Kelly Hauert Starts Work as Downtown Visalians CEO

By Steve Pastis

Visalia - Downtown Visalians' new CEO, Kelly Hauert, is already on the job, two weeks before her expected start date of Aug. 15. Her return to Visalia to run the day-to-day business of the association ends a long process that started last fall, following the resignation of Executive Director Jan Minami.

Hauert, who served as the organization's executive director from 1998 to 2005, left the position the day after the last PBID (the association of downtown property owners) was passed and moved to Kingman, AZ, where her parents live. She said that she felt then that it was time for the group to have new leadership.

“There wasn't anything wrong,” Hauert said. “I was perfectly happy. It was just time for someone new to come in and bring a breath of fresh air. And the timing was perfect. When that PBID passed, I felt I could leave and everything would be fine.”

Over the past three years, Hauert visited Visalia every few months, making it a point each time to see the downtown area, and she noticed the changes. The biggest change in that time has been the expansion of Kaweah Delta Medical Center, according to Hauert, who described the growth as “a significant positive impact for downtown.”
Another change she noted has been the increase in the number of “upscale entertainment venues.”

“Visalia has become known for its music scene and although that wasn't referring to just downtown, a large portion of that was certainly happening downtown,” she said. “That's exciting. That's a good thing to be known for.”
Hauert is the association's first CEO instead of its executive director. The new title reflects the position's increased responsibilities in attracting more business downtown.

“I always felt that was my job before,” she said.

Hauert offered praise for Elaine Martell, Downtown Visalians operations manager, who acted as interim executive director since the resignation of Jan Minami last fall. Martell worked with Hauert for seven years.

“She's the memory; she's the history of Visalia for me,” Hauert said. “She's a huge asset. She knows where everything is officewise and she knows all the people. She's getting me up to speed very quickly.”

Hauert was asked what goals she has for her new position.

“My goals are directed by the Downtown Visalians and PBID boards, so I'll be following a strategic plan that has been adopted,” she said. “I don't operate like some people do. Some managers come in with their own vision and I don't do that because the downtown does not belong to me. The downtown belongs to the community. It's my feeling that the two boards are kind of the keepers of the health and wealth of the downtown. My job is to help them implement their plans.”

Those plans include some new ideas, according to Hauert.

“I think you're going to see a lot of new ways of doing business, but I can't outline what all of those are,” she said.
She did, however, say that the Downtown Visalians' web site would incorporate a GIS-based (global information system) program enabling businesses looking at the downtown area to get information about available properties based on their needs, as well as maps, photographs and detailed demographics. The program is similar to Business Decisions, offered by the Tulare County Library.

“And we need a market analysis,” she said. “The last time was in 1981 and it wasn't really a market analysis.”
She explained that a market analysis would “tell you what kind of business would be supported in the downtown area.” She added that the analysis would provide details about “leakage,” defined as the possible customer dollars that are not being spent downtown.

“The leakage outside of Visalia would be our greatest concern,” she said.

Established businesses would benefit from a market analysis, according to Hauert. She said that businesses could better target their marketing efforts with the information from the analysis, which would also provide valuable information for Downtown Visalians.

“How are we going to know if our programs are improving the downtown if we don't have a starting point?” she said.
The market analysis will be started soon, and done “in house, so we won't be paying a consultant,” she said. She added that “nothing is going to come to a halt” while the analysis is conducted.

When asked about how she will handle the association's finances, Hauert described herself as “fiscally very very tight.”
“Boards of directors usually have to pry my bony fingers off the dollars in order to spend them,” she said. “You have to run a nonprofit just as you run your own business. We're using their money and we need to always remember that.”

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Recycling Firm Seeks Plastic Ag Waste

By Miles Shuper

Terra Bella - Wanted: Plastic agricultural waste for recycling into useful items.

That's the message being sent out by AGG, Inc. (America Go Green), a Terra Bella firm whose stated mission is “recycling 90 percent of all U.S. agricultural plastic waste into commercially stable products and creating jobs in the USA.”

AGG, Inc. is the collection and recycling firm which converts plastics into pellets used to produce other plastics-based products such as tubs, buckets and other household items. The operation is located at 9600 Road 256 in Terra Bella, the former 20-acre Grand View Packinghouse site.

Max Lee, the chief executive officer said AGG will have an initial capacity to collect 1,000 tons of plastic waste per month and should be able to double that within two years.

Lee is conducting an aggressive campaign aimed at the farming community to bring separated uncontaminated agricultural waste, especially plastic film, to the site at no cost. Lee is adamant in stressing that the recycling of agricultural waste pays substantial dividends in not only saving farmers the cost of disposing of the plastics, but cutting the amount of waste which goes to area landfills.

Lee said, “Initially, we will accept only the plastic ag waste farmers sort and bring to our plant in Terra Bella,” stressing that contaminated materials including tires, wood and metal “garbage,” are not being accepted.
“Later, we may consider offering farmers collection services but it would be a fee-based service,” Lee said.
Getting clean waste is crucial to his firm's operation he said, explaining that a cooperative effort between farmers and recyclers is necessary.

It's important, he said, that the farming community “understands this is not garbage, but recyclable stock.
“Our target is to collect a maximum of 30 percent 'farm natural' contamination such as dirt, leaves and moisture.”
In addition to having “clean” waste to recycle, Lee points out other benefits.

“First and foremost, the net beneficiary will be our local communities and posterity by removing ag plastic from our landfills in a substantial manner. We will leave a cleaner place for our next generation.”

There is an economic incentive for farmers, Lee explained. By taking materials to the collection yard for recycling, he said, farmers can reduce tipping fees and or collection and removal fees. The savings can be substantial for many farmers and ranchers, especially for those who use large amounts of plastic film to protect soils and crops such as grapes.

Lee said he would be willing to work with area farmers to develop some kind of farmers' guide or possible video presentation on methods of separation and collection protocol.

Diverting plastic agricultural waste from area landfills saves space thus extending landfill life, he said.
A teamwork approach to recycling by the industry and farmers “will bring about a win-win proposition to all parties in a sustainable way.”

Lee said farmers seeking to bring materials to the site should call 535-5717 or e-mail maxlee@aggrecycling.com.

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