Cheyenne Initiative Association
formed to participate in the
High Plains Cluster of the Ogallala Commons

At 7:30 AM on 12/15/06, 10 Cheyenne County residents met in Bird City to discuss the possibility of working together through the High Plains Cluster of the Ogallala Commons. The individuals attending represented the cities of Bird City and St. Francis and the balance of the county. The organizations, boards and government entities represented include: County Commissioners, Bird City and St. Francis city councils and mayors, Bird City Century II Development Foundation, St. Francis New Generation Fund & Community Foundation, Cheyenne County Economic Development, USD 103 and USD 297 schools, Community Builders, Cheyenne County Hospital, and the banks in the county.

Ogallala Commons is an independent network of rural communities in the most rural part of eight Midwestern states that all lie over the Ogallala Aquifer. Rural communities in this vast area are very similar. The Ogallala Commons provides an opportunity for these communities to share and exchange ideas in order to prosper.

The group has met three times since this initial historical meeting. The core team has been expanded to include representation from both the Bird City and St. Francis Ministerial Alliances and staff from the schools.

The group chose to network with other communities in the tri-state area to take immediate action in the four strategic areas advocated by the Home Town Competitiveness approach to rural community sustainability. These areas include: mobilize and train local leaders for the task, capture and retain a portion of the wealth transfer in our county, energize entrepreneurship and attract young people to stay or move to our county. Other Kansas counties involved to date include Rawlins and Norton counties.

The success of this effort is dependent on the involvement of all of the residents of the county, either individually or through organizations, businesses and government entities they represent. The commitment will include the formation of a core team representing the whole county, along with additional community members with particular interests or skills in leadership training, community foundations, entrepreneurship and youth attraction and retention. There will be an immediate commitment by these individuals to attend training/learning days at four different communities in the tri-state area. These four training sessions are scheduled for March, June, September and November 2007. Each of these training sessions will have a requirement for those attending to return to their communities with a commitment to instigate and complete projects as their homework. Each community involved in the High Plains Cluster is also responsible for hosting one of the four training days in their community. A community futures forum will be the initial activity in Cheyenne County. This community meeting will be held on Friday evening, March 30, 2007.

The following are the initial donors that have agreed to monetarily fund this project for at least two years: Bird City Century II Development Foundation, City of St. Francis, Ministerial Alliances, St. Francis New Generation Fund and Community Foundation and the Community Builders.

Anyone that would like to participate in this county- wide project, please contact one of the core team members: Tom Keller, Dan Carson, Dara Carmichael, Cathy Domsch, Ned Smith, Roger Jensen, Troy Burr, Scott Schultz, Ernie Ketzner, Kari Gilliland, Kermit Bear, Norman Morrow and Susan Dinkel.

Watch the county papers, brochures and flyers for more information on the Community Futures Forum to be held Friday evening, March 30.