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IT'S FIVE 30 ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH.
AND THIS IS THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF GRUESOME CATHERINE.
WE HAVE A DETERMINATION OF A QUORUM, MR. PITT DECK, MS. STARED IT.
MR. COLLIER, MR. SLOAN, MR. SMITH IS ABSENT.
YOU DO HAVE A FORM, UM, CITIZEN COMMENT, CITIZEN COMMENT, APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING, MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE FOR APPROVAL THE LAST MINUTE AND THE LAST MEETING.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT THE LAST MONTH.
I DECIDED I DID NOT SIGN THE CHECK FOR THE, UH, CHRISTIAN MARTIN, BOTH.
UH, PRESENTATION BY DOING SOME DAY, SOME DAY.
SO WE'VE GOT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL DUES AT $2,500 AND THEN THREE INCENTIVE PAVEMENTS.
SO THESE ARE THE PASTORED PAYMENTS.
THE COUNTY HAS AUDIT, DEPOSITED THE FUNDS INTO YOUR ACCOUNT, AND WE WOULD JUST NEED TO THEN CUT THE CHECK OUT TO THE, UM, THE BUSINESSES.
UM, SO NOT HOTELS HARDYWOOD AND CAPITAL ONE.
UM, IF WE PAY THE BILLS THAT YOU JUST REFERRED TO.
SO WE'RE GOING TO PAY, UH, INCENTIVES FOR HOTEL HARDYWOOD AND CAPITAL ONE.
AND WE CHECK WHEN YOU HAVE TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR PUTTING 25 OTHER ANNUAL DUES.
PRESENTATION OF GOOCHLAND FOUNDATION.
LET'S SEE IF HE CAN JUST, JUST BE ABLE TO COPY AND THEN HIT THIS ONE.
THEN THAT MEANS I PROBABLY GOT IT.
LET ME GO MOVE IT INTO THE FOLDER.
I KNOW ELIZABETH SAID THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION TO, OR OCTOBER.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE THAT? UM, OH SARAH? YES, YES, YES.
SHE HAD SARAH INCLUDED THAT I INCLUDED THE ONE FROM LAST YEAR.
THIS ONE WAS UPDATED A LITTLE BIT.
YEAH, YOU CAN JUST TELL ME NEXT SLIDE WHEN THEY WENT UP.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING A CURIOUS DAY RESONANT VOLUNTEER DUTIES.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR TAKING THE TIME
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OUT.UM, SO OUR GOALS ARE SIMILAR TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, GOALS WITH, WE WANT TO INCREASE THE TOURISM RETENTION AND FEEDING OF THE BUSINESSES.
UM, AND THAT JONES WHO OPENED UP SIX PENCE RECENTLY IS OUR VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FRUITFUL DAY.
AND SHE ALSO MANAGES KIND OF SINGLE-HANDEDLY.
SO SHE'S, UM, SHE'S A POWERHOUSE, UM, BUT SHE'S NOT ABLE TO BE HERE A YEAR.
SHE COULD HAVE JUST TALKED OVER, UM, BUT SHE'S MANAGING THE BUSINESS.
UM, SO SHE IS ONE OF THE NEWER BUSINESSES THAT YOU GUYS WERE PRESENTING THE OTHER DAY, UM, TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, WE JUST APPRECIATE YOU HAVING US GOING FORWARD.
SO THESE TALLER PICTURES ARE FROM THE LAST YEAR, TILL DAY THAT WE CAN PUT IT IN HERE.
UM, SO WE'RE A LITTLE BIT BLURRY, BUT THE PRAISE STATISTIC ON THE COUPLE MORE SLIDES AHEAD, UM, THAT WAS OUR PARADE COMING DOWN THE COURT.
I THINK EVERYBODY CAN SAY I GOT TEAR YET, BUT THEY GET OUT WAS JUST THE EMOTIONS BUILDING UP TO IT.
UM, BUT SO OUR PRAISE STATISTICS, UM, WE HAVE 1400 DIRECTORS NOW.
UM, ATTENDANCE WAS, THEY SAY ATTENDANCE WAS THREE TO 5,000.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY REALLY GET ACCOUNT, BUT WE DID HAVE A CLICKER.
AND OUR CLICKER WAS ABOUT 3000.
UM, JUST DURING THE PARADE ITSELF, WE HAVE ONE, ONE VOLUNTEER THAT WAS A BED AND WE HAD OFFICERS ONSITE.
THERE WERE FIVE, THE PARADE WAS 1.6 MILES.
UM, AND SO THERE WERE SOCIAL MEDIA AND, UM, IF YOU CAN SEE ALL AMERICAN INTEREST GOING TO THE NEXT PAGE, THE FESTIVAL STATISTICS, UM, THERE WAS ABOUT 8,000 IN ATTENDANCE FOR THAT, THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE FIRE RESCUE KIND OF WORK TOGETHER TO QUOTE, UM, OR WHETHER IT WAS 20,000.
UM, WE HAD 19 SPONSORS IN KIND AND IN MONETARILY SPEAKING, UM, WE HAD ALL THREE OFFICERS CAUSE WE DROVE DOWN FROM THREE TO FIVE TO THREE VOLUNTEERS.
WE ACTUALLY HAD A 45 VOLUNTEERS THAT DAY, WHICH WAS SURPRISING TO ME BECAUSE THE DAY JUST GETS HERE AND PEOPLE SHOW UP TO HELP WHEN YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THEY WERE GOING TO SHOW UP TO HELP, UM, UM, FOR THE PREVIOUS 3000 PEOPLE, BUT YOU HAD FIVE OFFICERS, YOU HOMELESS, TRIPLE YOUR ATTENDANCE FOR THE FESTIVAL, BUT DOCS TWO OFFICERS.
SO THE REASON YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THAT THE REASON OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR IS 25,025,000.
UM, BECAUSE WE NEED 14 OFFICERS FOR THE PARADE ITSELF BECAUSE LAST YEAR AND I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF.
BUT, UM, LAST YEAR THEY WANTED A BIGGER PARADE.
OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THEM, SOME OF THE BUSINESSES, UM, WERE UPSET THAT WE DIDN'T PASS BY THERE.
AND WE WERE THINKING THE OPPOSITE.
WE WERE THINKING THAT PEOPLE WERE GOING TO BE UPSET BECAUSE WE WEREN'T BLOCKING IT.
SO EVEN WHEN YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PLEASE SOMEBODY, YOU STILL COME, BUT, UH, WE HAD MEAL TRUCKS, WE HAD SEVEN FOOD TRUCKS OR SEVEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAD LIKE, UM, UH, VENDORS OF POPCORN, LEMONADE, UM, THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
SO THIS YEAR WE'RE RAISING THAT UP.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE ON LIKE 14 OR SO, UM, IN THIS PRESENTATION AND DO NOT HAVE ALL OF THE NUMBERS FOR THIS YEAR, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE ONLY LESS THAN THREE MONTHS AWAY, IT'S STILL UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND WE'RE STILL GETTING CONTRACTS SIGNED.
UM, BUT CAN GO AHEAD AND PUT THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE, THEY WANTED A LONGER PARADE.
THEY WANTED AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION WITH MORE MUSIC, UM, AND THEY WANTED MORE BEER OR MORE FOOD OR KIDS GAMES OR SHADE TENTS.
I KNOW I HAD A BURNT FOREHEAD AND I HAD TO WEAR A HAT FROM PLANNING THE DAY BEFORE AND SETTING UP TABLES, UM, PAID FOR COOLERS.
UM, SO THESE ARE ALL SUGGESTIONS.
THE GREEN ARE KIND OF WHAT WE WENT THROUGH.
WE ARE UNDER A MOU OR WE ARE TRYING TO ESTABLISH YOU WITH THE COUNTY NOW.
UM, JUST FOR MODERN MONETARILY SPEAKING.
BUT MORE SO, JUST THE HELP BEFORE, LIKE, UM, JUST THINGS THAT WE DON'T KNOW, LIKE THEY DIDN'T HAD A TRASH AND A TRASH DUMPSTER ON SITE AND WE DIDN'T REALIZE WE COULD USE THAT.
AND THE SPRING BILLER, THE SPRINKLER WENT OFF ABOUT SIX TIMES BEFORE THEY DID ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
UM, AND THE CRANE WAS GOING ON, SO VENDORS WERE SENDING UP AND EVEN ONE OF THEM WAS, UM, A BLIND VENDOR.
UNFORTUNATELY THE CHRISTMAS MOTHER GOT THEIR STUFF.
THEY'RE HAND PAINTED ORNAMENTS ANYWAY.
SO JUST, JUST IF SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN, I THINK IT HAPPENED THAT DAY.
UM, BUT WE, WE SURVIVED AND EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW,
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EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD.SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WERE TAKEN AWAY.
WE ARE DOING, GOING TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF A NEW VENDOR STRATEGY, UM, OF HOW THE DAY WILL GO AND HOW IT WILL SET UP MOVING FORWARD.
UM, YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE WERE USING, UM, THE TOP FIELD, TOP BASEBALL, FOOTBALL FIELD, THE BOTTOM FIELD, UM, THE NAPA PARKING LOT, UM, EVERYTHING THIS YEAR WHEN YOU'RE PLANNING TO HAVE A CAR SHOW, UM, WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE SHUTTING DOWN 5 22 RIGHT THERE AT THE, AT THE LAST KIND OF ENTRANCE TO PARKING WILL ACTUALLY THE WHOLE ENTIRE FARM FROM THE, UM, FROM THE STOP SIGN TO, UM, FAIRGROUNDS IS GOING TO BE SHUT DOWN.
BUT THEN THAT WHOLE FRONT PARKING LOT OF THE, UM, ADMIN BUILDING IS GOING TO BE ADA PARKING.
UM, SO THAT SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THAT, BUT THEN ALLOW PEOPLE TO GET FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THOSE STEPS ARE CRUCIAL WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO GET FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM.
UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WE, THIS IS ALL OF OUR SPONSORS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, KENNY BEING A HISTORICAL SPONSOR.
AND THEN, UM, WE ALSO BLUE RIDGE WAS GOING TO BUILD US SOME FANS STAND FOR THE PARADE, BUT WE DECIDED TO GO WITH JUST A FARM TRAILER TO TRACK THEM.
AND INSTEAD OF ON THAT, EACH AND H IS ONE OF OUR BIG SPONSORS.
