WHEREAS, the Alabama Black Belt consists of a group of primarily agricultural counties, with dark rich soil, extending east to west across Central Alabama, that currently experience high rates of poverty, illiteracy and infant mortality; and

WHEREAS, twelve (12) of Alabama's Black Belt counties, including Pickens, Sumter, Choctaw, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Perry, Dallas, Wilcox, Lowndes, Macon, and Bullock, have been identified as the appropriate focus of this project; and

WHEREAS, the Black Belt is a region of the state that is representative of important Alabama values such as hard work, strong families, faith in God, and community pride; and

WHEREAS, these counties currently suffer from severe economic stagnation due to a lack of infrastructure and economic opportunities; and

WHEREAS, eight of Alabama's ten lowest scoring school systems on the Stanford Achievement Test between the years 1996 and 2001 were in Black Belt counties; and

WHEREAS, eight Black Belt counties are among the 100 poorest counties in the United States, and poverty rates in the Black Belt, generally, rank all twelve of these Black Belt counties in the poorest 13 percent of counties nationally; and

WHEREAS, a combination of these factors has resulted in the general opinion that this region is the most economically depressed area of our great state; and

WHEREAS, it is unconscionable that Alabama's Black Belt continues to perform so poorly in almost every statistical indicator and trail behind in almost every category; and

WHEREAS, these conditions cause a significant drain on the State's resources and adversely affect the prosperity of all Alabamians; and

WHEREAS, the people of the Black Belt desire and deserve the same economic opportunities as all other Alabamians; and

WHEREAS, it is hoped that a plan developed by this commission for these 12 counties shall become a model action plan for all similarly situated rural counties needing development of employment opportunities and improved quality of life.

NOW THEREFORE, based upon these considerations, and for other good and valid reasons which relate thereto, I, Bob Riley, Governor of the State of Alabama, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Alabama, do hereby create the Black Belt Action Commission, to be led by two Co-Chairs appointed by the Governor and comprised of members who serve at the pleasure and direction of the Governor.

BE IT ORDERED that the Executive Director of the Black Belt Action Commission shall be appointed by the Governor and shall be responsible for the administrative functions of the Commission. The Commission's responsibilities shall be:

1. To set comprehensive goals and specific objectives for improving the quality of life in Black Belt Alabama, including the creation of jobs with a pay scale above the minimum wage;

2. To recommend long-term and short-term plans of action and establish specific time-lines and measurable objectives for meeting these goals;

3. To assess the needs and conditions of the 12 Black Belt counties selected for this project, using prior studies, existing and newly developed data;

4. To identify and assess organizations, authorities, and entities already involved in various aspects of Black Belt improvement and development;

5. To assess the gaps in service between what is already being provided within the Black Belt region of Alabama and what is needed;

6. To work cooperatively with the wide range of organizations currently active, or to become active, in the Black Belt region of Alabama;

7. To serve as a clearinghouse of information and as a referral center on Black Belt problems, projects, programs, and policies; and

8. To develop better intergovernmental and private/public coordination and to seek out opportunities for new partnerships to achieve Black Belt development goals within and outside the existing structure.

BE IT FURTHER ORDERED that the Black Belt Action Commission shall operate through sub-committees focusing on specific needs of the region, as identified by the Co-Chairs. Sub-committee Chairs shall be appointed by the Governor in consultation with the Black Belt Commission Co-Chairs.

BE IT FURTHER ORDERED that the Co-Chairs and Sub-committee Chairs shall comprise the Black Belt Action Commission Executive Committee. The responsibility of this Executive Committee will be to provide leadership and unity to the work of the entire Commission.

BE IT FURTHER ORDERED the Black Belt Action Commission shall encourage its processes and activities to be a joint effort between local, state, and federal governments, as well the for-profit and non-profit private sectors. Its purpose being to foster coordinated approaches to Black Belt improvements and development that support local initiatives, not to usurp the individual mission of any of its member organizations or to duplicate efforts.

BE IT FURTHER ORDERED that the Black Belt Action Commission shall also consider the feasibility of creating and participating in an Alabama-Mississippi alliance to establish and carry out joint policies and programs in a corridor composed of Alabama's Black Belt and continuing across the Mississippi state line, to also include those portions of Mississippi that are similarly disadvantaged.

BE IT FURTHER ORDERED that this Executive Order shall become effective immediately upon its execution and shall remain in effect until amended or modified by the Governor.

DONE AND ORDERED this 14th day of August, 2004.

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Bob Riley
Governor

Attested:

__________________________________
Nancy L. Worley
Secretary of State