Minutes for the President’s Commission on Improving Economic Opportunity in Communities Dependent on Tobacco Production While Protecting Public Health (The Tobacco Commission) Public Meeting.
| Date of Meeting: | May 4, 2001 |
| Time of Meeting: | 11:30 A.M. until 12:10 P.M. |
| Place of Meeting: | 3101 L. Street, NW |
| Room 303A | |
| Washington, DC | |
| Commission members and staff attending the meeting: | |
| Matthew Myers - Co-Chair | |
| William "Rod" Kuegel - Co-Chair | |
| Arthur C. Campbell - Member | |
| James T. Hill, Jr. - Member | |
| Ronald G. Sroufe - Member | |
| Jesse L. White - Member | |
| LynnCarol Birgmann and Andrew Shepherd - Members participated via Teleconference | |
| Doug Richardson - Executive Director | |
| Solomon Whitfield - Designated Federal Official, Acting Director Tobacco and Peanuts Division | |
| Eloise Taylor - Staff Assistant | |
A. Opening
The meeting was opened by Solomon Whitfield, Designated Federal Official and Acting Director, Tobacco and Peanuts Division, USDA. Mr. Whitfield turned the meeting over to Matthew Myers and Rod Kuegel, Co-Chairs for opening comments.
B. Minutes
The minutes from the April 6, 2001, meeting were reviewed and unanimously approved by the Commission. The Commission directed that the minutes be posted to the Commission’s website.
C. Presentations of Recommendations from the Grower, Economic Development and Health Subcommittees.
The Commission reviewed final recommendations from the following subcommittees:
Grower - William "Rod" Kuegel presented the report and recommendations of the Commission’s Grower Subcommittee. Click here to see attachment "A" for details on the recommendations.
Economic Development - Jesse White, Jr. presented the report and recommendations of the Commission’s Economic Development Subcommittee. Click here to see attachment "B" for details on the recommendations.
Health Subcommittee - Matthew Myers presented the report and recommendations of the Commission’s Health Subcommittee. Click here to see Attachment "C" for details on the recommendations.
D. Adoption of Recommendations in the Final Report
Upon review of the various Subcommittees’ reports and recommendations, the co-chairs called for a vote from the Commission. The Commission unanimously adopted the recommendations from the Grower, Economic Development and Health Subcommittees as the Commission’s recommendations for the Final Report. The Final Report was approved by the 6 commissioner present at the meeting, 2 members via Teleconference and 2 members who were polled by the co-chairs.
E. Final Report Roll-Out Plan
The Commission made a decision to deliver a copies of the Final Report to the President and Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services on May 9, 2001, and to release the Report to the public through two public briefings on May 14, 2001, as set forth in the Federal Register, Volume 65, No. 82, Friday, April 27, 2001, page 21117. The public briefings will be held from 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM at the McKinnon Center, Raleigh, North Carolina and from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM at the Executive Inn Hotel, Louisville, Kentucky.
F. Appreciation
The Commission expressed their gratitude to the staff and all others who were involved in the preparation of the Final Report.
G. Closing Comments
The Commission members expressed respect, admiration and gratitude to each other for what each member brought to the Commission and how much each had learned from the other during the deliberations on both the Preliminary and Final Reports.
H. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned by Solomon Whitfield at 12:10 PM.
I. Approval
| ____________________ | ________ | |
| Co-Chair | Date | |
| ____________________ | ________ | |
| Co-Chair | Date |