The Montana Small Business Development Network
will be hosting their 3rd annual state wide conference
Missoula, MT
April 23 & 24
Holiday Inn, Downtown

The conference will provide essential business resources on financing, manufacturing, government contracting, marketing and business management during breakout sessions throughout the day.

We are honored to have keynote addresses from:              

Tom McMakin
Business author and former COO of Great Harvest Bread Co.

To learn more and to register, please follow THIS LINK

Southeastern Montana Development Corporation (SEMDC) of Colstrip is pleased to announce that Jaimi Balsam has been selected as the new Director of theSmall Business Development Center.  As Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Balsam will provide confidential business counseling and training services on everything from creating a business plan to ongoing operational and financial technical services.  These services are provided on a no fee basis to both existing and start-up business in Carter, Custer,Dawson, Fallon, Powder River, Prairie, Rosebud, Treasure and Wibaux Counties. 

Balsam noted “I am really excited about this opportunity because easternMontana contains some of the most resourceful people, and I look forward to helping those individuals realize their dream of developing a successful small business.”    

Jim Atchison, Executive Director of SEMDC worked with the SEMDC Executive Committee to make the selection.  “We are very excited to have someone of Balsam’s background and energy helping the small businesses of this region,”Atchison explained. 

SEMDC’s Small Business Development Center is among 10 centers inMontana.  It is supported by contributions made by member cities and counties and donations made by the private and local banks in the communities it serves.  Since 1997 the SBDC at Colstrip has assisted in retaining over 360 jobs and created another 370 jobs in the nine county region. For more information or to make an appointment with Jaimi, call 406-748-2990.

Miles Community College is hosting an Energy Summit on Thursday, March 15-16 titled “Solutions for Eastern, MT.”  The summit will be on the MCC campus and includes discussion on topics such as community change, economic forecast, legislation, workforce training, and industry impacts.
 
Community and industry experts will give their opinion on the impacts and solutions for energy booms. Thursday will concentrate on communities with speakers in the field of economic development, tourism, communication, social services, law enforcement and more.  There will also be a discussion on how an energy boom changes a community. Friday will focus on workforce training with speakers from community colleges, university systems, job service, the governor’s office, as well as unions. The second forum will discuss production with speakers from BLM, producers, legislators, aankg production and more.  There will be a presentation on economic changes with a boom. Senator Max Baucus and Senator Jon Tester will be presenting and Representative Dennis Rehberg has been invited to speak.
 
In conjunction with the Energy Summit, Miles City Job Service and Miles Community College are hosting the Miles City Job Fair on Thursday, March 15 from noon to 4:00pm in the MCC Centra.  The event provides job seekers of all ages the opportunity to contact employers and community resources.
 
If you would like more information on this topic or schedule an interview, please call Brandi Gray at 406-874-6288 or email Brandi at grayb@milescc.edu.

The Glendive Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture and the Caviar Grants Committee would like to announce the applications for the Yellowstone Paddlefish Caviar Project are now available.  Applications can be obtained by emailing a request to chamber@midrivers.com, calling 406-377-5601 or stopping by the office at 808 N Merrill Ave.  Projects must be historical, cultural or recreational.  Applications must be completed and returned to the Glendive Chamber postmarked no later than April 2, 2012.  Please call the Glendive Chamber office at the number above if you have questions.

(Miles City, MT) – The Miles Community College Workforce Development program is offering a CDL Basics course as well as a refresher course this spring. The Commercial Driver’s License Basics course will be offered in four different sessions while the refresher course has two sessions to choose from.
 
The CDL Basics course is designed to provide students with essential knowledge and practical skills necessary to prepare you for the MT Commercial Driver’s License written examination and skills test. This program is designed to provide tractor-trailer driving fundamentals to students who have minimal or no truck driving experience. The 4 week program includes classroom instruction, hands-on labs and behind-the-wheel driving time. At the conclusion of the course, students may use the MCC truck to complete the driver’s portion of the CDL examination. Students must show proof of a valid Montana driver’s license and will be required to be enrolled in an MCC contracted random drug and alcohol testing pool. The classes will be Monday thru Thursday from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm in Room 314 and each session will run for four weeks. The sessions will begin on January 23rd, February 27th, March 26th, and April 23rd.
 
