Business as UNusual:
A Town Hall on Rural-Urban
Economic Development

10 am

Registration

10:30

Opening presentations

• Welcome: Lillian Montoya-Rael, Chair, New Mexico First
• Why We Hold Town Halls: Heather Balas, President, New Mexico First
• Background Report Overview

11 am - noon

Panel presentation

Panelists:

• Ryan Gleason, US Department of Agriculture
• Mark Lautman, Mesa Del Sol and rural development expert
• 1st Lieutenant Governor Richard Luarkie, Pueblo of Laguna
• Bob Mang, Regenesis
• Jami Grindatto, Intel

Audience Q&A

Noon

Keynote and lunch

• Diane Denish, Lieutenant Governor, State of New Mexico
• How the Town Hall Works: Heather Balas

1 pm-2:30

Small group discussion

• Divide into pre-assigned six groups
• Group member introductions
• Discuss a vision for rural economies, including rural-urban partnerships

2:30-4 pm

Small group discussion #1:

Pros and cons of traditional approaches to rural economic development

4 pm-5:30

Small group discussion #2:

Pros and cons of "innovative" approaches to rural economic development

6 pm-8 pm

National keynote and dinner

• Keynote: Bill Fruth, President of POLICOM Corporation, Palm City, Florida, an independent economics research firm

8:30 am

Breakfast served

9 am-10:30

Small group discussion #3:

Environmental considerations for rural economic development

10:30-noon

Small team discussion: Develop draft recommendations

Noon-1 pm

Lunch:

• What Happens After the Town Hall: Bob Rosebrough, Linda Kay Jones, lmplementation Team Chair, Town Hall 36

1 pm-2 pm

Mini-plenary session

Moderator: Carl Moore, Ph.D.

• Each of the groups reports on their recommendations
• Similar recommendations that could be merged are identified

2 pm-5 pm

Amendment, merger, and collaboration sessions

• Groups meet to consider whether to recommend amendments to the other groups’ recommendations
• Group members work together to merge similar recommendations
• Groups review and amend merged recommendations
• Representatives from each group go to the other groups and shares the rationale for their proposed amendments

6-8 pm

Dinner and reception

• Leadership Team appreciation

8 am

Breakfast

8 am – 9:15

Final meetings of small groups, to decide which amendments to accept.

9:30-11:30 am

Plenary session

• Chaired by Governor Garrey Carruthers
• Participants achieve consensus on the final recommendations
• Final result 15-20 concrete, actionable policy recommendations for lawmakers, communities, and private sectors leaders

11:45 am

Adjourn

Closing: Heather Balas, President of New Mexico First