08-23-2022 Meeting Minutes EDCEDC Minutes for August 23, 2022
Minutes of the PCEDC Regularly Scheduled Meeting
Person County EDC Board Room
303 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573
August 23, 2022
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:
Mr. Ralph Clark, Interim County Manager Dr. Rodney Peterson, PCS Superintendent
Dr. Claudia Berryhill, Agricultural Representative
Mr. Brooks Lockhart, City Manager
Ex Officios Absent:
Dr. Pamela Senegal, PCC President
ED Staff Present: Others Present:
Ms. Sherry Wilborn, ED Director Ms. Samantha Bagbey
Mr. Michael Thibault, Asst ED Director (Minutes) Mr. George Willoughby
Ms. Brandy Lynch, ED Specialist Mr. Bo Freeman
The Honorable PJ Gentry
Mr. Woody Jacobs
EDC Welcome, Invocation, and Oath:
At 4:00p.m., Chairman Allen called the meeting to order.
Mr. Donald Long gave the invocation.
1 of 26
EDC Minutes for August 23, 2022
Mr. Allen requested a motion to amend the agenda to include an update from Mr. Ralph Clark
Interim County Manager on the next steps in the leadership transition process.
A motion is made seconded and unanimously passed to approve to amend the agenda.
Motion: Donald Long Second: Sherry Clayton
Leadership Transition Process:
Mr. Ralph Clark began by confirming that Director Wilborn’s last day would be September 15th and
that a target date of September 1st has been set for beginning to advertise the position. Mr. Clark
then stated that Brandy Lynch would be appointed as Interim Director and that he would be
allocating a greater share of his time to ensure that office activities would remain stable. October
10th has been identified as an applicant deadline with October 20th marking the beginning of the
formal review of applications through a panel to be assembled by Mr. Clark and Chairman Allen. Mr.
Clark made mention that the search for a new County Manager has been ongoing and that he
expects that appointment will be made by the end of October. As interviews are slated to begin the
week of November 14th for the new EDC Director, the new County Manager will have the opportunity
to be part of that process.
Strategic Plan Complete Review and Adoption:
Discussion ensued regarding the various General Categories of Work including Director Wilborn’s
recommendations for changes to the original. Wilborn’s original and updated presentations are
included with these minutes for comparative purposes. The formally adopted “mission statement” is
included at the top of page one of the updated Strategic Plan, which the EDC voted to approve.
A motion is made, seconded and unanimously passed to approve the amended strategic plan
Motion: The Honorable Merilyn Newell Second: Sherry Clayton
Chairman Allen made a point to thank Dr. Scott McKinney for his tremendous efforts with creating
the very thorough document. Chairman Allen also mentioned the postponement of any decision-
making with regard to Board support and the assignment of specific tasks until the next monthly
meeting.
2 of 26
EDC Minutes for August 23, 2022
A discussion regarding the adoption of the “mission statement” then took place, resulting in a
vote in favor of this mission:
“To create a new rural model where family and tradition are valued, willingness to work hard can
lead to success and community leaders embrace change and provide the best possible
opportunities for all residents.”
A motion is made, seconded and unanimously passed to approve the Economic Development
Mission Statement.
Motion: Donald Long Second: Sherry Clayton
(At the board’s request the Economic Development Mission Statement will now be the Economic
Development Department motto as well.)
Public Infrastructure Request:
Wilborn presented a request by Weston Development, the entity that owns the building that
Polywood occupies, where they are building a new 500,000 square foot addition to the building
to accommodate the Polywood expansion. Through their due diligence with the City regarding
the water line, it was discovered that because of an agreement between the County and the City
that they would need to pick up the 12” line at the center of Jim Thorpe Highway and run that to
and through the R.O.W. to the building. Since this would become part of public infrastructure,
Weston has requested grant support in the amount of $80,000 to cover the resulting cost
overruns. The County Commissioners have the authority to authorize taking these funds from
an account maintained for infrastructure expansion, but they would look for a recommendation
from the EDC to provide those funds to benefit this specific project. Interim County Manager
Clark indicated his support of this recommendation siting that future development continuing
along Jim Thorpe Highway would be served more efficiently with the larger line. After further
discussion it was decided to recommend to the County Commissioners for approval, this
expenditure from the Economic Catalyst Fund in the amount of $80,000.