THEY'RE EVEN GOING TO SPONSOR SOME OTHER DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, THIS IS ANOTHER MAP VIEW OF FUTURE ONE DAY, AND THIS IS THE PERSON THAT EMAILED THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UM, ABOUT JUST ENJOY THE PARADE AND THE FESTIVAL ITSELF.
HOW MANY VENDORS WE HAD, WE HAD OVER A HUNDRED VENDORS.
UM, THIS IS VERY ROUGH DRAFT OF OUR ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE.
WE HAVE PETTING ZOO AT THE CAR SHOW.
WE HAVE, UM, PONY RIDES WE'RE EVEN GOING TO HAVE, WHICH IS MY FAVORITE, WHICH I'VE WORKED THREE YEARS TO GET IN AND PLAY, BUT I'M DYING.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL REMEMBER THE HISTORICAL GOOCHLAND DAY, BUT, UM, YOU WOULD TAKE WAX AND IT WOULD MAKE TWO CANDLES, BUT SHE WOULD HOLD IT IN THE MIDDLE.
AND THEN YOU WOULD GO UP AND DOWN THE HILL DIPPING YOUR WICK AND THE WAX.
SO YOU WOULD ULTIMATELY BUILD TWO PILLOWS, UM, TO TAKE THE CANDLES.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO RECREATE A LITTLE BIT SIMPLER VERSION.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH ART AND MAKING THE THEY'RE JUST GOING TO DIVE INTO COLOR, BUT, UM, WE MAY GET TRACED NIXON JUST SAYING AGAIN, UM, THAT'S A PRETTY CHEAP AND GREAT ENTERTAINER AND THE HERPETOLOGY REPTILIAN EDUCATION.
SO THEY'RE PRETTY NEW TO GOOCHLAND.
I THINK THEY WERE TRYING TO GET A VENUE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS KNOW ABOUT THEM.
UM, THE ORIGINAL HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ BAND IS GOING TO BE PERFORMING AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING NEW OF GOOCHLAND GAMES WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UM, A TEAM COMPETING IN RACING ON OBSTACLES, UM, WITH THE GRANDDAD AS THEIR PRIZE.
SO FINANCIALS, THIS IS THE BUDGET THAT YOU PROBABLY HAVE SEEN BEFORE.
UM, IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT EDITED.
UM, OUR BUDGET WAS 22 TO 24,000 FOR 2021.
THIS IS MORE, UM, ELIZABETH DEAL, BUT, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS IN KIND THERE'S T-SHIRTS THERE'S DONATION, UM, EVENT, RIGHT? WHEREVER THERE'S 50, 50 RAFFLES.
SO THE, THAT KIND OF SAVED US AT THE END OF GOOGLE DAY SO THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO ACTUALLY COME OUT OF POCKET TO PAY FOR THIS FESTIVAL.
CAUSE SOME OF THOSE T-SHIRTS THAT YOU HAD MADE THAT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T REALLY SELL ALL THAT MANY.
WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO USE THAT AS AGAIN.
YEAH, I THINK IN THAT IS SELLING SOME OF THEM IN OUR SHOP, UM, AND THE PROCEEDS GO TO THE FOUNDATION AND YES, HE DIDN'T PRINT ALL OF THEM.
SO WE DO HAVE THE WHITE SHIRTS LEFTOVER.
SO IF WE DO COME UP WITH ANOTHER DESIGN.
UM, BUT CAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE TIED TO IT AND, UM, STRAFFORD IS, IS GREAT AT DESIGN AND PRINTING, BUT, UM, THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A CONTRACT, SO, UM, GOING FORWARD, UM, OUR BUDGET AND THEN THE 20, 22 MOU.
SO WHAT WE WANTED FROM THAT WAS, UM, JUST TO START AT THE COURTHOUSE, UM, WE WANT ACTUALLY WANT, EVENTUALLY WE WANT TO STOP AT GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY.
WE REALIZED THAT THAT IS MORE, IT MEANS MORE POLICE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO STOP AT BULLDOG WAY.
UM, SO IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST A LOT, UM, A LOT OF FIGURING
[00:15:01]
OUT, UM, THE PARADE DOES COST $40 AN HOUR FOR EACH OF THE OFFICERS.SO THAT'S, UM, TALIA WAS OVER $3,000.
UM, WE ARE HAVING A HUNDRED SMALL PREY UNITS, A HUNDRED, I THINK THEY'RE GONNA MAX OUT AT LIKE 16 MAYBE.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, THERE IS A DONATION CHARGE.
WE DON'T SAY FEE BECAUSE IT DOES JUST, IT GOES ALL THE MONEY GOES TO BENEFIT THE FOUNDATION AND WE BARELY MAKE ENDS MEET EACH YEAR.
UM, BUT THERE'S MORE SIGNAGE, UM, MARKETING COSTS, UM, PRINTING COSTS AND SIGNAGE.
SO DEFINITELY THE DAY OF THE PARADE OR LEADING UP TO IT, WE NEED MORE SIGNAGE.
WE FIGURED MORE PARKING, UM, INSTRUCTION AND MORE BEER VENDORS.
UM, I THINK THAT WE'VE ALL REALIZED THAT THAT EVEN THOUGH WE WANT IT TO BE A FAMILY FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE, UM, THE USUAL IS ALCOHOL AROUND THESE PARTS.
UM, SO WE DO IN BETTER, UM, ENDEAVOR TO HAVE A FREE FESTIVAL.
SO, UM, SO THE MORE ENTERTAINMENT, LIKE I WAS SAYING, THE CANDLE DIPPING WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL OF THESE ITEMS, WE HAVE COMMITTED, UM, TO BOUNCE TO THE MOON FOR $6,500 AND INFLATABLES AND AN ENTERTAINMENT.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING FOR SPONSORS FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL THINGS AND EVERYBODY WOULD GET A YARD YARD SIGN CREATED WITH THEIR LOGO AND SPONSORED BY, UM, IN FRONT OF THE, IN FRONT OF THE ENTERTAINMENT.
SO THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS AND THEN GOOCHLAND GAMES, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY CREATING AND LOOKING FOR, UM, EIGHTEENS TO COMPETE.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE AS LONG AS YOU CAN SIGN UP AND SIGN THE WAIVER.
UM, SO IT'S GOING TO BE SOME FUN INFLATABLE THINGS AND IT'S GOING TO BE SOME OLD FASHIONED GAMES, BUT THAT SHOULD BE THE FUN.
AND THEN WE GET DOWN TO THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF WHY I'M HERE.
SO FOUNDATION IS REQUESTING 2,500 FOR SPONSORING GROUPS ON MAY 7TH.
UM, HAS SPORT FUNDED YOU IN THE PAST YOUR CONDITION? IT GOT CANCELED, BUT THERE WAS A SCENARIO LIKE TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO.
I THINK THERE'S OTHER QUESTIONS OF WHO SPONSORS US AND YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE MONEY REALLY INTENDED FOR? AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AND THEN THERE WAS COVID SO EVERYTHING WAS JUST VERY WISHY-WASHY AND HONESTLY, I THINK THAT, I MEAN, WE WERE UNSURE WE COULD DO IT AS BURSTS WITH, UM, ALL OF OUR EFFORTS AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
IT WAS UNCERTAIN IF WE COULD ACTUALLY GET IT ACCOMPLISHED.
SO I THINK IT WAS A BIG, IT WAS A BIG TASK WITH JUST HAVING 14 PEOPLE REALLY DOING IT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE SUCCESSFUL.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD WAY TO SHOWCASE THE LOCAL BUSINESSES.
I JUST WISH IT WASN'T MY SEVENTH SO WE COULD PARTICIPATE, BUT I'M MEETING MY OWN GOOD THAT'S OPENING DAY FARMER'S MARKETS.
WELL, SO I SENT YOU AN EMAIL ABOUT THAT TOO, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT EMAIL I FOUND, BUT, UM, YEAH, YOU CAN'T, YOU DON'T HAVE A STAFF.
I WAS HOPING THAT WITH TWO SATURDAY MARKETS STRETCHED IN AND THAT IS A BUMMER.
I WAS REALLY OPEN TO, TO IN THE MARKET TOO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO HAVE, UM, VENDORS SPRINKLED IN THE FARMER'S MARKET, UM, DOWN AT THE NAPA FIELD AND THEN UP ON THE TOP SO THAT EVERYBODY FEELS LIKE THEY CAN HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO SELL AND TO ENTERTAINMENT AND, UM, GET PUBLICITY AND GET THEIR NAME OUT THERE.
SO, AND WE NOW I'LL CHECK FOR DOUBLE SHIRT ON MONDAY WHERE TEAM STAFFING, BUT I DON'T THINK WE CAN PULL IT OFF.
IT'S LIKE SHE'S INTO A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS.
SO I LEAVE YOU GUYS WITH THAT ORDER GUIDE.
YOU'RE ASKING FOR 10%, 10% OF YOUR TOTAL BUDGET FROM AND WHATEVER
[00:20:01]
WE DON'T.CAUSE I MEAN LIKE YOU CAN SEE OUR, UM, REVENUE AND EXPENSES.
I MEAN, WE REALLY THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO COME OUT OF POCKET.
AT LEAST A COUPLE OF THOUSAND INDIVIDUALLY IS, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, ELIZABETH SPONSORING WITH INSURANCE AND STUFF, UM, WHICH WE WERE HAPPY TO DO, YOU KNOW? SO THIS IS, CAUSE THIS IS OUR THING.
WE KNEW WHAT WE WERE UNDERTAKING.
AND UM, SO IF WE HAD TO, IT WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE THE DONATION ON TOP OF THE TIME THAT WE'VE SPENT CREATING IT FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
UM, BUT YES, THE, UM, THE REQUEST, ANYTHING THAT WE DON'T SPEND WITH JESSICA TO NEXT YEAR TO MAKE IT BIGGER, TO MAYBE HIRE MORE ENTERTAINMENT, UM, THIS YEAR I'M TRYING NOT TO SPEND THAT MUCH MONEY ON THE ACTUAL AND THE LOCAL RESOURCES, LIKE THE BANDS HAVE SOME VANS, SOME BANDSTAND TIME.
UM, SO, AND THEN JUST, JUST MORE OLD FASHIONED FUN, UM, INSTEAD OF THE MORE HIGHER COST BANDS AND STUFF.
AND WE LEARNED THAT LAST YEAR, WE'RE SHUTTING IT DOWN AT THREE.
UM, WE'RE STARTING TO GRADE AT 10 SHUTTING THE FESTIVAL DOWN AT THREE.
