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03-25-2025 Meeting Minutes EDCEDC Minutes for March 25, 2025 Minutes of the PCEDC Regularly Scheduled Meeting Person County EDC Board Room 303 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573 March 25, 2025 Voting Board Members Present: Dr. Scott McKinney- Chairman Mr. Donald Long The Honorable Sherry Wilborn Mr. Phillip Allen- Vice-Chairman Mr. Jay Poindexter Dr. Claudia Berryhill, Agricultural Representative The Honorable Merilyn Newell Voting Board Members Absent: Mr. Kenneth Perry Mr. Jody Blackwell Ex Officios Present: Ms. Katherine Cathey, County Manager Mr. Brooks Lockhart, City Manager Ex Officios Absent: Dr. Pamela Senegal, PCC President Dr. Rodney Peterson, PCS Superintendent ED Staff Present: Others Present: Ms. Brandy Lynch, Director Mr. George Willoughby Mr. Bryan Eatmon, Existing Industry Specialist Ms. Kim Strickland Mr. Bo Freeman EDC Welcome and Invocation: At 4:00 p.m., Chairman McKinney called the meeting to order. Mr. Phillip Allen gave the invocation. 1 of 17 EDC Minutes for March 25, 2025 Director Report: Ms. Lynch made mention of the Kerr Tar summit that will be on October 9. We do have a draft agenda. They are going to try to focus on small business for a chunk of it this year, but then they're going to bring in some of the larger industries to ask, why did they choose region K. Bryan will attend the Carolina Core event on April 9. Ms. Lynch attended one last month, but her schedule did not work out to attend this one. The governor will be at High Point University and will be able to talk about trends and prospects in the Carolina Core area. Additionally, Economic Development is working with the Chamber on Small Business Week, which will take place from May 4 to 10. The Chamber is organizing leadership programs in Person County again. Orientation will be on April 28, and graduation is scheduled for October 14. The program includes developing leadership skills, learning more about Person County, meeting community and business leaders, touring local businesses and industries, and gaining awareness of the community, quality of life, and opportunities in Person County. I also want to let you know that the Chamber has temporarily moved out of their building due to floor renovations, so they are currently located in the B deck and will have limited office hours. Chairman Report: Commissioner Royster attended the NACO Summit. Ms. Lynch had a little blurb in here about the Citizens Academy and how well it was doing and how well it was received. Person County has a new interim planning director. She's wonderful. Ms. Lynch had the privilege of meeting her. I begged her to stay, but she reminded me she was retired. Ms. Wilborn announced that the Henderson County Health Partnership had released an impressive performance video about relevant technology. They discussed the significance of manufacturing for rural communities and noted that many people are pursuing residential growth in order to access more services. Chairman McKinney is working to consolidate this year's projects and other initiatives related to workforce housing. This encompasses short-term housing infrastructure, such as water, sewer, transportation, rental assistance, and the need for more businesses to expand, as well as a review of our municipality's ordinances in our county. If you think of other relevant topics, please share. Not only are we striving to discuss these important themes in a meaningful way this October, but to achieve this, we need to start addressing them one by one each month as we move forward. Dr. Berryhill stated that you don't realize just how much farmland or forestry land there is in Person County. I keep saying, if you ride down from Durham to 501, or even 57 to Danville, you see these beautiful pastures that raise cattle. But that land is working for us. It's harvesting rainfall— 2 of 17 EDC Minutes for March 25, 2025 rainfall that helps with flooding and runoff. Carbon dioxide is being removed from our atmosphere. It's beautification. It's peace. Peaceful, and Gordon always used to hate the term "bucolic." The majority of the interviewees wanted to maintain our rural character. So, working through EDC, AG, business, and agritourism, potentially through zoning, we need to consider how to preserve development that's coming. We know what we want, but how do we still preserve our character, our focus, our goal? Mr. Lockhart stated that there are two different agricultural programs. He inquired about the torch treatment and whether that covers everything. Dr. Berryhill clarified that the torch treatment is unrelated to the voluntary agricultural district or the enhanced voluntary program in the PDB. She believes that Nancy, specifically Corbin Solar Waters, is responsible for those programs. Dr. Berryhill reported on this last month, noting that the 10-year time frame for the voluntary act just needs to be renewed, meaning participants must be signed up. The commissioners approved the enhanced program last fall, which is why it is currently in effect. She is also accepting applications for that program; however, Dr. Berryhill believes she has since requested GIS to remove it from the layers. Dr. McKinney believes that many individuals are working on economic development projects behind the scenes. Progress in this area at Microsoft is ongoing. If you have been following news broadcasts—whether they are national, local, or statewide—you may have noticed that the rules of the game appear to be changing. Regardless of political views, it is challenging for businesspeople to operate effectively in an environment where the ground shifts rapidly beneath them. Nevertheless, they are our community, and they will adapt. The county is firmly committed to supporting new initiatives, particularly those that empower women and enhance infrastructure. While they haven’t reached out to us for assistance in a formal manner, we remain sensitive to their needs and ready to help, just as we do with all existing industries. Regarding industry engagement, Mr. Eatmon recently met with CertainTeed and has also been collaborating with PA, which is currently facing challenges in finding a reliable fixer. Additionally, he is working with NC State because several of our industries are requesting more than one intern. Some companies, like Polywood, P&A, and LP, have already requested two interns for the summer. Mr. Eatmon's approach to industry visits has proven effective. He first introduces himself to the companies and later returns for in-depth conversations to understand their needs and discuss how we can assist them. He also involves partners from Person County Schools, PCC, the Chamber, and some small businesses. We have found that having fewer people present during these discussions makes companies more comfortable. 