Board of Supervisors Joint Meeting with the Economic Development Authority   8/13/2025

Jim, would you please share your reason for remote participation in your location?

I'm in Sorrento, Maine on personal family business.

Mr. Galloway?

Yes.

All right.

Frank, you want to go first?

And Andy?

So I'm doing it remotely.

in Albemarle County, or where are you?

Yeah, I'm in Albemarle County.

So the EDA is now in session.

That's lovely.

Thank you so much for being here.

So with that, I'm going to hand it off to Emily to start the presentation.

So with that, Emily, thank you.

And with that, I will turn it over to you.

Economic development frankly is storytelling and it's a really important part to economic development.

So then we go to Goal 2.

So with that, the goals, I'll leave them up there on the board, but look forward to your questions and discussion.

Can I go first?

So I just wanted to share that before we got going so the floor was kind of up on our discussion.

One of the things that

That's a great one.

I'm going to move because ANU had something you wanted to say.

So I'm probably going down a giant-sized rabbit hole and I'm sorry.

And then Ann, we'll come back to your others.

And I don't want to reduce the time

and our board members have to talk, but I think it'd be great if Steve or Emily or Trevor or even Jeff would like to respond.

and the constraints of the development limitations that you've put forth.

I'm astounded by that.

You're constrained by the amount of developable land that you have.

Although, what I do think you said about this, historically, what have you seen succeed?

There's lots of opportunity.

Thank you, we can see that.

We only see Frank right now, so.

Thank you.

right you don't want to just grow for growth six places that are just adding jobs to add jobs there are headaches that come with that right and there are externalities that come with that that have input so so this this is really centered about kind of making sure that we're kind of creating the next level of jobs that are going to create career pathways and career ladders you see that hopefully you can see we've even connect that in through goal four which is around the people piece which is saying let's be sure that we're thinking about how we connect the job career pathways to that space as well

So I'll open it up for other comments or questions from folks at the table.

Did we go out in and beg for them to come set up shop here?

No, but keeping them is our job.

I've taken up a lot of time, and I have a lot more time I could take up, but I'll let everyone else.

I agree with probably everything you said, which is good.

We don't want just anything.

Any other comments from folks?

and so you know I think this pledge signals that you are you know you are open for a type of investment and I think it's explicitly says here but it also signals to us in my mind that it's not just investment for investments like there is real expectations about the type of investment you're looking for so all that is to say you know I think there are guardrails in place I just want to make one comment regarding what he said

So I don't think that's something we want, but we have to be aware of.

and so on.

We'll be able to lead this in a way to make sure that you're moving on the work.

Frank, the pressure is the same.

OK, great.

Can you hear me?

Yes.

and I think that has been missing from our discussion so far.

And that's a great assignment for, as a board of supervisors working session, even the EDA, to think about how do you communicate this, because that

You kind of gave us a clue how to brand that discussion use the term complete community building So that sums it up to me basically everything we've been talking about as a board for the reasons for this plan and what we've been we've been stating

It actually talks about why we want to be here and how we connect that back to the people that are living and working in the communities.

and UVA because I think it's an important piece that we're leaving on the table that we're not actually utilizing to the best possible extent.

Two-thirds of the jobs that they're seeking to create would be manufacturing jobs that they have said do not require a degree in order to be qualified for.

And I'm sure Emily can figure out how to do that because you understand what I'm saying.

requests, but I'll be sure that we tie that back into economic development in this piece and just being able to tie it all together because the schools produce the first generation of workers, then they become that next generation of workers that we want to keep.

So I just think it would be a great addition to the document.

So your comment about having, it also is good for the schools to see that this is an expectation and helps them to boost it on their side as well, because it is really important that all hands on deck is what we have to be doing and all the different, it's impossible to do all the different classes, but partnerships and things can help with some of those skillsets that are sort of outside the purview of

Well, I have a question.

I already used a plan, and excuse me if I'm making the wrong note, but there was, to benchmark the implementation part of this.

So during the version that we looked at in the spring that residents prepared, for each goal, there was at least three localities, even beyond just that comparative benchmark list, but three localities that kind of illustrate in real life what success could look like for that.

I'm more interested in the nitty gritty

What were their challenges where folks actually did streamline things?

And it gets down to something.

What were your lessons learned and what were the challenges you encountered along the way?

It seems like we have a fairly obvious path to implementation, but there's a lot of details and there's a lot of fears and concerns that are based on unknowns that we can, I know, between very skilled people in this community, planners and this landing department and whatnot, can figure out.

I see some hands up and I think Jim has a hand up and Frank so I don't know who was first but how about Jim why don't you speak and then Frank can go next.

I'll let you take the first.

You go first then I can, that's fine.

Stephen, I don't know if you would add anything.

Economic development is, frankly, it's storytelling.

Frank?

What is our highest return on investment priority?

I think you can probably share with Frank.

Ned.

And we could probably get at that through going to the film and figuring out how could we, and I say compete, but I don't mean like to beat them, to outmaneuver them, but to win, the win is filling the gap.

Trevor, I'll turn it over to you.

That's what we want to capture here as it is unique to our area with national security, biosciences, these core industries that we're calling out the strategic plan.

That's great Trevor, thank you and I'm going to turn to

I'll ask Ms.

Shifflett if she would come forward.

Christy?

But first we have to determine what are the things in each year that we need to accomplish we think we can do.

Yeah, because they don't want to start losing people.

Thank you, you did a great job of connecting it all.

But I would like Emily just to speak to your takeaways and where you think where we're going right now and give us a comfort level on what we would actually be going on, if that makes sense, Emily.

So that is one edit that I would offer.

That's good.

Is there anything that anyone feels like is missing?

I would entertain a motion and a second.

Okay, I move that we pass a resolution to approve the Albemarle County Economic Development Strategic Plan with the amendment that was obtained.

Yes.

Mr. Andrews?

Yes.

Thank you very much.

Okay.

You're still fixing up is what I heard you say.

Copy edit type edits.

As a matter of fact, I just want to note that our agenda, and Jeff you just leaned in, is there something?

I have an announcement to make after you wrap up.

Okay.

You want to go right now?

I do.

Ann, do you have an update on that since you last heard from them?

So, Dominion is aware and they're working on it.

Thank you, ma'am.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Thank you.

Alright, with that, BDA.

So, I will adjourn the EDA meeting.

Alright, sounds great.

Thank you very much, and everybody be safe.