SO IT'S JUST A LONG DAY FOR EVERYBODY AT THAT POINT, I FELT LIKE IT WAS A LITTLE WARM TOO, BUT YEAH, IT REALLY WAS.
AND THEN, SO, UM, TODAY I LEARNED THAT I'M GETTING, UM, IN THE GOOCHLAND SHOPPER USED TO BE CALLED THE LOVELY IS NOW WHAT IT'S CALLED.
SO THEY HAVE ALL THE ADVERTISEMENTS ON, HE'S GOING TO SUBMIT IT.
I THINK I GO THROUGH EACH ONE, I'M NERVOUS ABOUT IT BECAUSE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE REALLY DO FIND OUT BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE HELPFUL ADVERTISEMENT.
WHERE AM I GOING TO PUT ALL THESE PEOPLE? SO LET'S, IT'S GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE, BUT IT'S SCARY TO SAY YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE.
THAT'S WHY YOU GOT 14 OFFICERS TO FIGURE IT OUT.
SO IT WAS SCARY AND YOU FIGURE OUT THERE'S WHEN THERE'S TOO, I MEAN, HOW DO YOU FIGURE OUT HOW MANY TO, WHAT WAS THE RIGHT NUMBER? IT MIGHT BE TO HAVE ATTENDANCE OR OFFICERS.
WELL, SO THAT 8,000 FIGURE KIND OF THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
SO PEOPLE WOULD COME, EVEN THOUGH I HAD FRIENDS LIKE WENT HOME, HAD CHANGED OR SOMETHING JUST TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE VENDORS AND THE MUSIC.
SO, UM, IT WAS A COMFORTABLE FOR EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE ALL OF THAT.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK PARKING WAS AN ISSUE AT ALL.
WE HAD SHUTTLES, WE HAD BUS SHELLS AND THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WAS SAYING THEY MADE MORE THAN WHAT THEY DO ON REGULAR STAFFING OVER BUS, BUT HEY, IT'S AFTER HOURS, RIGHT.
UM, BUT I THINK, I THINK NOT, I THINK EVERYBODY IS FINE WITH WALKING IF THEY HAVE THAT OPTION TO WALK FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, BUT I THINK ALSO IN A COUPLE OF YEARS WHEN THEY DO SHUT DOWN THE ROAD AND THEY DO MAKE THE BYPASS, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT WOULD ACTUALLY HELP CAUSE SUNDAY TO EXTEND FROM, UM, BULLDOG WHERE HE KIND OF, OR WHEREVER THAT ROAD COMES OUT.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD ALSO EXTEND OUR FOOTPRINT.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE OR MORE DISCUSSION SLIDE TWO, THE REVENUE SIDE, UM, ABOVE IT'S A LITTLE BIT SMALLER, 20 TO 24,000 IN TOTAL, TOTAL REVENUE.
SO WE HAVE, UM, DINNER SALES IS REVENUE.
WE HAD T-SHIRT SALES THAT WAS HOLDING UP AGAINST A CONSIDERATE REVENUE CAUSE EXPENSE, BUT WHERE ARE THEY EXPECTED TO EXPENSE? CAN YOU SAY THAT? BECAUSE KEENAN AND SO GOODWILL KELLY JUST PUT IT IN KIND OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DID NOT CONTRIBUTE.
AND THEN THAT KEEPS SHOWING UP IN THEIR BLOOD FOR SUPERVISOR AND MANAGER IS SUPPORTIVE EITHER.
BUT I KNOW, LIKE I SAID, IT'S HARD.
THEY, THEY KIND OF ARE LIKE, WELL, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER BESIDES, YOU KNOW, RATS AWAKE AND RIDES AWAY.
I GO TO, WHENEVER YOU SEEM TO BE HERE, DON'T WANNA MISS IT.
UM, BUT THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE A FOR PROFIT, THEN THEY DO SELL TICKETS.
AND EVEN THOUGH THEY DO, UM, FOUNDATION, THE FOUNDATION DID THE SPRING ONE IN, CAUSE I KNOW THE FALL ONE WAS, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE SPRING ONE.
SO, BUT THEY DO HAVE STAFF ON PANS.
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SO, YEAH.SO, AND I NEEDED TO MEET WITH, UM, CAN'T THINK OF HER NAME, BUT THE LADY THAT RUNS THE, THE FALL FESTIVAL, I WANTED TO PICK HER BRAIN A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE THAT.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE AS, UM, AS HISTORICAL, I GUESS, IS THAT AS, UM, THE, WHAT DO THEY CALL IT? THE FAIR FALL FESTIVAL.
AND THEN DO YOU BELIEVE TWO DIFFERENT ONES OR THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE OTHER VENDORS THERE AND LIKE BLACKSMITHING AND STUFF.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE COOL, BUT, UM, I THINK IT'S NOT REALISTIC TO HAVE THAT GOOGLE THING.
UM, SO WE DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE THEM.
WE WANT TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS THEM, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO, WE DON'T HAVE THE FOOTPRINT.
UM, AND WE DON'T WANT TO RECREATE, SO WE DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE THE FALL FESTIVAL WITH PUJOL PARKS AND REC.
UM, THEY ACTUALLY WANT TO BE BETTER, BUT DON'T, DON'T REPEAT THAT.
BUT, UM, SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO TAKE AWAY ANYTHING.
WE JUST WANT TO HAVE THIS BACK.
THERE'S THE HISTORICAL PRAY THEN FESTIVAL BACK TO GOOD.
SEAN, I DIDN'T WANT TO ONE MORE QUESTION.
UH, SO YOU'RE ASKING FOR $2,500, IS THERE, UM, SOME SORT OF, UM, WAY TO, YOU KNOW, HOW WOULD YOU USE THAT MONEY ONE SPECIFICALLY INTO, IS THERE ANY WAY TO SHOW OFF THE EDA OR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP FOR CHRISTIAN COUNTY? SO COULD YOU LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE 12? I CAN'T REMEMBER.
CAUSE OF THE DAY WAS CRAZY, BUT, UM, A LEVEL SPONSORSHIP.
YOU RECOGNIZE ALL THE MAIN BEAR ON T-SHIRTS.
UM, WE CAN ALSO DO ANY YARD SIGNS, UM, WITH SPONSORING SOME SORT OF ACTIVITY.
UM, I THINK THAT MAYBE YOUR FUNDS WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO GO INTO THAT TOO.
SO, UM, SO THERE'S, THERE'S MANY THINGS, UM, THAT THEY COULD GO TOWARDS AND ALSO OUR BOTTOM LINE, LIKE TO PAY THE OFFICERS AND TO PAY THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T SEE DIRECTLY, BUT ON THE SHIRTS, ON THE BANNERS, ON THE WEBSITE AND SHOUT OUTS ON FACEBOOK TOO.
SO I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION.
I DON'T ACTUALLY SPONSOR, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW I SHOULD.
I THINK IT'S A DECLARATION THAT YOU'RE SPONSORING.
SO I'LL MOVE TO BRUCE TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR LEVEL.
I SECOND, THE MOTION AND MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO READ THEM 1500 TO 4,901, WHICH IS THE CODE THAT ESTABLISHES A OF VIRGINIA.
IT SAYS A FURTHER, THE ATTENDANT LEGISLATURE SHALL BE THE POLICY OF COME OFF THE GRANTEE DESTRO FULFILLMENT AUTHORITIES.
THE POWERS CONTAINED WITHIN THE RESPECT TO THE FACILITIES FOR MUSEUMS AND HISTORICAL EDUCATION, DEMONSTRATION INTERPRETATION TOGETHER WITH ANY AND ALL BUILDINGS PASS PASSOVER THAT, UM, IN CONJUNCTION WITH FORGOING, BY NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN ORDER TO PROMOTE TOURISM, ECON DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH TO PROMOTE THE KNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATION BY THE CITIZENS OF COMMONWEALTH OF HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE HERITAGE OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE UNITED STATES PROMOTE THEREBY THEIR HEALTH, WELFARE CONVENIENCE IN PROSPERITY.
UH, AND FOR THE, JUST SINCE WE DON'T HAVE THE, UM, ABILITY OR AUTHORIZATION TO OPERATE ANY FACILITY OR ANYTHING.
SO I, I WOULD DECLARE THAT THIS IS WELL WITHIN THE SPECTRUM OF THE, UH, RIGHTS OF THE EDA TO DO SO.
I THINK SEPTEMBER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND THE SECOND ALL IN FAVOR THANK YOU FOR COMING.
APPRECIATE IS THAT YOURS? THIS IS YOURS.
2110 YEAR OLD REPORT, MR. CHAIRMAN.
THIS IS THREE REPORT THAT WE GAVE TO THE, OF SUPERVISORS, UM, AT THEIR FEBRUARY MEETING EVERY YEAR WE GIVE A ANNUAL REPORT.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EDA ALSO GOT TO SEE THE REPORT MR. KELLY OR MR. SLANG WERE ON TECH AND ATTENDANCE, SO THEY CAN SURE.
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION THAT OCCURRED
[00:30:03]
MS. LASKA LAST.UM, SO JUST TO REMIND YOU REAL QUICK, UH, THE VISION THAT WAS ADOPTED IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT GUIDES US ON A DAILY BASIS, UM, OUR MISSION AND YOU WILL SEE THESE KIND OF FOUR AREAS PLAYED OUT THROUGH OUR GOALS.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE VISION REAL QUICK? YES.
THIS IS JUST A LISTING OF SOME OF THE MEMBERSHIPS IN BOARDS, UH, THAT WE ARE A PART OF IN ADDITION TO OUR DAILY ACTIVITIES, UM, THE SCHIZOS ALVIN ABOUT AND, UM, REALLY BECOMING PART OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND A LOT OF NETWORKING.
SO MOVIES, MEMBERSHIPS, AND BOARDS, IT'S NOT THE VR LTA.
UM, IT'S THE VIRGINIA RESTAURANT LODGING AND TRAVEL ASSOCIATION.
WE ARE MEMBERS OF THAT, BUT WE DON'T SIT ON THEIR BOARD.
THAT WE'RE MEMBERS OF, OR I WOULD AT LEAST SAY FIVE TO 10 THAT WE'RE MEMBERS OF THAT ARE OUT THERE.
UM, THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT, UM, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, YOU CAN SEE 2020, UM, REALLY DROPPED DOWN DURING COVID, BUT THEN WE REBOUNDED TREMENDOUSLY AND 2021 IT'S THAT IS 133 MILLION OF INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTY.
