) STOKES COUNTY GOVERNMENT
COUNTY OF STOKES ) DANBURY, NORTH CAROLINA
) MARCH 20, 2006
The Board of Commissioners of the
County of Stokes, State of North Carolina, met
for
special session to discuss Economic Development Issues in Stokes County in the
Commissioners’
Chambers of the Ronald Wilson Reagan Memorial Building
(Administrative
Building) located in Danbury, North Carolina on Monday, March 20, 2006
at 5:30
pm with the following members present:
Chairman Leon Inman
Vice-Chairman
Joe Turpin
Commissioner Sandy McHugh Commissioner
John Turpin
Commissioner
Jimmy Walker
County
Personnel in Attendance:
Clerk to
the Board/Interim County Manager Darlene Bullins
Economic
Development Director Ron Morgan
Budget
Director Dennis Thompson
Others
in Attendance:
Chairman
Wayne Smart- Stokes Co. Water & Sewer Authority
Chairman Leon Inman called the Special Session to discuss Economic
Development
Issues
in Stokes County to order.
Commissioner Walker delivered the invocation.
Chairman Inman opened the
meeting by inviting the citizens in attendance to
join
the Board with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Commissioner
John Turpin opened the meeting by discussing the importance of
Economic Development in Stokes County.
Economic
Director Ron Morgan began the session by updating the Board regarding
the Stokes County Economic Development Board in which
members were appointed by the
Board of Commissioners.
Years later the Economic Development Board was rolled into a
non-profit Board called the Stokes County Development
Corporation, Inc which is a
501C(6), which is still partly in existence. The organization was similar to a Chamber of
Commerce.
Director
Morgan discussed the following:
·
Two years ago, after the Angelo Economic Study and
the Piedmont Triad Vision Economic Study, there was the development of the
Stokes County Tourism Council
·
Currently, the Development Corporation is being
merged with the Stokes County Tourism Council
·
Angelo Economic Study and Piedmont Triad Vision
Economic Study both have pretty much the same goals and strategies:
o
Top priority for the Economic Region in Stokes County
is to improve and invest in the K-12 Education System
o
Focus on the Work Force Development population who
has no skills
o
Development of a Comprehensive Land Use Plan for
Stokes County – very expensive tool to produce –possible funding available with
one to one match
o
High speed internet for every household in Stokes
County
·
Forsyth Tech Community College located on the
Government Center complex
·
Forsyth Tech Community College Small Business Center
located in Walnut Cove
·
One man Economic Development Staff with a moderate
budget to deliver all related economic development services in Stokes County
·
Development Stokes County Economic Development Web
Site
·
Web Site – network create for visitors to Stokes
County
·
Creation of Treasures of Stokes County brochure
·
Creation of Sauratown Trails Map
·
Creation of Dan River Map – New (from Jessup Mill to
Moratock Park)
·
Piedmont Triad Partnership – awarded $15 million
grant from the US Department of Labor – to address the population that has been
left behind
from jobs lost from tobacco, furniture,
textiles, etc.
·
Limited amount of industries coming to Stokes County
from the location of Dell (Forsyth County) and FedEx (Guilford County) –
usually impacts 12 mile radius- beyond that there is will impact - could be
some small industries in the future
·
Urgent need for skilled labor force in Stokes County
·
Currently, do not have the labor force in Stokes
County for jobs in the future
·
Stokes County labor force – 22,000 people of which
72% go outside the County to work
·
Quality of life in Stokes County
·
Loss Agricultural in Stokes County
·
Growers’ CoOp has resources available for farmers to
look at different products and techniques to replace tobacco
·
Major difficulty for farmers to change from tobacco
to a different crop
·
Technology driving the economy changes
·
Current Economic Projects in Stokes County – major
project to develop a lodging area near Hanging Rock State Park
·
Developing a program to be placed on the Web Site to
help individuals “Start a New Business”
·
Tourism in Stokes County – pros and cons
·
Getting Tourism in Stokes County – major hurdles
·
Need to look at all resources in Stokes County
·
Low unemployment rate in Stokes County compared to
like size counties
·
1996 Stokes County Land Development Guide- only
document that Stokes County currently has that reflects land development in
Stokes
The Board discussed the following issues
regarding the Economic Development in
Stokes County:
·
Vocational studies taken out of the schools –
negative effect – not all students desire to go to a 4-year college – need for
carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc.
