[00:00:15]
OKAY, READY? WHENEVER YOU ARE.
[I. Call to Order, 5:30 P.M.]
IT IS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16TH, 2021.AND THIS IS THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING FOR KEVIN.
AND JUST ANNOUNCING THAT THIS WILL BE OUR LAST MEETING.
WE WERE ACCEPTED IN ZOOM, UH, ONLINE CALLS.
UH, THERE IS A, UM, PARTNERS, UH, PLACE ON THE WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN LOOK TO SEE DO MEETINGS AND YOU CAN WATCH A MEETING, BUT NOT INTERACT IF YOU NEED TO INTERACT IN PERSON YOU'D HAVE TO ATTEND.
SO WOULD THAT, UM, DETERMINATION OF A QUORUM? YES, SIR.
[II. Determination of a Quorum]
MR. SMITH, MS. DIRIDON AND MR. SOLOED ARE ABSENT THAT YOU DO HAVE A FORM.I'M SECRETARY, UH, OPEN FOR A CITIZEN COMMENT.
[III. Citizen Comment]
THERE ARE NO PARTICIPANTS ON ZOOM.SO WE'LL CLOSE THIS AND COMMENT AND, UH, THERE MAY BE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE MINUTES AND MOTION TO
[IV. Approval of Minutes]
APPROVE.ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES? ALL IN FAVOR.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES PROVED A SCHEDULE MATTERS REPORT.
THERE'LL BE NO TREASURER'S REPORT TONIGHT AS WE DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO DISCUSS.
[A. Treasurer's Report: To be provided at the meeting]
SO MOVING ON TO BILLS AND THE EARN DOUG PAY.WE'LL GO RIGHT TO NEW BUSINESS UPDATE.
[B. New Business Update]
THAT'S GREAT.UM, SO WE HAVE, UM, 18 ACTIVE PROJECTS, UH, FOR NEW BUSINESS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING, UM, THAT IF WE WERE THE LAND, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE ACCOUNT FOR AT LEAST 13, UM, EXCUSE ME, 1,360 NEW JOBS, UM, OR $69.4 MILLION OF INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTY.
UM, IF YOU'LL NOTICE THOSE NUMBERS ARE ACTUALLY SUBSTANTIALLY DOWN FROM LAST MONTH, WE HAD ONE PROJECT GO INACTIVE ACTIVE, WHICH DECREASED OUR INVESTMENT BY 70 MILLION AND BY 284 JOBS.
UM, AND THE REASON THAT WE LOST OUT IN THAT PROJECT, UM, IS WE WERE NOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO 95 FOR A DISTRIBUTION CENTER.
AND THE COST OF LAND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY MORE IN GOOCHLAND THAN IT WAS IN THE OTHER LOCALITY, WHICH WE WERE NOT PRIVY TO KNOW.
SO, UM, I CAN NOT CHANGE OUR LOCALE OR LOCATION 2 95.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN HEARING A LOT OF.
SO THAT'S GOOD FOR US TO KNOW 2 95 AND 2 88 OR NOT.
UM, AND SO PART OF THAT, I'LL GET INTO THAT IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT, UM, THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION RIGHT NOW IS SUPER HIGH.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME IT'S BEEN THIS HIGH.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THAT AS WELL.
UM, SO AVAILABLE BUILDINGS WE HAVE ABOUT 62,000 SQUARE FEET ON THE MARKET.
UM, THAT'S UP A LITTLE BIT, CAUSE THE TWO BUILDINGS THAT WE HAD THAT WERE UNDER CONTRACT DIDN'T SELL, BUT THE BUYERS ACTUALLY PUT THEM ON THE MARKET FOR LEASE.
SO THEY DID SELL, BUT THEY ARE BACK ON THE MARKET FOR LEASE.
SO WE'RE PUSHING THOSE OUT OF THAT 62,037,000 OF THAT IS INDUSTRIAL SPACE.
UM, BUT ON THAT 60% OF THAT ISN'T MIDPOINT.
UM, AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT 37,000 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE, IT SOUNDS LIKE A, NOT A LOT, BUT IT'S ONLY ACTUALLY NINE SPACES OF INDUSTRIAL SPACE.
