Mar 20, 2024 EDA Meeting 03-20-2024

TIME FOR THE

[00:00:02]

[I. Call to Order, 5:30 P.M.]

MARCH 20TH, 24.

2024.

MEETING OF THE GMAN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND ADAM, ECONOMIC DIRECTOR AND SECRETARY.

WILL YOU PAID A YOU OF THE QUORUM OR, UH, THANK YOU, MR. SPIT.

YEP.

MS. DEN, MR. CO.

HERE, MR. HERE.

ALL PRESENT.

YOU DO HAVE A QUORUM.

THANK

[II. Determination of a Quorum]

AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO CITIZEN COMMENT, PERIOD.

[III. Citizen Comment]

UH, MR. LYLE, DO YOU CARE TO SPEAK? UH, I DO.

UH, I I I WANT TO FIRST OF ALL SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE WHAT THE, UH, EDA AND STAFF ARE, ARE DOING.

UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY, AS I THINK EVERYONE'S AWARE OF WORKING THROUGH THE COUNTY BUDGET, AND IT'S ABUNDANTLY CLEAR TO ME THAT WITHOUT ADDITIONAL COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTY, WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, IT, IT'S NOT PRETTY PICTURE.

UH, I MEAN, WE ARE, AND I USE SIMPLE NUMBERS.

I SAY 85, 15 RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL.

I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT, 1884.

BUT, UH, WE REALLY, AS A COUNTY ARE DEPENDENT UPON, UH, OUR FUTURE IS COMMERCIAL GROWTH.

AND, AND SO WHAT YOU FOLKS HAVE AS OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND TOOLS IS SO TERRIBLY IMPORTANT.

UH, I, I AM HOPEFUL, AND I BELIEVE I CAN SPEAK, NO, I'LL SPEAK MY SENSE OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS IS THAT WE RECOGNIZE HOW IMPORTANT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IS.

AND, UH, I HAVE BEEN, UH, SPECIFIC IN SAYING WEST CREEK IS AN AREA THAT I THINK IS 35 YEARS, HAS JUST KIND OF BEEN SITTING THERE.

AND I, I JUST, THIS LAST 10 DAYS, TWO WEEKS HAVE SAID $2 BILLION IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT KIND OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOW WE GET THERE.

IT AIN'T GOING BE ONE OFFS.

IT AIN'T GOING TO BE, I MEAN, THE INDUSTRIAL TAP HOUSE, I MEAN, WE WOULD NEED, WE, WE, WE COULDN'T DO $2 BILLION IN INDUSTRIAL TAP HOUSES.

SO IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING BIGGER.

AND IN CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF THE MEMBERSHIP, IT'S WATER AND ENERGY AND WHAT I DON'T KNOW, AND WHAT I'M HOPING TO FIND OUT IS WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO GET THE WATER'S THERE? I THINK THE HOE CREEK SERVICE DISTRICT WAS INVENTED AND CREATED FOR THE VERY PURPOSE OF PROVIDING WATER TO THAT DISTRICT OR THAT PART OF THE COUNTY.

IT'S THE ENERGY ASPECT OF IT.

AND I'M NOT AN ENGINEER.

UH, I, I KNOW TO CALL PEOPLE WHO KNOW THESE THINGS, BUT WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO GET SIGNIFICANT POWER BACK INTO WEST CREEK? AND WHAT DOES THE COUNTY NEED TO DO TO FACILITATE GREASE THE SKIDS? AND, AND I DON'T KNOW, IS IT SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE FUNDED THROUGH BOND ISSUANCES THAT THE COUNTY PAYS TO BRING THAT LINE BACK THERE, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT A BUSINESS WOULD PAY TO GET IT BACK THERE WITH DOMINION, VIRGINIA DO IT BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA MAKE A BUNCH OF MONEY FROM SELLING ENERGY TO SOMEBODY BACK THERE.

SO I'M ON A A A A MISSION, I SUPPOSE, SELF-APPOINTED TO GET THAT KIND OF INFORMATION, BECAUSE I, UH, THINK WE HAVE DONE, YOU FOLKS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF FIELDING THE INQUIRIES WHERE THEY COME IN.

BUT I, I HAVE COME FROM AN INDUSTRY WHERE IF WE DIDN'T KILL SOMETHING, WE DIDN'T EAT, AND SO WE WENT OUT, WE WERE HUNTERS, WE WEREN'T GATHERERS.

AND SO TO SOME DEGREE, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TAKE A, WE'RE GONNA GO CALL ON PEOPLE, WE'RE GONNA IDENTIFY WHO WE WANT THERE, WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT WHO THOSE PEOPLE ARE, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A, A, A DIALING FOR DOLLARS, A PROSPECTING.

UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD TAKE, BUT, UH, MY WHOLE SUCCESS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAS BEEN INITIATING CONTACT AS WELL AS RESPONDING TO IT.

BUT PRIMARILY MY GROWTH CAME WHEN WE WENT OUT AND INITIATED CONTACT WITH PEOPLE WE WANTED TO DO BUSINESS WITH, MY COMPANIES WANTED TO DO BUSINESS WITH.

SO I, I, I, AGAIN, CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT I KNOW ONE MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WILL BE EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE OF EFFORTS THAT THE EDA MIGHT CHOOSE TO UNDERTAKE.

THAT WOULD BE A PROSPECTING OR INITIATING CONTRACT INIT CONTACT INITIATIVE TO GET COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT INTO THE COUNTY.

UH, I WOULD NOT EVEN PRESUME TO CHANGE WHAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY DOING WHEN THE INQUIRERS ARE COMING IN.

I, I HAVE EVERY IMPRESSION THAT WE DO.

YOU ARE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB IN, IN PROCESSING THOSE.

BUT I'M, I'M A, I WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.

[00:05:01]

I'M GONNA GO KILL SOMETHING AND, AND, UH, HAVE A MEAL THAT WAY, I SUPPOSE.

SO I APPRECIATE WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.

I WANT YOU TO BE AWARE THAT ONE MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS REALLY FOCUSED ON YOUR SUCCESS AND YOUR ACTIVITIES AND, UH, HAS HAVE BEEN PRESENTED AT OUR WORKSHOP.

THERE ARE SOME TOOLS THAT MAYBE NEED TO BE ADDED TO THE TOOLBOX.

SOME OF THAT MIGHT BE FUNDING, BUT I AM REALLY FOCUSED, AND I'M A, AND I THINK WE'RE ALL GENERATIONAL.

SO WHEN I SAY BROKEN RECORD, PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.

UH, THAT, THAT WE, WEST CREEK IS A IS SITTING THERE.

WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT.

I, I DON'T WANT TO GET DISTRACTED WITH SHINY NEW OBJECTS AND NEW STUDIES OUT THERE ON OTHER AREAS THAT MIGHT BE DEVELOPED.

IF WE HAD WATER AND ENERGY TO, WE GOT WEST CREEK.

I WANT TO DEVELOP IT.

