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02-04-1999 Q��outc� w� C Cn+�tt \scam. CITY OF EDGEWATER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD REGULAR MEETING Februar 4, 1999 6:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Thomas Alcorn called to order a regular meeting of the Economic Development Board at 6:03 p.m., Thursda Februar 4, 1999, i n the Communit Center. ROLL CALL: Members present were Chairman Thomas Alcorn, John Moore, John Browning, Adelaide Carter, and Nora Al Also present were Jerr Fox, Vice President Volusia Count Business Development Corporation (VCBDC) Steve Dennis, Executive Director, Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce Rosevelt Bouie, Jr., International Business Consultant Lynne Plaskett, Planning Director and Liz McBride, Board Coordinator. Daniel Lewis, Theresa David, Nanc Ridner, and Lawrence Holler were absent. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes for Januar 7, 1999, were presented to the Board for approval. Ms. Carter moved to approve the minutes as presented, second b Mr. Moore. Motion CARRIED 5 -0. NEW BUSINESS: Securing International Clients Chairman Alcorn introduced Rosevelt Bouie as an all - American who had been on the cover of "Life" magazine. He said upon graduating from college, Mr. Bouie went on to pla basketball in Ital for fourteen y ears. Chairman Alcorn said Mr. Bouie now spends his time between Ital and the United States. The Chairman said he and Mr. Bouie had been working on tr to bring economic development into the area. Rosevelt Bouie informed the Board, all the basketball teams in Ital are sponsored b businesses. He said all gentlemen he pla with are now either working for those companies, or are coaches or general managers of those teams. After spending so much time in Ital Mr. Bouie said he was ver well known and accepted. Being considered ver reputable and personable, he said he had the opportunit to meet ma business people. Mr. Bouie said the number one question asked b Italian businessman was "how can I get to the American market." He said after he retired from basketball, he was contacted b about twent -five businesses that gave him items to take back to the United v✓ `w Economic Development Board February 4, 1999 - Minutes Page -2- New Business (con't): States to see if a market could be found for them. He said most of the companies were small to medium size. Mr. Bouie said he and his associates sent mailers to 8,000 companies in Italy in as to their interest in doing business in the United States. He and his associates would then go to Ital to meet with interested companies, and to help them get around an problems. Mr. Bouie continued explaining how he got companies together (manufacturing, distributing and marketing) . Director of Planning Lynne Plaskett asked Mr. Bouie if his purpose was to bring value added jobs to Volusia Count all over the United States, or was he focusing on certain places. She asked if he was looking for ph buildings, land or incentive packages. Ms. Plaskett asked what we (EDB /Cit could do to help him. Mr. Bouie said he had spent a great deal of time gathering information. He stated as far as locating a business, it would depend on the Cit that was looking to activel recruit economic development. Mr. Bouie said he searches for whoever is activel looking to promote their area, and wants him to actuall do it. Jerr Fox, Vice President of VCBDC, stated he gathered from Mr. Bouie that he was looking for a consulting contract. Mr. Bouie replied y es. Mr. Fox informed Mr. Bouie if he was interested in consulting arrangements with local companies, he could put a paragraph in VCBDC's Newsletter of Mr. Bouie's qualifications. Ms. Aly interjected that we ( Volusia Count are interested in the marine industr and clean manufacturing plants. Mr. Bouie said Ital has marinas, and stated some of the largest kitchen manufacturers are in the seaport towns. Mr. Fox stated, while it was important to attract companies to the area, it was also important to help existing businesses grow. The Board thanked Mr. Bouie for coming. Cit of Edgewater Chairman Alcorn said he asked Planning Director L Plaskett to speak to the Board about the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) project, changes in the Land Development Code and ma a little on annexation. Ms. Plaskett asked if an had an additional comments or suggestions on the Land Development Codes. She said the document would be going to Cit Council for first reading March 1, 1999. Mr. Alcorn had previousl submitted his comments, and Mr. Moore and Ms. Carter said the read the draft and had no problems with it. `✓ `r/ Economic Development Board. Februar 4, 1999 - Minutes Page -3- New Business (con't): Ms. Plaskett summarized the FIND project. She said there was 400 acres of undeveloped industrial zoned propert on which infrastructure would be put into place and a sub - division developed. She said the Cit hired a consultant to do a master plan. She reported there had been a few meetings with Da Beach Communit College, who were interested in taking about 30 -35 acres out of the parcel to develop marine technical school facilities. Ms. Plaskett said until the DBCC final design was completed, lot la and road placement for the rest of the parcel could not be completed. She stated a draft of the traffic anal stud had been submitted, a railroad crossing permit had been applied for, DOT's comments had been addressed, the environmental assessments and surve had been completed, and a binding determination from St. Johns Water Management was applied for. Ms. Plaskett said, although nothing ph had happened at the site, things were moving along. Ms. Plaskett commented on possible annexations. She said there was a potential 450 acre annexation to the south of Edgewater. She said she reviewed a sketch plan, and that she and the project manager met with the Volusia Count Transportation Engineering Department. She said the project would be on both sides of Volco Road. A formal application had not been received, but hopefull would be, she said, within the next few weeks. Ms. Plaskett said possible annexations also included 900 acres west of Florida Shores and 14 acres on Tatum Boulevard. Jerr Fox, Vice President of VCBDC, asked if the Cit had spoken to John Masse about annexing. Ms. Plaskett felt they needed to move forward to get the Masse propert into the Cit Ms. Plaskett explained the annexation process. Chairman