Greater Lansing Area Development is hosting a Community Meeting on Friday, Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. at the Lansing Volunteer Fire Department to discuss Glad’s application, in cooperation with the Town of Lansing and the Lansing Volunteer Fire Department, for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding through the BTOP grant program of NTIA for the Northwest Public Computer and Business Development Center.

Anyone interested in potential business development relating to Public Computer Access, Affordable Commercial Rental Space, Outdoor Recreation, Green Economy Promotions, Heritage Arts and Crafts, Produce and Tree Farming and Traditional Music is encouraged to attend, as is the entire community.

For more information on the grant go to: broadbandusa.gov.

The following is an outline of the vision:

Northwest Public Computer and Business Development Center

I - Three-fold Vision of Community Service

Educational Programs

a. Typing/Keyboarding

b. Microsoft Word, Office, Excel, GED, Computer etc. in cooperation with Ashe Campus of Wilkes Community College

c. Fire Department/EMT Training and Education such as:

Fire Department Training and Education, Hazardous Material Training, Meth Lab Identification, Traffic Control/Emergency Evacuation Procedures, Public Service Education, Procedures on Entering a Burning Building, EMS/ EMT First Responders Medical Calls Training, EMT Career Training, Emergency Vehicle Driving Classes

d. Ashe Memorial Health and Wellness Activities including: Health related online web search and Obesity/Fitness -Wii Fitness

e. Advanced Software Training/Troubleshooting

-Photoshop

-Dreamweaver

-Go Daddy/I Page Web Design

-Webinar Development

Business Growth and Support

a. Affordable Office Rentals

b. Business Support Center to with associated services including small conference room, copier, scanner, printer, shipping facilities, break room.

Entrepreneurial Training and Business Development as relates to Local Assets identified by Lansing Tomorrow Commission:

Outdoor Recreation

Heritage Arts and Crafts

Produce Farming

Mountain Music and Oral Traditions

Green Economy Promotions

II - Facilities: 2,600 square ft Historic 1940s Brick & Mortar commercial building in the heart of Downtown Lansing across from town parking.

1st Floor - Public Access workstations

- 600 square ft Webinar-Seminar-Video Conferencing Center with 8 towers, 8 laptops, workstations, 65” flat screen for educational and corporate use.

- Retail Area for Heritage Arts and Crafts with space for demonstration.

- Tourism Support Center-Wall space for displaying promotional brochures for area activities, attractions, and events.

- Shipping Services and Storage

2nd Floor - Conference Center

- Five (5) -100 square ft commercial office rentals

- Business Services (Fax, Copier, Scanner, Shipping Facilities)

- Break Room with Service Kitchen

- 10 x 10 ft Digital Recording Studio. Can be rented for recording or music lessons.

III - Proposed Board of Advisors would include: two appointees from the Town of Lansing, and an appointee from Lansing Volunteer Fire Department, Greater Lansing Area Development, Ashe County Commission, Ashe Campus of Wilkes Community College, Ashe Memorial Hospital, SkyLine/SkyBest Membership Corporation, and Corporate Sponsor.

IV - Staff

Candidates for employment will be recommended by the Board of Advisors and hired by the Board of GLAD.

Director: Salary plus bonus based on experience and grant writing/fundraising.

Either one more full time or two more part time positions will be created.

V - Broadband Capacity

The Northwest Computer and Business Development Center will initially have 3 Meg DSL Service with the potential of 10 meg symmetrical fiber link to the internet through SkyLine/SkyBest Membership Corporation.