Doing Business in Nelson County: Economic Development Authority 2005 Annual Report

Economic Development Authority 2005 Annual Report

Nelson County Economic Development Authority
2005 Annual Report

Mission Statement of the Nelson County Economic Development Authority (EDA):
To promote the diversity and growth of the County's economic base.

Background:

With several new Authority members appointed in 2003, the Authority worked with the Department of Economic Development and Virginia Tech to formulate strategic goals and objectives. The Authority focused on organization and image development as its first priorities.

In 2004, a consultant was hired by the Nelson County Department of Economic Development and the Nelson County Economic Development Authority to conduct a target business study to provide direction to the County for new business development strategy to attract new business and industry, as well as to improve the business climate for existing businesses.
Opportunities identified included:
1. Create a shared vision for the Board of Supervisors, Economic Development Authority, business leaders and members of the community
2. Better define roles and responsibilities between and among: County Administrator, Board of Supervisors, Economic Development Authority, and Director of Economic Development
3. Create a broadband strategy
4. Fund the Central Virginia Small Business Development Center
5. Support Lovingston Revitalization Project
6. Forward regional and state Partnerships
7. Create an organization to facilitate business networking
8. Improve business retention efforts

2005 Goals
Each of the 2004 goals continued to be priorities, but the EDA directed its focus on two specific goals:
•   Fostering existing business retention and expansions
•   Creating a County broadband strategy

2005 Progress
Existing Business Retention
From August - November 2005, Authority members worked to set appointments with 53 businesses to discuss the economic climate of the County and role of the Authority in business development efforts. The Director of Economic Development has made 25 formal business retention visits during that same time period this year. These numbers reflect a 411% increase over the number of 2004 visits.

Broadband
In 2004, Maureen Corum wrote a grant from the Rural Utilities Service with Amherst for a broadband study (that grant application is still pending).

Virginia Tech has drafted a preliminary report that will include:
•   Study of County topography
•   Identification of private sector service providers and document market penetration
•   Identification of the opportunities to coordinate with the school system – existing strategies and resources
•   Identification of the opportunities to coordinate with private sector service providers - we do not want to compete with the private sector - encourage expansion of current levels of service, then, if necessary, offer service so that as many citizens as possible have access to broadband
•   Identification of future technologies that might be applicable
•   Identification of pilot project(s) applicable

The EDA hosted a business development team from Verizon at its meeting September 2005, who outlined Verizon’s criteria for DSL deployment.

The EDA will fund a county-wide broadband survey in Nelson County. The regional broadband study is focused on three areas: economic development, education/telemedicine, and public safety. The survey will answer the questions: where do we have broadband access and where is it needed/desired to further economic development opportunities, education/telemedicine services, and public safety?

The project involves adapting a survey previously used through CIT in southside Virginia and Northern Neck Virginia to determine the availability of and desire for broadband services in our two regions. Upon guidance from the communications professors/experts at James Madison University (JMU), the group determined that pilot studies on both sides of the mountain (one in each region) would be our first step. We have employed (using initial CIT funds) a survey/communications/GIS professor at JMU to adapt the survey and guide our data collection process. JMU funding will be used to underwrite the minimal costs of the Elkton survey pilot study in the Shenandoah Valley region. The group initially determined that Crozet could be an appropriate geographic area to survey in our pilot study in the TJPED region, as it is largely rural, yet a designated Albemarle County growth area. This determination was made with the knowledge that funding would need to be secured to make this survey pilot study feasible. Since then, Nelson County's long-standing interest in broadband accessibility and services has made Nelson County, or part of Nelson County, a possibly more appropriate choice for our broadband pilot study in the TJPED region.

Other Important Projects:

Lovingston Revitalization Project
The report to the Department of Housing and Community Development is 65% complete, with the funds for construction application due March 2006.
The Lovingston Historic District was placed on the state register September 2005 and on the national register November 2005.
The market analysis was completed in August 2005.
The transportation study was completed in June 2005.

Communications and Relationships with Other Economic Development Actors The EDA met with the Board of Supervisors twice in 2005 – to discuss the target business study report and to discuss the Wintergreen Resort hotel project.

The EDA Funded the Central Virginia Small Business Development Center - ($5000 for FY 2006) in order to offer monthly on- site assistance and educational programs. The number of clients served from January – November 2005 has increased 600% over the same period in 2004.

The EDA directed the installation of 2 gateway signs on the northern and southern County entrances along Route 29.

In December 2005, the EDA is issuing a request for proposal to commercial developers to gain a better understanding of the highest and best use for the Callohill property.

The EDA is working with the County on the financial incentive package to ensure that the hotel project at Wintergreen Resort is successful.