10-30-2025 Meeting Minutes EDC - Leadership SummitEDC Minutes for October 30, 2025
Person County Leadership Summit
Minutes of the PCEDC Regularly Scheduled Meeting
Person County Office Building Auditorium
304 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573
October 30, 2025
Voting Board Members Present:
Dr. Scott McKinney- Chairman Mr. Jody Blackwell
Mr. Phillip Allen- Vice-Chairman Mr. Kenneth Perry
Dr. Claudia Berryhill, Agricultural Representative Mr. Jay Poindexter
The Honorable Merilyn Newell-Secretary The Honorable Sherry Wilborn
Ex Officios Present:
Ms. Katherine Cathey, County Manager
Mr. Brooks Lockhart, City Manager
Dr. Kevin Lee, PCC President
Dr. Rodney Peterson, PCS Superintendent
ED Staff Present:
Ms. Brandy Lynch, Director
Ms. Briana Whitt, Specialist (Minutes)
Mr. Bryan Eatmon, Existing Industry Specialist
EDC Welcome:
At 4:06 p.m., Chairman Dr. Scott McKinney called the Person County Economic Development
Commission meeting to order and recognized that a quorum was present.
Creative Economic Development Consulting, LLC Founder and CEO Crystal Morphis facilitated
the Person County Leadership Summit. Topics discussed included the following:
• Fundamentals of Economic Development
• Assessment of Person County’s Competitiveness
• Visioning-Vison and Mission Statements
• Priority Initiatives for County-City Partnership
o Product Development
o Business Attraction, Retention, and Expansion
o Capacity Building
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EDC Minutes for October 30, 2025
Person County Leadership Summit
o Small Business/ Entrepreneurship
o Communications
The following is a summary of the Leadership Summit, provided by Morphis:
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Vision: Person Conty is a prosperous and vibrant community
that values its rural character, fosters collaboration, and
ensures a safe and thriving environment for residents,
businesses, and visitors.
Mission: Person Conty will build a growing rural economy by
attracting and retaining a skilled workforce, supporting
business start up and growth, and fostering a business
climate that attracts investment.
Person County Leadership Summit Summary
Person County Board of Commissioners, City of Roxboro Council, and the Person County
Economic Development Commission Board convened a leadership summit to develop joint
priorities. The agenda included presentations on the fundamentals of economic
development and an assessment of Person County’s competitiveness. Participants
workshopped initiatives in business attraction, retention, and expansion, product
development, capacity building, entrepreneurship, communications, and talent. The
outcomes are vision and mission statements, prioritized initiatives, and next steps for the top
four initiatives. Prioritized Initiatives
1.Affordable Housing
2.Sites and Buildings for Business
Attraction
3.Talent Pipeline Development
4.Airport Development
5.Increased Communications
6.Workforce Development Center
7.Shared Vision for the Future
8.Advanced Websites and
Technology Tools
9.Market Job Opportunities
10. Quantify the Return on Public
Investments in Economic
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Initiative #1: Affordable Housing
•Define “affordable housing” for Person County
•Inventory housing projects that are in the pipeline
•Ensure UDO is development-friendly
•Partner with developers
•Explore housing incentives
•Assess the housing stock
Initiative #2: Sites and Buildings
•Inventory vacant properties
•Analyze product inventory
•Identify and qualify sites
•Develop funding tools
•Partner with property owners
•Identify funding for site development
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Initiative #3: Talent Pipeline
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EDC Minutes for October 30, 2025
Person County Leadership Summit
Next Meeting:
The next meeting is announced for Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in the Person
County EDC Board Room, 303 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC.
Adjournment:
A motion was made by Chairman McKinney to adjourn the Person County Economic
Development Commission meeting at 6:58 p.m.
Motion: Dr. Scott McKinney Second: Mr. Phillip Allen
Date Approved Secretary
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