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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-16-2017 - 4-e - Resolution Supporting Triangle J Council of Governments Effort to Form an Economic Development District through the United States Economic Development Administration 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 16, 2017 Action Agenda Item No. 4-e SUBJECT: Resolution Supporting Triangle J Council of Governments Effort to Form an Economic Development District through the United States Economic Development Administration DEPARTMENT: Community Relations, County Attorney, County Manager, and Economic Development ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: 1) Memo from TJCOG Todd McGee, Director, Community 2) Resolution Relations, (919) 245-2302 PURPOSE: To adopt the attached Resolution supporting Triangle J Council of Governments (TJCOG) effort to form an Economic Development District through the United States Economic Development Administration. BACKGROUND: The United States Economic Development Administration (EDA) works with regions across the United States and primarily executes work through Economic Development Districts (EDD). In North Carolina, EDDs have been formed in every region, except the Triangle J region and the Isothermal Region in the western part of North Carolina (Isothermal is currently forming an EDD, meaning the Triangle region may be alone in not having an EDD in a short period of time). The formation of an EDD allows the region to have a more direct connection to US EDA and will allow TJCOG to assist member governments as they interact with EDA on grant projects and other initiatives. Formation of an EDD will not duplicate existing economic development efforts by local economic developers and is not meant as an economic development recruitment service. Rather, an EDD will allow TJCOG to provide enhanced services to its member governments in economic development coordination, capacity building and other needs as the member governments determine. An EDD is merely the administrative designation by US EDA for a formalized relationship with an organization and comes with a small source of funding from US EDA. Resolutions of support are required from the counties in the region to move forward with an application to EDA. Lee County (March 6, 2017), Chatham County (March 20, 2017), Wake County (March 20, 2017), Johnston County (April 3, 2017), Durham County (April 11, 2017) have already adopted resolutions, leaving only Moore County (TBD) and Orange County. 2 FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this item. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: There are no Orange County Social Justice Goals applicable to this item. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign the resolution. 3 Attachment 1 MEMORANDUM To: Orange County Board of Commissioners Ms. Bonnie Hammersley, County Manager From: Lee Worsley, Executive Director Date: April 28, 2017 Re: Request for Resolution of Support Request The Board of Commissioners is requested to adopt the attached Resolution supporting Triangle J Council of Governments effort to form an Economic Development District through the United States Economic Development Administration. This request is supported by the Triangle J Council of Governments Board of Delegates. Summary The United States Economic Development Administration (EDA) works with regions across the United States and primarily executes this work through Economic Development Districts (EDD). In North Carolina, EDDs have been formed in every region, except the Triangle J region and the Isothermal Region in the western part of North Carolina (Isothermal is currently forming an EDD, meaning the Triangle region may be alone in not having an EDD in a short period of time). The formation of an EDD allows the region to have a more direct connection to US EDA and will allow TJCOG to assist member governments as they interact with EDA on grant projects and other initiatives. Formation of an EDD will not duplicate existing economic development efforts by local economic developers and is not meant as an economic development recruitment service. Rather, an EDD will allow TJCOG to provide enhanced services to its member governments in economic development coordination, capacity building and other needs as the member governments determine. An EDD is merely the administrative designation by US EDA for a formalized relationship with an organization and comes with a small source of funding from US EDA. There is no financial commitment needed from Orange County for this effort, only a Resolution of support. As mentioned earlier, the formation of the EDD will allow TJCOG to receive funding from EDA to staff effort on the region's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), which was last adopted by the TJCOG Board of Delegates in 2012 and is due for an update this year. A current CEDS document is a critical component for any local government to be competitive for US EDA funds, so it is imperative that TJCOG build staff capacity so that the CEDS can be updated on behalf of the region and its member governments. This effort will also allow TJCOG to enhance its successful Foreign Trade Zone Program and provide other economic development support services to our member governments through enhanced staff capacity. The additional opportunities will be developed following interaction with member governments, economic developers and other critical stakeholders. The Triangle J Council of Governments' Board of Delegates have unanimously supported pursuit of the Economic Development District. In addition, the Board of Delegates has consistently identified 4 economic development as a top priority in the region and expressed their expectation that TJCOG staff develop capacity to assist member governments in this area. The formation of the EDD is directly related to the Board of Delegates' direction to TJCOG staff on this item. Further, the concept was presented to local economic developers at a recent Research Triangle Regional Partnership Economic Developers meeting and received support from the group. Resolutions of support are required from the counties in the region to move forward with an application to EDA and the schedule for consideration by each county is listed below. Lee County adopted its resolution on March 6, 2017 Chatham County adopted its resolution on March 20, 2017 Wake County adopted its resolution on March 20, 2017 Johnston County adopted its resolution on April 3, 2017 Orange County consideration scheduled for May 16, 2017 Durham County adopted its resolution on April 11, 2017 Moore County - TBD Attachment 4307 Emperor Boulevard,Suite 110 www.tjcog.org Durham, NC 27703 ,)fiii@TJCOGnc 919.549.0551 @TJCOG 5 RES-2017-030 Attachment 2 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS RESOLUTION SUPPORTING DESIGNATION OF THE 7 COUNTY TRIANGLE J REGION AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT Whereas, Orange County is located in the Triangle J Region of North Carolina; and Whereas, In November 2012, the Triangle J Council of Governments Board of Delegates unanimously adopted The Triangle J Region Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the seven county Triangle J Region planning area comprised of Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Lee, Moore, Orange, and Wake counties and their municipalities; and Whereas, the Board of Delegates of Triangle J Council of Governments has directed that Triangle J should undertake activities that further economic development and social welfare in the Triangle J Region planning area and to promote economic development and job creation by carrying out community and economic development initiatives as outlined in the adopted CEDS; and Whereas, portions of the seven counties within the Triangle J Region meet all applicable measures of economic distress for unemployment and per capita income as provided in 13CFR 301.3 for the 24-month period ending February 2017 and the region has experienced job losses that qualify through US EDA under special need; and Whereas, the Triangle J Council of Governments is seeking Economic Development District (EDD) designation for the Triangle J Region planning area through the United States Economic Development Administration; and Whereas, the designation of the Triangle J Region planning area as an EDD will further the community and economic development interests of the seven-county region and greatly enhance implementation of our regional CEDS by coordinating efforts to create jobs, build an entrepreneurial economy and attract reinvestment in communities throughout our region — large, small, urban and rural; Now, Therefore, Be it Resolved, that the Orange County Board of Commissioners, as duly elected and authorized representatives of the people of Orange County, do hereby support the designation of the seven-county Triangle J Region planning area, comprised of Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Lee, Moore, Orange, and Wake counties and their municipalities, as an Economic Development District through the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Adopted the_day of _, 2017. Mark Dorosin, Chair Donna Baker Orange County Board of Commissioners Clerk to the Board