THANK YOU FOR, I WANT MORE THAN THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MR. SUPER APPRECIATE IT.

UH, IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE PUSHING NO CLOSE, EXCUSE ME, CITIZEN COMMENT, PERIOD AND MOVE TO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES? UH, WE CAN, COULD WE HAVE A RESPONSE TO HIS COMMENTS? ABSOLUTELY.

OKAY.

UM, COULD YOU, UM, SARAH, COULD YOU, UM, MENTION, UM, THE INVOLVEMENT WITH VIRGINIA POWER? YEAH.

WHO WE HAVE? MM-HMM.

, AND IT, IT SEEMS WE'RE KIND OF IN A CATCH 22, AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT IT'S LIKE IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL POWER IT.

AND THEN IT'S LIKE, WELL, IF YOU DON'T POWER, WE WON'T BUILD IT.

YEAH.

SO IT'S A CATCH 22 THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.

AND YOU CAN GO AHEAD IF YOU DON'T MIND.

YEAH.

IT IS A CATCH 22.

UH, DOMINION DOES NOT SPECULATIVE BUILD.

AND SO WE'VE HAD MANY MEETINGS WITH THEM, UM, TO TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH POWER WE DO HAVE.

AND BASICALLY IF WE GOT A PROJECT ON THE LINE AND THEY ACTUALLY SIGNED A AGREEMENT TO SAY THAT THEY ARE COMING TO THIS SITE, THEY WILL THEN PROVIDE THE POWER TO THIS SITE.

HOWEVER, AGAIN, THIS IS VERBAL, HOWEVER, THAT IS ABOUT 36 MONTHS TO GET THAT POWER TO THE SITE.

EVERY PROJECT THAT HAS COME THROUGH MY OFFICE IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS HAS NEEDED GOBS OF POWER NEW SUBSTATION ON SITE.

AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT 36 TO 48 MONTHS BEFORE, UM, SO BEFORE THAT COULD EVEN GET THE POWER TO THE SITE.

AND, UM, A LOT OF THE PROJECTS ARE SAYING THAT TIMELINE IS TOO LONG FOR THEM.

UM, AND IT, IT, DOMINION WON'T BUILD IT.

NOW, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, WHICH I'M EXPLORING.

UM, I'VE TALKED TO THE LANDOWNERS IN WEST CREEK ABOUT SETTING ASIDE AN EASEMENT LOCATION FOR SUBSTATION AND TRYING TO GET RIGHT OF WAY FOR THE TRANSMISSION LINES ALREADY ESTABLISHED, WHICH WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY CUT DOWN THE LEAD TIME.

STILL CAN'T, WE STILL CAN'T ACTUALLY RUN THE LINES.

UM, BUT WE CAN GET ALL THE BACK PAPERWORK DONE.

SO I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS, UM, ABOUT THAT IT WILL TAKE SOME ENGINEERING, UM, AND SOME, SOME MONEY TO FUND THOSE STUDIES, UM, AND POTENTIAL RIGHT AWAY ACQUISITION FOR THOSE TRANSMISSION LINES.

SO, SO WHAT CAN BE DONE, IF ANYTHING, TO, UH, LEARN THE LESSON OF PROBABLY 30 YEARS AGO WHERE IT REALLY WAS, UH, I MEAN WAY I REMEMBER IT, UH, MOTOROLA WAS COMING IN, DOMINION WAS GONNA RUN THOSE LINES AND THEN, AND IT WAS THE PEOPLE, AND I WAS ONE OF 'EM, I WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TUCKO CREEK AT THAT TIME.

IT WAS THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY GUMMED UP THE WORKS, YOU KNOW? RIGHT.

GOING DOWN THE SEC PROTESTING ALL THIS STUFF.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE COULD DO FOR THE POLITICAL SIDE? I GUESS SMALL KEY POLITICAL SIDE, RIGHT? SO, UM, RIKER COUNTY'S ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH SEC NOW 'CAUSE THEY'RE RUNNING A NEW TRANSMISSION LINE.

SO ALL OF THAT STILL HAS TO OCCUR.

SO THAT WOULD OCCUR WITHIN THAT 36 TO 48 MONTHS BEFORE DIVINING COULD RUN THOSE LINES.

BUT IF WE COULD GET RIGHT OF WAY IN PLACE NOW FOR THE TRANSMISSION LINE, THAT WOULD, THAT'S ALL WE NEED, BASICALLY THE RIGHT OF WAY.

YEAH.

THAT WOULD BE, UM, IDEAL BECAUSE THEN DOMINION ALREADY HAS THE LAND.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO, THEY STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH SEC APPROVAL.

YEAH.

BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION.

BUT DOMINION NEEDS TO THINK ABOUT IT FROM A PROFILE STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE BIG, THE BIG ISSUE AMONG PEOPLE IN FOX HALL AND THOSE AREAS WAS YOU'RE GONNA BE SEEING THESE TRANSMISSION LINES GOING RIGHT THROUGH YOUR BACKYARD AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

THEY'VE GOTTA DEAL WITH A VISUAL SOMEHOW AND MAKE IT, UH, LESS THREATENING, I THINK.

YEAH.

SO DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE THE, UH, RIGHT OF WAY WOULD BE AND

[00:10:01]

'CAUSE ALL OF THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ENGINEERED BASICALLY WHAT WOULD MAKE THE MOST SENSE COMING FROM THE EXISTING SUBSTATIONS AND FROM THE EXISTING LINES.

HOW, HOW CAN THE COUNTY GET MORE INVOLVED WITH, UM, I THINK FUNDING SOME ENGINEERING.

UM, OKAY.

TO, TO START TO LOOK AT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

OKAY.

UM, 'CAUSE THAT WOULD BE STEP ONE, THAT'S, YEAH, I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT HE WAS MENTIONING AND ASKING YOU ABOUT, SO, OKAY.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY COULD POTENTIALLY FUND? MM-HMM.

POTENTIALLY HAVE US LIKE MATCH OR, MM-HMM.

, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

YEAH.

YEP.

I CAN, UM, GET SOME QUOTES AND SEE HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST.

SO POWER IS THE BIG THING.

POWER IS THE BIG THING.

UM, WE WERE WORKING A PROJECT THAT NEEDED A LOT OF, A LOT OF WATER AND WE HAD THE WATER DID NOT HAVE THE POWER.

OKAY.

SO, OKAY.

YEAH.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE.

MOVE ON TO

[IV. Approval of Minutes]

UH, WE'VE GOT TWO MINUTES FOR CONSIDERATION.

17TH OF JANUARY AND THE 28TH OF FEBRUARY.

[1. Motion to approve Minutes from 1/17/24 and 2/28/24 meetings]

[2. January 17, 2024 MinutesComment]

[3. February 28, 2024 MinutesComment]

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

THERE'S A SECOND.

SO, EXCUSE ME, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED, HEARING NO DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES? ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM JANUARY 17TH AND FEBRUARY 28TH.

