To continue Ohio Sea Grant's programmatic emphasis in the area of community economic development with special funds from the National Sea Grant College Program for this purpose. Special attention will be given to business retention and expansion programs within coastal communities and the development of nature-based tourism on Ohio's north coast.

Current work by Ohio Sea Grant is generating 150-200 new jobs per year in the coastal zone and business investments of approximately $15 million per year. The recent economic slow down makes this work even more important. However, our focus must shift slightly in the direction of business retention in the near future as we attempt to protect and assist existing businesses suffering with the economy.

All Sea Grant extension agents will have a priority effort associated with community economic development. Assistance will be provided to the Lake Erie County Visitors Bureaus to enhance opportunities for nature-based tourism in the region. Special attention will be given to the charter fishing industry, marina development, brownfield redevelopment, urban sprawl, and the loss of green space.

 BENEFITS 2008

(1) Increased cooperation, improved networking and ongoing partnerships developed by Ohio Sea Grant Extension improved information delivery, maximized technology transfer, and reduced duplication of efforts to stimulate coastal community development.

(2)  Sea Grant and other research information is disseminated to coastal community leaders, extension professionals and decision makers so that maximum benefits are derived from Sea Grant and other research.

(3) Coastal community leaders and key decision makers are more knowledgable and better prepared to lead and build sustainable communities.

 (4) Community planning efforts are starting to include balanced growth ideas and concepts in coastal community development.

 ACCOMPLISHMENTS  2008

Twenty-four elected and appointed officials as well as local board and commission members received certificates of completion from the seventh annual 10-week Toledo Local Government Leadership Academy. Lucente and Dr. Donald Lacy from OSUE created a curriculum that included duties and responsibilities of elected officials, ethics of public officials, conducting effective meetings, technology in local governments and more. Since 2002, and, as a direct result of the ten-week course, 148 total participants have increased their overall knowledge in local government by 82% according to class evaluations.  One current Ohio state senator and one Ohio state represenative are Leadership Academy alumni.(Lucente Jan. 2008- March 2008) 

The City of Youngstown, Ohio established a local government leadership academy in 2008 to educate, recruit and train potential leaders to run for local elected and appointed offices as a result of Lucente’s efforts in Toledo, Ohio. Thirty elected and appointed officials as well as local board and commission members received certificates of completion from the first annual 10-week Local Government Leadership Academy in Youngstown.  (Lucente, Jan. 2008--March 2008) 

Twenty-two coastal economic development professionals learned about leadership development curriculum and programming along Lake Erie’s coast as Lucente presented “Local Government Leadership Education: The Ohio Local Government Leadership Academy” at the 2008 International New Partners For Smart Growth Conference in Washington, D.C. (Lucente, Feb. 2008) 

Ohio Sea Grant and the Ohio Coastal Training Program assisted the City of Sandusky and Erie County in conducting eighty stakeholder interviews over a three-day period as the City of Sandusky updated their comprehensive plan.  As a result, the City of Sandusky is better suited to make more informed decisions through the utilization of citizen and elected official participation to lessen the impact of development along its coastline. (Lucente and Elmer, April-May 2008)  

Forty-two international university scholars learned about the importance of watershed planning, techniques, university and public partnerships and how development and preservation can co-exist as Lucente presented a paper entitled “Linking Land Use and Watersheds: Achieving Balanced Economic Growth Through a Watershed Planning Framework” at the International Community-University Expo conference in Victoria, British Columbia on May 7, 2008. (Lucente, May 2008) 

Lucente conducted a demographic assessment of Jerusalem Township in Lucas County to aid in the township’s comprehensive planning update.  As a result, the coastal township will use this information to make wiser choices regarding land use and development pressures upon its rural character and farming heritage. (Lucente, June 2008)  

Thirty Ohio County Commissioners learned about different styles and methodologies of local government leadership principles as Lucente and David Civitollo, OSU Extension presented “Local Government Leadership Education for Elected and Appointed Officials in Ohio” at the 2008 County Commissioners Days sponsored by OSU Extension. (Lucente and Civitollo, August 2008) 

Scores of national extension professionals learned about leadership curriculum development, styles and methodologies as Lucente presented a poster entitled “Local Government Leadership: Creating Community Leaders” at the National Extension Galaxy III Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lucente, September 2008) 

Lucente coordinated, led and conducted a retreat of Great Lakes Sea Grant Coastal Community Development extension professionals at OSU’s Stone Lab to share information, research and identify needs of Great Lakes coastal communities.  The retreat yielded many ideas that will be pursued in terms of funding, research, outreach and multi institutional cooperation among Great Lakes Sea Grant programs in the near future. (Lucente, October 2008)

Lucente secured a $7,500 grant from the Ohio Coastal Training Program and Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife to conduct three Balanced Growth trainings for elected and appointed officials, planners, engineers, water quality specialists and other professionals in Ohio’s Lake Erie Basin during 2009. (Lucente, October 2008)

 ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2007 

Thirty elected and appointed officials as well as local board and commission members received certificates of completion from the sixth annual 10-week Toledo Local Government Leadership Academy.

