It’s a tough economic time in America and Caroline has always had issues with a small tax base and expansion. How do those things look on paper? Caroline Virginia’s County Government has released a new Economic Report.
Business Expansion
The report highlights the following new business ventures or expansions:
• Ladysmith Floor & Lumber has advanced a filing for an expansion of its warehouse operations by 50,000 square feet.
• ControlTechnologyhasnearedannouncementinMilfordbuthasbeendelayed by VDOT related issues.
• VirginiaNaturalGasannouncedaninvestmentofitsgastransmissionstation in Cedon, and investment of $24,000,000. This project is currently under construction.
• Union Bankshares announced a merger with First Market Bank resulting in a planned expansion of their operations center by forty jobs.
• Thompson Rail Project, an effort of over seven years that comprises commuter rail and major business and commercial investment within a high density mixed use context, has advanced to the Planning Commission for rezoning. The Thompson project has been studied and endorsed by VDOT, VDRPT, the National Capital Planning Commission, and is the only new rail station to be included in the Commonwealth’s Statewide Rail Plan, 2008. Should the rezoning be adopted, Caroline County will have one of the most powerful economic development tools anywhere to recruit industry and office investment.
Promotion of “Tech Zones”
It seems the county is also moving forward on it’s initiative to promote the county as “Tech Zone”. I’m still having some issues with calling Caroline a “Tech Zone” when the largest subdivisions are still using satellite or dial-up internet. This Realtor will not be promoting the county as “tech-anything” until the homeowners can get internet access.
Here’s what the report says:
Technology Zones/Logos/Signs are innovations resulting from the Economic Development Team format. Caroline County, through Board action, now has the largest acreage in Virginia established as Technology Zones. These zones are an overlay of existing land use zoning that allows for any business considering locating there to participate in a tax reimbursement program that will act as an incentive to spur their decision. Caroline has a Technology Zone in every primary and secondary growth district in the County collectively exceeding 30,000 acres.
Saying that you’re a technology-friendly community doesn’t make you one. If the employee’s of a technology firm cannot access high-speed internet at home, than the company will most likely not put it’s offices here. There must be a residential infrastructure in place to support the emerging industry.
What are they doing well?
I think the Economic Development Team has been doing a good job at outreach, they laid out these points in the report:
2009 Marketing Initiatives
• 62—Letters and brochures mailed to Virginia motorcoach firms offering the amenities of the visitor center to their passengers and clients;• 47—Letter and brochures mailed to local organizations requesting information on 2009 to be promoted at Visitor Center
• 6 –Display ads placed in various newspapers;
• 3—Travel writers for national publications were hosted in the County
• 1–Cover, article and display ad was secured in a regional publication with
circulation over 100,000• 4—One day events were manned by Visitor Center staff to operate a information booth;
• 16—days of continuous information booths were manned by the Visitor Center
staff at the Caroline County Agricultural Fair and the Virginia State Fair;• 4–New brochures were developed and printed in house to showcase various
elements of the County to visitors and festival goers: Antique Trail of Caroline; There be Whales Here; Welcome to the Visitor Center, and Our Own Secretariat.• Expansion of the existing Caroline County Website to include updated Tourism information
Gary Wilson and Percy Ashcraft have always been very informative and accessible to me, as a citizen. Their Tourism efforts and handling of these difficult times has been exceptional from my point of view. I would imagine that answering to a Board of Supervisors and a community have it’s challenges and they are challenges that would not want to run into.
The county webpage has been updated and looks much better. It’s clean, informative and easy to use.
There seems to be lots of little changes going on. Hopefully we’ll be poised for greater success as a county when the economy begins to improve in a few years.