PLEASE STATE AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ALL OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THANK YOU

[V. Scheduled Matters]

AND MOVING ON TO THE TREASURER'S REPORT.

OKAY,

[A. Treasurer's Report]

[1. Bills to be Paid: Christian & Barton $2,993.00]

UH, THERE'S THREE, UM, PASS THROUGH REIMBURSEMENTS, UH, FOR NA HOTEL AT $61,993 HARDYWOOD $166,851 IN CAP 1 220 $8,844.

TOTAL IS ABOUT 4 57, 758.

UH, WE ALSO HAD A, AN EXPENDITURE OF $55,000 FOR, UH, UH, GLAND DAY, WHICH WAS APPROVED I THINK AT THE LAST MEETING.

MM-HMM.

JANUARY MEETING.

AND THEN THERE'S A, UM, THERE'S A $5,000 EXPENSE IN THERE FOR THE, UH, BLUE DOT, UH, GROUP, UH, GROUP DOT TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE SHOP LOCAL, UH, PROGRAM.

UH, AND, UH, BEFORE YOU IS A, UH, REQUEST TO, TO PAY, UH, BARTON AND FS, I THINK, RIGHT? UH, CHRISTIAN BARTON, CHRISTIAN BARTON, EXCUSE ME.

AND C YEAH.

USED TO BE CHRISTIAN BARTON.

I'M GOING WAY BACK.

UM, AND THAT, THOSE, THE ONLY THINGS, UH, RELATED TO THE TREASURER'S REPORT ARE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FOR THE TREASURER? HEARING NONE, UH, MAY WE ENTERTAIN A MOTION THEN TO PAY CHRISTIAN BARTON THE SUM OF $2,993? SO, MOVE, IS THERE A SECOND? THERE'S A SECOND.

UH, TO THE MOTION.

UH, ANY DISCUSSION ON ANY MOTION HEARING? NO DISCUSSION.

WE'LL MOVE FOR A VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE PAYMENT TO CHRISTIAN BARTON FOR THAT AMOUNT, PLEASE STATE AYE.

AYE.

ALL OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THANK YOU.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE 2023.

[B. 2023 Incentive Report]

ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU MAY REMEMBER EVERY YEAR AROUND THIS TIME, UM, WE DO OUR COUNTY INCENTIVES.

NOW THESE ARE ITEMS THAT, UM, HAVE RECEIVED PERFORMANCE AGREEMENTS AND THEY'VE BEEN VOTED ON BY THE DA, BY THE BOARD SUPERVISORS THROUGHOUT THE LAST, UM, SEVERAL YEARS.

AND THEY'RE BASICALLY PASSED THROUGH GRANTS.

THEY'RE TAX REIMBURSEMENTS.

SO THEY CA UH, THE BUSINESS HAS LOCATED, THEY HAVE MET THEIR PERFORMANCE METRIC AND THEY HAVE BEGIN TO GET, RECEIVE TAX REIMBURSEMENTS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

SO THE COUNTY WILL REIMBURSE AND IT PASSES THROUGH THE EDA.

MR. SCHMIDT JUST MENTIONED, UM, THREE OF THOSE.

SO THESE ARE THE REPORTS THAT GO ALONG WITH THOSE.

UM, STARTING IN YOUR PACKET ON PAGE 12, THERE IS THE, UH, CAPITAL ONE.

YOU'LL SEE THAT WE PAID THEM, UM, 2, 4 8, 9 16.

UM, AND WE'RE SLOWLY MAKING GOOD PROGRESS ON THAT BALANCE.

EVERY YEAR I LOOK AT IT, I'M THINKING, WOW, WE'RE ALMOST DONE.

SO, BUT LIKE LITERALLY IN TWO MORE YEARS WE'LL BE DONE PAYING OFF THE CAP ONE INCENTIVES.

SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO START TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF THOSE TAX REVENUES COMING IN, UH, FROM CAP ONE.

AND THEN ON THE NEXT PAGE IS THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA ELECTRICAL CO-OP.

THIS WAS FOR, UH, THE FIREFLY BROADBAND EXPANSION.

[00:15:01]

SO NO, UH, REBATES HAVE BEEN ISSUED THUS FAR TO THEM.

UM, THE NEXT PAGE IS GREENS.

WELL GROWERS, THIS WAS FOR THE APHID GRANT THAT THEY RECEIVED WHEN THEY OPENED.

FUNDS HAVE NOT BEEN DISPERSED TO THEM YET.

UM, THEY HAVE MET THEIR, UM, CAPITAL, UM, IT, BUT THEY HAVE NOT MET THEIR JOB COUNT.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, REDOING THIS AFI GRANT IN ANOTHER FORMAT IN THE FUTURE FOR THEM.

SO I THINK THIS GRANT WILL PROBABLY BE CANCELED AND HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO DO ANOTHER ONE IN THE FUTURE.

SO WHAT DO YOU MEAN BE CANCELED? WE WILL NOT, YEAH, WE HAVE NOT DISPERSED ANY FUNDS.

SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT THEY THEY JUST DON'T GET THE MONEY FROM US? THEY STILL GOT THE GRANT FROM THE STATE, OR, UH, NO, THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.

PAY IT.

SO THEY, I GOT IT.

HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANYTHING.

WE, UM, CHANGED THE WAY THAT WE DISPERSED MONEY, THE STATE DID.

AND SO THEY HAVE, THEY DON'T GET ANYTHING UP FRONT ANYMORE, SO THERE'S NO A CALLBACK.

UM, SO THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANYTHING FROM US OR FROM THE STATE.

DO THEY KNOW THIS? YES.

ARE THEY, ARE THEY OKAY WITH IT? YES.

OKAY.

? YEP.

UM, THE NEXT ONE IS HARDYWOOD.

AND SO, UH, THEY MET THEIR PERFORMANCE STATE.

THEY ARE AT 83% ON THEIR CAPITAL INVESTMENT NUMBERS.

MET THEIR JOB COUNT AT 91% AND BLEW THROUGH THEIR VIRGINIA GROWN, UH, USE AT 156%.

SO WHAT THIS MEANS WITH THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT, SINCE THEY ONLY MADE 83%, THEY DID HAVE TO REPAY A PRO RAT OF SHARE OF THEIR GRANT BACK TO THE EDP, WHICH HAS BEEN PAID BACK TO THEM.

AND WE HAVE REDUCED THE COUNTY SLASH ED A MATCH TO REFLECT THE REDUCED AWARD AMOUNT.

SO THE COUNTY WILL CON CONTINUE TO REBATE TILL THEY MEET, UM, THE MINIMUM AMOUNT, UM, THAT WAS AWARDED BY THE STATE.

SO WE'VE BEEN IN FULL CONTACT WITH THEM ABOUT THIS EVERY YEAR.

AND THEY'RE, AND THEY HAVE REPAID THEIR PORTION BACK TO THE ETP, I WANNA SAY IT WAS LIKE $20,000.