A motion is made seconded and unanimously passed to recommend to the County
Commissioners approval of this infrastructure expenditure in the amount of $80,000 from the
Economic Catalyst Fund.
Motion: Donald Long Second: Dr. Scott McKinney
3 of 26
EDC Minutes for August 23, 2022
Director’s Report:
Wilborn’s presentation will be included in these minutes. Wilborn related information about the
Carolina Core initiative, which is a marketing focused offshoot of the Piedmont Triad
Partnership. Person County Mega Site would be eligible for inclusion with the Carolina Core
efforts and would benefit in various ways as a result of membership and there is no cost to the
PCEDC.
A motion was made and seconded for accepting the offer for PCEDC to become a member of
Carolina Core to further the promotion of the County as well as the Mega Site.
Motion: The Honorable Merilyn Newell Second: Scott McKinney
There was discussion of the Raleigh Regional Airport regarding the new hanger and marketing
efforts including the addition of pictures of larger aircraft and expanding the marketing reach
through all available social media with the use of multiple links. It was pointed out that there is
room for additional airport and industrial expansion, which should also be highlighted.
Wilborn concluded with a list of deliverables before her final day with EDC.
Approval of the July 26, 2022 Meeting Minutes:
The Honorable Merilyn Newell requested a motion to approve the July 26, 2022 Meeting
Minutes as presented.
A motion was made seconded and unanimously passed for approval of the July 26, 2022
Meeting Minutes as presented.
Motion: Dr. Scott McKinney Second: Donald Long
Member Comments:
Brooks Lockhart announces the departure of Andy Oakley from the City of Roxboro on
September 7th. The City did not receive funding for the Western Interceptor Project for the
spring grant process but will be applying again in the fall.
4 of 26
EDC Regularly-Scheduled Meeting
August 23, 2022
6 of 26
EDC Strategic Plan
Action Plan –FY23
7 of 26
SWOT Analysis Results
Strengths:
•Proximity to growth in Triangle and
Triad (overflow)
•Strong manufacturing base (above-
average wages and greatest
multiplier effect)
•Attractive QOL
•Person County Mega Park
•Connectivity through US 501
•New housing underway
Threats:
•Competition
•Lack of population growth (affects
tax base, workforce, and ability to
attract new amenities)
•Labor force availability (national
labor shortage makes talent critical)
•Dependence on manufacturing
(automation is likely to cause
reduction in jobs)
•Lack of consensus (inconsistency)
Weaknesses:
•Older population and less growth
than desired (population and jobs)
•Lack of infrastructure
•Lack of amenities appealing to
younger population
•Scarcity of product (quality
industrial bldgs. & sites)
•Under-represented in office and
service-sector jobs
Opportunities:
•Become a “community of choice”
for the Triangle Region (increase
population and thereby skilled
workforce)
•Capture out-commuters
•Invest in PCC, especially facilities
•Continue to develop PCMP
•Benefit from Reshoring
•Take advantage of attractiveness
in southern PC 8 of 26
Areas of Focus
Growth:
•Population, especially a younger, educated demographic
•Jobs, especially higher wage and with sector diversity
•Workforce, especially skilled
•Tax base, especially non-residential
•Business support
Expansion:
•Job sector diversity
•Communicating strengths and opportunities to the Triangle market and beyond
•Local Amenities
•Infrastructure, water, wastewater, broadband, transportation, & fire protection
•Housing
Improvement:
•Product, industrial buildings and sites, especially PCMP
•Leadership that creates a shared vision that is consistent and achievable
•Educational Facilities, schools and PCC
Common Threads from SWOT Analysis:
9 of 26
Areas of Focus
Grow Population Develop Infrastructure Attract & Retain Talent
Emerging Areas of Focus:
Strengthen PCC
Improve Competitiveness of
PCMP
Improve & Develop
Product
Add Higher-Wage Jobs
Prioritize EI
Expansion
Build Consensus
Expand Fiber Optic Cable
10 of 26
Action Items
[Insert action items document once approved.]