UM, THAT IS AVERY POINT THAT CAME IN AT 70 MILLION, SEVERAL CAPITAL, ONE UPFITS ADVANCED AUTO OAK HILL APARTMENTS THAT CAME IN AT 38.5 MILLION BROAD BILLS MEDICAL OFFICE AND CREATE FORMAT FULL OFFICE.
UM, WE'RE KIND OF THE BIG, HEAVY HITTERS THAT MAKE UP THAT 133 MILLION IN INVESTMENT.
SO IT WAS KIND OF A RECORD HERE.
UM, THE ASSESSED VALUATION, WE ALWAYS LIKE TO REPORT OUT ON, UM, THE BOARD HAS A GOAL, UM, AND IT TAKE TO INCREASE THE COMMERCIAL ASSESSED VALUATION.
AND IT, UH, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT YOU CAN SEE, WE WERE DROPPING AND WE HELD STEADY.
UM, SO WE'RE HOPING TO SEE THAT NEXT YEAR, MAYBE WE CAN GROW A LITTLE BIT IN OUR COMMERCIAL VALUATION.
UM, AND THEN I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO CASEY.
SO THIS IS OUR TOTAL COMMERCIALS, SQUARE FOOTAGE GROWTH OVER IN THE LAST 11 YEARS.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT WE ARE GROWING.
UM, THE BIGGEST GROWTH IS IN THAT RETAIL SQUARE FOOTAGE.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT WOULD BE KIND OF IN INDUSTRIAL.
UM, SO WE ARE ADDING SQUARE FOOTAGE TO THE MARKET AND THEN THESE ARE MAKING SEE RATES.
SO WHILE WE'VE ADDED SQUARE FOOTAGE TO THE MARKET, AS SOON AS IT COMES ON, THE MARKET IS FILLED.
UM, SO ALL OF OUR INDUSTRIAL RATE ARE, EXCUSE ME, ALL OF OUR VACANCY RATES RIGHT NOW ARE UNDER 2%.
MEANING WE HAVE MAYBE LIKE A COUPLE HUNDRED SQUARE FEET ON THE MARKET.
UM, INDUSTRIAL, WE HAVE THREE SPACES ON THE MARKET.
TWO ARE IN MID POINT, WHICH HAS AS WELL ON SEPTIC.
UM, SO ANYBODY WHO NEEDS WATER AND SEWER, I BASICALLY HAVE NOWHERE TO PUT THEM RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A PRETTY BIG PROBLEM FOR US.
SO ANYBODY LOOKING FOR EXISTING SPACE AND YOU CAN SEE COMPARED TO THE RICHMOND MSA, WE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER.
YOU THINK THAT THERE ISN'T EITHER MORE SPECTRAL, MORE COMMITTED? UM, WHAT I'M HEARING SPECIFICALLY FROM GOOCHLAND IS OUR LAND PRICES ARE TOO HIGH.
I CAN'T, I CAN'T EVEN MAKE THIS UP SO THAT THE SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOOKING TO BUILD HERE CAN NOT AFFORD THE LAND PRICES.
I HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS CLEARANCE FROM THE BANK RIGHT NOW AT $1.4 MILLION TO BUILD A BUILDING ONLY 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
AND HE CAN'T AFFORD TO DO IT HERE, CAN NOT AFFORD TO DO IT.
SO I'M TALKING TO DEVELOPERS AND LIKE, WILL YOU BUILD IT? AND THEY'RE LIKE, IT'S TOO SMALL.
I'M NOT, NOT REALLY IN AN INDUSTRIAL AREA.
I'M NOT SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY RETAIL, LIKE ANYWHERE THAT WOULD WORK FOR RETAIL WHERE WE CAN THE SPLIT, FOR EXAMPLE, OFF THE, LET'S SAY 5 22 FAIRGROUND ROAD, THE ROUND STICKS THAT PROPERTY ERIC OR FARMERS THAT'S THAT'S COUNTY, RIGHT?
[00:35:02]
WHERE OH, BUT THE ROUNDABOUT, YES.WELL, NOT ONLY THE OLD FAIRGROUND PROPERTY, BUT THE PROPERTY ON THE OTHER SIDE, CROSS THIS CROSS, THE STREETS THAT SPLITS OFF FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL AND WOODSIDE.
AND LET'S SAY THE CUT-THROUGH ON HIM.
UM, THE OLD BUS GARAGE PROPERTY IS, UM, COUNTY PROPERTY.
I WOULD SAY THAT IF YOU WANTED TO ENTER IN THAT CONVERSATION, THEN WE CAN BRING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THE PROPERTIES RIGHT NOW OR DOING THIS, DOING LIKE THE OVERALL SITE ANALYSIS AND THE COUNTY.
SO COUNTY ON PROPERTY, ANY OWNED PROPERTY, ANY PARCEL THAT LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD BE PRIME FOR DEVELOPMENT.
LET'S SEE WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET IT DEVELOPED.
NOT NECESSARILY OBVIOUSLY BY US, BUT BY THE DEVELOPER.
WHAT ARE THE HANGUPS ON THAT PROPERTY? WHAT WOULD IT COST TO GET IT? LIKE ASK AN ENGINEER, WHAT'S IT GOING TO COST? LET'S RANK UP AND LET'S FIGURE IT OUT.
LET'S TALK TO THE OWNERS BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING PROJECTS LEFT AND RIGHT, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE SITES.
RIGHT? AND SO WE ARE, WE GOT AN ARTICLE THIS MORNING THAT SAYS HENRY, WHO IS READY FOR A SEMICONDUCTOR PROPERTIES.
AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE COMPETING AGAINST HENRICO AND CHESTERFIELD, THEY OWN HUNDREDS OF ACRES.
AND SO WE CAN'T COMPETE WITH THEM.
UM, SO THIS SLIDE THAT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE A SPIDERWEB BEAR WITH ME AS I EXPLAIN IT.
SO THE RED, GREEN, AND YELLOW ARE GOING TO BE YOUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATES, SO YOU CAN SEE THEY WERE GOING DOWN AND THEN COVID HIT.
SO COVID IS THAT BIG SPIKE ON THE RIGHT? AND THEN, UM, PEOPLE STARTED GOING BACK TO WORK.
AND SO THAT'S YOUR DOWNWARD TRAJECTORY.
UM, SO WE ARE NOW AT WHAT IS CONSIDERED A HEALTHY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE HEARING THAT THERE ARE NO JOBS OR THAT PEOPLE DON'T ARE THERE JOBS, AND NO ONE WANTS TO GO BACK TO WORK.
THAT'S WHERE THE ORANGE LINE KIND OF COMES INTO PLAY.
THAT ORANGE LINE IS OUR LABOR FORCE.
SO YOU CAN SEE BEFORE COVID, IT WAS REALLY HEALTHILY GROWING.
UM, PEOPLE ARE GOING INTO THE LABOR FORCE AND IT WAS GROWING AND GETTING BIGGER.
AND OUR LABOR FORCE HAVE DROPPED, WHICH IS NEVER WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY DURING COVID.
OUR LABOR FORCE ACTUALLY LOST THE SAME AMOUNT OF PEOPLE AS OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, WHICH IS ABOUT 200 5300 PEOPLE LEFT OUR LABOR FORCE.
UM, A LOT OF THAT IS DUE TO PEOPLE TAKING RETIREMENT PACKAGES EARLY, ESPECIALLY IN OUR COUNTY, WE DO HAVE AN OLDER POPULATION.
UM, SO TAKING RETIREMENT PACKAGES EARLY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GO INTO A COVID ENVIRONMENT.
UM, ALSO PARENTS, UM, IF YOU'RE IN A TWO-PARENT WORKING HOUSEHOLD AND YOUR KID IS CONSTANTLY REMOTE OR, UM, THEY'VE BEEN EXPOSED AND NOW THEY HAVE TO GO HOME AND WORK FROM HOME, YOU KNOW, DO REMOTE LEARNING FOR TWO WEEKS AND THEN BACK IN SCHOOL AND THEN BACK HOME, SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO BE THERE.
UM, SO IT'S FORCING PARENTS, UM, MAINLY WOMEN TO LEAVE THE WORKFORCE.
AND SO WE, WE LOST ABOUT 300 PEOPLE, UM, WHICH FOR A COUNTY, OUR SIZE IS IT MAKES A HUGE IMPACT.
THE UNEMPLOYMENT COMMISSION YEAH.
TYPICALLY ANYTHING UNDER THAT, IT GETS 4% IS DECENT, BUT WHEN YOU START GETTING LOW TWOS, IT'S ACTUALLY CONCERNING BECAUSE EVERYBODY CAN WANTS TO WORK IS WORKING.
AND SO THEN YOU GET INTO THAT POINT OF, UM, HOW DO YOU, WHERE DO YOU FIND MORE PEOPLE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE JOBS, BUT WHERE DO YOU FIND YEAH.
WHERE DO YOU FIND PEOPLE TO WORK? UM, CAN YOU UP-SKILL UP TRADE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THAT TYPE OF THING.
SO HERE'S THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.
SO WE KIND OF ALREADY TOUCHED ON THIS, BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, 20, 21, WE ARE THE KIND OF THE LOWEST ACCORD, UM, COMPARABLE TO THE RICHMOND, MSA, VIRGINIA, AND THE US, YOU CAN SEE IN 2020, I THINK NONE OF US ARE SHOCKED THAT THAT WAS HIGH.
UM, BUT NET NEW JOBS, THIS IS A BIG, THIS IS A GOOD SLIDE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT EVEN THOUGH WE ARE LOSING PEOPLE IN THE WORKFORCE, OUR COMPANIES ARE STILL ADDING JOBS.
UM, WE CAN'T SAY WHETHER THOSE JOBS ARE NECESSARILY FILLED, BUT THEY ARE COMING ON THE MARKET.
SO, UM, IN Q2 2021, WHICH IS THE NEWEST DATA, WE DID HAVE OVER 400
[00:40:01]
NEW JOBS.SO FAR IN 2021 ADDED AND THEN AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGES.
UM, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SLIDES THAT, UM, YEAH, RICHLAND COUNTY HAS OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND IN AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGE.
WHEREAS THE RICHMOND MSA IN VIRGINIA ARE JUST RIGHT AT THAT 60,000.
UM, BUT I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT OUR MAJOR EMPLOYERS.
THAT'S NOT REALLY, UM, IT'S NOT REALLY SURPRISING WHEN YOU TAKE INTO SOME OF THE CEOS OF POSITIONS LIKE THAT, THAT KIND OF SKEWED THAT NUMBER.
UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF LAUNCH INTO SOME OF THE NEW BUSINESS THINGS THAT I DID LAST YEAR, JUST TO REMIND THAT THOSE WERE OUR FOUR GOALS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO DO GOAL ONE, WHICH IS THAT NEW BUSINESS GROWTH.
SO I HAD, UM, 21 TOTAL STRATEGIES.
SO OF THOSE 81% ARE COMPLETED 19 UNDERWAY.
UM, SOME OF THOSE COMPLETED ONES, ONE OF THE TARGETED INDUSTRY SECTORS THROUGH VIRGINIA TECH ITEMS LIKE THAT, SOME OF THE ONES THAT WERE UNDERWAY ARE THINGS LIKE ATTENDING TRADE SHOWS.
SO WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME THAT WE WANT TO GO TO, BUT DUE TO COVID, IT DIDN'T FEEL NECESSARILY SAFE TO TRAVEL.
UM, AND WE'RE STILL KIND OF DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THOSE.
SO NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MEANS THE ORANGE ARE THE ONES THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM BDP AND THE GREEN PROJECTS ARE ONES THAT HAVE COME FROM OUTDOORS, OUTSIDE SOURCES.
UM, SO WE'RE KIND OF STAYING SETTING WITH THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE GETTING.
UM, FROM BEP, IT TYPICALLY ENDS UP BEING AROUND SIX TO SEVEN PROJECTS A YEAR.
WE'RE GETTING FROM BDP, WHICH IS PRETTY GOOD.
UM, AND THEN THE REST WE'RE GETTING FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES, WHETHER IT'S, WE'RE DRIVING UP OUR OWN LEADS OR GETTING FROM OTHER CONSULTANTS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THESE ARE SOME NEW BUSINESSES THAT CAME IN IN THE LAST YEAR, GREENWELL GROWERS, AVERY POINTS, LIKE THE WHOLE PINES, ADVANCED AUTO WEEDED, AND THEN WT CURTIS WAS ACTUALLY AN EXISTING BUSINESS, BUT THEY DID, UM, DO HAVE A NEW BUILDING THIS YEAR.
AND THEN THESE ARE NEW BUSINESSES AND BUSINESS EXPANSION.
SO YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE SOME OF THESE, UM, PERHAPS AWAY MARTIN MARIETTA, SCORCH PAGE COURTHOUSE CREEK HAD AN EXPANSION, SIX PENCE AND BOTHERED, UH, SPARROW.
AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO SARAH FOR SOME EXISTING BUSINESS.
IT'S EASIER FOR US TO RUN A LOT OF OUR STATISTICS BASED ON CALENDAR YEAR WHEN THEY BROUGHT IN LIKE UNEMPLOYMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THIS IS THE GOAL TO EXISTING BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION.
UM, I'VE COMPLETED ABOUT 50% OF THE INITIATIVES AND THE GOALS AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN 21% ARE UNDERWAY AND 29% ARE UPCOMING AND THE UPCOMING ONES WERE PRETTY MUCH DELAYED DUE TO COVID.
THERE ARE THINGS LIKE, UM, BUSINESS APPRECIATION MONTH, UM, THINGS THAT REQUIRED LIKE IN-PERSON, UM, EITHER EVENTS OR ROUND TABLE EVENTS OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO I'M HOPING TO MOVE THOSE FORWARD IN THIS YEAR.
UM, I CONDUCTED 37 BUSINESS VISITS FACE-TO-FACE IN DEPTH BUSINESS VISITS, UM, IN TWENTY TWENTY ONE, A HUNDRED FIFTY EIGHT, UH, BUSINESS ASSISTANCE, UM, 340 BUSINESS TOUCHES.
UH, WE ALSO DID A, UM, MAILING TO EXISTING BUSINESSES TO INTRODUCE THE DEPARTMENT, UM, 55 TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRAND OPENINGS.
AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UM, 272 NEW CITIZEN WELCOME PACKAGES.
AND THE WELCOME PACKAGES FEATURE 28 GOOCHLAND BUSINESSES.
AND WAS THERE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CHAMBER? IT WAS.
UM, THESE WERE SOME OF THE BUSINESS CHALLENGES AND ASSISTANCE THAT WE PROVIDED OVER THE LAST YEAR.
AS YOU COULD SEE, WORKFORCE WAS, MAJORITY OF THEM ARE FOLKS LOOKING FOR A WORK.
THAT'S WHY WE CREATED THE WORKING GEARS TO A JOB BOARD.
UM, PERMIT GUIDANCE WAS THE NEXT BIG ONE BUSINESS EXPANSION, AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY EXPANSION AND FOOTPRINT.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN GETTING THEM INTO DIFFERENT MARKETS OR NEW MARKETS THAT THEY WEREN'T NECESSARILY AT BEFORE, UM, SUPPLY CHAIN, VENDOR ASSISTANCE.
AND, UM, IF YOU THINK BACK TO EARLY 20, 21, WE WERE STILL DEALING WITH SOME COVID ISSUES.
UM, WE WERE STILL UNDER RESTRICTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO GET IT, UM, 50 BUSINESSES IN FOR VACCINES.
SO THE, THE VACCINE CLINIC THAT THE COUNTY HELD, WE WERE ABLE TO GET, UH, BUSINESSES IN AND GET THEIR EMPLOYEES ACTIVATED.
UM, THIS IS SOME OF THE COMMON FEEDBACK THAT I'VE HEARD FROM BUSINESSES.
WHEN I GO OUT AND MEET WITH THEM, I WILL TELL THEM EVERYTHING YOU TELL ME IS CONFIDENTIAL.
[00:45:01]
SO I'LL NEVER CALL YOU OUT SPECIFICALLY, BUT THESE WERE SOME OF THE THEMES THAT KIND OF ROSE UP THROUGH MEETING WITH BUSINESSES.UM, OBVIOUSLY COVID WAS STILL A THING IN 2021.
UM, UNIVERSAL BROADBAND WAS AN ISSUE AND WE'RE HOPING THAT, UM, THAT WILL FALL OFF AS THE COUNTY TAKES SOME BIG STRIDES TOWARDS GETTING UNIVERSALLY BROADBAND WORKERS.
UM, WAS ANOTHER THING THAT CAME UP OFTEN CUMBERSOME, SOME STATE REGULATIONS.
I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO YOU GUYS ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES BUSINESSES WERE HAVING WITH SEPTICS AND FOOD SAFETY AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, THE ASHLAND ROAD INTERCHANGE, UM, TRAFFIC, EVERY TIME I WENT OUT AND THAT WAS THE BUSINESS ALONG ASHLYN ROAD, THEY ALWAYS ASKED ME, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT THE CENTER INTERCHANGE? AND SO I KNOW THE COUNTY IS WORKING VERY HARD.
WE SUBMIT APPLICATIONS EVERY YEAR, UM, TO IMPROVE THAT INTERCHANGE.
AND, UM, SO WHERE ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY WHERE WE'RE 64 64? YEAH.
UM, AND THEN AS CASEY, CASEY WAS MENTIONING THE LACK OF EXISTING BUILDINGS FOR BUSINESS EXPANSION AND LACK OF ZOOMED LAND FOR BUSINESS EXPANSIONS.
UM, SO I HAVE WORKING TO EXISTING BUSINESSES RIGHT NOW WHO WOULD LIKE TO, UM, PURCHASE LAND.
THEY WANT TO BUILD THEIR BUILDING AND THERE'S NOT ANYWHERE FOR THEM TO GO AT THE MOMENT.
UM, SO, UM, THAT IS ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES THAT WE DEAL WITH ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS AND THEN, UH, THE NEED FOR PUBLIC WATER IN THE NEW YORK INDUSTRIAL PARK.
UM, IT'S CURRENTLY SERVE AS SEWER, BUT THERE ARE, IT'S LIKE A COMMUNAL WELFARE.
UM, AND SO IF I DID HAVE SOME BUSINESSES SAYING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE PUBLIC WATER, UM, SO GOAL THREE, PROMOTING AND EXPAND TOURISM OFFERINGS, YOU I'M CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE TOURISM STRATEGIC PLAN.
I'LL ACTUALLY BE PRESENTING A DRAFT FORM OF THAT LATER TO YOU TONIGHT, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING.
THE ARCO MARKETING TOURISM GRANT, WE, UM, QUOTED SOME OF THAT OUT AND WE HAVE TO KIND OF GO BACK AND REDO IT A LITTLE BIT.
CAUSE THE WAY THAT, UM, WHEN YOU SAY MARKETING, EVERYBODY TAKES THAT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
SO WE KIND OF WANT TO BE, TO COMPARE, UM, THE PROJECTS, THE WAY THAT EVERYONE DOES IT, THE SAME.
UM, WE BECAME A DESIGNATED, UH, DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION AND DMO THIS YEAR, WHICH OPENS US UP TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT MORE GRANTS FROM THE VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION VTC.
UM, AND WE CREATED THE GOOD SALONS GUIDE TO FOOD BEVERAGE AND FUND, WHICH IS THE IMAGE ON THE LEFT.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DIFFERENT SPORTS TOURNAMENTS AND ANY MAJOR LARGE EVENTS WHEN THEY COME TO THE AREA SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SCAN THE QR CODE AND UP POPS THIS BEAUTIFUL IMAGE SO THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING STUCK INTO SHORT PUMP TO EAT AND GO TO BREWERIES AND EVERYTHING THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING SENT BACK INTO GOOCHLAND AND SPENDING THEIR DOLLARS THERE.
WE ACTUALLY DELIVER SANDWICH BOARDS, TORQUE TO THE TOURNAMENT AND LITTLE LIKE FLYERS TO SIT UP SO THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND THEN OUR LAST GOAL GOAL NUMBER FOUR IS TO CREATE AN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT DEPARTMENT.
AND SO, UM, WE DO DIGITAL MEDIA TRACKING.
YOU CAN SEE WE'VE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED OUR FOLLOWERS SINCE WE STARTED OUR DIGITAL, UH, MEDIA, FACEBOOK AND LINKEDIN, AND BACK IN 2019.
UM, AND SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS, UH, THAT WE HAD OVER 2021, WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE THE CAMPUS BASED MARKETING MATERIALS TO BETTER SHOWCASE WEST CREEK.
UM, WE COULD PLAY THE MARKETING VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAPHY SHOOTS.
UH, THAT VIDEO ACTUALLY WAS SHOWN, UM, WHEN WE GOT OUR TRIPLE TRIPLE BOND RATING.
SO, UM, THAT WAS SUPER HELPFUL.