SO WHEN YOU KIND OF THINK OF THAT WORD, UM, THE OTHER 24,000 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE IS ACTUALLY
UM, AND THEN OVER, SINCE LAST TIME WE SAW YOU, SARAH AND I HAD ATTENDED THE CHAMBER GOLF TOURNAMENT AT THE HERMITAGE COUNTRY CLUB.
SO A COUPLE OF YOU THERE, UM, WE MADE SOME REALLY GOOD CONNECTIONS, WHICH WAS REALLY NICE AND WAS ABLE TO SUPPORT THE CHAMBER THROUGH THAT.
DID YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY? IT WAS BEAUTIFUL WEATHER, UM, GOLF.
WASN'T THAT GREAT FOR
SO THAT WENT OVER REALLY WELL.
THEY HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS, WHICH IS GOOD, AND THEN THEY WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO USE IT, UM, WHEN WE HAD SOME, UM, PLANNING
[00:05:01]
CASES THAT CAME AT THE 7:00 PM SESSION LATER THAT DAY WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT INDUSTRIAL SPACE.SO I THINK THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL FOR THEM TO HEAR IN TERMS OF US NOT HAVING A LOT OF INDUSTRIAL SPACE AVAILABLE.
AND THEN WE ALSO HOSTED VDP, WHICH IS THE, UM, STATE, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY.
THEY CAME IN AND WE TALKED THROUGH THE WEST CREEK CAMPUS SITES.
UM, AND THEN WE ACTUALLY GAVE THEM A TOUR OF THE SITES, DROVE THEM ALL AROUND, UM, AND KIND OF SHOWED THEM THAT.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT'LL GIVE THEM A BETTER IDEA OF, UM, WEST CREEK AND KIND OF ALL THE BENEFITS OF BEING THERE.
UM, AND THEN SARAH AND I HAD GOTTEN ON THEIR CALENDAR AND WE WILL BE GIVING THEM A PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF THEIR BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT TEAM TO REALLY RUN DOWN OUR TARGETED INDUSTRIES.
SO THEY KNOW WHAT WE'RE TARGETING AND THEN WE'LL PAIR THOSE AS WELL WITH OUR, UM, AVAILABLE BUILDINGS AND SITES SO THEY CAN SEE KIND OF HOW THEY, HOW THEY WELL TOGETHER.
SO, YOU KNOW, FOOD AND BEVERAGE, HERE'S WHERE WE'D LIKE TO SEE THEM CORPORATE SERVICES.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WESTERN AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY'RE UM, THEY WERE DOWNTOWN.
THEY'RE STILL REMOTE AT THIS MOMENT.
SO, AND THEY ARE, I BELIEVE REMOTE THROUGH LABOR DAY AT THIS POINT.
AND THEN I THINK THEY'RE, THIS IS THE OUTSIDE OF AN ACTUAL MEMBERSHIP WITH THEM.
UM, SO THEY'RE THE STATE, THEY'RE THE STATE WORKERS.
SO I THOUGHT AT ONE POINT IN TIME, THERE WAS SOME GROUP YOU WERE TRYING TO LOOK AT REGIONAL ORGANIZATION, SORRY.
THERE'S A LOT OF ACRONYMS. AND THEN THE LAST THING IS YESTERDAY, I SAT IN ON A, UM, CONSULTANTS VIRTUAL EVENT, WHICH WAS REALLY GOOD MOST OF THE TIME WE DON'T GET TO GO TO THESE VERY EXPENSIVE.
IT'S TYPICALLY ABOUT, UM, REGISTRATION.
ONE IS TYPICALLY ABOUT $2,000 FOR ONE DAY, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL TO ATLANTA, AUSTIN, CHICAGO, OR NEW YORK.
UM, BUT I GOT TO SIT ON FOUR DIFFERENT PANELS, WHICH WERE DISTRIBUTION CENTER, FOOD BEVERAGE E-COMMERCE AND MAYBE BACKSTORY.
UM, AND SO THESE ARE KIND OF THE MAIN TAKEAWAYS AND YOU'LL SEE HOW THEY REALLY APPLY TO US.
UM, IF YOU HAVE NO BUILDINGS, YOUR SITES HAVE GOT TO BE READY, INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE AND TO THE SITE, NOT JUST NEAR THE SITE, BUT ACTUALLY TO THE SITE READY TO GO.
UM, THE SITES NEED TO BE CLEARED AND GRADED, IF NOT PAD READY, THAT'S AN EXPECTATION.