THINK PUT.

EXCUSE ME, GO AHEAD.

ARE THEY GONNA PUT THEIR KITCHEN IN? IS THAT STILL, UH, NOT, IT'S NOT IN YET.

UM, IT IS NOT IN YET.

SO I THINK, UM, IF YOU'VE BEEN OUT THERE RECENTLY, THEY DID THIS LIKE FUN KIND OF, UH, PRETZEL HOTDOG BRUSH THING IN THE FRONT.

I THINK THAT WAS A TEST, UH, PROOF OF CONCEPT FOR THEM.

SO, UM, ONCE THEY GET THAT AND SHOW THAT IT IS WORKING AND THAT THEY, THEY CAN MAKE MONEY OFF OF IT, THEN THEY'LL GO TO GET FULL FINANCING FOR THEIR KITCHEN THAT'S UP THERE.

SATURDAY, A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

AND IT WAS JAMMED.

IT WAS JUST LOTS OF PEOPLE THERE.

YEAH.

DID THEY HAVE A PLAN FOR AN AMPHITHEATER? UM, SO THEY HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO DO YES, LIKE A FULL AMPHITHEATER AND THEY STILL PLAN ON, UM, INSTALLING A STAGE DOWN KIND OF IN THAT NATIONAL AMPHITHEATER WITH THE FULL BACKING.

OKAY.

YEAH.

SO DID THEY, THEY DID END UP GETTING, UH, AN EXTENSION ON THEIR THEY DID.

THEY DID.

AND THEY STILL DIDN'T QUITE MEET.

MM-HMM.

.

I WAS SO CLOSE.

I KNOW.

VERY CLOSE.

VERY CLOSE.

OKAY.

SO LUCKILY THERE WAS SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THAT AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO REPAY THE ENTIRE THING, SO IT WAS A SMALL PORTION.

OKAY.

GOOD.

UM, AND THEN THE NA HOTEL, SO THAT'S THE RESIDENCE INN.

THEY HAVE MET THEIR CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND KEPT THEIR JOBS, UM, EMPLOYED.

AND SO WE ARE REATING THEM AND I THINK NEXT YEAR THEY WILL BE FULLY DONE.

UM, SO, SO WE REBATE THEM.

YES.

SO THERE'S ONLY LIKE 36,000 LEFT TO REBATE TO THEM, AND THEY'RE GONNA GET THAT NEXT YEAR.

SO THEY'LL FALL OFF AND THEIR SYNE WILL BE COMPLETE.

THAT'S IT.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION QUESTIONS WITH REGARDS TO THE 2023 CONSENT OF THE REPORT? I WILL, UM, JUST MAKE THE COMMENT THAT YOU'VE DONE AN AMAZING JOB TRACKING THESE FROM WHERE WE WERE YEAH.

WHEN WE FIRST THANK YOU.

GAVE OUT BASIC GRANT.

YEAH, I'M VERY PLEASED TO DO THAT.

THANK YOU.

GOOD.

THANK YOU.

YEAH, IT WAS A CHALLENGE, BUT WE PERSEVERE.

WE GOT A, A SYSTEM GOING ON, LOOKS LIKE.

YES.

, UM,

[C. New Business Update]

YES.

UH, SO MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS.

UM, I GOTTEN IN THREE PROJECTS SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, UM, AND THEY'VE BEEN KIND OF SIGNIFICANT.

SO RIGHT NOW MY ACTIVE PROJECT LEAD PIPELINE IS 2.3 BILLION.

UM, SO I DO HAVE 458 MILLION UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW.

UM, SO AS THEY COME IN, WE MOVE THEM OVER ONCE THEY OPEN.

UM, SO LIKE

[00:20:01]

SO NOW THAT THAT'S DONE, THAT'LL FALL OFF OF THAT, THAT NUMBER.

UM, THE, UM, WE HAD OUR KICKOFF MEETING WITH, UH, THE, UM, PES FIRM, UM, WHICH IS DOING OUR FAIRGROUND ROAD EXTENSION ECONOMIC ANALYSIS YESTERDAY.

SO I'M PLEASED AT, UM, HOW THAT WENT.

THEY CAME IN AND WE'D GET A TOUR AROUND THE COURTHOUSE AREA.

UM, GAVE THEM A LOT OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION STUDIES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED.

UM, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT MAYBE MIDSUMMER TO HAVE THAT FULL REPORT BACK.

I THINK THAT'LL REALLY HELP INFORM WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT PROPERTY.

UM, AND WHAT ELSE COULD BE DONE HERE IN THE COURTHOUSE VILLAGE.

SO I'M EXCITED.

NO, THAT WILL ALL FALL UNDER THE NEW PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED.

MM-HMM.

THE NEW COURTHOUSE, UH, SMALL AREA PLAN.

YEP.

SO WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE THAT LAND USE MADE SENSE FOR THAT NEW AREA.

AND IT'S CALLED MIXED USE, UM, VILLAGE.

SO, UM, IT, IT'LL, IT SHOULD BE, YEAH.

IT SHOULD BE NICE.

UM, SO I'M INTERESTED TO GET THAT INFORMATION BACK AND TO DIG INTO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

WELL, THE, ARE THE COUNTY STANDARDS STILL THE SAME AS FAR AS LIKE, HAS TO BE BRICK, HAS TO HAVE LIKE A GREEN ROOF OR , ALL THAT STUFF? THE ARCHITECTURAL STANDARDS, UM, FROM AN OVERLAY PERSPECTIVE ARE STILL IN PLACE.

UM, I THINK THAT THIS NEW, UM, LAND USE CATEGORY DOESN'T HAVE A ZONING DISTRICT ASSOCIATED WITH IT YET.

SO WE KIND OF GET A CHANCE TO CREATE WHAT THAT ZONING DISTRICT LOOKS LIKE.

OKAY.

UM, AND KIND OF THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THAT CONCEPT.

SO THAT'S THE OTHER EXCITING PART OF IT.

? YEAH.

UM, YEAH, UH, THE 1990 ASHLAND ROAD CHARACTERIZATION REPORT, UM, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THAT SITE, UH, WAS UP FOR THE PROJECT ROCKY SITE.

WE DID A SITE CHARACTERIZATION REPORT ON THAT AND WE RECEIVED IT BACK.

AND IT IS A TIER FOUR AND I'VE ACTIVELY MARKETING IT.

I'VE TALKED TO TWO SELECT SITE SELECTORS ABOUT IT.

UM, WE'VE UPDATED OUR WEBSITE, UM, AND KIND OF PUT IT AS LIKE A FEATURED PROPERTY.

UM, AND, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME MOVEMENT ON THAT, ON THAT SITE.

SO WORKING HARD 'CAUSE IT IS A GOOD SITE.

UM, THE SOUTHERN INFRASTRUCTURE STUDY, YOU GUYS MIGHT REMEMBER IT AS SPEEDA, WHICH WAS THE SOUTHERN PRIME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AREA.

