HomeMy WebLinkAboutEDC minutes 011215Orange County Economic Development Advisory Board
Minutes
January 12, 2015
Carolina Inn
Hillsborough, NC
Present: Delores Bailey, D.R. Bryan, Lori Eichel, Jim Kitchen, Ron Keizer, Karen
McAdams, Mark O'Neal, Mark Sherburne
Staff: Steve Brantley; Yvonne Scarlett; Mike Ortosky
Absent: Nicholas Thomas
Review /Approve Minutes
MOTION: Mark O'Neal motioned to approve the minutes of November 10, 2014; seconded by
Mark Sherburne. VOTE: Approved unanimously.
Old Business
Status of Grant Program - Steve Brantley
Brantley advised the Advisory Board that the Grant Program will be reviewed by the Board of
County Commissioner at a work session on January 26, 2015 and asked members to attend
to address the methodology of grant application process. Jim Kitchen, Karen McAdams, DR
Bryan and Delores Bailey agreed to attend.
Additional discussion included:
• Review of document by other entities
• Publicity campaign
• Allocated funds from quarter -cent sales tax
• Small Business Loan Program
• Make -up of review committee
o Agriculture Grant Committee (4 members)
■ Karen McAdams (Economic Development Advisory Board)
■ Carl Matyak (Cooperative Extension)
■ Two members of Ag Preservation Board
■ Mike Ortosky (Staff)
Director's Report - Steve Brantley
• Agriculture Economic Development Coordinator - Mike Ortosky was introduced and
provided a brief overview of his background and experience.
• Personnel changes in Economic Development office:
• Ellen Tai has resigned and the Economic Development Specialist position will
be posted in a couple of weeks.
• Interviews will be conducted shortly for the Business Retention position. This
position will focus on existing businesses (small and large) to address
problems, expansion, etc.
• Arts Commission's office has relocated from Chapel Hill to Hillsborough (down to hall
from Economic Development office).
• Morinaga is doing well with construction and plans to hold an open house in late
September or early October.
• Brantley discussed recent projects (confidential).
• Additional discussion included:
o Residential tax base
• Rural Buffer - Motion: Delores Bailey motioned to have the Economic
Development Advisory Board review the Rural Buffer Policy and make
recommendations to the Orange County Board of Commissioners and
Towns of Hillsborough, Carrboro and Chapel Hill elected officials,
seconded by Mark O'Neal. Motion carried with one opposed (Jim
Kitchen).
• Next Advisory Board Meeting (March 16, 2015) - by general consensus, the
Board will travel by bus through the Buckhorn EDD as well as the Alamance
Industrial Park.
With there being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by the Chair at 10:00 a.m.