather Gibson on the proposed budget for the Help Me Grow program.
Gibson said she is anticipating a budget that closely resembles the current budget for the coming fiscal year. "I'm projecting the same budget, pending any changes in April (2011)," she said.
Gibson said the state has been sending monitors to all 88 counties to examine stimulus funds and how they are reported, for the federally mandated program.
Commissioners asked where future dollars would come from if stimulus funds were eliminated.
"This is part of what we're all looking at," Gibson said.
With the Help Me Grow program slated to be under the Ohio Department of Education next year, there's concern about future funding.
"I did hear that the Department of Education cuts will begin at the administrative level," Gibson said.
Heaton asked Gibson if she has considered a "worst-case scenario" budget for next year.
"I've already started on it," she said. "But we won't know a lot until April."
Gibson asked commissioners to approve (which they did, 3-0) extending Help Me Grow associate Amy Hutchinson's weekly hours to 30, effective Dec. 5, and to be paid through stimulus money.
"We need the help and we have to spend the money or it goes back to the state," Gibson said.
"It's a Catch 21," Horst said. "You can't save the money, you have to spend it."
Wilkin referenced the county's current economy and told Gibson, "Your services go up as everyone's revenues go down."
Gibson also informed commissioners that the Help Me Grow Adopt-a-Family for Christmas program has had very good local support. "As bad as it is, we have had overwhelming support from several churches, the Leesburg American Legion and private donors and sponsors," Gibson said.
Gibson said 129 families in need are receiving some assistance through the Adopt-a-Family program.
Heaton praised Gibson's effort on the Help Me Grow program, saying, "Since you've taken over, you've done an excellent job.