CEO Roundtable- December 2015

10am – Welcome by GNDC
 
10:05 – State Rail Plan Discussion
North Dakota is updating the State Rail Plan.  The last time the plan was updated was in 2007, before North Dakota’s recent economic boom and the resulting public and private sector build-out that has occurred since.  The planning effort is being led by the North Dakota:
 

• Department of Transportation;
• Public Service Commission;
• Department of Commerce
• Division of Emergency Services;
• Pipeline Authority; and
• The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute

 
Parsons Brinckerhoff, the engineering and consulting firm hired to manage the project, has already begun the extensive stakeholder engagement and outreach phases of the planning effort, which requires input and expertise from a broad range of public and private sector interests, including the state’s manufacturers.  As a way of introducing North Dakota's manufacturers to the planning effort, Ed Leonard, Vice President/Deputy Regional Business Manager for the Central United States for Parsons Brinckerhoff, will provide an overview of the project, highlight those areas of the planning effort that will impact manufacturers, and seek input and feedback about the key issues facing the state’s manufactures related to rail service and capacity.
 
This discussion is intended to be an introduction to the process of updating the State Rail Plan.  Additional workshops and individual, one-on-one, interviews with manufacturers and manufacturer groups to discuss specific rail transportation problems and needed improvements will take place in 2016.  For more information about the update of the State Rail Plan, check out the website at http://www.dot.nd.gov/divisions/planning/railplan/default.htm.
 
11:35 – Open discussion regarding other manufacturing issues that need to be address in North Dakota

• What’s broken?
• How do we fix it?
• How can the GNDC be of the most help?

 
12:00pm – Lunch
Thank you IMPACT Dakota
 
1:00pm – Ryan Rauschenberger, North Dakota Tax Commissioner

• Tax changes from 2015
• Apportionment formula
  • What counts?
  • What doesn’t?
  • How does this change affect my business?
• What to expect next year regarding taxes in North Dakota

 
2:30 – Open Discussion regarding business policy issues that need to be addressed in North Dakota

• Is North Dakota truly the best place to do business?
• What needs to change to make your life easier?
• How can the GNDC be of the most help?

 
3:00pm – Adjourn