UH, IT'S BEEN CHANGED THE NAME, IT'S THE SOUTHERN INFRASTRUCTURE STUDY THAT IS UNDERWAY.

THERE'S A COMMUNITY MEETING ON MARCH 26TH.

UM, BASICALLY THE STUDY IS GONNA ANALYZE THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE IN THAT AREA AND IT'S JUST GONNA INFORM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS TO WHAT THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE IS.

AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT POTENTIAL GROWTH, UM, BASED ON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THEN ANOTHER POTENTIAL GROWTH SCENARIO TO SEE IF INFRASTRUCTURE, WHAT WOULD NEED TO BE, WHAT'S THERE NOW, AND THEN WHAT WOULD NEED TO GO THERE.

SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

UNFORTUNATELY, UM, ELECTRICAL IS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT STUDY.

SO IT'S WATER, SEWER, ROADS, UM, FIRE AND RESCUE.

SO HAVING A STUDY THAT'S SPECIFICALLY TALKS ABOUT ELECTRICAL AND POWER IN THAT AREA, I THINK IS SUPER IMPORTANT.

SO, UM, THE, WE, I HOSTED THE EDP, SO VIRGINIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP.

I HOSTED THEIR BUSINESS INVESTMENTS AND SITES TEAM AT THE REYNOLDS CAMPUS, UM, ON FEBRUARY 28TH.

WE HAVEN'T HOSTED THEM IN GLAND COUNTY SINCE 2019, SO THAT WAS FUN TO GET THEM BACK OUT THERE.

UM, I REVIEWED ALL OF OUR ACTIVE SITES WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE KIND OF TOP OF MIND.

UM, AND, UH, UH, WENT OVER SOME OF OUR TARGETED INDUSTRIES WITH THEM.

THEY ALSO TOURED THE REYNOLDS CAMPUS.

UM, I REALLY WANTED THEM TO SEE THAT CAMPUS TO SEE IF THERE'S, IF THEY HAD ANY PROJECTS IN OUR PIPELINE OR, OR IF, IF SOMETHING CAME IN THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT THAT COULD WORK FOR THAT BUILDING.

SO WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH REYNOLDS, UM, TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST USE COULD BE FOR THAT BUILDING MOVING FORWARD.

BUT THAT WAS A GOOD MEETING TO HAVE WITH THEM.

AND ACTUALLY, LIKE THE VERY NEXT DAY I GOT A PROJECT AND I WAS LIKE, OH, LOOK, SEE.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS JUST, UM, A GOOD TIMING OR IF THAT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT.

UM, THE, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THE I 64 INDUSTRIAL PARK UP IN OILVILLE, UH, GLIN BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVED THE REZONING ON THAT BACK IN AUGUST.

AND WE WERE WAITING FOR THE HANOVER TO APPROVE THEIR SIDE.

HANOVER APPROVED IT, I THINK IN JANUARY.

OH.

SO, UH, LANDOWNER ARE MOVING

[00:25:01]

UM, THEY'VE ALREADY GOT THE POD FILED IN BOTH COUNTIES.

UM, AND SO I'M GONNA BE WORKING, UM, WITH THE HANOVER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO TRY TO JOINT MARKET THAT PROPERTY.

SO, UM, I THINK IT'LL, I THINK IT'LL GO FAST ONCE THOSE LOTS ARE AVAILABLE TO SELL.

AND THEN, UH, LASTLY WE DID A MARKETING PUSH THROUGH THE TRADE AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT.

AND THAT IS AN INDUSTRY TRADE MAGAZINE THAT HAS, UM, PHYSICAL COPIES, BUT THEN THEY ALSO HAVE LIKE 18,000 MONTHLY VISITORS, MOSTLY SITE SELECTORS OR CORPORATE PEOPLE GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, UM, AND THEY USE A, A TOOL CALLED AUDIENCE EXTENSION.

SO BASICALLY IF YOU VISIT THEIR WEBSITE, YOU ACCEPT THE COOKIES , IT WILL, THEY CAN EXTEND THEIR ADS SO CERTAIN ADS CAN BE SEEN WHEN THEY LEAVE THEIR SITE AND BROWSE OTHER WEBSITES.

SO WE, UM, USED IT.

SO THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SEE.

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF, UM, SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE, LET'S SEE, DISCOVERY GLAND COUNTY, GLAND COUNTY GREW 18% IN THE LAST DECADE.

FOUND OUT WHY GLAND IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

SO THESE CUTE LITTLE ADS ARE GONNA POP UP .

UH, SO THAT'S THE CELL PHONE.

AND THEN THERE'S A DESKTOP VIEW TOO.

SO YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN 'EM LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT WEBSITES AND THINGS ARE UP ON THE SIDE.

UM, SO WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.

UH, IF YOU CLICK ON THIS LINK WILL TAKE YOU TO THE DISCOVER GLAND ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH HAS OUR VIDEO THAT WE DID.

SO THE VIDEO'S POSTED THERE.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO TRACKING THE NUMBER OF, UM, PEOPLE THROUGH GOOGLE ANALYTICS THAT HIT THAT PAGE.

SO THAT'S BASICALLY LIKE OUR MARKETING PAGE.

WE, IF, IF WE DO ANY PAID MARKETING, WE PUT EVERYBODY BACK TO THAT, UM, PAGE SO WE CAN TRACK TO MAKE SURE THE PROGRESS IS BEING MADE.

SO, UM, SIR, SPEAKING OF MARKETING, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE PLACE TO UM, MENTION THIS, BUT GOING BACK TO WHAT YOUR CONVERSATION STARTED WITH, UM, ABOUT LIKE TRYING TO PUSH, BE PROACTIVE MM-HMM.

AND, AND MARKET TOWARD BUSINESS THAT WE WANT TO, UM, HAVE COMING TO THE COUNTY.

CAN ARE, ARE YOU AND MAYBE THE REST OF THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THEY AWARE OF THE GRANT THAT WE GOT THAT WOULD HELP WITH THE CODES AND THE HELP WITH OUR MARKETING PLAN THAT, THAT WE FUNDED THE, THE TARGETED INDUSTRY? MM-HMM.

THE ONE THAT WE GOT A COUPLE YEARS AGO.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? MM-HMM.

.

UM, AND SO THAT, BECAUSE WITHOUT THAT WE WOULDN'T BE ANYWHERE NEAR WHERE WE ARE.

RIGHT? YEAH.

SO THAT HELPED US FOCUS IN, UM, THE INDUSTRIES THAT WE WANTED TO BE APPROACHING AND WHAT UCHIN COUNTY WOULD ACTUALLY BE GOOD FOR.

UM, SO IT HELPED INFORM A LOT OF OUR EXISTING MARKETING STRATEGIES.

NOW, UM, WE HIRED VIRGINIA TECH TO DO A STUDY.

YEAH.

THEY FIGURED OUT THESE ARE THE CUS CODES.

MM-HMM.

