Doing Business in Nelson County: March 2005

March 2005

Nelson County Economic Development Authority
March 3, 2005

Present:
Natt Hall
Barbara Powell
Tom Wheaton
Montie Pritchett

Absent:
Allen Hale
Stu Armstrong
John Spencer

Public Comment
Heather Goodwin, President of the Nelson Chamber of Commerce, gave a history of the County gateway signs. She asked that the plans for locating the other gateway signs be shared with the Chamber. Natt Hall said that the EDA would communicate with the Chamber and would discuss the matter with Allen Hale upon his return.

John Bruguiere said that he liked the new sign and appreciated the EDAâs leadership and taking the initiative on behalf of the county.

Chairperson Natt Hall called the meeting to order.

Motion: To approve the February 3, 2005 meeting minutes. Pritchett-Hall (4-0)

There was no Treasurerâs Report.

Natt Hall said that the EDA had decided to look at broadband as one tool to foster growth while improving the existing lifestyle in the county.

John Holman reported that Nelson Cable is in the process of laying fiber optics in the Wintergreen area, with 7.5 miles completed. The goal is to complete installation in Stoney Creek and through Nellysford by the end of the summer. John Holman said that Nelson Cable has applied to the Rural Utilities Service (part of the Department of Agriculture) for some funding to hook the Nellysford, Afton and Lovingston areas together. He said that the company currently has most of Stoney Creek on high-speed Internet at 2 megabytes but that the fiber optics will bring it up to 5 megabytes/second.

Greg Kelly with Central Virginia Electric Cooperative said that CVEC is currently installing special equipment to deliver broadband over the power lines the first project of its kind in the US. He said that the original phase includes broadband service out of the Colleen substation (to serve north and south Route 29) and the Martins Store substation (to serve Stoney Creek, Afton and even parts of Shipman). Mr. Kelly said that there is an application to RUS for loan funding in the amount of $20 million to hire 10 crews to install broadband to all of the customers in all of the counties served by the cooperative.
He said that if funding were received, the plan would tentatively be to being installation in midsummer with build-out one year later. Mr. Kelly said that broadband would allow people to live and do business where they want to live and do business.

Montie Pritchett said that the EDA has talked about ways to support the business community and that these projects would be an excellent opportunity for that, with access to technology being everything today.

Natt Hall said that the EDA had been considering whether to purchase the approximately 26 acres in the CVEC Industrial Park. He asked Steve Carter, County Administrator, whether the established $3,000/acre would apply; Steve Carter said that $3000/acre is the agreed-upon price unless the EDA were to purchase the property. Barbara Powell asked about the taxes CVEC is currently paying on that property; Steve Carter said that he would get those figures from the State Corporation Commission. Natt Hall then asked who owns the road into the park; Steve Carter said that that road is in the state system, with the approximately $400,000 still due from the county on the road being absorbed by the county's six-year road plan.

Natt Hall asked whether the EDA would be asked to do anything to help with the proposed Wintergreen project. Steve Carter said that details and financial strategies for that project are still being negotiated, but that Wintergreen Partners will petition the Board of Supervisors to establish a Community Development Authority (CDA). If authorized and created by adopted county ordinance, the CDA will establish a minimum 250-acre district and can levy a $0.25 surtax to pay for the planned improvements. He said that the tax could be used to pay for improvements such as commercial and business development, streets. Steve Carter said that another part of the project, with other funding possibilities, would be a 210-room hotel. He said that the county and WPI are still negotiating whether taxes paid to the county on the hotel will go back to WPI for any period of time. Natt Hall asked whether the EDA's Callohill property would be included in any of the Lovingston Revitalization plans. Steve Carter said that at this time, the project is focused on the east side of Route 29 with the grant funds available.

Natt Hall then noted the approximately $9,000 budget request that the EDA has submitted to the county for operating funds. He said that the EDA has been using interest from EDA funds to do projects but that those funds would eventually run out that way. Montie Pritchett said that things have changed drastically with the EDA and that the group is trying to do what the board was intended to do. Steve Carter said that the budget has gone to the Board of Supervisors but that staff as recommended no funding for the EDA. Steve Carter noted that the EDA has approximately $160,000 in the bank and that, while he is not opposed to funding for the EDA, the county has to balance its budget too.

Montie Pritchett said that the EDA is not asking for any money for capital projects, but is strictly asking for operational funds. He suggested that each EDA member contact individual Supervisors to discuss the request. He also said that the EDA really appreciates having Maureen as
a staff person, but that he could foresee a time when the work will overwhelm her given her other responsibilities. He asked that staff consider looking at how that issue might be addressed in the future. Natt Hall agreed, saying that the target industry study consultant had proved that if staff were over-burdened, response times would fall short by necessity.

Natt Hall asked Steve Carter whether any progress has been made in making the Building Inspections department more business and user friendly. Steve Carter said that the Department has made some program changes and is doing a survey to get feedback on the process. He said that there has been progress and that there is still more to do.

The April meeting was changed to Thursday, April 14th at 9:00 am in the Board of Supervisors' Room at the Courthouse.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.