Sec. 1. Stimulate rural development. The Maine Rural Development Council, a quasi-independent agency of the State that is an intergovernmental and interagency association, is encouraged by the Legislature to:

1. Provide advocacy for the social and economic needs and issues of rural Maine communities, particularly in the most distressed counties of the State;

2. Coordinate the development of "community capacity building" projects and show innovative approaches to achieving growth in these distressed counties through locally developed strategies, which are driven by civic vision, grounded in communal assets and commanded by local leadership;

3. Stimulate rural development innovation and foster the flow of information on "best practices" to these communities; and

4. Report annually to the Governor and the Legislature on the effectiveness of these community capacity building projects and recommendations for future action regarding conditions in the rural areas of the State.

Sec. 2. Appropriation. The following funds are appropriated from the General Fund to carry out the purposes of this Act.

2000-01

MAINE RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

Maine Rural Development Council

All Other $125,000

Appropriates funds for the Maine Rural Development Council for development of community capacity building projects and for provision of advocacy for social and economic needs in rural Maine.

SUMMARY

This bill directs the Maine Rural Development Council to provide advocacy for the social and economic needs of rural Maine communities and to develop community capacity building projects, and it appropriates $125,000 to the council. The Maine Rural