08-22-2023 Meeting Minutes EDCEDC Minutes for August 22, 2023
Minutes of the PCEDC Regularly Scheduled Meeting
Person County EDC Board Room
303 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573
August 22, 2023
Voting Board Members Present:
Mr. Phillip Allen-Chairman Mr. Kenneth Perry
Mr. Donald Long-Vice Chairman Dr. Scott McKinney
Mr. Jay Poindexter The Honorable Gordon Powell
The Honorable Merilyn Newell Ms. Sherry Clayton
Mr. Jody Blackwell
Ex Officios Present:
Ms. Katherine Cathey, County Manager
Dr. Claudia Berryhill, Agricultural Representative
Dr. Pamela Senegal, PCC President
Ex Officios Absent:
Dr. Rodney Peterson, PCS Superintendent
Mr. Brooks Lockhart, City Manager
ED Staff Present: Others Present:
Ms. Brandy Lynch, Interim Director Mr. George Willoughby
Ms. Briana Whitt, ED Specialist (Minutes) Mr. Bo Freeman
EDC Welcome and Invocation:
At 4:00p.m., Chairman Allen called the meeting to order.
Mr. Donald Long gave the invocation.
Approval of Minutes:
Chairman Allen recognized The Honorable Merilyn Newell for the approval of the February 28,
2023, March 28, 2023, June 8, 2023 and June 27, 2023 minutes.
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A motion made, seconded, and unanimously approved to approve the February 28, 2023, March
28, 2023, June 8, 2023 and June 27, 2023 meeting minutes.
Motion: Dr. Scott McKinney Second: Mr. Jody Blackwell
Director’s Report:
Director Lynch starts off with discussion from the meeting with Duke and Beth Townsend on
August 6, 2023 prior to the news release. Duke Energy is scheduled to have both Hyco and
Mayo plants decommissioned. Now they are asking for later decommissioning date. Duke would
like to retire Mayo in 2031 and Roxboro in 2034, a lot further off that original thought. They are
committed to keeping power to Person County while the community transfers to cleaner energy
options and lower carbon future. Duke Energy has proposed new plans to construct a hydrogen
capable natural gas plant as part of the next chapter for Roxboro Plant in Person County. The
site would be home of one of the most advanced Powerplant of Duke Energy’s Duke Energy
emphasized that “slow and steady is the better path.”
The participants of the East Carolina Universities Honors Seminar received a 5-credit hour
certificate for the class, which goes toward the North Carolina Economic Development
Certification. The class focused on Person County. Instructors used Ted Abernathy findings and
Person County Economic Development’s strategic plan to focus on how to help Person County
as a whole. Ms. Whitt and Director Lynch attended the UNC Basic Economic Development Class
at the beginning of August at the School of Government.
North Park project will be completed by the end of the week. Ms. Cathey signed the latest
worksheet for the grant.
Lynch requested the opportunity to visit other counties economic development departments
after she was named Director. One of her takeaways from her visit included less meetings. Most
county’s hold meetings every other month, Vance County has met twice in the last year in a half.
Franklin County specifically only allows their meetings to go an hour and only have invited
speakers.
Ms. Lynch loved Franklin Counties demographics sheet as a model made a few tweaks, to fit
Person County needs.
Harry Mills gave a tour of the future economic development for Granville County. Take away
from the tour was that the Economic Development departments were very remote and private,
Granville County has their own house. The reason for the privacy is when you have industries
coming in and projects coming in, most do not want to be seen, they would like to be
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anonymous. Most departments were setup in different counties with two to three people, Ms.
Lynch has decided to change the open position from Assistant Director to Existing Industry
Specialist Position this will allow industry to know who this person is and what their job is, and
they will know the direct contact to go to. Lynch is working with HR on the position and getting
it ready and graded should be posted within the next couple of weeks.
The Economic Development Specialist will continue to do administrative work but will grow
more in the role, that means that Ms. Whitt will start looking at projects in the Director Lynch
absence to have someone as a backup to submit for projects.
The strategic plan was looked at by Charles Hayes and other piers at East Carolina University
their plan/class was taken off of Ted Abernathy’s report. Ms. Lynch would like to take strategic
plan into review to try to condense it then focus on an action plan.
When Ms. Lynch was hired the Person County Board of Commissioners and the EDC Board
requested that the director be more public facing, but due to the work load, meeting prep and
training new staff that is not due able at this time, Ms. Lynch is trying to be more focused on
getting out and letting people know who she is. Her goal is to not be in the office as much and
to let the people get to know Ms. Lynch WRAL campaign is coming along, Lynch received two of
the three articles for review. Director Lynch will not be available for the October meeting.
Member Comments:
Mr. Powell talks about changes in the energy field, wanting what is best for Person County. Duke
Energy has come out with their press release on advancing the future of energy in Person
County.
Dr. Senegal noted that the college has an electrical power productive program, were enrollment
has changed in part to fears surrounding the decommissioning. Also, the fall semester has
started, Piedmont Community College summer enrollment numbers were up by 9% compared
to last summer.
Dr. Berryhill noted what the access to a community hospital means to our community.
Ms. Lynch is working with Kerr Tar to revisit the hospital. Also, Kerr Tar asked Ms. Lynch to follow
up from the previous meetings.
Ms. Lynch received a phone call for Mr. Lockhart noting he was unable to attended, due to an
illness. Lockhart wanted to inform the board that the Western Sewer Project timeline will begin
advertising for bids no later than October or November of 2023, construction notice is no later
than January of 2024, construction with substantial completion no later than January 2026 and
final completion is March 2026.
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$824.00
$1,715.00
$1,016.00
$1,259.00
$1,389.00
$922.00
$828.00
$1,575.00
$989.00
$1,159.00
$1,239.00
$887.00
$843.00
$1,666.00
$1,039.00
$1,207.00
$1,409.00
$908.00
$894.00
$1,682.00
$1,075.00
$1,235.00
$1,445.00
$924.00
$0.00 $1,000.00 $2,000.00 $3,000.00 $4,000.00 $5,000.00 $6,000.00 $7,000.00
Caswell County
Durham County
Granville County
North Carolina
Orange County
Person County
Average Weekly Wage 2022
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
$-
$5,000,000.00
$10,000,000.00
$15,000,000.00
$20,000,000.00
$25,000,000.00
Sales Tax Person Caswell Orange Durham Granville
3.70%
3.20%3.20%
3.60%
3.10%
3.70%
2.80%
2.90%
3.00%
3.10%
3.20%
3.30%
3.40%
3.50%
3.60%
3.70%
3.80%
Caswell
County
Durham
County
Granville
County
North
Carolina
Orange
County
Person
County
June 2023 Unemployment Rates
7 24 14 6
32
4 4 13 11
61
10 18
63
58
40
36
34
36 27
50 38
37
43
49
1
4
1
4
3
5
3
3
1
1
2
3
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Permit Activity
SFD (Single Family Dwelling)
Bldg (No-mods)
Modular Homes
Person County Demographic Report
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