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Summary of Green Space Funding Meeting January 22 " d , 2004 at the Triangle J Council of Governments (Draft , 1 /29/04) Participants : Tracy Burnett , Bill Bussey, Lorelei Costa, Kate Dixon , Jane Korest, Richard Rogers , Rich Shaw , and Carol Tingley. Bob Bridwell, David Carter, Steven Finn, and Eddy Davis had meeting conflicts but provided comments via email and/or phone . Meeting Summary : The meeting began with a brief recap of the Triangle GreenPrint Project to date ( see attachment) . Then each participant shared updates on the green space funding situation in his or her jurisdiction ( see summary table on pp . 3 - 4) . Kate Dixon then shared an update on her new job as Project Director for the state - level Public Funding Project of The Nature Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land, the Conservation Trust for North Carolina, the N . C . Public Interest Research Group , the American Farmland Trust, and the N . C . Recreation and Parks Society. The Public Funding Project is gauging support for new green space funding by conducting leadership interviews , focus groups , a farmers poll , and general public polling . Based on its research to date , the Public Funding Project doesn ' t see support for a major new state bond for green space at the moment . However, it is working to build support and demonstrate need . To help do this , it is currently working on a statewide needs assessment planned for completion by May 2004 , and is exploring the possibility of a statewide bond referendum for green space in 2005 . TPL has prepared a draft financing study and Kate will see if she can share a copy with the GreenPrint TAC members . Richard Rogers added that DENR is exploring the possibility of an initiative in 2004 to use existing dedicated revenue sources to leverage additional funds for green space protection . The group mentioned the continuing need to communicate the importance of maintenance and stewardship of existing facilities and land , as well as the acquisition of new land . Open space is still not widely seen as an essential activity, especially in tight fiscal times . As a result , the group emphasized the need to highlight the economic value of open space protection, especially its benefits in attracting and retaining skilled workers that help make companies competitive in the New Economy. The group then discussed ways to develop new funding sources for green space , and the possibility of a Phase 4 of the Triangle GreenPrint Project that was focused on this activity. Participants noted the value of a Triangle-wide strategy in removing the fear that one community acting alone might make itself less competitive regionally in the short term by spending more than its neighbors on green space protection . They suggested focusing more on public education and less on additional technical analysis . One idea was to develop a regional event that presented the growing body of information on the economic value of open space , with special attention paid to outlining the positive impacts on business , real estate , tourism , public health , water quality, agricultural economics , and the cost of community services . A regional event could then be followed by events in each county, with speakers like Kevin Brice from TLC and other local and outside experts . County appointed board members working on open space issues 1