UM, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, UM, THE SITES NEED TO BE PRETTY ZONED TO EVEN BE CONSIDERED IF NOT, THEY'RE BEING ELIMINATED REALLY EARLY ON.
UM, AND THIS, AND THIS IS THAT PIECE, PART OF THAT IS THE COST OF TRANSPORT.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT'S EVER BEEN OVER $3.
UM, SO THE CLOSER TO THE INTERSTATE IS BETTER.
UM, IF YOU HAVE EXTRA WATER AND SEWER CAPACITY, YOU NEED TO PUSH IT AND PUSH IT HARD.
A LOT OF THEM ARE AT THE BLANK OF WHAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE, ESPECIALLY CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, PLACES LIKE THAT.
SO IF YOU CAN PUSH THAT AND PUSH IT HARD AND YOU CAN, UM, USE THAT AS A RECRUITMENT TOOL, YOU'LL WANT TO CHECK AND, UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THEY TALKED ABOUT IS A LOT OF THESE SITE LOCATION CONSULTANTS BEFORE THEY'RE EVEN LOOKING AT DIRT IS THEY'RE CHECKING LABOR FORCE.
THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE SITE BECAUSE IF THEY CAN'T GET THE WORKERS, IT'S NOT GONNA MATTER.
UM, AND THEN INCENTIVES IS A BIG CONCERN RIGHT NOW BECAUSE A LOT OF THE, UM, JOBS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY'RE NOT HITTING THRESHOLDS OF JOBS BECAUSE THERE'S ROBOTICS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY'RE HIGHER PAYING JOBS, BUT THEY'RE NOT HITTING THE 500,000 JOBS THERE, YOU KNOW, AND IF THEY ARE THEY'RE LOWER PAYING JOBS.
SO IT'S KIND OF ONE OF THOSE, THE SCALES AREN'T EVEN RUNNING OUT FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO MEET THOSE.
NOW, IF YOU HAVE AN AMAZON LOCATED IN YOUR AREA, THAT'S ACTUALLY BEING VIEWED AS A NEGATIVE.
UM, A LOT OF THESE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES, IT'S COMPETITION FOR WORKFORCE BECAUSE AMAZON'S MINIMUM WAGE RIGHT NOW IS 17 AN HOUR.
AND SO THEY CAN'T COMPETE TO GET THAT TALENT.
AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO TO WORK FOR AMAZON TO HAVE THAT ON THEIR RESUME AND THE PAIN.
SO ALL OF A SUDDEN, JOE SCHMO HAS A SMALLER DISTRIBUTION CENTER OR CRAFT BEVERAGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT NOW HAS TO PAY 17 AN HOUR FOR A WORKER WHO MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE WORTH 17 AN HOUR, OR THEY'RE GOING TO LEAVE TO GO NAMELESS.
WHERE IS THE CLOSEST AMAZON DISTRIBUTION CENTER? UH, YEAH, ASHLAND HANOVER HAS ONE.
[00:10:01]
LET'S GO BACK TO OUR, UM, THE VIRGINIA TECH STUDY THAT WAS DONE.A LOT OF THIS TIES TO KIND OF RIGHT DOWN TO SOME OF THAT AND ONE OF THEIR BIG TAKEAWAYS AND IMPROVEMENTS WAS KIND OF THAT WORKFORCE.
AND I HAD A MEETING WITH THE SCHOOLS LAST WEEK TO KIND OF TIE INTO WORKING WITH THEM TO TALK ABOUT MORE WORKFORCE AND YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE DO THAT? HOW, AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT GOING FURTHER BACK BECAUSE THEY START REALLY EIGHTH GRADE IS THE EARLIEST THAT THEY START, BUT THEY'RE REALLY TRYING TO START EVEN EARLIER THAN THAT, TO KIND OF CREATE THAT PIPELINE AND GET MIDDLE SCHOOLERS INTO SOME OF THESE CAREERS AND FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT EARLY ON, THEY WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THEM.
SO I GOT TO DO SOME RESEARCH BECAUSE THEY MENTIONED THAT KENTUCKY HAS AN AMAZING PROGRAM.
THEY HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED CRADLE TO CAREER.
I WAS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF I
THERE WAS A PERMIT WHEN I WAS 14 AND A HALF.
BUT, UM, BUT IT WAS A REALLY GOOD TAKEAWAY.