3 of 17 EDC Minutes for March 25, 2025 He has discovered that building a relationship with them initially is crucial. As a result, when we are not in meetings with them, we often receive phone calls asking for help with specific issues. For instance, Spuntech they were invited to speak at the Kerr-Tar Summit. Mr. Eatmon contacted his relationship there, discussed the opportunity, and it turned out successfully. Overall, we have found that this approach helps us get in the door without creating pressure, allowing companies to be more open about their needs, which in turn lets us better provide assistance. Dr. McKinney stated that sometimes our services are not as responsive as citizens would like. At various stages, we face challenges related to staffing and communication channels. However, don't hesitate to provide feedback, as it's essential for others to engage with those who can make phone calls and establish the right connections to get things done. The good news is that we have several key manufacturers in the area who are working on appropriate plans to implement positive changes. We can expect good announcements in the future, although these initiatives often involve planning, zoning, and similar considerations. Dr. McKinney mentioned that he was reviewing something the other day to assist someone. He will provide this information to Ms. Lynch and Ms. Strickland at the end of the meeting. He asked if anyone would have still purchased what he referred to as bad links, similar to the one that came up regarding the office. This information was received from Stuart Gilbert today. He pointed out that if it is outdated, we should be aware of the old pages we encountered in the past. Ms. Lynch inquired if he was referring to the EDC website. Dr. McKinney confirmed that he was, but noted it was an earlier version—possibly two, three, or four generations ago. Dr. McKinney wanted to discuss the recent school board meeting. At the last meeting, Dr. Peterson clearly presented and recorded what was shared in an earlier meeting. This presentation suggested that there will be changes in elementary schools in the near future, specifically regarding residential housing development. This serves as a good example of the need to think ahead and engage in discussions about issues we should have been addressing five to ten years ago. We are now at a point where we need to paddle faster to catch up. If you did not read the article in the paper, it is important to do so, as it provides valuable background information for the members of this body regarding K-12 education. One thing that Ms. Lynch forgot to mention is that she recently received a phone call from Bryce. He has purchased the Old Crown Craft facility on Somerset Drive and has rented out some additional space on the property. Bryce has invited Ms. Lynch to meet with him, take a tour, and meet his new tenant. 4 of 17 5 of 17 Date: March 25, 2025 Time: 4:00 pm Location: EDC Boardroom, 303 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573 Regularly-Scheduled Meeting Agenda Time Item Leader 4:00 Welcome Dr. Scott McKinney, Chairman 4:02 Invocation Mr. Phillip Allen, Vice Chairman 4:03 Director Report Ms. Brandy Lynch, ED Director 4:13 Chairman Report Dr. Scott McKinney, Chairman 4:25 Closed Session **Request motion to enter into Closed Session pursuant to NC General Statutes 143- 318.11(a)(5) Dr. Scott McKinney, Chairman 4:45 Next Meeting Set for April 22, 2025, 4:00pm, EDC Boardroom, 303 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573 Dr. Scott McKinney, Chairman 4:46 **Adjourn Dr. Scott McKinney, Charmain **Action Requested 6 of 17 Highlights February 2025-March 2025 • Staff is collaborating with NC Works and Kerr-Tar on a job fair scheduled for the Fall at the CHATT. • The staff held a meeting with the Interim President of Piedmont Community College. • Staff met with the website developer on March 24 to discuss progress. • New photos and videos will be taken in the coming months for the website. • Brandy attended the NCEDA Spring Conference, where several topics were discussed. o The Governor participated in the Conference to discuss North Carolina's economic development status. o Product Development o The EDPNC vetting process o Panel of Consultants for Site Visits and Project Requests o Economic Development Salary Survey • Bryan and alongside April, Uptown Roxboro Group, attended the Main Street Conference • RTRP provided information on the marketing campaign they will focus on in 2025. Upcoming Events of Interest • Bryan will attend a Carolina Core Event on April 9th. Governor Stein will speak, sharing his perspective on the trends and prospects for Carolina Core • The Wall that Heals will be on display from May 1-4 at the Rock Athletic Complex 7 of 17 • The Roxboro Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development is collaborating on plans for Small Business Week, taking place from May 4- 10. • Kerr Tar Summit is scheduled for October 9, 2025 • Bryan is attending the Rural Summit in Raleigh, March 25-26 Information for the EDC Advisory Board Person County Updates • The County has a new Interim Planning Director, Margaret Hauth • The County posted the Planning Director Position • Person County Departmental Budget presentations to the county staff have been completed • The Person County Citizens Academy is well underway and is being well received • Commissioner Royster attended the NACO Summit 8 of 17 9 of 17 10 of 17 11 of 17 12 of 17 13 of 17 14 of 17 15 of 17 16 of 17 17 of 17