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JOEL HASKARD |
INTERNSHIP FROM 1999-2000
“Sometimes it takes a while for people to become accepted in small towns – Joel was an overnight success. He kept himself visible, got involved and in a short time became a notable fixture in town. I only wish we could have kept him longer. Havana needed some new ideas, but most of all someone without the usual “baggage” that could approach businessmen, merchants and townsfolk alike with new insights.”
-Joanne Skogland
The Nature Conservancy,
Great Rivers Area Economic
Development & Outreach Coordinator
Joel Haskard’s love of nature certainly influenced his motivation while serving his internship in Havana, a community of approximately 3600 located on the Illinois River with an abundant natural landscape. As an M.S. candidate in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration, Haskard was instrumental in spearheading efforts at enhancing the region’s reputation as a destination for eco-tourism. Managing the city’s tourism budget during his tenure, he restarted Havana’s membership with the Illinois Central Tourism Office, located funding for the Illinois River Valley Passport, assisted the Chautauqua Wildlife Refuge in creating a comprehensive plan and initiated a $100,000 grant proposal for the Nature Conservancy.
Additionally, to ensure sustainability for his efforts, Joel successfully proposed a bed tax to the City Council. “He did a lot of research, and the tax has generated more revenue than expected. It seems to be working quite well for tourism here”, says Wendy Martin, editor of the Mason County Democrat.
Haskard was also instrumental in the birth of Hav-A-Vision, an ad hoc community and economic organization, and securing its non-profit status. The group continues at present to be a huge community asset in targeting jobs, economic development and marketing the Illinois River and Havana in general.
Other accomplishments of the Fellows internship included: assisting DCCA and AmerenCIPS in updating community profiles; facilitating community meeting and organizing community events; completing a Rural Business Enterprise Grant for $140,000 and working with IDOT and local agencies to better the visibility of local transportation projects.
Haskard definitely laid the groundwork for development in this rural community. “As a direct result of Joel’s activities many institutions gained a better appreciation of the value that a full-time development professional brought to the community” states Harry Wolin, CEO of Mason District Hospital and Board President of Hav-A-Vision. Martin echoes the same sentiment, “as a result of our program with Joel, Hav-A-Vision and the City of Havana employed a full-time economic development coordinator who has a three year contract. We believe that good things will happen for Havana as a result”.
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