.

YEAH.

YEAH.

DIDN'T THINK I KNEW THAT.

DID YOU? , YOU'RE ON IT.

UM, I'M A MARKETER.

.

WELL, WITHOUT, WITHOUT THAT YEAH.

WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE MARKETING MATERIALS YES.

THAT WE HAVE.

YES.

OR BE ABLE TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY WHEN PEOPLE CAN CALL.

YEAH.

YES.

THAT WAS SUPER, SUPER HELPFUL IN GETTING THE OFFICE YES.

ABLE TO PERFORM.

UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NEW BUSINESS.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? DISCUSSION, KAREN? LET'S MOVE

[D. Existing Business Update]

SURE.

AWESOME.

UH, SO FIRST THINGS I WENT AHEAD AND PUT A LITTLE HANDY DANDY SHEET FOR YOU.

ALL OF JUST DIFFERENT DATES OF OUR DIFFERENT WORKSHOPS, EVENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO YOU CAN PUT IT INTO YOUR CALENDAR.

UM, JUST WANT TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU ALL JUST, JUST THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, UM, JUST SO YOU GUYS CAN ATTEND AS MUCH AS YOU'D LIKE.

UM, WITH THAT, WE ARE PARTNERING MYSELF, PARTNERING WITH THE CHAMBER A LOT MORE ON THEIR KIND OF NETWORKING EVENTS.

UM, JUST TO GET OTHER BUSINESSES INVOLVED IN THE CHAMBER, MORE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.

UM, WE'RE ALSO DOING A SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE BREAKFAST WITH THEM COMING UP IN JULY, UM, AT THE RESIDENCE INN.

SO WE, WE HAVE A PANEL OF, UH, UH, FOUR SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCES FROM THE SBDC WORKFORCE ORGANIZATIONS, KIND OF ALL OF OUR PARTNER PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.

UM, AND WE'RE HAVING 'EM REGISTER FOR IT AND WE'LL BE PROVIDING BREAKFAST.

SO WE'LL BE HAVING THAT IN ON JULY 24TH.

UM, AND THEN I'VE ALSO BEEN PUSHING THIS IN THE CHAMBER'S EAR AND WHISPERING TO THEM.

SO THEY'RE GONNA START HOSTING, UM, SCORE POP POPUP MENTORING SESSIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT OUR

[00:30:01]

UM, THEN, UH, SO WE WANT TO TOUCH BASE ON OUR ROUND TABLES.

SO WE HAD TWO ROUND TABLES EARLIER THIS YEAR.

UM, ONE FOR OUR SMALL INDUSTRIAL PARKS AND ONE FOR OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY.

UM, THE SMALL INDUSTRIAL PARK, OUR ATTENDANCE WAS LOW, UM, COMPARED TO THE NUMBER THAT RSVP.

UH, THOSE THAT DID ATTEND REALLY APPRECIATED THE EVENT AND I THOUGHT WE HAD PRETTY GOOD DISCUSSION, UM, JUST ABOUT WHAT GOIN CAN DO TO BE MORE BUSINESS FRIENDLY AND, AND SUPPORT BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTY.

UM, TOURISM WAS, UH, HAD VERY GOOD ATTENDANCE AND WAS A GOOD CONVERSATION AS WELL.

UM, WE WERE LOOKING TO TRY TO DO A ASHTON ROAD KIND OF ROUND TABLE, BUT KIND OF WITH THE LACK OF CLARITY AROUND, UH, FROM VDO AND THE INTERCHANGE EXCHANGE, WHAT THAT LONG TERM WAS GONNA LOOK LIKE.

UH, WE STARTED TO PUSH THAT OFF JUST 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE HAVING DISCUSSIONS THAT COULD VERY EASILY CHANGE IN SIX MONTHS.

UM, SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS, UH, KIND OF HOST A NETWORKING EVENT THIS, UH, THIS SUMMER FOR THE FASHION OF BUSINESSES.

JUST GET THEM TOGETHER.

UM, WE HELD ONE IN THE SUMMER OF 22 AND I KNOW THAT WAS WELL ATTENDED.

SO GONNA DO THAT AGAIN.

AND I'M STARTING ON THAT PLAN.

UM, NEXT WEEK IS THE, UH, UCHIN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL BUSINESS AND EDUCATION ROUNDTABLE ON THE 28TH.

UM, THAT'S IN THE MORNING AT THE RESIDENTS IN FROM EIGHT TO NINE 30.

UM, IF YOU GUYS CAN MAKE IT, I KNOW THEY GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.

UH, I'VE BEEN MARKETING THAT TO KIND OF ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES LOOKING TO GET MORE CONNECTED WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND, AND FOR WORKFORCE NEEDS NEEDS.

UM, AND WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA TRY TO CONTINUE WITH THE ROUND TABLES MOVING FORWARD ON A, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, KIND OF DEPENDING ON THE DIFFERENT GROUPS WE'RE GONNA HAVE.

UH, AND, AND, AND ALL OF THAT.

UM, WE ARE STARTING TO PLAN BUSINESS APPRECIATION MONTH, SO YOU CAN SEE THE DATES ON THE HANDOUT.

UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR SMALL BUSINESS APPRECIATE APPRECIATION EVENT.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, A OPEN HOUSE, UH, OF THE BUSINESS CENTER DURING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEEK JUST TO PROVIDE CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES, UH, OPPORTUNITIES JUST TO STOP BY AND TALK TO US.

UM, AND WE'RE ALSO PLANNING THIS YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME TO DO KIND OF APPRECIATION, UH, STOP BYS WITH LITTLE GIFTS FOR BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

UM, SO I WANT TO TOUCH BASE ON OUR SHOP LOCAL PROGRAM THAT YOU ALL FUNDED.

IT HAS SEEN CONTINUED SUCCESS THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR.

UM, SO I WANT TO SAY JUST KIND OF SHARE SOME OF THE NUMBERS FOR YOU ALL TO LOOK AT.

UM, SO WE ORIGINALLY PUT IN $5,000.

WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT BELOW 3,200 OF THAT DOLLAR OF THAT LEFT.

UM, SO $1,800 IN DISTRIBUTION FOR A TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF JUST SHY OF $45,000.

UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT IN JUST SHY OF 300 USERS.

UM, AND WHEN I LOOK AT THE SPECIFIC BUSINESSES, IT'S REALLY BEEN A HIT WITH THE RESTAURANTS.

THOSE ARE SOME OF THE TOP PERFORMERS.

AND THEN RIVER ROAD COLLEGE IS, IS A BIG PERFORMER.

SIMPLY FETCHING SOME OF THOSE SMALLER RETAIL SHOPS THAT ARE REALLY PERFORMING WELL.

UM, SO IT'S NICE TO KIND OF SEE KIND OF WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WORKING OUT IN THE LONG TERM AND WORKING OUT WELL.

SO, UM, HOPEFULLY THOSE FUNDS WILL LAST THE REST OF THE YEAR.