Lucente formed a partnership with the Toledo Area Chamber of Commerce, The Toledo Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Fund and The Ohio State University Extension Service (OSUE) to develop the Toledo Local Government Leadership Academy. Lucente and Dr. Donald Lacy from OSUE created a curriculum that included duties and responsibilities of elected officials, ethics of public officials, conducting effective meetings, technology in local governments and more. Since 2002, and, as a direct result of the ten-week course, 122 total participants have increased their overall knowledge in local government by 85% according to class evaluations.  (Jan-Mar 2007). 

Fifteen Northwest Ohio Sea Grant Extension Citizen Advisory Committee Members learned about current and future Sea Grant programming activities from Lucente as he presented his efforts in community development programming in Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio. All members help prioritize areas of emphasis with input on Ohio Sea Grant’s new strategic plan as well as identifying other opportunities for stakeholder and community collaboration. (Lucente, February 2007). 

Thirty-one elected and appointed officials as well as planners and consultants participated in an intensive two-day Coastal Community Planning and Development Workshop developed through a partnership between Ohio Sea Grant, NOAA Coastal Services Center and the Ohio Coastal Training Program. Ohio was the first Great Lakes state to offer this intensive two-day workshop where participants leaned different approaches to development and land conservation and about how and where growth and development can coexist with keeping environmental variables in mind during planning.   (Lucente and Elmer, Mar 2007)  

The City of Youngstown, Ohio has established a local government leadership academy to educate, recruit and train potential leaders to run for local elected and appointed offices as a result of Lucente’s efforts in Toledo, Ohio. (Apr-May 2007) 

Eighteen city and county officials were taught about smart growth principles and coastal community development and planning by Lucente during the City of Sandusky’s comprehensive planning meeting. As a result, the City of Sandusky is undertaking the task of updating its comprehensive plan to address its unique coastal waterfront challenges on Lake Erie. (Aug 2007) 

Ohio Sea Grant NOAA Coastal Services Center and the Ohio Coastal Training Program again partnered to present the Coastal Community Planning and Development Workshop. Thirty-one elected and appointed officials as well as planners and consultants learned more about community planning. The City of Sandusky and Erie County used this intensive two-day workshop as a catalyst for creating a new comprehensive plan. Participants leaned different approaches to development and land conservation and about how and where growth and development can coexist with keeping environmental variables in mind during planning.   (Lucente and Elmer, Nov, 2007)  

Lucente taught ten business professionals for the Toledo Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Fund about the benefits of the Toledo Local Government Leadership Academy’s impact on emerging leaders in the Toledo, Ohio region.  Pre-post test surveys indicated participants are better prepared to enter public office, have a greater understanding of expectations, building sustainable communities, rules, procedures and policy as it relates to local government decision making. (Nov 2007) 

Lucente’s expertise in economic development was solicited from the Community Development Assistant Director for OSU Extension in helping to review and award $25,000 in Venture Fund Grants for community and economic development projects in Ohio. (Nov 2007) 

Lucente was elected as a State of Ohio representative to the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals for the North Central Region of the U.S.  Election to this national professional association is done through a committee of peers. (Dec 2007)  

 

Lucente has teamed with and secured an annual $2,500.00 contribution from the Monroe, Michigan County Convention and Visito's Bureau to produce the "Lake Erie West Guide" to promote boating, fishing, eco-tourism, cultural, and festival activities in the western Lake Erie region. This partnership allows for a regional approach in promoting Ohio's greatest natural asset, Lake Erie as well as breaking down geographic boundaries between two states and bringing them together for the greater public good. (August 2003).

For the third year in succession Lucente received a grant to distribute over 15,000 copies of the 2003 Western Lake Erie Waterfront Guide he created. The $7,480.00 grant came from the Lake Erie Protection Fund. The guide is used to promote cultural and eco-tourism in the Western Lake Erie Basin. (Lucente and Ritzler Jan.-May 2003)

Lucente presented the "Toledo Local Government Leadership Academy Model" to the Allen/Lima County Chamber of Commerce and Allen/Lima Leadership on April 22, 2003 in Lima, Ohio. As a direct result, The Allen/Lima County Chamber of Commerce will partner with Ohio State University Extension to offer the ten-week Local Government Leadership Academy to elected and appointed officials in the fall of 2003. The Academy will encompass the ten modules of curriculum necessary for public servants in their respective daily jobs. (J. Lucente, April 2003)

Twenty-nine elected officials and local board and commission members received certificates of completion from the first annual 10-week course in local government leadership development. Lucente formed a partnership with the Toledo Area Chamber of Commerce and the Ohio State University Extension Service (OSUE) to develop the Toledo Local Government Leadership Academy. Lucente and Dr. Donald Lacy from OSUE created a curriculum that included duties and responsibilities of elected officials, ethics of public officials, conducting effective meetings, technology in local governments and more. As a direct result of the ten-week course, participants increased their overall knowledge in local government by 82% during the leadership academy. (Lucente and Lacy June 2001-March 2002).