The MT Commercial Driver’s License Written Examinations may be taken anywhere in the State of Montana. The testing site will require the student to provide a DOT physical and the fee for the test (all at student’s expense), a social security card and driver’s license. A permit is required from passing the written examination prior to beginning the skills portion of the course. If student desires the use of the MCC semi, the skills test must be taken in Miles City at a time scheduled by the DMV and MCC (skills test will rarely be scheduled during this class, so participants will need to be available at a later date). Completion of the course does not guarantee participant will pass the DMV-CDL exams and it does not guarantee employment.
 
This CDL Refresher course is specifically designed to prepare you for the MT Commercial Driver’s License Class A Road Test. The class is designed for those that have recently taken and passed the MT CDL Class A Knowledge Test. The course covers the operation, preventative maintenance and basic components of the semi-truck and trailer. The course allows the student the use of MCC’s semi and trailer for supervised practice of the skill portion of the CMV test. Topics include but are not limited to: general knowledge, pre-trip inspection, proper backing procedures, on road procedures and safety practices for the professional driver. At the conclusion of the course, students may use the MCC truck to complete the driver’s portion of the CDL examination. Students must show proof of a valid Montana Class A CDL permit acquired upon successful completion of the MT CDL Class A Knowledge Test (written test), have truck driving experience and registration approval from instructor is required, and will be required to be enrolled in an MCC contracted random drug and alcohol testing pool. This class is offered by MCC’s Heavy Equipment Program instructor Jerry Forman in two different sessions, the first being March 5th – 9th and also May 21st – 25th, both from 8:00 am – 5:00 in Room 314.
 
MT Commercial Driver’s License Written Examinations may be taken anywhere in the State of Montana. A permit is required from passing the written examination prior to completing the skills test. If student desires the use of the MCC semi, the skills test must be taken in Miles City at a time scheduled by the DMV and MCC (skills test will rarely be scheduled during the week of this class, so participants will need to be available at a later date). Completion of the course does not guarantee participant will pass the DMV-CDL exams and it does not guarantee employment.
 
For more information on these courses or to register, contact Workforce Development program director Kassie Taylor at 406/874-6199 or taylork@milescc.edu.

Matt Volz, Associated Press

Helena, MT – A federal appeals court has handed a new setback to developers of a proposed $550 million railroad that would link southeastern Montana’s untapped coal reserves to Midwestern and overseas markets.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that the Surface Transportation Board did not take a hard enough look at the environmental risks when it approved the 130-mile Tongue River Railroad line in 2007, including the effects of developing the vast Otter Creek coal tracts.

The Tongue River Railroad Co. has been trying to build the line since 1986 to open new areas of the Powder River Basin to coal mining. Five plaintiffs led by the Northern Plains Resource Council challenged the decision by the Surface Transportation Board to approve the line, claiming the federal board fell short in several areas of its environmental impact statement.

The three-judge panel agreed with the plaintiffs that the board’s analysis relied on old data and didn’t include enough information to determine what the effects would be on water quality and wildlife in the area, such as the endangered pallid sturgeon and the sage grouse.

The board’s study of the cumulative environmental effects of coal-bed methane development in the area was too limited, the judges also ruled.

But perhaps most significantly, the Surface Transportation Board now must consider the development of the Otter Creek Coal Mine in its study of the cumulative effects.

Arch Coal Inc. has amassed the leasing rights on 1.5 billion tons of coal in the Otter Creek tracts near Ashland, including tracts leased last year from the state and those already leased from Great Northern Properties of Houston.

Arch needs a new rail line to realize its plan to ship the coal to markets in the Midwest and overseas, and its interest in developing the coal tracts had appeared to boost momentum for the Tongue River Railroad.

One of the plaintiffs, rancher and Northern Plains Resource Council board member Mark Fix, said the appellate court’s decision means the Surface Transportation Board must conduct a new environmental impact study. That buys more time in his fight against the railroad after the Arch Coal deal with the state seemed to put the project on a fast track.

“To me, it feels like a big weight has been taken off my chest,” Fix said. “Right now, it feels good. It feels like I got a breath of fresh air.”

The proposed railroad route would cut through Fix’s ranch 20 miles southwest of Montana City. He said he is not just concerned about the railroad’s effect on his ranch’s operations, but the possible damage to the water quality and the environment around him.

