Economic development often is the engine that spurs communities forward as it provides new job opportunities and contributes to the tax base. Sometimes, though, a community needs to have a little “skin in the game” to attract new businesses.
On the campus of the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park is one such example of the kind of investment that prospective industries are looking for – a shell building. There was an offer on the table almost as soon as it was finished. Unfortunately, that deal fell through at the last minute.
But Dan Brummitt, president of the HVIP board, announced on Wednesday’s TownTalk that there’s a new contract on the table. It’s just the sort of activity that local leaders are hoping for as the city and county continue to work together.
“There’s been a lot of activity on that building, and in the industrial park,” Brummitt said, adding that he sees more opportunities for growth in that area. If all goes according to plan, the new owner – yet unnamed – will close in the next few months.
It takes a strong city-county collaboration and partnerships among other agencies to attract and grow business and industry.
Brummitt said he would like to see more private investors stepping in to have a positive impact on growth. “There are people out there that want to be a part of growth in Vance County,” he said.
A private entity can raise enough money to do a job, Brummitt said, but the city and the county have to be involved when the talk is about making sure the infrastructure is in place.
“If the city and county are not involved, that would somewhat limit it,” he said of economic development.
There are a variety of community partners that help to create a strong network of cooperation, and one of those partners is the Economic Development Commission.
Its original iteration goes back to the 1970’s and in the early ‘80’s, it became an official city-county joint effort, Brummitt said, with the county handling the land part and the city bringing in the water/sewer component.
At that time, the role of director was a 50-50 funding split. In 2009, however, Brummitt said the EDC was “rebooted” and that funding split changed to a 75-25 split, with the county taking the larger responsibility.
As of 2011, the county agreed to fund 100 percent of the position. The city appoints three members to the board and the county appoints six members.
The EDC, with its director leading the efforts, is focused on business retention and expansion, Brummitt said.
Current EDC Director McKinley Perkinson announced her resignation recently and Brummitt said County Manager C. Renee Perry has the job of finding Perkinson’s successor.
That being said, the EDC director works with the 9-member EDC board, but generally reports to the county manager.
Brummitt said the EDC director also “obviously would work with the board” on any projects as well as keeping the EDC board updated on potential new businesses coming to the area. A lot of the job involves recruitment of new business, but the EDC director also needs to know the county’s assets.
Having a good working relationship with a cross-section of business and local leaders, as well as the boards is key to working together to accomplish the common goal that is economic development, Brummitt said.
Plus, “that makes for a healthy EDC,” he added.
“I think we’re in a really positive place,” Brummitt said. As the county continues its search for a new EDC director, he said “there’s a whole lot of activity in Vance County right now.”
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