11 of 26
Establish Areas of Focus
Mission Statement
•What do you see as the mission of this board?
•What is the purpose of a mission statement, and what elements should it include?
•States Purpose (Why do you exist?)
•Is Simple and Clear (Casual, relatable, succinct, and portable)
•Is Inspirational (Powerful, motivating, memorable)
•Is Measurable (Within your capability, quantifiable)
•Has Longevity (Will it still be relevant in years to come? Is it what you want to be known for,
now and in the future?)
Mission Statement as
Adopted with the 2019
Strategic Plan:
To Create Opportunities for
Families and Businesses to
Prosper and Compete in a
Global Economy
Mission Statement of the ED
Department:
To recruit, grow, and retain
businesses & industries that
provide Person County residents
with good jobs, opportunities to
learn & develop new skills, & the
benefits that derive from being
part of a diverse, vibrant,
economically sound community.
Opening Paragraph of Strategic
Action Agenda 2022-2025 as
Prepared by EL:
To create a new rural model, to be a
place where family & tradition are
valued, where willingness to work
hard can lead to success, & where
leaders & local government embrace
change & put in place strategies &
processes to provide the best possible
opportunities for all its residents.12 of 26
GroupLead Assessment Review
Dimension Action to Enhance
Measuring Progress ED Office will implement 2 new softwares and a dashboard, EDC will set metrics for action items and evaluate
quarterly -annually
Focusing on Priorities EDC will set a 1-year action plan, build meetings around the plan, and measure progress quarterly -annually
By establishing goals with metrics and tracking
schedules, you will also be accomplishing the
priorities of your GroupLead objectives.
13 of 26
Director’s Report
14 of 26
Carolina Core
15 of 26
Airport Website Review
16 of 26
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
•Link to implemented dashboard with JobsEQ Data
•Wrap-up of Airport Website (whether live will be contingent upon
video update, IT support, etc.)
•Updated Project Report from Salesforce
•Comments on Industrial Inventory
Intended Deliverables prior to 9/13
17 of 26
THANK YOU!!
18 of 26
Mission Statement: (Added once selected)
General Category of Work Emerging Areas of Focus Action Metric Baseline Data Source Schedule
Recruitment n/a
(AP 1) Meet with EDPNC and RTRP
representatives to share priorities and
new targeted industries.
# meetings ED office annually
Recruitment n/a
(AP2) Increase recruitment efforts to site
selection consultants through aggressive
participation with EDPNC and RTRP
opportunities.
# of events attended ED office annually
Recruitment n/a
(AP7) Shift a larger proportion of
business and talent recruitment efforts to
individuals within the Triangle region
and within a 60-mile radius of Roxboro.
# targeted contacts ED office annually
Recruitment n/a
(AP15) Contract with a marketing firm to
create publications and collateral
materials, positioning the Mega Park to
consultants for large industrial projects.
(including new video and workforce
collateral)
new materials
published ED office 2022 and later additional resources required
Retention Priortize EI Expansion
(AP 5) Conduct an annual major
employer survey to determine common
competitiveness issues and share broadly
with policy makers in the county and
with legislators.
# responses ED office annually
Retention Priortize EI Expansion
(AP 4) Develop an existing industry
priority contact list (based on key
industries, company growth,
employment, and wage levels), creating
goals for regular contact with each
company on the list to offer assistance.
distribution of
refreshed list to board,
# visits
ED office quarterly
Retention Priortize EI Expansion Increase methods of dissemination of
growth resources.