Fifty-five participants learned about the model curriculum for local government leadership development from the presentation, "Local Government Leadership Academy: A Model Curriculum" given at the National Community Resource Economic Development Conference in Orlando, FL during February 22-25, 2002. National interest has been shown for this program to be used in other states. (Lucente and Lacy, Feb. 22-25, 2002)

Over 35 participants learned more about local government leadership issues at presentations made by Lucente to the Putnam County, Ohio Leadership Council on March 6, 2002 and to the Toledo Area Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Fund Committee in May 2002. (Lucente)

As a result of the annual OSU Extension "Leadership Roundtable" roundtable discussion, 18 Ohio State University Extension Agents will be better prepared to develop leadership education in their respective areas of the State of Ohio. Lucente facilitated discussion on different leadership styles and models of curriculum geared toward enhancing the decision-making styles of local area leaders. (J. Lucente and N. Kukay, May 2002)

Lucente and Jim Wiedenheft, Ottawa County Extension Agent, presented an Executive Summary of the Ottawa County Business Retention and Expansion Program to over 20 elected and appointed officials in Port Clinton, Ohio on June 25, 2003. During the presentation, officials learned to establish and maintain an on-going business retention and expansion program that develops and fosters long-term positive and productive relationships among public and private entities within the local community and the region, to identify and address concerns and issues of existing businesses and to identify opportunities and create programs to stimulate local job growth. (J. Lucente, J. Weidenheft, June 2003)

Seventeen Extension professionals learned how to conduct local government leadership development training for public officials at Ohio State University's Urban Program Conversation in Columbus, OH and the West District Lead Programs In Community Development In-Service in Findlay, OH during presentations by Lucente entitled "Toledo Local Government Leadership Academy- Building Partnerships For Success in An Urban Setting" and "Local Government Leadership Training". (Lucente, Jan and Feb 2004)

Six Extension professionals learned how to conduct a tourism, service and retail based business retention and expansion program utilizing Lucente's case study of "Business Retention and Expansion in Ottawa County" at the Lead Programs In Community Development In-Service in Findlay, Ohio. This case study shows professionals how to utilize business surveys and business site visits to stimulate investment opportunities and improve the bonds between local government and business. As a result, Ottawa County was able to identify existing businesses looking to expand with the potential to create an additional 199 new jobs in an Ohio coastal community. (Lucente, Feb 2004)

Lucente formed a partnership with the Toledo Area Chamber of Commerce and The Ohio State University Extension Service to develop the Toledo Local Government Leadership Academy. Lucente and Dr. Donald Lacy of The Ohio State University Extension in Columbus, OH created a leadership development curriculum that focused on duties and responsibilities of elected officials, ethics of public officials, leadership skills and related topics. Ten participants received certificates of completion from this third annual 10-week course in local government leadership development. 2004 is the third time this Leadership Academy has been offered in Lucas County. Since its initial offering in 2001, 56 people have graduated from the academy and surveys conducted indicate an 86% overall increase in knowledge from 2001-2004. (Lucente and Lacy, Jan-Mar 2004)

Ohio Sea Grant partnered with The University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, The Ohio State University, The Ohio Business Retention & Expansion Initiative, and the Toledo Botanical Garden to conduct a business retention and expansion survey of over 50 Greenhouse Industry participants in six northwest Ohio counties. Survey results will be used to identify the factors that will help to improve the competitiveness, increase revenues and reduce costs to the Ohio greenhouse industry. The greenhouse nursery industry is an important presence in northwest Ohio; in 1997 Lucas County alone generated almost $22 million in sales. This study, which was funded by Senator Mike DeWine's and Representative Marcy Kaptur's efforts, is intended to lead to future research and technology funding that can help the Ohio green industry (Lucente, Nov. 2003-Apr. 2004).

