Executive Order 07-04

State of Montana
Office of the Governor

Executive Order Authorizing the Transfer of the Montana Cooperative Development Center from the Montana Department of Agriculture to the Montana Cooperative Development Center, Inc.

WHEREAS, the Montana Cooperative Development Center (MCDC) has been administered by Montana State University (MSU) through its MSU-Northern campus in Havre; and

WHEREAS, Montana=s agriculture organizations, USDA-Rural Development, and Montana State University concur that MCDC=s transfer to the Montana Department of Agriculture in Helena will enable continued service to the citizens of Montana through coordinated actions of all parties; and

WHEREAS, the MCDC has received biennial federal Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) funding awards in 2001 and 2002, an annual award through the Lake County Community Development Corporation in 2003, and pre-applications for renewal of these awards are planned for 2004; and

WHEREAS, state sources of funding appropriated for MCDC will transfer to the Department of Agriculture during the same period, as Senate Bill 115 statutorily appropriates funds to the center, which will provide necessary matching funds continuity for the MCDC; and

WHEREAS, the Montana Department of Agriculture and other interested parties advise that it is in the best interest to create the MCDC as a private non-profit corporation for the proper administration of MCDC programs.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JUDY MARTZ, Governor of the State of Montana, by virtue of the authority vested in me pursuant to the Constitution of the State of Montana, Title 2, Chapter 15, MCA, and under other applicable laws of the State of Montana, do hereby approve and direct the transfer of the Montana Cooperative Development Center from Montana Department of Agriculture to the Montana Cooperative Develoment Center, Inc. and do hereby approve and direct the Montana Department of Agriculture to enter into a contract with MCDC, Inc. to continue its operations and funding as provided by law.

This Order is effective April 1, 2004.