Alcorn commended Ms. Plaskett and her department on what the had been able to accomplish with such a small staff. Chamber Report Steve Dennis, Executive Director, Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce, reported one of the most significant things happening was at the I - 95 and SR 44 interchange where the Count is looking at plans to put in infrastructure. He said the are also looking to revise some of the impact fees, to either reduce them or change them to assessments. Mr. Dennis said development impact fees are up - front costs, and b permitting these fees to be financed, would allow prospects to build the fees into their packages to be paid over a long period of time. He said some of the concepts coming together specificall have to do with the industrial commercial park. He said the Chamber had a prospect "in hand" which was looking ver good. He said one of the advantages of the industrial park area would be the Duke Power Plant, and water and sewer plants would be located next it. Mr. Dennis said another idea being discussed was a "Strike Team ", where upon having a ver good prospect, the "Team" would take that prospect through the entire permitting process. He said the object would be to sit down around one table to resolve all the issues. Economic Development Board February 4, 1999 - Minutes Page -4- New Business (con't): Mr. Dennis said another project was to expose the elected officials to what economic development reall was. He said a da program was being put together. Mr. Dennis said the Chamber was tr to improve some of its materials, and would have something read for the Ad Authorit tourism CD ROM disk b the next press time. He said the Chamber's Web site could be accessed at "sevchamber.com." He said it was a ver large site, which economic development information was provide on both Edgewater and New Sm Mr. Dennis said the Chamber would be traveling to Tallahassee April 12 to address a few issues. He said the invitation was open to members of the Board and Council. While there, he said the hoped to get an appointment with the Governor, if not, the would tr to talk to the Lt. Governor. Voluisa County Business Development Corporation (VCBDC) Jerr Fox, Vice President, VCBDC, reported the organization receives funding from 155 private members, the Cities (Edgewater, New Sm and Oak Hill) and Count He said VCBDC's job was to bring manufacturing and distribution companies to the southeast Volusia area. Mr. Fox said the also tr to attract corporate and regional head quarters, and companies who handle processing for other companies under contract. He said these t of jobs usuall pa better then tourism related jobs. Mr. Fox said VCBDC had onl $80 million worth of capital investment last y ear. He said it was one of their lower y ears. He said the were ver bus the first half of the y ear, but the "fires" scared ever off. Mr. Fox reported VCBDC's biggest project at the moment was Sara Lee in Port Orange. He said it was a 2,200 square foot distribution facility, with 215 jobs to start with. Mr. Fox said VCBDC also had things going on that the could not talk about. He said one such project was a one million s foot facilit Other happenings consisted of a 16 acre marine development across from Boston Whaler, a prospect referral to Scott Porta Products, and a $212,000 grant to Boston Whaler for an addition to their plant and the hiring of another 110 people. Mr. Fox stated, the strongest economic development committee in the Count was the Southeast Volusia Chamber. Marine Industrial Par lz Joe Noland, Volusia County Port Authority, was not present to discuss the status. • 'ftw Nere Economic Development Board February 4, 1999 - Minutes Page -5- New Business (con't): Annexation, review of staff's findings regarding costs to land owners annexing into City Chairman Alcorn said the EDB sent out a mailer and discussed the findings regarding annexation into the Cit of Edgewater. He said there was no definitive answer to the costs, other then hook -up fees, etc., but as far as the tax base, staff didn't have an answer. Industry Appreciation Day Chairman Alcorn said EDB member Nora Al would be planning this event, which might include tours to local businesses, followed b a luncheon with a guest speaker. Some ideas were discussed. Mr. Dennis said he would help Ms. Al with this project. Legislative Issues, update on legislation effecting economic development in Edgewater Chairman Alcorn said the Duke Power Plant was a big thing going on now, as was the Governor's office looking at taxation. He said the Chamber had a ver active group who were looking at all the legislative issues that would effect economic development in southeast Volusia. Chairman Alcorn said the "Venture Capital Seminar" would be April 23, 1999, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. He said it was a joint partnership between the Edgewater EDB, Southeast Volusia Chamber, DBCC, and an Orlando technical innovation group. The Chairman said the seminar would focus on bringing in people who want to start businesses or expand their businesses. Those people would be provided information on how to receive the funding, whether from an individual, corporation, bank or venture capital compan The Chairman said approximatel six weeks after the seminar, there would be another program where bankers or individuals with mone who want to invest in start -up companies would be able to present their plans to the people needing the funds. CONTINUED BUSINESS: None at this time. CHAIRMAN AND BOARD MEMBERS REPORTS: Ms. Carter reminded the Board she had been liaison between the EDB and the Beautification and Tree Committee. She felt when the Board was combined with the Parks and Recreation Board, the meeting da would be changed and it wouldaccommodate her schedule. Mr. Moore said he was interested in the trip to Tallahassee, and told Rosevelt Bouie it was a pleasure meeting him. Ms. Al asked about advertising the Cit on a bill board. Chairman Alcorn said the Chamber publishes a brochure of area businesses which are distributed to the hotels and condos. Saw Nu/ Economic Development Board. February 4, 1999 - Minutes Page -6- ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Board, a motion was made and approved to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 7:48 p.m. Minutes respectfully submitted b Elizabeth J. McBride, Board Coordinator Economic Development Board c: \edb \minutes \020499. re g