Flagler County Citizens Academy March 15, 2013
Why Do We Need Economic Development? Unemployment Flagler County has the 2 nd HIGHEST unemployment in the State (NOVEMBER 2012 at 11.3%)
Why Do We Need Economic Development? 2011Tax Base 81.6% of the County Tax Base was Residential and only 1.3% Industrial
Why Do We Need Economic Development? 2011Tax Base 81.6% of the County Tax Base was Residential and only 1.3% Industrial Cost of Service Businessestimated 20 cents in services for every tax dollar generated Residentialestimated $1.27 in services for every tax dollar generated Business is greatest contributor to tax base
Who Are We? EOAC Council Members Barbara Revels Robert F. CahillWanda Clegg James UlsamerJoseph A. Marotti Greg FederlineMike Gill Paul Manning Frank Zedar CommissionerManufacturing High-Technology Agriculture Real EstateMarketingGeneral Business Financial/Investor General Business
Mission Statement The Mission of the Department of Economic Opportunity is to facilitate the expansion and diversification of the County’s economic base with targeted businesses that provide sustainable employment opportunities for its residents.
Top 5 Priorities Get the Word Out Partner Locally Develop Strategic Relationships Identify Target Industries Create Growth Tool Box What We’ve Done March 2012 EOAC STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION
What we’ve done Marketing Goals/Accomplishments Marketing Services, issued RFP, assessed proposals, selected vendor and negotiated contract Prepared Quarterly Newsletters New Tagline Website Presentations Site Selectors
What we’ve done Partner Locally Goals/Accomplishments Strategic Work Groups, i.e.: Chamber, CBE, BAC, SCORE Local Business Expansion programs, i.e. exporting, clustering Regular meetings with City representatives Maintaining open dialogue Presentations/Meetings i.e. City Councils, Chambers, Rotaries, Commercial Realtors Association, Citizen Academy, Entrepreneur nights
What we’ve done Strategic Relationship-Goals/Accomplishments Monthly conference calls with Florida DEO Quarterly meetings with eFlorida Regular meetings with Economic Development representatives JaxUSA regional monthly meetings and partnership luncheons Weekly conference calls with Florida High Tech Corridor Council
What we’ve done Establish Target Industries Agriculture Aviation/Aerospace Green Technology Health Sciences High Technology Logistics/Manufacturing Marine Research Retain Existing Businesses - Expand Existing Businesses - Recruit New Business Foster Industry Clusters - Identify Support Industries - Capitalize on Attributes
What we’ve done Business Tool Kit – Goals/Accomplishments Customer Service Incentive Packages Developer/Business Tool Kit Map Database Pad-Ready Sites “Who Do You Know?” Campaign
Coastal Cloud, LLC is a cloud-based solutions company that provides analysis, programming and training to small and large companies seeking to expand or optimize their operations. RECENT SUCCESSES Our Newest Business TARGET INDUSTRIES: Agriculture * Aviation/Aerospace* Green Tech * Health Sciences * High Tech * Logistics/Manufacturing * Marine Research
RECENT SUCCESSES Location of National Site Selector Conference June 2012 Location of Nation Site Selector Conference June 2013! TARGET INDUSTRIES: Agriculture * Aviation/Aerospace* Green Tech * Health Sciences * High Tech * Logistics/Manufacturing * Marine Research
RECENT SUCCESS Located in… Flagler County April employees February employees TARGET INDUSTRIES: Agriculture * Aviation/Aerospace* Green Tech * Health Sciences * High Tech * Logistics/Manufacturing * Marine Research
RECENT SUCCESSES WP Rawl New Agricultural Company to Flagler County October 2012 TARGET INDUSTRIES: Agriculture * Aviation/Aerospace* Green Tech * Health Sciences * High Tech * Logistics/Manufacturing * Marine Research February 2013 December 2012
Next Steps Immediate Goals Continue Working on Existing Leads; for example: Project Green Dream has is moving to next stage 2 nd Annual Strategic Planning Session Update Economic Development Workplan Foreign Investment Seminar Go Live with Website
THANK YOU Helga van Eckert Executive Director Flagler County Department of Economic Opportunity