UH, WHATEVER THE 95 EQUALS 9 95 AND THEN THE PRICE OF THE LAND.
HOW, WHAT, WHAT'S THE BIGGER DEAL THEN? THE PRICE OF THE LAND? UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT I WOULD HAVE TO COUNT THAT IT'S PROBABLY THE TOUGH PROJECT WE'VE LOST BECAUSE OF THAT.
AND THEN I, 95, PROBABLY THE THIRD OR FOURTH PROJECT.
SO THOSE ARE, IF YOU, IF YOU SAID THOSE ARE THE TOP REASONS THAT WE LOST PRODUCTS THIS YEAR, AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LAND AVAILABLE, THAT THINGS ARE PRICED COMPETITIVELY.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE COST OF THE LAND THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT WERE THREE TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE COMPETITIVELY.
SO IT'S A DISTRIBUTION CENTER.
IS THAT THE, IS THIS A SPIDER-MAN ISSUE OR IS IT JUST PEOPLE WANTING TO TOP IT UP OPTIONS? UM, IT'S, IT'S ALSO, IT'S AN INDUSTRIAL ZONE LAMBS.
SO TYPICALLY INDUSTRIAL LAND GOES CHEAPER, NOT TYPICALLY IN VIGILANT, ESPECIALLY ON THE EAST END OF THE COUNTY.
UM, IT JUST TYPICALLY DOES NOT IN OUR COUNTY.
SO, AND RIGHT NOW YOU LOOK AT THE COST TO BUILD ANYTHING IT'S EXTREMELY HIGH.
AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR CHEAP LAND BECAUSE THEIR, THEIR OTHER COSTS ARE SO HIGH, SO COSTS EVERYWHERE, A HIGH BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND SHORTAGE OF THINGS.
WE GET THAT, BUT ISN'T THAT EQUAL ACROSS MOST COUNTIES WON'T THEY HAVE THE SAME SORTS OF ISSUES OTHER THAN THE LAND, MAYBE BEING A LITTLE CHEAPER.
IT'S JUST THE LAND IS WHAT IS OFFSETTING THAT.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRIVATE SELLERS.
SO PRIVATE SELLERS OR POTENTIALLY THE OTHER LAND COULD BE HELD BY THE GOVERNMENT ENTITY AND THAT COULD BE A DEAL OR AN INCENTIVE IS THAT LAND COST
[C. Existing Business Update]
UM, I HAVE HAD SEVEN VRA VISITS SINCE OUR LAST MEETING.AND THEN, UH, VERY BUSY ON THAT 39 BUSINESS TOUCHES IN THE LAST MONTH, 26 OF THOSE WERE IN DEPTH TOUCHES 13 OR MORE LIKE GENERAL TOUCHES.
UM, I WAS ABLE TO SEND OUT SOME PROPERTY, WENT ON THE MARKET AND I WAS ABLE TO GET THAT OUT TO AT LEAST THREE OF THE PROJECTS TO MATCHED.
UM, ONE OF THEM WAS TWO OF THEM WERE INTERESTED IN ONE OF THEM WAS MORE INTERESTED IN THE OTHER.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL LAND OR NOT.
IT MIGHT GO BACK TO THE, THE COST OF PLAY.
I MEAN, UM, SO WE'LL, WE'LL SAY HOPEFULLY WE CAN, WE CAN GET THAT ROLLING.
UM, I DID IT BACK IN DAY, MAILED OUT 1200 LETTERS TO EXISTING BUSINESSES.
UM, I HAVEN'T HAD A GREAT RESPONSE BACK.
I'VE ONLY RECEIVED CARDS BACK SO FAR AND, UM, HAVE SIX VISITS LINED UP FROM THOSE 14 CARS.
SO I RESPONDED BACK OUT TO THOSE 14 PEOPLE,
[00:15:01]
UM, AND HAVE SIX VISITS, UM, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS BASED ON THAT THE AGRICULTURE PRODUCERS AND AGRA BUSINESSES.UM, WE HAVE SIX MEETINGS SET UP SO FAR.
I'VE ACTUALLY VISITED FOUR IN THE LAST TWO DAYS, UM, WHICH IS WHY I'M DRESSED A LITTLE DOWN.
WE WERE OUT TRAVELING ALONG FIELDS TODAY.
UM, THE COMMON THEME WITH THEM, UM, AND WITH MOST BUSINESSES I'M TALKING TO IS LABOR SHORTAGE.