# and types comms,
responses ED office quarterly
Retention Prioritize EI Expansion Conduct Existing Industry Visits with
Major Employers and Agricultural Sector #visits ED office quarterly
19 of 26
Economic Development
Ecosystem Attract & Retain Talent
(AP11) In conjunction with the Roxboro
Area Chamber, develop a retention
campaign for residents who commute to
jobs elsewhere, highlighting local job
opportunities, and better work-life
balance.
marketing metrics, #
promotions
ED office and
Chamber of
Commerce
annually
Economic Development
Ecosystem Attract & Retain Talent
(AP 16) Develop social media campaigns
to raise awareness of Person County's
assets among firms and talented
individuals in the Triangle region.
marketing metrics, #
impressions, JobsEQ,
LEAD
ED office, Roxboro
Chamber, TDA annually additional resources required
Economic Development
Ecosystem
Attract & Retain Talent / Grow
Population
Market QOL & COL to Region and
Migration States #impressions annually
Economic Development
Ecosystem
Attract & Retain Talent / Grow
Population
Housing - Track Growth; Population -
Track Growth
residential permits;
residential tax base
use graph for permits;
Assessed valuation of
residential real
property as of
1/1/2022 - $3.4M;
population per census
data - 39,127
(https://www.census.g
ov/quickfacts/fact/tabl
e/personcountynorthca
rolina/PST045221)
ED Office annually
Economic Development
Ecosystem Develop Infrastructure
(AP12) Convene a meeting with state
legislative representatives, NCDOT
officials, EDC board and staff leaders to
discuss funding options for
improvements to Highway 158 netween
Roxboro and Interstate 85, and ways to
prioritize them.
# attendees from each
stakeholder group ED office 2023
Economic Development
Ecosystem Develop Infrastructure
(AP13) Stabilize, diversify, and increase
Economic Development resources
through public and private investors.
?ED office annually
Economic Development
Ecosystem Develop Infrastructure Water/WW seed money from county for
infrastructure? Grants?
Economic Development
Ecosystem Develop Infrastructure Internet Access & Availability -
Broadband/High Speed/Fiber/?
Economic Development
Ecosystem Improve and Develop Product Refresh industrial site list and identify
deficiencies.
distribution of
refreshed list to board ED office annually added by Scott, has not been
discussed by group
20 of 26
Economic Development
Ecosystem Improve and Develop Product
(AP 9) Contract with an environmental
consultant to review the impact of
watershed protection districts on
economic development efforts in the
county, and to suggest strategies for
accommodating economic development
while protecting regional watersheds &
meeting regulations.
report of findings to
board
ED office in
conjunction with city
and county planning
staff
2023
There was some discussion at
planning meeting about this
item. There seemed to be
little interest in hiring an
outside consultant. Perhaps
knowledgeable folks in city
or county could assist here.
Focus is Falls watershed
restrictions.
Economic Development
Ecosystem Improve & Develop Product
(AP 14) Close on the purchase of a core
section of the Mega Park site. Pursue
grant funding to begin clearing and
grading of the core section.
# acres purchased, #
grant opportunites
pursued
ED office 2022 and later additional resources required
Economic Development
Ecosystem Improve & Develop Product
(AP17) Dedicate seed money for a
speculative building program, or as part
of an initiative to incentivize building
development by the private sector to
improve the county's overall ability to
successfully compete when opportunities
arise.
# projects affected ED office 2024 additional resources required
Economic Development
Ecosystem Improve & Develop Product Continue development of North Park.
Economic Development
Ecosystem Improve & Develop Product
Promote Opportunity Zones, Building
Reuse, Façade & RLF Grants to entice
private partners.
Economic Development
Ecosystem Strengthen PCC
(AP 10) Advocate for increased funding
for Piedmont Community College to
improve and expand training facilites
and staffing, and consider a joint
campaign with local partners to raise
private sector funds for those needs at
PCC.
$ investment in
significant renovation
of existing facilities, $
investment in
construction of new
facilities
PCC annually may need to be broader to
include PCS
Organizational Effectiveness Build Consensus
(AP 6) Improve the EDC website
including a dashboard with board-
approved metrics to guage progress on a
set of economic development and quality
of life goals.