AND THEN THE TARGETED INDUSTRY SECTORS MARKETING MATERIAL, AND THAT WAS BASED OFF OF THE VIRGINIA TECH, UM, PROGRAMMING.
YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS WERE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THAT.
SO WE THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE THEN WE WERE ABLE TO REALLY DRILL DOWN AND, AND TO MAKE THESE MARKETING MATERIALS THAT MAKE THEM WORK FOR US.
UH, SOME OF THE FUTURE PRIORITIES WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON THIS YEAR, UM, WORK TO ENHANCE AVAILABLE BUILDING, AND THEN THE END PRODUCT CREATE AND DESIGN WORKING PLAN, UM, ATTEND SOME INDUSTRY SPECIFIC TRADE SHOWS, HOST BUSINESS, ROUND TABLE EVENTS, UH, CREATION OF BUSINESS APPRECIATION MONTH AND CREATION OF AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, AND THEN
[00:50:01]
OBVIOUSLY SUSTAIN ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.UM, AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR YOU GUYS HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS.
YOU COME BACK TO THAT QUESTION.
UM, GO BACK ON, UH, CAN YOU DO ANY, UM, SPONSORED PROMOTIONS ON FACEBOOK TO HELP ENGAGE MORE FOLLOWERS? BECAUSE YOU WOULD THINK THAT IN THE COUNTY, THIS SPEND, YOU WOULD HAVE MORE THAN 49.
WE HAVE NOT EXPLORED THAT AS WE'VE JUST BEEN DOING ANYTHING ORGANICALLY AT THIS POINT.
ONE OF OUR THINGS IS DOING LIKE JUST A FULL OUT.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A MARKETING STRATEGY, WE'VE BEEN GUIDING TO JUST GOING THROUGH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT THAT'S PART OF THE GOALS THIS YEAR IS TO PUT TOGETHER A FULL BLOWN MARKETING CALENDAR FOR THE YEAR AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND PART OF THAT WILL BE WHAT, WHAT POSTS DO WE BOOST? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE, ET CETERA.
BUT AGAIN, WE STARTED WITH ZERO .
UM, YOU SAID YOU HAVE, UM, COMMITTEES THAT YOU'RE ON OR YOU SUBSCRIBE TO, AND THEN ONCE THAT YOU'RE ON BOARD, SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMITTEES OR BOARDS THAT YOU'D HAVE ON YOUR RADAR THAT WOULD HELP TO JOIN? UM, I DON'T, I CAN'T THINK OF ANY, UM, SO I WOULD SAY, YEAH, I WOULD SAY FOR ME, YES, THERE ARE.
IT'S JUST AN HONESTLY IT'S A TIME THING.
UM, THE ONES THAT FOR ME ARE GOING TO BE MORE INDUSTRY SPECIFIC, SO I'M TRYING TO BE PICKY.
SO THIS PAST YEAR WE JOINED A G C V A, WHICH IS THE GENERAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF GENERAL CONTRACTORS, AGC, VA, UM, WHICH IS MORE OF THAT CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
UM, IT, IT, WASN'T WHAT I WAS HOPING IT WAS GOING TO BE.
BUT PART OF THAT IS REALLY HARD DURING COVID BECAUSE A LOT OF THINGS ARE VIRTUAL AND NOT NECESSARILY A PERSON.
UM, SO I'M HOPING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN FIND SOME MORE INDUSTRY, LIKE THERE'S A WOMEN IN HEALTHCARE GROUP THAT I WOULD LOVE TO JOIN.
CAUSE I THINK AS WE'RE KIND OF DEVELOPING THAT SECTOR, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD.
UM, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HONESTLY, HAVING TIME, LIKE RIGHT NOW, ONE OF THE I'M ON ONE OF THE BOARDS, WE'RE GETTING MORE INVOLVED WITH THE VIRGINIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS ASSOCIATION OR HOSTING A CONFERENCE HERE.
I'VE JUST BECAME A CO-CHAIR OF THAT CONFERENCE.
AND SO IT'S LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU GET SUCKED IN AND YOU'RE NOW ABOUT LIKE A FULL-TIME VOLUNTEER BUFFER, BUT IT'S LIKE, OOH, OKAY.
SO, AND THEN OTHER THAN AVAILABILITY OF OFFICE SPACE AND COMPETING WITH NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, WHAT OTHER CONSTRAINTS DO YOU ALL FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE? THOSE ARE MY BIG MIAMI.
MY BIGGEST ONE IS THE, I DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO PUT ANYBODY.
UM, AND THEN JUST MAKING THE DEVELOPMENT CONNECTIONS WITH PEOPLE WHO CAN ACTUALLY BUILD ME.
I LITERALLY, I CAME FROM A REAL ESTATE EVENT TODAY AND I WAS LITERALLY WALKING UP TO PEOPLE GOING, CAN YOU BUILD ME A BUILDING? AND THEY WERE LIKE, NO, I SAID, GREAT.
IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU BECAUSE I I'M SO DESPERATE BECAUSE WE, THESE SMALL PROJECTS HAVE BEEN HANGING ON FOR TWO TO THREE YEARS.
AND THAT NUMBER I 20, 26, THEY'RE GOING TO START DROPPING.
EXISTING BUSINESSES ARE LIKE, I LOVE I'M OUT OF SPACE.
AND MY, YOU KNOW, MY LEASE IS UP.
MY LEASE IS UP IN TWO YEARS AND I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE ROOM TO EXPAND OR, YOU KNOW, AND SO WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO LOVE US AND WHO WANTS TO BE HERE, WHO LOVE THE TAX RATE, WHO LOVES THAT WE ARE A SMALL COUNTY AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT OUR, OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, PERMITTING AND TURNAROUND TIME IS 90 DAYS.
BUT THEY'RE LIKE, YOU CAN'T PUT US ANYWHERE.
PLEASE JUST GIVE ME MORE TIME THAN LIKE IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS.
WELL, THERE IS, THERE IS A, WHAT DO YOU MEAN FUNCTION? THERE IS AN ASPECT THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE SO, AND IF WE DID IT MIGHT, IT COULD BE COSTLY.
[00:55:01]
THE SECOND ISSUE.SO RIGHT NOW, GOING THROUGH THE LAND, WE'RE GOING THROUGH WHAT IS ALREADY ZONED AND THEN THERE'S THE POCKET OF WHAT CAN POTENTIALLY, SO I'M LOOKING AT LIKE WHAT'S ON THE MARKET.
HERE'S THE 32 PIECES OF LAND THAT I HAVE ON THE MARKET.
LIKE WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY WORK FOR SOME OF THESE SITES, BUT A LOT OF THEM ARE AN ANCHOR TWO ACRES AND IT'S LIKE, ONE OF THEM IS TWO ACRES AND IT'S HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, SOME OF THEM ARE IN LAND USE, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO PAY THE BACK TAXES WHEN YOU COME OUT THAT JUST RAISES THE COST OF THE PROPERTY.
SO I HAVE A BUSINESS, HE ONLY WANTS 10 ACRES.
DOESN'T WANT A HUNDRED, HE CAN'T AFFORD A HUNDRED, HE CAN'T DEVELOP A HUNDRED.
AND SO YOU CAN'T JUST SELL 10 OUT OF THE HUNDRED.
AND WHEN WE TALK TO INVESTORS AND DEVELOPERS, THEY SAY, WE CAN'T MAKE THE NUMBERS WORK.
WHEN DOES THE MANNEQUIN TONE PROJECT COME ON? BECAUSE I'LL BRING SOME MORE RETAIL AND OFFICE SPACE.
WELL, I DON'T HAVE AN UPDATE ON IT.
SO DO OUR ATTRACTIVE PROPERTY TAXES.
THEY DO, BUT NOT AT THE LAND PRICE.
LIKE THAT'S HOW MUCH HIGHER SOME OF THIS LAND.
PART OF THE THING IS, UM, THEY HAVE MORE ON THE MARKET FOR SALE.
THEN WE DO, WE HAVE ONE OF MY BULLET POINTS, UM, IS WE'LL GET TO IT, BUT HOW MUCH SQUARE FOOTAGE WE ACTUALLY HAVE.
I THINK ANOTHER FACTOR THAT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT WE HAVE VERY FEW PLAYERS ON THE SCENE TO WE, OH, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WILL OWN MULTIPLE PROPERTIES AND THE COUNTY.
UM, SO THERE'S LESS OF AN INCENTIVE IF HE, YOU KNOW, HE HAD ONE EIGHT PEOPLE ADOPTED AND THEN IF YOU HAVE THREE PEOPLE TO TALK TO, SO THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT HARDER.
UM, I THINK THIS, THIS REPORT WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND, AND JUST ONE THING, CASEY AND SARAH, FROM WHERE WE WERE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD NO PRESENCE.
I MEAN, THEY'VE JUST MADE A COMPLETE 180 OF THIS DEPARTMENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BOTH SO PASSIONATE AND DRIVEN AND THEY MAKE MY JOB REALLY EASY.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'D BE, NO US HAS ANY QUALMS ABOUT ROLES ANYMORE.
I HOPE THAT, UM, WE USED TO TAKE IT AS, OKAY.
SO NEXT IS OUR TOURISM STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, I DO HAVE PRINTED COPIES FOR YOU TO TAKE WITH YOU.
SO THE GOAL TONIGHT IS I'M GOING TO DO KIND OF THE GENERAL OVERVIEW AND THEN GIVE YOU THE PRINTED COPIES FOR YOU ALL TO DIVE INTO.
AND THEN IN OUR NEXT MEETING, WE WOULD ANSWER QUESTIONS AND THEN TAKE A VOTE TO APPROVE IT.
AND THEN IT WOULD GO BEFORE THE BOARD WHAT'S NEXT MONTH MARCH, IT WOULD GO BEFORE THE BOARD IN APRIL FOR THEIR APPROVAL, BEFORE CASE GETS STARTED, I'M GOING TO LEAVE IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
CAUSE WE HAVE OUR COURTHOUSE, UH, A COMMUNITY MEETING.
I KNOW CASEY'S GOING TO UPDATE THAT YOU, BUT AFTER THE MEETING, WE WOULD LOVE YOU TO SWING BY.
SO DON'T BE OFFENDED WHEN I GET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF DOUBLE DUTY.
UM, SO WHERE WE ARE IS IN 2019, WE ADOPTED THIS, UM, AS PART OF TOURISM AS A PART OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, STRATEGIC PLAN IS FULL THREE.