UM, CAN'T FIND PEOPLE TO WORK.
CAN'T FIND PEOPLE WHO WILL WORK, UH, FOR, UM, THE COSTS THAT THE BUSINESSES CAN PAY THEM.
UM, FOR AGRICULTURE IN PARTICULAR, IT'S DIFFICULT DURING HARVESTING TIME.
THEY NEED A LOT OF PEOPLE FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
UM, AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, THEY, THAT IS A COMMON THING THAT ALL FOUR THAT I'VE MET WITH SO FAR HAVE SAID THAT THAT'S A PROBLEM.
UM, ALSO SOME RULES FOR AGRIBUSINESSES MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT AT THE STATE LEVEL TO GET THINGS DONE.
FOR EXAMPLE, UH, REQUIRING COMMERCIAL SEPTIC SYSTEMS FOR WINERY TASTING ROOMS. LIKE IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT THAT BIG OF A USE.
UM, AND THERE'S JUST NO FLEXIBILITY THERE.
SO IT'S EITHER YOU'RE EITHER A OR YOUR B AND B'S RUIN EXPENSIVE.
UM, SO THE COUNTY FROM A COUNTY LEVEL, I THINK WE'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF BEING FLEXIBLE WITH OUR AGRIBUSINESS, UM, ORDINANCES AND ALLOWING FOR RULE PRDS AND EXEMPTIONS OF CERTAIN TYPES OF BUILDING PERMITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT, UM, IT HAS NOT TRANSLATED OVER TO CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE STATE.
SO, UM, WE'RE GOING TO BE TRYING TO MAYBE BRING THAT FORWARD IN SOME CAPACITY.
UM, AND THEN THERE WAS A NEW GRANT PROGRAM PUT OUT THIS WEEK FROM THE STATE IT'S CALLED RETURN TO EARN.
SO IT'S THE STATE'S WAY OF TRYING TO GET PEOPLE BACK TO WORK IN OFF OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT HINTED ON EMPLOYMENT.
UH, THE STATE WILL MATCH UP TO $500 AND CASH INCENTIVES TO NEW HIRES FROM ELIGIBLE BUSINESSES.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, AN ELIGIBLE BUSINESS, HEY, IS AN EMPLOYEE SAY UP TO $500 FINE, AND A SIGNING BONUS, AND IT CAN BE PAID IMMEDIATELY, OR IT COULD BE PAID OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND THEN THE STATE WILL MATCH THAT.
SO THE NEW WORKER CAN GET UP TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, COMING BACK TO WORK OR COMING INTO THE WORKFORCE.
UM, AND, AND IT ACTUALLY COUNTS EVEN IF THEY CHANGED JOBS.
SO IF THEY WERE AT A JOB WHEN THEY CHANGED JOBS AND THIS NEW JOB IS OFFERING A BONUS, THEY'LL STILL GET IT.
HOW LONG DID THEY HAVE TO STAY AT THAT JOB TOO REZA? RIGHT NOW? THERE'S NO IT'S COMPLETELY UP TO THE BUSINESS.
SO THE BUSINESS CAN, CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT.
IF YOU GIVE HIM THE $500 AND THEN THEY CAN WAIT TWO WEEKS, I BUSINESSES UP $500.
UM, AND THE PAY MUST BE AT LEAST $15 AN HOUR.
THAT'S THE OTHER KIND OF HABITAT IS THE BUSINESS.
WHEN THEY HIRE A NEW WORKER, THEY HAVE TO BE PAYING THEM AT LEAST $15 AN HOUR.
AND IT HAS TO BE A SMALL BUSINESS, A HUNDRED EMPLOYEES OR LESS IS WHAT, UM, THE STATE HAS KIND OF PUT ON THERE.
SO ANYBODY HIRED AFTER MAY 31ST.
SO I'LL PUT THAT INFORMATION OUT TO OUR BUSINESSES.
UM, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T SEE A LOT OF THEM DOING HIRING BONUSES, BUT, UM, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET AT SOME OF THE WORKERS WHO HAVE CHILDCARE ISSUES, UM, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO HERE'S A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO HELP YOU GET TO WORK, PAY FOR THAT CHILDCARE OR PAY FOR THE TRANSPORTATION THAT YOU NEED, THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, SO THAT IS THE, ALL THE UPDATES THAT I HAVE FOR THE LAST MONTH.