Launch date of
dashboard ED office annually
21 of 26
Organizational Effectiveness Build Consensus
(AP8) Develop an annual event for
county economic development
stakeholders, business leaders, and
elected officials. Highlight demographic
and economic trends, the intersection of
economic development and quality of
life, and the inportance of education and
training.
# attendees at event ED office 2024 maybe
Scott's note - might make
since to do after progress is
made on other items such as
annual survey, meeting with
existing industry, etc. so
event could be aligned with
community needs, coordinate
with Chamber, etc.
Organizational Effectiveness Build Consensus
(AP 3) Conduct EDC Board member land
and building product tours in Person
County, as well as visits to learn about
competitor offerings in the region.
Conduct one of each annually.
# of local site visits
# of out of county
visits
ED office annually
Organizational Effectiveness Build Consensus
Develop and implement communications
plan to promote consistent
communications about ED activity
including: Carry same message out
broadly to other boards, Collaborate with
other local orgs with consistent message,
share updates via social media, C-T
column, through annual update to EDC
and BOC and publication
# impressions, #
comms, # posts,
Feedback about
column,, annual update
ED Office, Board
members during
comment period
monthly
22 of 26
Mission Statement: “To create a new rural model where family and tradition are valued, willingness to work hard can lead to success and community leaders embrace change and provide the best possible opportunities for all residents.”
General Category of Work Emerging Areas of Focus Action Metric Baseline Data Source Schedule
Recruitment n/a
(AP 1) Meet with EDPNC and RTRP
representatives to share priorities and
new targeted industries.
# meetings ED office annually
Recruitment n/a
(AP2) Increase recruitment efforts to site
selection consultants through aggressive
participation with EDPNC and RTRP
opportunities.
# of events attended ED office annually
Recruitment n/a
(AP7) Shift a larger proportion of
marketing efforts to individuals within
the Triangle region and within a 60-mile
radius of Roxboro regarding our
County's quality of life, housing
affordability, etc..
# targeted contacts ED office annually
Recruitment n/a
(AP15) Contract with a marketing firm to
create publications and collateral
materials, positioning the Mega Park to
consultants for large industrial projects.
(including new video and workforce
collateral)
new materials
published ED office 2022 and later additional resources required
Retention Priortize EI Expansion
(AP 5) Conduct an annual major
employer survey to determine common
competitiveness issues and share broadly
with policy makers in the county and
with legislators.
# responses ED office annually
Retention Priortize EI Expansion
(AP 4) Develop an existing industry
priority contact list (based on key
industries, company growth,
employment, and wage levels), creating
goals for regular contact with each
company on the list to offer assistance.
distribution of
refreshed list to board,
# visits
ED office quarterly
Retention Priortize EI Expansion Increase methods of dissemination of
growth resources.
# and types comms,
responses ED office quarterly
23 of 26
Retention Prioritize EI Expansion
Conduct Existing Industry Visits with
Major Employers including Employers in
the Agricultural Sector.
#visits ED office quarterly
Economic Development
Ecosystem Attract & Retain Talent
(AP11) In conjunction with the Roxboro
Area Chamber, develop a retention
campaign for residents who commute to
jobs elsewhere, highlighting local job
opportunities, and better work-life
balance.
marketing metrics, #
promotions
ED office and
Chamber of
Commerce
annually
Economic Development
Ecosystem Attract & Retain Talent
(AP 16) Develop social media campaigns
to raise awareness of Person County's
assets among firms and talented
individuals in the Triangle region.
marketing metrics, #
impressions, JobsEQ,
LEAD
ED office, Roxboro
Chamber, TDA annually additional resources required
Economic Development
Ecosystem
Attract & Retain Talent / Grow
Population
Market QOL & COL to Region and
Migration States #impressions annually
Economic Development
Ecosystem
Attract & Retain Talent / Grow
Population
Housing - Track Growth; Population -
Track Growth
Residential permits;
Residential tax base
Use graph for permits;
Assessed valuation of
residential real
property as of
1/1/2022 - $3.4M;
Population per census
data - 39,127
(https://www.census.g
ov/quickfacts/fact/tabl
e/personcountynorthca
rolina/PST045221)
ED Office annually
Economic Development
Ecosystem Develop Infrastructure
(AP12) Convene a meeting with state
legislative representatives, NCDOT
officials, EDC board and staff leaders to
discuss funding options for
improvements to Highway 158 between
Roxboro and Interstate 85 and ways to
prioritize them, following the public
meeting (quorum present) format.