Much has changed with Arch Coal’s acquisition, he said. The target market for the coal is now no longer just the Midwest, but has expanded to Asian markets like China. The Surface Transportation Board needs to account for that expansion, he said.

“A lot of things need to be looked at. If people step back and start looking at all the effects, they may realize that this is not the best thing to do right now,” Fix said.

The judicial panel rejected other claims by the plaintiffs, including charges that the board applied the wrong laws in granting permission to build the rail line and that the board improperly limited the geographic scope of its analysis.

Messages left with the Surface Transportation Board and the Tongue River Railroad Co.’s attorneys in Montana and Washington, D.C., were not returned on Friday.

Miles Community College Workforce Development program is pleased to announce the upcoming spring courses.  The schedule offers a wide range of specialties to local businesses for training opportunities.

Spring Schedule:

• Publisher 2010 For the Workplace—January 18th
• CPR for Non-Healthcare Provider & 1st Aid—Two Sessions Offered

             January 20th

             March 23rd

• CDL Basics—Four Sessions Offered

             January 23rd—February 16th

             February 27th—March 22nd

             March 26th—April 19th

             April 23rd—May 17th

• CPR Healthcare Provider Renewal Course—Two Sessions Offered

             January 27th

             March 28th

• Excel 2010:  Level 1 for the Workplace—February  8th
• CPR for the Healthcare Provider—Two Sessions Offered

             February 10th

             April 20th

• Spring Seminar:  How to Manage Conflict & Confrontation with guest speaker

             David Pollard from Fred Pryor Seminars—March 5th

• CDL Skills Refresher Course—Two Sessions Offered

             March 5th—9th

             May 21st—25th

• Certified Nurse Assistant Training—March 12th—May 4th
• Miles City Job Fair—March 15th
• Basic Access 2010 for the Workplace—March 30th
• Flagger Certification—March 31st
• Working with Groups and Team Building—Forsyth—April 11th
• Excel 2010:  Level 2 for the Workplace—April 12th
• Mobile GIS for your Smartphone and Tablets—April 16th
• Essential Skills for Beginning GIS Users—April 17th –18th
• Problem Solving with ArcGIS—April 19th—20th

Please forward this email to other areas or departments that may be interested in the training opportunities.  For more information regarding a training, please contact me at 874-6199.  Miles Community College also offers customized training for area business­es.  Please feel free to contact us with any questions or to discuss your training needs.  You may register for any of the classes by calling (406) 874-6199 or emailing taylork@milescc.edu.

SEMDC wants to thank Gill Fennern for dedicating over 14 years to SEMDC’s Revolving loan Fund Committee.

Photo: Jim Atchison Executive Director presents a plaque to Gil Fennern. Revolving Loan Fund Committee Board Member retires after 14 years.

The 8th Annual Energy Open Conference and Golf Tournament will be held on August 11 and 12, 2011 in Colstrip, the “Energy Capital of Montana.”   

Southeastern Montana Development Corporation (SEMDC) and Montanans for Responsible Energy Development (MRED) cordially invite the public to participate in this unique opportunity which “showcases the economic benefits of responsible energy development.  The conference starts Thursday August 11^th at 9:00 am in the Colstrip High School Auditorium.  Registration starts at 8:00 am.                      

The Energy Open features speakers and presentations on energy issues, lunch on CastleRockLake, and three regional energy related tours will be available as well.  The 1^st Tour will visit the Colstrip Steam Electric Station (power generation) and the Western Energy Rosebud Coal Mine (coal reclamation). The 2^nd tour will travel to Miles City for a tour of the Sanjel oil and gas operations and on to the MDU Diamond Willow Wind Farm in Baker.  The 3^rd tour will visit the Rosebud Power Plant (power generation), stop inAshland (biomass projects) and over to the Otter Creek Coal Tracts.  The day will conclude with a dinner and a scholarship raffle.

On Friday August 12^th   Ponderosa Butte Golf Course will host an 18 hole scramble golf tournament with prizes and a shot at the “Coal Cup” Corporate Trophy. This is a great opportunity to network with energy leaders, decision makers, legislators and golf one ofMontana’s most challenging public courses. 

The Energy Open is free to the public but registration is required.  For more general information, please contact SEMDC at (406) 748-2990 or email semdc@bhwi.net  or semdcstaff@bhwi.net.