Centralina Regional Council

Centralina Regional Council is pleased to highlight the Regional Planning Department’s leadership duo of Jason Wager, Director of Regional Planning, and Lynne Hair, Centralina’s recently appointed Assistant Director of Planning! Jason and Lynne bring over 45 years of combined expertise in urban and regional planning to Centralina. In their roles, Jason and Lynne focus on advancing Centralina’s strategic initiatives, fostering collaboration among local governments and promoting growth principles that support and augment the quality of life available in our diverse region. To learn more about their goals for Planning, visit https://loom.ly/D-aE4Wk

Centralina Regional Council and New Jersey Institute of Technology hosted a Regional Brownfields Summit on Tuesday, October 29. Representatives from member communities were able to develop deeper understandings of what brownfields are, what challenges they pose and how they can be transformed into successful community assets. The summit was held just shortly after Centralina received grant funding from the Environmental Protection Agency to be used in revitalization projects throughout the region. To learn more about brownfields and how Centralina supports local governments, visit https://loom.ly/RtK65gQ.

Join our next Centralina Learns for an insightful webinar addressing the critical shortage of high-quality, affordable childcare in North Carolina. This session will explore innovative public-private partnerships and creative solutions that businesses and the public sector are implementing to support working families. Examples, like the Tri-Share model, will demonstrate how these collaborations are making childcare more accessible while benefiting the workforce and local economies. Discover new approaches to solving the childcare challenge and fostering a stronger, more resilient community. Register here: https://loom.ly/O6mxHvA

October is Residents’ Rights Month, an annual celebration of residents living in long-term care facilities. This opportunity focuses on enhancing awareness around the dignity and rights of individuals receiving long-term services and support. Residents have the right to make informed choices for themselves, air grievances and find resolutions to issues with care. Centralina’s Ombudsman program was created to protect residents’ rights and improve the quality of care for those living in long-term care facilities. Our Ombudsmen provide access and advocacy services that assist residents in protecting their health, safety, welfare and rights. Learn more about our efforts to support residents' rights at https://loom.ly/6MpGiOs

It's time to soar to new heights with the 2025 CLT Aviation Academy! Each year, the CLT Aviation Academy gives participants a one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore the inner workings of Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). Through a series of weekly interactive sessions, the Academy takes participants on a behind-the-scenes journey of various aspects of CLT’s operations and planning efforts. The CLT Aviation Academy is open to leaders in the public and private sectors, as well as community members from across the Centralina region. The class is limited to 35 participants who will be selected through a competitive application process. To learn more, visit https://loom.ly/ieN58R4

Each year, Centralina Regional Council works to advance its mission of leading regional collaboration, sparking local action, expanding opportunity and improving quality of life. Fiscal year 2024 (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024) was no different. Take a look at our achievements throughout the year and how we’ve worked to fulfill our commitment to collaboration, connection, service and innovation: https://loom.ly/xMDKSPc

Centralina Regional Council, in collaboration with the New Jersey Institute of Technology's Technical Assistance to Brownfield Communities Program, will be hosting a day-long immersive brownfield summit on Tuesday, October 29. Don't miss this opportunity to learn what brownfields are, what resources (both funding and technical) are available to tackle them and how these eyesores can become assets in your community. Register at https://loom.ly/m7RRWSY

We need your input on the development of our 2025-2026 Federal Action Plan and Raleigh Relations Agenda. Please take the brief survey below to share what policy issues, legislative proposals and engagement options matter most to your local government. Input will be used by the Centralina Executive Board and Leadership Team to identify state and federal engagement priorities for the NC General Assembly’s 2025 Long Session and 119th US Congress. For more information, contact Centralina's Executive Director, Geraldine Gardner, at ggardner@centralina.org. Legislative Priority Survey: https://loom.ly/OO8pAsw

Congress passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) on Wednesday, September 25, extending funding of the federal government for an additional 12 weeks through December 20. The CR is considered mostly clean, meaning it included very few policy riders and little additional funding. When Congress returns for the lame-duck session on November 12, the top priority will be to address funding for the federal government for the next fiscal year. If both political parties and both chambers of Congress do not reach an agreement on fiscal year 2025 funding before the December 20 deadline, they could look to pass another short-term CR, which would further delay the process. Learn more: https://loom.ly/yRizFZQ

Join us next week for a Centralina Learns on submitting successful Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) grant applications. IIJA is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation's infrastructure. While this is an excellent opportunity for communities in our region, with approximately $350 billion spread across more than a dozen federal departments and agencies, it can also be intimidating. This Centralina Learns will feature three speakers who have successfully received IIJA grant funding. Our speakers will provide guidance to potential applicants on what to consider before applying, developing a strong application and other lessons learned. Register at https://loom.ly/c_B7h3g