# attendees from each
stakeholder group ED office 2023
Economic Development
Ecosystem Develop Infrastructure
(AP13) Stabilize, diversify, and increase
Economic Development resources
through public and private investors.
ED office annually
Economic Development
Ecosystem Develop Infrastructure Water/WW seed money from county for
infrastructure? Grants?
24 of 26
Economic Development
Ecosystem Develop Infrastructure Internet Access & Availability -
Broadband/High Speed/Fiber/?
Economic Development
Ecosystem Improve and Develop Product Refresh industrial site list and identify
deficiencies.
distribution of
refreshed list to board ED office annually added by Scott, has not been
discussed by group
Economic Development
Ecosystem Improve and Develop Product
(AP 9) Contract with an environmental
consultant to review the impact of
watershed protection districts on
economic development efforts in the
county, and to suggest strategies for
accommodating economic development
while protecting regional watersheds &
meeting regulations.
report of findings to
board
ED office in
conjunction with city
and county planning
staff
2023
There was some discussion at
planning meeting about this
item. There seemed to be
little interest in hiring an
outside consultant. Perhaps
knowledgeable folks in city
or county could assist here.
Focus is Falls watershed
restrictions.
Economic Development
Ecosystem Improve & Develop Product
(AP 14) Close on the purchase of a core
section of the Mega Park site. Pursue
grant funding to begin clearing and
grading of the core section.
# acres purchased, #
grant opportunites
pursued
ED office 2022 and later additional resources required
Economic Development
Ecosystem Improve & Develop Product
(AP17) Dedicate seed money for a
speculative building program, or as part
of an initiative to incentivize building
development by the private sector to
improve the county's overall ability to
successfully compete when opportunities
arise.
# projects affected ED office 2024 additional resources required
Economic Development
Ecosystem Improve & Develop Product Continue development of North Park.
Economic Development
Ecosystem Improve & Develop Product
Promote Opportunity Zones, Building
Reuse, Façade & RLF Grants to entice
private partners.
Economic Development
Ecosystem Strengthen PCC
(AP 10) Advocate for increased funding
for Piedmont Community College to
improve and expand training facilites
and staffing, and consider a joint
campaign with local partners to raise
private sector funds for those needs at
PCC.
$ investment in
significant renovation
of existing facilities, $
investment in
construction of new
facilities
PCC annually may need to be broader to
include PCS
25 of 26
Organizational Effectiveness Build Consensus
(AP 6) Improve the EDC website
including a dashboard with board-
approved metrics to guage progress on a
set of economic development and quality
of life goals.
Launch date of
dashboard ED office annually
Organizational Effectiveness Build Consensus
(AP8) Develop an annual event for
county economic development
stakeholders, business leaders, and
elected officials. Highlight demographic
and economic trends, the intersection of
economic development and quality of
life, and the inportance of education and
training.
# attendees at event ED office 2024 maybe
Scott's note - might make
since to do after progress is
made on other items such as
annual survey, meeting with
existing industry, etc. so
event could be aligned with
community needs, coordinate
with Chamber, etc.
Organizational Effectiveness Build Consensus
(AP 3) Conduct EDC Board member land
and building product tours in Person
County, as well as visits to learn about
competitor offerings in the region.
Conduct one of each annually.
# of local site visits
# of out of county
visits
ED office annually
Organizational Effectiveness Build Consensus
Develop and implement communications
plan to promote consistent
communications about ED activity
including: Carry same message out
broadly to other boards, Collaborate with
other local orgs with consistent message,
share updates via social media, C-T
column, through annual update to EDC
and BOC and publication
# impressions, #
comms, # posts,
Feedback about
column,, annual update
ED Office, Board
members during
comment period
monthly
26 of 26