North Campus Hosts Rural Development Council Meeting

Pennsylvania College of Technology's North Campus is serving as the Northcentral region host site for the June quarterly meeting of the Pennsylvania Rural Development Council. Counties served by this location include Bradford, Clinton, Lycoming, Potter, Sullivan and Tioga. The meeting, which is free and open to the public, is scheduled for Friday, June 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Room 112 at the Wellsboro-area campus.

Quarterly meetings offer area residents the opportunity to meet via live videoconferencing technology with other participants across the state to discuss issues of importance to rural Pennsylvania. Guest presenters will discuss public and private initiatives, legislation, and other matters; participants have the opportunity to ask questions and participate actively in the meeting.

The Pennsylvania Rural Development Council is a nonpartisan, nonpolitical association of individuals and organizations that seeks to address concerns of rural Pennsylvania with the goal of building a bright future for rural communities and their citizens. The Pennsylvania Rural Development Council is open to individuals and organizations committed to expanding economic and social opportunities for rural Pennsylvania. Council committees, task forces, and working groups focus on issues such as community and economic development (including tourism), education, training, workforce development, health, housing, telecommunications/information technology, transportation, infrastructure, and forest-based development.

Preliminary agenda topics for the June 26 meeting include: workforce-development reform, small farms and the future of agriculture, and youth violence in rural Pennsylvania. There also will be an open forum for discussion of additional issues. A networking lunch will be provided and there is no charge for the meeting or luncheon. Following the lunch, a statewide forum for rural leaders on "Electric Consumer Choice" will be held from 1:15 to 2:45 p.m.

To register or for more information, contact Dr. Ted Nichols, assistant dean at North Campus, (570) 724-7703 or Anne Marie Klinger at the Pennsylvania Rural Development Council, (717) 772-9030.