·
Need for infrastructure, water, and sewer for
economic growth and produces residential growth
·
Families in Stokes County who have strong family
heritage
·
Families in Stokes County who desire to continue to
run the family farm
·
Possible new industry in Stokes – organic vegetables
and herbs
·
Working out of the home – need for high speed
wireless internet over the entire county
·
Need to help citizens get started in own business
·
Need to help current businesses get stronger
·
Development in Stokes County over the next 5 to 10
years
·
Need for a Comprehensive Land Use Plan for Stokes
County
·
Economic Development needed to take the burden off
the taxpayer
·
Need for an inventory of space available for
commercial growth
·
Need for an inventory of space not zoned commercial
that could possibly be used as commercial in the future
·
Tourism in Stokes County – pros and cons
·
Maintaining the quality of life in Stokes County
·
Residential growth puts further demands on the tax
dollar – schools, emergency services, public safety, etc
·
Need for all areas in Stokes County to work together
·
Stokes County a bedroom community to larger
surrounding counties
·
Stokes County - Tourism designation
The Board discussed in detail the need
and value of a Comprehensive Land Use Plan
for Stokes County and possible ways to achieve accomplish
this goal with limited funding.
Chairman Wayne Smart noted the following:
·
Storage facility at Brook Cove not currently being
used – someway to acquire from Reynolds to use as an industrial area
·
Need for infrastructure in Stokes County
·
Sewer needed in Germanton to attract residential and
businesses (water already there)
Budget Director Dennis Thompson commended
the work done by Economic
Development Director Ron Morgan for his hard work and
dedication over the years to
Stokes County.
Budget
Director Thompson discussed what economic development means to Stokes
County, impacts to Stokes County, and value to Stokes
County. Director Thompson also
commented briefly on the need and value of a Comprehensive
Land Use Plan.
The Board
concluded their special economic development session by developing the
following objectives:
·
Do an outline of a comprehensive land use plan and
learn its resources
·
Involve planning professionals
·
Make sure to support economic development with
tourism as a major sector
·
Develop an industrial development resource list
·
Inventory of water and sewer needs
·
Strategic plan for quality of life, industrial
development
·
To incorporate other municipalities with the
comprehensive land use plan
·
How to become the “best” county possible
Economic Development Director Ron Morgan
expressed his appreciation to the
Board for taking their time to hold this special session
regarding economic development in
Stokes County.
Chairman
Inman requested guidance in the future from Director Morgan has to how
the Board could help with Economic Development issues in
Stokes County. Director
Morgan responded that a meeting such as this is a great
start for everyone involved.
Commissioner
John Turpin presented information regarding the Eight-County North
Carolina/Virginia Regional Tourism Planning Initiative. Commissioner John Turpin
stated that correspondence received from Surry County
Manager Macon Sammons is
requesting funding (approximately $2000) for Consultant’s
fees for the remainder of the FY
2005-06 to be used by the Regional Tourism Planning
Initiative along with additional
funding (estimated at $7500) for the FY 2006-07. Budget Director Dennis Thompson
spoke regarding the Progress Report, which detailed the
background of this group. Budget
Director Dennis Thompson may be taking over the consultant
duties of this group in the
future. Commissioner
John Turpin requested that the Board review the information for
discussion at the March 27th meeting.
There being no further business to come before the Board,
Chairman Inman
entertained a motion to
adjourn the special session. Commissioner
McHugh moved to
adjourn the special
session. Vice Chairman Joe Turpin
seconded and the motion carried
unanimously.
_________________________ _____________________________
Darlene M. Bullins J. Leon Inman
Clerk to the Board Chairman