[VI. Other Business]
SO WE DID, WE FINISHED OUR VIDEO, SO WE WANTED TO START TO BRING THAT UP AND SHOW YOU GUYSI HAVEN'T BEEN TO ALL 50 STATES AND WHEN MY WIFE AND I DECIDED TO BE OKAY, WE DECIDED TO FIND THE BEST PLACE ON OURS.
AND WE JUST SEND A WISER TO KENNEDY.
IF THAT PLACE IT HAS ALL FOUR SEASONS, BUT NONE OF THEM ARE VERY EXTREME.
IT HAS A LOW COST OF LIVING AREA IS BEAUTIFUL THAT PEOPLE ARE GREAT.
[00:20:02]
IF YOU WANT TO LIVE IN AN AREA THAT HAS A TOUCH OF COUNTRY, BUT IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO CHARLOTTESVILLE, RICHMOND TO GET THAT SORT OF TASTE OF THE CITY AS WELL.GLUTEN IS A BIT CLOSE TO HERE.
THERE WAS A PLANNING TEAM THAT GOT TOGETHER AND LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF SITES AROUND THE RICHMOND AREA.
IT REALLY SETTLED ON UNUSUALLY COUNTED BECAUSE IT IS VERY HAPPY TO
THE LAST FIVE YEARS GOOSSEN HAS SEEN OVER A QUARTER, A BILLION DOLLARS OF NEW COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT.
WHEN I TALK TO THE BUSINESS LEADERS, THE CEOS OF DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, WHAT THEY TELL ME MOST OFTEN IS LOOKING FOR A LOW COST BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT.
WE'VE RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS FOR OUR EXCELLENT SCHOOLS, AND ONE OF THE BEST IN THE STATE, WE'VE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF AWARDS FOR FINANCIAL STABILITY AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU'VE GOT AAA CREDIT RATING FOR THE COUNTY.
WE'VE ALSO SEEN NUMEROUS OF ORANGES WHERE THE BEST PLACES FOR BUSINESSES TO LOCATE.
I THINK IT'S A VISIONARY LEADERSHIP.
I'LL BE HALF OF SHELTER TO SEE THE FACT THAT HE CHOSE COUNTY WAS VERY MUCH ALIVE.
FIVE YEARS LATER, WENT OUT OPEN PARTNERS, RESTAURANTS AND TELLS OTHER HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS THAT HAVE CREATED VERY STRONG FLORENCE.
WE'VE RECEIVED GREAT SUPPORT FROM HOUSTON COUNTY FROM THE SECTION.
AND WE FOUND THAT IN WORKING WITH THEM, IF YOU ARE EARNEST AND HONEST IN WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, AND THEY WILL HELP YOU GET TO YOU.
AND ANOTHER GREAT REASON TO LIVE AND WORK AND BRING BUSINESS TO COUNTY IS WE ARE VERY CONVENIENT.
ALL THEIR MAJOR INTERSTATE ARTERIES.
YOU CAN GET TO RICHARD SOUTH, YOU NEED TO CHARLOTTESVILLE AND WASHINGTON DC, AND WE'VE GOT ABOUT A 40 MILE FRONTAGE OF MAJESTIC JAMES RIVER.
WE'VE GOT NUMEROUS TRAILS AND PARKS FOR CHILDREN TO PLAY AND ENJOY.
I REALLY ENJOY OPERATING SHELTERING ARMS INSTITUTE IT'S BECAUSE FOR ANY OUTSIDE FORCES OR TECHNOLOGY, BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE ALL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY, THE DISTRICT STARTS AS ACROSS THE CONTINUUM OF HEALTHCARE.
THE CULTURE HERE FOR CRACK COVERAGES IS BLOWING UP.
IT'S A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN CRAFT BREWERIES, CIDERIES, DISTILLERIES, ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO SORT OF, UH, THIS AREA, A GREAT GROUP OF FOLKS.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST GOING TO CONTINUE.
WE, WE ARE VERY LUCKY HERE IN GOOCHLAND BECAUSE EACH ONE HIGH SCHOOL WAS ONE OF THE FEW SCHOOLS THAT OFFERS A CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.
WE ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT PROGRAM AND HAVE BEEN UTILIZING THAT PROGRAM FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE SEVERAL OF THOSE STUDENTS AFTER GRADUATION.