AND THEN WE WORKED WITH PARKS AND REC TO CREATE DRAFT AND CREATE THE TOURISM STRATEGIC PLANS.
THERE'S SOME BEAUTIFUL IMAGE OF IT.
UM, SO THIS IS OUR VISION STATEMENT, WHICH IS TO BECOME A POPULAR DESTINATION FOR HISTORY, CRAFT FOOD AND GREENBERG, RECREATIONAL SPORTS AND OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS, AS WELL AS THE SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
AND THEN OUR MISSION STATEMENT WAS TO DEVELOPMENT OFFER AUTHENTIC VISITOR AND RESIDENT EXPERIENCES WHILE PRESERVING AND PROTECTING GOOCHLAND HISTORY, RESOURCES, BUSINESSES, AND AGRICULTURE.
SO OUR UNIQUE TOURISM ASSETS, THIS IS JUST KIND OF HOW WE LISTED THEM OUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE TOURISM, ARTS AND CULTURE, OUTDOOR RECREATION EVENTS IN HISTORY, THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY A FULL LISTING, BUT THESE ARE THINGS SPECIFIC THAT YOU COULD NOT FIND IN SAY HENRICO OR CHESTERFIELD.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT CAME VERY SPECIFIC TO OUR COUNTY AND THINGS THAT OBVIOUSLY WE ARE VERY PROUD OF.
[01:00:01]
THESE ARE KIND OF OUR UNDEVELOPED TOURISM ASSETS AND THINGS THAT WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP, UM, AND, AND GROW ON.SO, UM, AN ARTISAN CENTER IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY, AGRICULTURAL FAIR, UM, ADDITIONAL ATHLETIC FACILITY IS THE EAST END TRAIL SYSTEM, WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, AND GUIDE IN HISTORY TOURS, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
AND ONCE AGAIN, NOT A FULL, COMPREHENSIVE LIST, JUST A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT, UM, I FEEL LIKE HAVE BEEN, PROBABLY TALKED ABOUT FOR A HANDFUL OF YEARS.
SO COMPETITION, OBVIOUSLY IT COMES FROM NEIGHBORING COUNTIES AND LOCALITIES SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THEY OFFER MORE OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS MORE AT NIGHT AND EVENING ENTERTAINMENT AND ADDITIONAL SHOPPING AND DINING OPTIONS AND K SHORT PUMP.
UM, SO A SWOT ANALYSIS WAS DONE.
UM, SO THESE ARE THE STRENGTHS.
COUPLE OF THE ONES THAT I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO CALL OUT IS JUST OUR EASY ACCESSIBILITY.
WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY 64 AND ROUTE 2 88.
UM, WE WERE, WE TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER, BUT IDENTIFIED AS A DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION, IT DOES JUST OPEN US UP FOR MORE GRANTS AND OPPORTUNITIES, NIQUE SMELL PARK.
UM, IT HAS BECOME A DESTINATION FOR MOUNTAIN BIKES, MOUNTAIN BIKERS, AND CYCLISTS THERE, HOLD ON WHAT THEY LIKE TO BE CALLED AT CYCLISTS CYCLISTS.
UM, BUT IT'S BECOME A DESTINATION.
PEOPLE ARE DRIVING DOWN FROM DC TO COME TO THAT PARK.
UM, AND THEN JUST OUR TOURS, THE PARTNERS IN GENERAL WEAKNESSES, INTERNET ACCESS.
THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A BIG SURPRISE, BUT OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WE'RE ALREADY WORKING ON, UM, LIMITED OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS.
WE HAD OUR FIRST HOTEL OPENING, BUT WE'VE GOT ONE, WE MENTIONED THE SOCCER TOURNAMENT EARLIER.
IT FILLS UP IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE IT IS THE CLOSEST OPTION TO THOSE FIELDS, BUT WE CAN OBVIOUSLY USE MORE.
UM, THERE IS NO CENTRAL INFORMATION POINT AT THE TIME BEING FOR TOURISM INFORMATION, WE HAVE THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME OF THAT, BUT THERE'S NO CENTRAL INFORMATION TO TALK ABOUT THE SOCCER TOURNAMENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
UM, AND THEN THE PERCEPTION OF DISTANCE, I FEEL LIKE SOMETHING WE BATTLED.
LIKE, OH, IT'S SO FAR, I'M LIKE YOUR INFUSIONAL ENCOUNTERING RIGHT NOW.
AND UM, WHEN WE DO, WHEN WE PUT ON OUR SIGNS FOR MANNEQUIN MARKET, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, PUT THEM UP SATURDAY MORNING AND GO AND TAKE THEM DOWN.
AND INSTEAD OF PUTTING FIVE MILES, WE PUT FIVE MINUTES.
CAUSE PEOPLE THINK IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN.
UM, SO OPPORTUNITIES, AGRITOURISM DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK THAT'S JUST SOMETHING WE'RE STARTING TO SEE, ESPECIALLY WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR CARVERS PRODUCERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT ALSO HYDROPONIC FACILITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT MERCY, UM, JAMES RIVER ACCESS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF ACCESS POINTS.
UM, THAT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE REAL EASY KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, SPORTS, TOURISM, WE HAVE THE SOCCER FIELDS, UM, AND OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT IS PHENOMENAL.
THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THOSE LOW COST, EASY TICKET ITEMS THAT WE CAN VERY EASILY CAPITALIZE ON AND THEN THREATS GETTING, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT COMMUNITY BUY-IN AND LETTING PEOPLE KNOW, HEY, WE WANT PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE WANT THEM TO SPEND THEIR MONEY HERE.
AND THEN BY SUNDAY WE SEND THEM HOME, YOU KNOW, UM, BUT GETTING THE COMMUNITY TO BUY INTO TOURISM THAT PEOPLE, WE WANT PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEN JUST LACK OF COMMUNITY, KNOWLEDGE OF ASSETS, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT THESE THINGS EXIST.
SO IF THEY ARE A CITIZEN AND THEY GET ASKED THE QUESTION, LET'S MAKE SURE OUR CITIZENS KNOW THE ANSWER SO THAT THEY CAN TALK ABOUT, OH YEAH, WE KNOW ABOUT LEAKS MILL.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE BEEN THERE, BUT LET'S MAKE SURE THEY KNOW ABOUT IT.
THAT GOES FOR, UM, PEOPLE WORKING IN RESTAURANTS AND BREWERIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT TOO.
UM, SO THESE ARE KIND OF OUR OBJECTIVES.
SO 3.1, ONE, UM, SO EFFECTIVELY MARKET THE TOURISM ASSETS.
SO THESE ARE GOING TO BE KIND OF ALL OF OUR MARKETING.
UM, SO I JUST KIND OF KNEW KEN BURNS AND LOVE THEIR KIND OF ABILITY TO MARKET.
UM, BUT UTILIZING THE WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A WEBSITE.
THAT'S NOT WHY I'M INCREASING THE MARKETING MARKET AWARENESS BY HOSTING MEDIA TOURS AND THEN CREATE AND PUBLISHING MATERIALS, SO TARGETED RESULTS.
AND THIS IT'S A VERY MUCH LONG, IT'S MUCH LONGER DRAWN OUT IN THE ACTUAL, UM, PLAN THAT YOU WILL GET.
UM, SO TARGETED RESULTS, LAUNCHING THE WEBSITE, HOSTING THE TOUR, GETTING THE MATERIALS, AND THEN KIND OF THAT TARGETED RESULT
[01:05:01]
IS JANUARY 23 SUSTAIN.AND THEN OBJECTIVE 3.2 IS PRESERVING THE, UH, GOOCHLAND HISTORIC INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, YOU KNOW, PROMOTING EXISTING HISTORICAL ASSETS, SHARING THE STORY WITH OUR VISITORS AND OUR CITIZENS.
SO CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF OUR HISTORICAL ASSETS, BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, UM, SHARE THE FOUNDING STORY OF THE COUNTY ON THE WEBSITE FROM PUBLIC VIEWING, CREATING THAT COMMUNITY PRIDE, UM, RESEARCHING OUR NATIONAL REGISTER FOR MR. WORK PLACES FOR ADDITIONAL SITES AND MAKING SURE WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THEM, UM, PROMOTING THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OFFICE THROUGH OUR, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM NEWSLETTER, NEWSLETTER AND WEBSITE, JANUARY 23 AND SUSTAINED.
AND SOME OF THESE DO HAVE DIFFERENT DATES.
SO, AND THEN OBJECTIVE 3.3, UM, DEVELOPING COMMUNITY ASSETS AND TOURISM MARKETS.
SO DEFINE IT EVALUATE, UM, REGIONAL TOURISM SECTORS.
SO WE JUST DID THIS ON OUR SIDE.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF LOOK AT IT FROM, FROM THE TOURISM SIDE, UM, EXPLORE FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP THE ASSETS AND INTEGRATE NEW TOURISM DEVELOPMENT.
SO IDENTIFYING TARGETED SECTORS, CREATING THOSE MARKETING PIECES, SPENDING THE ARPA DOLLARS THAT WE GOT, UM, DEVELOPING A LIST OF EVENTS THAT I USE, BUT ALSO CREATING STANDARDS AND A RESOURCE GUIDE.
SO WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO WHEN THE FILM OFFICE CALLS US AND SAYS, HEY, I WANT TO FILM IN GOOCHLAND.
WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT WHO NEEDS TO BE CONTACTED, HOW THAT NEEDS TO BE SET UP AND, UM, WHAT THAT NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE.
SO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THEY NEED TO BE INVOLVED, PARKS AND REC.
WHAT OF THAT MENTEES ARE WANT TO BE FILMED IF THEY DON'T WANT TO BE FILMED, WHO DOESN'T WANT TO BE THERE WE'LL COME SATURDAY.
WHO DID THEY USE FOR THE DUMPSTER COMMISSARY WISE? I'M NOT SURE THEY DIDN'T ASK US FOR THAT.
THEY NORMALLY DON'T ASK US FOR FOOD VENDORS.
THEY NORMALLY JUST ASK US IF THEY WANT TO CLOSE DOWN THE ROAD.
DOES THAT MEAN THEY BRING THE ROOM, THEY HAVE A UNION TO PRACTICING.
UM, SO THIS IS KIND OF WHAT THE OBJECTION, TIMELINE, OBJECTIVE TIMELINE LOOKS LIKE.
UM, SO LOTS OF 20, 23 AND SOME IN 20, 24.
AND THEN, SO THESE ARE THE NEXT STEPS.
SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, I'LL GIVE YOU GUYS THIS TO KIND OF REVIEW AND DIG INTO ADOPTION AT THE MARCH MEETING BOARD REVIEW.
UM, THEY'RE GOING TO REVIEW KIND OF DURING MARCH, DO YOU WRITE TWOS AND THEN ADOPTION IN APRIL AND THEN THAT WAS KIND OF QUICK, BUT SO WE AS AN EDA HAVE TO APPROVE THIS BEFORE IT GOES TO THE BOARD.
THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS THAT, UM, ANY OTHER BOARDS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY WANT TO APPROVE SO THAT THERE ARE NO CHANGES AFTER THE BOARD MEMBERS SAID, OKAY, SO THEY WOULDN'T BE APPROVING THE FINAL APPROACH.
PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH.
THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T GIVE IT TO YOU AHEAD OF TIME.
AND THEN ONCE YOU'RE I KNOW YOU WEREN'T DOING THREE YEARS.
UM, SO, UH, UM, OH, BACK TO ME I'LL BE SHORT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT 26 NEW PROJECTS THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
UM, IF WE WERE TO LAND THEM ALL, THAT WOULD BE 2,227 NEW JOBS AND GET READY FOR IT.
AT $5.7 BILLION ON INVESTMENT.
WE HAD A NEW PROJECT COME IN, UM, WITH A BIG, UM, THAT'S NOT BIG ENOUGH FOR NOT MAKE UP FOR IT.
UM, UM, SO KIND OF BACK TO THE SITES.
UM, SO I'M TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THE TOP AVAILABLE PROPERTIES IN GOOCHLAND.
THAT'S THE OTHER BIG PROJECT I'VE BEEN KIND OF WORKING ON, UM, EXAMINING KIND OF UTILITIES, NAME, LOCATION, WETLANDS, ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HINDER DEVELOPMENT ON SOME OF THESE SITES, WE ARE DOWN TO 38,000 SQUARE FEET IN THE COUNTY THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
SO WE HAVE THREE SITES THAT ARE INDUSTRIAL.
TWO OF THEM ARE YOUR MIDPOINT, WHICH LIKE I SAID, OUR CAR ON WELL AND SEPTIC.
[01:10:01]
OF THOSE GET KNOCKED OUT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY FOR MOST OF MY PROJECTS.WE'LL BE IN, UM, END OF THIS YEAR.
YEAH, IT'S COMING SOON AS I LIKE TO SAY.
WELL, AS PART OF THE INITIAL FIREFLY PROJECT.
AND THEN, UM, AS JOANNE ALLUDED TO THE SMALL AREA VILLAGE PLAN, UM, TODAY IT'S AT 7:00 PM AT THE ADMIN BUILDING TO TALK ABOUT THE COURTHOUSE VILLAGE AND THEN TOMORROW IT'S AT 7:00 PM AT ST.
MATTHEW'S CHURCH TO TALK ABOUT CENTERVILLE.
SO WE WE'VE GOT THE CONSULTANTS IN TOWN TO KIND OF TALK THROUGH WHAT BOTH OF THOSE VILLAGES ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE FOR THE FUTURE IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENT, RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, ET CETERA, AND HOW BOTH OF THOSE KINDS OF SHOULD, SHOULD LAY OUT.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED VISIT 10, UM, IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO ATTEND, BUT HAVE NOTES OR HAVE THOUGHTS, PLEASE SEND THEM TO US.
WE'LL HAPPY TO SHARE THEM WITH THE CONSULTANT AS WELL, BUT THAT'S ALL, UM, ANY INFORMATION ON WHEN THE CAR WASH IS COMING IN FOR THEIR PAGE DANNY'S OR TOMMY'S WHAT'S HIGH? UM, I THINK THEY, I THINK THEY'RE UNDER BUILDING PERMIT REVIEW.
ARE THEY? BECAUSE I SAID THEY COULDN'T DEVELOP THE PROPERTY PRE-DEVELOPMENT YEAH.
I CAN DECIDE LAND HAS BEEN APPROVED, BUT I THINK THEY'RE UNDER BUILDING PERMIT, IF YOU PLEASE.
SO, UM, I'VE MET WITH SIX BUSINESSES SINCE THE LAST TIME WE'VE MET, UM, WORKFORCE CONCERN AND SUPPLY CHAIN CONCERNS WHERE THEIR MAIN ISSUES I AM WORKING, I'M GOING TO TRY, SET UP A WORKFORCE SUMMIT, UH, WITH ADJOINING LOCALITIES WHERE BUSINESSES CAN LEARN AN EXISTING RESOURCES AND LEARN LIKE BEST ADVERTISING PRACTICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I'M KIND OF GIVEN UP ON ACTUALLY PUTTING BODIES IN POSITIONS AND MAYBE FOCUS MORE ON, UH, RETENTION PRACTICES AND GOOD ADVERTISING PRACTICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND TRY TO BRING IN ADJOINING LOCALITIES TO SEE IF WE CAN GET A BIGGER DRAW.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S ON THE LIST.
UM, I'VE HAD 107 BUSINESS TOUCHES SINCE THE LAST MEETING, BUT MOST OF THOSE 97 OF THEM WAS I HANDED OUT FLYERS TO BUSINESSES AND WHEN THE COURTHOUSE IN THE CENTER LITTLE VILLAGE, UM, ON THE UPCOMING VILLAGE AREAS.
AND SO I DID LIKE A BUSINESS WALK LAST FRIDAY, WALKED AROUND AND HANDED OUT FLYERS.
UM, AND THEN LAST MONTH I HAD TOLD YOU ABOUT OUR GREENHOUSE BILL THAT WE WENT AND TRIED IT.
YEAH, IT GOT KILLED IN COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, WE DID NOT MAKE IT VERY FAR.
UM, MR. JOHN WRIGHT HAS RELAYED THAT INFORMATION BACK TO GREENSVILLE GROWERS AND TALKED TO HIM ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE WE GO FROM THERE ON THAT.
UM, I DID MEET WITH, UH, USDA NCRS, UH, TO DISCOVER THE KIND OF ROLES THAT THEY CAN PLAY IN FUNDING, AGRA BUSINESSES AND, UM, PRODUCERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND IN TECHNICAL SERVICES, UM, IT'S A WHOLE NEW WORLD TO ME.
SO, AND THEN AGAIN, I'M HOPING TO SET UP AN AG INDUSTRY EVENT, UM, WITH MAYBE SOME ENJOINING LOCALITIES TO GET FARMERS AND PRODUCERS TOGETHER WITH SOME RESOURCES SO THEY CAN JUST KIND OF NETWORK AND, AND THEY DO A LOT OF GRANTS ROLE.
AND WHEN I GET THROUGH EMAILS, I'M LIKE, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS.
SO MUCH INFORMATION COMING FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UM, AT OTHER INITIATIVES THAT I'M GOING TO BE WORKING ON THIS YEAR.
I MENTIONED, UM, IN OUR REPORT, A MONTHLY ED NEWSLETTER, I THINK THAT AS WELL HAS TO DO TO GET THAT OUT TO BUSINESSES AND THEN INDUSTRY NETWORKING EVENTS.
UM, SO THAT CONCLUDES MY UPDATE FOR EXISTING BUSINESSES.
I DO HAVE SOME OTHER BUSINESS, ONE BEING THE GIFT FOR BONNIE PRIUS'S RETIREMENT.
YOU ALL HAD MENTIONED LAST MEETING THAT YOU WANTED TO DO SOMETHING.
AND THEN THE CHAMBER BOARD WASN'T ACTUALLY GIVING THE MONEY UNTIL ABOUT MID-MARCH.
SO I DIDN'T MAKE THE PURCHASE BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER IF WE JUST WENT AHEAD AND VOTED ON IT IN A PUBLIC FORMAT.
UM, SO I HADN'T MADE ANY PURCHASE YET.
FOR WHAT WE, YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT GIVING THAT GIFT CARD? NO, WE WERE GOING TO VOTE ON IT THIS TIME RIGHT
[01:15:04]
NOW IS $500, CORRECT? CORRECT.AND THEN GIBSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS HOLDING THE, UM, MOCK INTERVIEWS ON MARCH 30TH.
AND THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR FOLKS WHO WANT TO COME AND, UM, PARTICIPATE IN THAT THEY'RE LIKE 15 MINUTE INTERVIEWS.
THEY ACTUALLY GIVE YOU THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS.
UM, AND THEN YOU, UM, SIT AND TALK TO THE STUDENT, LIKE THEY'RE RAN A FORMAL INTERVIEW, THEN YOU PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO THAT STUDENT ON HOW THEY DID.
UM, SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT, UM, HE DID CONNECT YEAH, IT'S IN THE MORNING.
SO IT'S FROM LIKE EIGHT TO NOON.
AND THEN MR. SALONE HAD AN ITEM HE WANTED TO BRING, CORRECT.
WHICH IS THE ANNUAL WELL TOOK THE LAST YEAR PRESENTATION BY THE EDA AND BY THE ONE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEMBER AND ALSO THE ECON DEVELOPMENT STEP, CORRECT DEAL.
YOU'LL BE THERE FOR THE, THAT GOES ON YOUR FEET WHEN THE GLE AND, UH, I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR ME.
I CAN CONTINUE IF ANYBODY DOES SUCH A NICE JOB.
I WILL CONTINUE IF ANYBODY WANTS TO ATTEND.
AND THEN IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, LIKE I THINK THIS IS TRUE.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE HIGHEST RANKED SESSION OF THE ENTIRE SHIELD.
AND WHERE ARE THOSE MEETINGS HELD? UH, THIS ONE WILL BE HELD AT THE FARM BUREAU.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE LAST COUPLE OF INHALE, EXCEPT FOR STONE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I DO AND GOT TWO PEOPLE TO SIGN UP FOR COMMITTEE.
HOW MANY OF YOU WERE IN ATTENDANCE? YOU WILL GO.
WELL THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO GET SOMEBODY UP TO SPEED.
AND I MIGHT, I MIGHT, I MIGHT INTERFACE, CAN I GIVE YOU THE DATE? UH, THE 9TH OF MARCH AT SEVEN? YES.
IN CASE ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO, YEAH.
THEN I MIGHT ASK FOR A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION SINCE THEY'RE SO BORING.
I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST JOINING THE ELECTRA BLEAK ENGINEERS, ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS, I SHOULD SAY, BUT OKAY.
UM, ANY OTHER BUSINESS? UH, CLOSED SESSION.
NEXT MEETING MARCH 16TH, 2022.