 

Accomplishments 2003-2005

1. A $7,480.00 grant from the Lake Erie Protection Fund enabled Ohio Sea Grant to develop, publish and distribute over 15,000 copies of the Western Lake Erie Waterfront Guide.
2. The Allen/Lima County Chamber of Commerce partnered with Ohio State University Extension and Ohio Sea Grant to offer the ten-week Local Government Leadership Academy to elected and appointed officials.
3. Ohio Sea Grant assisted the Ottawa County Business Retention and Expansion Program in conducting over 50 business R& E site visits.
4. Sixty-five decision makers have graduated from the 2001- 2005 Toledo Local Government Leadership Academy workshops with evaluation surveys indicating an 86% overall increase in knowledge.
5. Over 125 community development professionals learned more about the "Toledo Local Government Leadership Academy Model" at three regional /national professional conferences.
6. Over 155 leadership development professionals learned more about evaluating a leadership training program at six regional/national professional conferences.
7. Twenty community leaders learned more about the Ottawa County Business Retention and Expansion Program and how to identify business R&E opportunities and create programs to stimulate local job growth.
8. Thirty three extension professionals learned more about balanced growth and economic development.
9. Ohio Sea Grant, the Ohio Lake Erie Commission, and the Great Lakes Commission partnered to hold the Lake Erie Balanced Growth Initiative Workshop, that helped 97 citizens establish the key indicators to be used for evaluation of the Ohio Lake Erie Balanced Growth initiative at Cleveland State University, Jan. 21, 2005.

Benefits 2003-2005

1. Increased awareness of the cultural and eco-tourism potential in the Western Lake Erie Basin.
2. Sea Grant and other research information is disseminated to coastal community leaders, extension professionals and decision makers so that maximum benefits are derived from Sea Grant research.
3. Business retention and expansion efforts in the coastal region were continued.
4. Increased cooperation, improved networking and ongoing partnerships developed by Ohio Sea Grant Extension improved information delivery, technology transfer and reduced duplication of efforts to stimulate coastal community development.

Estimate of Leveraged funding

Coastal Community Development (CCD) has been a high priority for the Ohio Sea Grant Extension Program for over a decade. CCD funding within Ohio Sea Grant is highly leveraged with state extension funds and private funds supporting additional CCD related work. Ohio Sea Grant has two FTE's dedicated to CCD. They are funded on a cooperative basis with one agent (in Toledo) funded with Sea Grant dollars and one agent (in Cleveland) funded with Ohio State University Extension dollars. Approximately 63% of the Toledo agents funding comes from the $50,000 CCD Sea Grant program allocation and 36% from the core Ohio Sea Grant Extension grant. All 100% (estimated $75,000) of the Cleveland agents funding (salary plus fringes etc.) comes from OSU Extension. In addition, OSU Extension provides $5,500 per year for supplies and communications to the Toledo agent and $19,997 for the support of a part-time secretary for the Toledo agent. Office space for the Toledo agent is provided by the Lucas County office of OSU Extension. Supplies, secretarial support, communications, travel and office space for the Cleveland Agent is provided by the Greater Cleveland Partnership and is conservatively valued at approximately $25,000. The $50,000 CCD funding accounts for about 25% of the total funding going to support Ohio Sea Gant CCD work.

Sustainable Development

Lucente served as Ohio Sea Grant's representative on the Ohio Lake Erie Balanced Growth Roundtable Steering Committee for developing indicators for balancing growth along Ohio's shoreline of Lake Erie. This committee met to devise water quality, land use, and programmatic indicators to measure the success of the Lake Erie Balanced Growth Initiative (LEBGI). The LEBGI calls for the establishment of priority development areas and priority conservation areas in communities that encompass the Lake Erie watershed in Ohio. The LEBGI will shape future policy and decision making as it relates to development and conservation in the Lake Erie watersheds of Ohio. A LEBGI workshop was held at Cleveland State University with 97 academicians, local officials, planners, consultants and interested citizens to acquire public input, opinions, and attitudes toward the indicators. Lucente served as a workshop facilitator to help establish the key indicators to be used for evaluation of the LEBGI.

Urban Coastal Business Development

Sea Grant Extension has produced the award winning Western Lake Erie Waterfront Guide annually since1996. Since 2001, over 55,000 copies of the guides have been distributed reaching tens of thousands of Ohio residents and tourists. The guide is also available in PDF format at http://lucas.osu.edu/seagrant/index.html. The publication promotes the Toledo area waterfront and highlights locations of restaurants, marinas, hotels, boating services and related attractions. The guide has increased the visibility of Toledo's waterfront and has helped stimulate the emergence of new businesses. Each of the businesses located in the guide reported increased sales from new customers as a result of their participation.

Toledo Local Government Leadership Academy- Program Evaluation

Retrospective Pre/Post Test Surveys from 2002-2005 indicate a combined 86% overall increase in knowledge gained from sixty-five participants of the ten-week Toledo Local Government Leadership Academy.

All participants received two professional certificates of completion in Local Government Training for their efforts from Sea Grant Extension and the Toledo Area Chamber of Commerce.

Five more Extension offices in Ohio have decided to offer this course in their respective communities by establishing partnerships with their local chambers of commerce.

Fourteen professional presentations reaching over 500 professionals have been made at national and international conferences by Lucente. Lucente has identified many other university extension programs and organizations seeking to adopt the Local Government Leadership Academy Model from Toledo, Ohio.