WE'LL SEE KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS AND DEPENDING ON WHERE WE'RE AT, WHAT WE MIGHT COME BACK, UM, FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW, KIND OF WITH HOW IT'S, IT'S GOING, UM, I THINK WE AT A REALLY GOOD PACE.

DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF A, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA POST THAT HAS LIKE THE LINK EMBEDDED TO THE APP OR ANYTHING I EXPLANATION THAT WE CAN SHARE OUT, LIKE ON LIVING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YEAH, SO I, I PUT A POST OUT FOR THE OPEN REWARDS PROGRAM AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH USUALLY OKAY.

ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS.

UM, USUALLY LIKE RIGHT BEFORE THE WEEKEND WITH SHOPPING AND PEOPLE GOING OUT.

SO I TRY TO HIT IT ON THAT TOP OF MIND.

UM, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT BLUE DOT MADE A BUNCH OF REALLY NICE, UH, FLYERS FOR US AS PART OF THE CONTRACT.

SO WE'RE ALWAYS PUSHING THOSE OUT.

CAN WE, UM, POSSIBLY GO BACK AROUND TO THE RESTAURANTS OR WHEREVER, UH, THE PLACARDS WERE DISTRIBUTED YEP.

TO SEE IF THEY'RE STILL THERE.

YEAH.

BECAUSE I, I KNOW SOME STILL HAVE 'EM AND SOME DON'T.

UM, SO I, I AM PLANNING YOU LIKE, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE STILL AVAILABLE.

YEAH.

'CAUSE WE STILL HAVE PLENTY OF THOSE.

SO THAT, THAT WAS ON MY, UH, TO-DO LIST FOR THE SPRING AS WELL.

OKAY.

UM, THANKS.

I THINK THEY JUST GOT TIRED OF SEEING MY FACE STOPPING BY IN THE FALL ALL THE TIME TALKING TO 'EM ABOUT IT.

SO THIS GUY AGAIN.

YEAH.

UM, BUT NO, IT'S BEEN A REALLY GOOD SUCCESS SO FAR.

AND, UM, I'VE BEEN GETTING A BUNCH OF CALLS FROM OTHER SMALLER COMMUNITIES IN VIRGINIA, UM, ASKING US HOW WE DID IT BECAUSE THE ONLY OTHER COUNTY WAS ARLINGTON AND THEY'RE A BEAST OF THEIR OWN, SO THEY WANTED TO KIND OF, SO BLUE DOTS SEEN A LOT MORE INTEREST FROM OTHER SMALLER COMMUNITIES.

SO, UM, WHERE WE'VE BEEN A, A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR, FOR WHAT TO DO AND BEST PRACTICES AND ALL THAT.

SO IT'S BEEN REALLY NICE FEELING THOSE CALLS.

UM, AND THEN HIGHLIGHT SOME OF MY DIRECT BRE

[00:35:01]

JUST, THERE'S SOME REALLY INTERESTING ONES THAT I'VE DONE THIS YEAR.

UM, SO I DID A VISIT TO CHELSEA HEALTHCARE, WHICH USED TO BE ENVEY ENVOY AT THE MEADOWS.

UM, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH RENOVATIONS RIGHT NOW.

IT'S, IT'S LOOKING REALLY GOOD.

UM, THEY'RE COMPLETELY REDOING ONE WING.

THEY'RE REDOING THEIR DINING HALL.

THEY LOBBY IN ALL THEIR HALLWAYS.

UM, AND IT IS REALLY COMING OUT NICE.

SO, UH, THEY, THEY'RE REALLY COME A LONG WAYS THERE.

AND THEY HAD SOME TROUBLE LAST YEAR WITH WORKFORCE.

UM, BUT BETWEEN SOME OF THE RESOURCES I SET THEM UP WITH AND SOME OF THEIR OWN RECRUITMENT, THEY GOT COMPLETELY OFF AGENCY NURSES.

THEY WON SOME AWARDS FROM THEIR PARENT COMPANY.

SO THEY WERE REALLY, OH, THEY HAD A GOOD END OF THEIR FIRST YEAR IN BUSINESS IN GLAND.

SO THAT WAS GREAT TO SEE.

UM, WESTVIEW ON THE JAMES, UH, TWO OR THREE HOUR LONG TOUR OF THAT WHOLE PROJECT, WHICH IS GREAT.

VERY FUN.

UM, SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOME NEW WAYS TO DIVERSIFY REVENUE OUTSIDE OF CAMP.

UM, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS AND KIND OF LOW HANGING FRUIT, I TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT, UH, WAS GETTING UP AND RUNNING THEIR, THEIR DEFUNCT RV PARK.

UM, 'CAUSE THEY HAVE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS KNOW THIS, BUT THEY USED TO RUN AN RV PARK OUT OF THERE.

SO THEY HAVE SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEY KIND OF JUST NEED TO PUT NEW INVESTMENT IN THAT, UP THAT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR KIND OF NEW TECHNOLOGY AND NEWER OVS.

UM, BUT THEY ARE, UM, ACTIVELY LOOKING TO HAVE IT BECOME MORE OF A, TO DESTINATION DESTINATION OUTSIDE OF JUST CAMPS.

UM, SO I MET WITH PAGE CUSTOMS WHO ATTENDED OUR ROUND TABLE.

UM, THEY'RE PLAYING A, A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL, UH, UH, EXPANSION IN THE NEARBY FUTURE.

UM, SO I HAD A PRETTY LONG MEETING WITH THEM ABOUT THAT AS WELL AS WORKFORCE.

WHAT DO THEY DO? UH, THEY BUILD CUSTOM CARS.

OH.

UM, AND I HAD REYNOLDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE ATTEND THAT.

UM, AND REYNOLDS ACTUALLY JUST CONNECTED WITH 'EM TO GET THEM CONNECTED WITH THEIR, UH, PROFESSORS WHO DO ALL THEIR AUTOMOTIVE TEACHING AND THEIR WELDING.

UM, AND SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY COMING AROUND AND TRYING TO BE MORE PROACTIVE WITH THEIR WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, WHICH IS GOOD TO SEE.

UM, I MET WITH PACS ABOUT A MONTH AGO, JUST TO GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER DIRECTION ON WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE AND HAVE THEIR LONG TERM PLANS, WHICH WAS REALLY GOOD TO HEAR.

'CAUSE THEY'RE GREAT TOURISM ASSET AND, UM, HOPING THAT THROUGH THE SALE AND ALL THAT THEY CAN STICK AROUND AND BE SUCCESSFUL.

DO THEY HAVE ANY BITES ON IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT.

NOT REALLY.

UM, THAT WHAT THEY WERE TELLING ME WAS THAT THIS COULD BE A, A LONG, LONG PROCESS.

MULTIPLE YEARS.

SO WHO, WHO KNOWS KIND OF WHAT THAT FINAL OUTLOOK WILL LOOK LIKE.

UM, I VISITED PINE VIEW FARM, WHICH WAS A TURKEY FARM.