FULL-TIME NOW EVERYTHING FROM HIGH QUALITY SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO INCREDIBLE HEALTH CARE SERVICES.
REALLY, YOU CAN GET EVERYTHING YOU NEED ENGLISH
THEN THE LATIN ARRIVED TO INDUSTRY SERVICES, AND WE OFTEN JUST CAN.
NO REASON WE'RE HEARING THE USUAL AND TODAY, IF YOU THINK WE HAVE FAMILY AND OUR KIDS ARE NOW OLD ENOUGH AND THEY'RE IN THE BUSINESS AND WE'RE HAVING GRANDCHILDREN.
SO WE'RE EXTENDING THE BUSINESS INTO THE NEXT GENERATION.
AND WE'RE BRINGING OUR FAMILY CARE GRANDCHILDREN INTERVIEWS BECAUSE WE WANT TO STAY.
REALLY IT'S A LABOR, HOW MUCH GOES INTO LIKE MAYBE 10 MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS TO TWO, TWO DAYS, TWO DAYS, TWO, EIGHT HOUR DAYS, PLUS NUMEROUS GIRAFFES EMAILS, PHONE CALLS AND IT'S.
UM, AND THEN, UM, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE.
UH, BONNIE PRECEDED, THE CHAMBER HAS HER TRAINING SCHEDULE.
I KNOW THAT, UM, LAST MONTH YOU HAD ASKED TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE WAS GETTING THAT VIRTUAL TRAINING, THAT YOU ALL HAD THE MONEY FOR IT.
AND THAT SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 22ND IS HER FIRST, UM, DATE TO MEET WITH THE LADY TO US TRACK THE TRAINING.
UM, AND THEN MR.
[00:25:01]
RIBBON CUTTING.THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO HAVE A GROUNDBREAKING OR SHOVEL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, THE GOVERNOR WILL BE THERE.
THEN YOU'RE DOING THE VERY, VERY, VERY SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE FACILITY.
AND, UM, TRYING TO KEEP IT KNOW LIKE, UM, JUST VERY SMALL BECAUSE OF THEIR FACILITY.
AND THEN THEY CAN'T ACTUALLY HAVE ANYONE INSIDE OF GREENHOUSE.
SO THEY'RE GONNA ASK, THEY'RE GONNA ALLOW THE GOVERNOR AND MAYBE ONE CAMERA INSIDE THE HYDROPONIC FACILITY, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, NO ONE HAS ACTUALLY ALLOWED IN THE GROWING AREA BECAUSE, UM, SO
AND THEN, UM, THE, GO AHEAD AND MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE AUGUST MEETING, WE WILL NOT BE HAVING ONE, UM, SARAH AND I WILL BE ATTENDING A CONFERENCE AND WE WILL BE COMING BACK THAT DAY.
UM, AND SO WE WILL, IF WE CAME BACK, WE'D BE COMING BACK ON LIKE A WHEEL.
UM, AND THAT IS EVERYTHING THAT THE FUTURE SCHOOLS, OH YEAH.
THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING WITH THE SCHOOLS.
UM, I'M HOPEFULLY GONNA GET OVER THERE AND THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO TO GO MEET WITH MR. METZKER.
UM, BUT I MET WITH BRUCE FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
HE SAID THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING ON PROGRAMS AND THE KIDS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO THEY ARE ALREADY CREATING A CURRICULUM AND EVERYTHING TO GET MULTIPLE FACETS OF THE CTE PROGRAM INVOLVED.
SO WHEN ARE THEY SCHEDULED TO BEGIN? AUGUST 31ST.
UM, THEY'RE HOPING TO BE DONE CONSTRUCTION THOUGH.
BEFORE THAT THEY'RE PLANNING TO HAVE SEEDS GROWING AT THE
SO TWO MONTHS WE'LL SAY MOTION CAMERA ON THEIR, UM, ON THEIR WEBSITE.
AND I MEAN, IT'S GOING QUICK, BUT THAT'S ALL I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS PITFALLS DISCUSS? OKAY.
WE DON'T WELL WITH THAT AND WE CAN ADJOURN THE MEETING ALL IN FAVOR.
[VIII. Adjournment: Next Regular Meeting of the Authority is July 15, 2021]
THANK YOU.IT'S STILL, IT'S STILL LOADED WITH INFORMATION.