THAT WAS A FUN VISIT.

THEY, UH, THEY RAISED OVER 150,000 TURKEYS A YEAR, WHICH WAS VERY, VERY INTERESTING.

UH, IT'S OFF, UM, IT'S IN SANDY HOOK.

I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY THE ROAD OFF IT'S OFF OF, BUT IT'S IN, PROBABLY IN THE CENTER OF SANDY HOOK OFF WHITE HALL.

NOT WHITE HALL, BUT I TURNED IT OFF WHITEHALL ONTO THE ROAD.

UM, IT'S NOT ONE OF THE MAJOR ROADS THROUGHOUT PLAINS CEDAR PLAINS.

IT'S ON MY ROAD.

YES.

YEAH, I KNOW.

I'VE SEEN THAT NAME, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS A TURKEY FARM.

YEAH.

SO WHAT THEY ARE IS THEY, THEY HAVE A PARENT COMPANY THAT'S A FARM CALLED CARGILL AND THEY BRING IN 50,000 TURKEYS EVERY THREE MONTHS.

YEAH.

IT'S A FACTORY FARM.

YEAH.

OKAY.

SO I VISITED, UH, CRANE AND CLOVER RETREAT, WHICH IS A NEW BUSINESS UPCOMING.

THEY ATTENDED OUR TOURISM ROUNDTABLE.

YEAH.

UM, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS TO BUILD SOME, SOME YURTS, WHICH WILL HOUSE 12 PEOPLE.

THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A SPA THERE.

IT'S UH, IT'S KIND OF FOR ART RETREATS, GALA, WEEKENDS, ALL OF THAT SEEMS LIKE COULD BE A VERY GOOD TOURISM ASSET ASSET ONCE UP AND RUNNING.

SHE'S, SHE'LL BE A GOOD ASSET FOR THE COUNTY.

I THINK SO.

YEAH.

DOES SHE GIVE YOU A TOUR OF HER? OH YEAH.

IT WAS AMAZING.

HER HOUSE.

OH YEAH.

THE, SHE BROUGHT AN OLD SILO FROM THE MIDWEST AND TURNED IT INTO A HOUSE.

YEAH, I SAW THAT.

SHE LOVED THE GO.

IT WAS REALLY COOL.

IT'S VERY COOL.

IT'S A ROUND SILO HOUSE YEAH.

WITH THAT CIRCULAR STAIRCASE.

YEAH.

IT'S VERY COOL.

YEAH.

UM, EXCITED TO GET THAT OPEN.

YEAH, VERY EXCITED.

UH, HAD A, HAD A GOOD MEETING WITH DRIVE SHACK AND KIND OF LEARNED ABOUT KIND OF HOW MANY EMPLOYEES THEY HAVE DURING THE SUMMER.

THEY'RE IN BETWEEN 125 AND 150 EMPLOYEES.

THEY DO IN THE WINTER.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE SUMMER NUMBERS YET, BUT IN THE WINTER THEY DO $115,000 IN BUSINESS ON A SLOW WEEK.

SO THEY'RE, AND DURING SUMMER YOU CAN KIND OF DOUBLE THAT TO CLOSELY TRIPLE THAT.

SO, UH, SO THEY'RE DOING WELL.

THEY'RE DOING WELL.

OKAY.

VERY WELL.

GREAT LOCATION.

GOOD.

UM, SO ONE BUSINESS, UH, I WON'T MENTION THEIR NAME DAY.

I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH 'EM, I KIND OF MENTIONED 'EM BACK IN JANUARY.

UM, THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING AT SOME OTHER SITES ACROSS RICHMOND REGION, BUT THEN KIND OF COMMITTED TO ME THAT THEY REALLY WANT TO STAY IN GIBSON.

UM, AND THEY CAME BACK TO ME A MONTH LATER AND I'M WORKING WITH 'EM ON A, ON A SEMI LARGE EXPANSION THAT WILL INCLUDE A NEW WAREHOUSE AND CORPORATE OFFICE ON UNLIMITED

[00:40:01]

UM, WITH, UH, THEY DO ABOUT 60 MILLION BUSINESS.

THEY HAVE 40 EMPLOYEES.

IN THAT EXPERIENCE, WE WERE PROBABLY SEEING ANOTHER 10 TO 15 EMPLOYEES.

SO, UM, ACTIVELY WORKING HARD ON THAT, THAT PROJECT WITH THEM.

WOW.

AND THEN I GOT TO TOUR VULCAN MATERIALS AND GO DOWN INTO THE PIT AND THAT.

SO THAT WAS EXTREMELY FUN.

WOW.

.

SO THAT WAS, UH, WE REALLY HAD HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM BEFORE.

UM, SO I, I WAS ABLE TO GET A CONTACT THROUGH GSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEIR CAREER DAY AND THEN GOT IN TOUCH WITH THEIR PLANT MANAGER.

GREAT.

UM, AND THEN I DID A WALK OF THE MAN OF TRADE CENTER JUST 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW ALL THE BUSINESSES BACK THERE.

AND SO I GOT A GOOD HAND ON THAT.

UM, COUPLE NEW BUSINESSES, AS YOU KNOW, INDUSTRIAL TAP HOUSE OPENED.

AND THEN THE OTHER MAJOR KIND OF, UH, COMMERCIAL BUSINESS WAS A NEW, UH, AUTO MECHANIC SHOP ON COMMUNITY HOUSE ROAD.

UM, WHICH I THINK WILL DO WELL JUST 'CAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF COMPETITION OUT THERE.

AND THEN HAD VERY SUCCESSFUL INDUSTRY TOURS, UM, WITH GUCCI COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

TOOK, TOOK 16 OF THEIR TEACHERS OUT TO FOUR DIFFERENT BUSINESSES ACROSS THE COUNTY.

ON FEBRUARY 16TH, WE WENT TO, UH, BLAKEMORE CONSTRUCTION, UH, GENESIS UTILITIES, UH, LUCK AND WELL, WELL MINT DYNAMIC, WHICH IS A WELD COMPANY OUT IN MIDPOINT.

UM, AND WHICH WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND THE TEACHERS LOVED IT.

AND CTE WAS ABLE TO REALLY BUILD SOME GOOD CONNECTIONS WITH MORE BUSINESS PARTNERS.

UM, BUT YEAH, THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT FOR EXISTING BUSINESS.

WOW.

YOU'VE BEEN BUSY.

THAT'S IT.

YEAH.

JOB.

SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE FUN TOO.

OH, IT'S A GREAT, I LOVE IT.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? DISCUSSION, HEARING ON LET'S

[E. Tourism Update]

YEAH.

SO, UM, NOT ONLY HAS CHANCE DONE ALL THAT, BUT HE ALSO PUT TOGETHER A GRANT, UM, THROUGH, UH, VTC.

SO WE APPLIED FOR THAT, WHICH IS VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION.

UH, THE DMO MARKETING GRANT.