Economic Development Authority Meeting   3/18/2025

Are we good?

Gabriel, you want to, since Andy's not here, is there anything you want to share with us about the financial report?

Not too much changed.

All right.

So over the next several financial reports, we'll expect to see that number change.

Unfinished business.

and so the funds for this roadmap study if it was to be approved at state level would be available July 1st and the horizon for the schedule that we've got from the consultant that would be doing the work would have a final plan in spring of 2026.

All right, is there a motion?

Is there a second?

All right, here we go.

Excellent.

And is Mike Graf participating?

No, we just have Jim Bowling here.

Yeah, we got a sound issue here.

Do you mind?

We can have just a second.

Is this better?

But we hope with this tax award, we can open up some more activity.

And Frank, you are sworn in, correct?

All right, great.

That's better.

All right.

Second.

All right, the resolution passes.

Good seeing you.

Thank you, Jim.

Goodbye.

Trevor Henry, Deputy County Executive, Support Economic Development and Public Safety is part of my portfolio.

We're all a friend of Sue.

We met at length yesterday.

Emily Kilroy, the director of the office.

Newberry, deputy director.

And how about the rest, the other EDO office staff?

Net Art Project Manager, Rivanna Futures.

Next on the agenda.

And so with that, I'll pause and see if there are any questions or comments about the Thriving Economy Check.

So I don't know who would weigh in on that or comment.

but I certainly think through the conversations that we've had thus far through the data work that the strategic plan consultants have done and the initial stakeholder engagement that we've done that that has been a theme in every conversation that we've had and so I expect that would be articulated well in the strategic plan as we continue to move that down the line and you all will have some quality time with the consultants when they're here next week.

whichever, whether it's a goal or objective, that to say, you know, part of this is to help balance the tax burden, deal with that some way.

Go ahead.

But I wanted to ask, is that just in the development area?

So I think that number two needs to account for that.

But I mean, that's going to be a huge income for us.

Well, and also.

So everything will work out.

So it maybe is less on the rest edge.

We'd love nothing more than to reduce the tax rate if we can afford it.

Sure.

It's always been retention and expansion, but if you look at our new memorandum of understanding, we sort of get to that a little bit.

I mean, I think the meeting with the board of supervisors where we presented MOU,

is this trash, right?

It's just, it's not mentioned, so.

Any other comments or questions?

What are you trying to say?

I think that access is sort of a broader thing, access to the training, that that training is available, also the physical needs, physically being able to get to it.

the number of career ladder jobs or diversifying the types of career ladder jobs.

I think that is part of, yeah, I think that's sort of, I think four is really more addressing, providing the employees the opportunity to be prepared for those jobs that the expansions and the retention and the attraction create.

I would just suggest that it might be worthwhile considering the need to expand or diversify the types of career ladder jobs that are available, as well as access to them.

We'll go to all the objectives.

Go back to all of them?

And that rural area section on the comp plan pretty much hits the target industry.

What's an example?

So the amount of time spent on transportation or cost of travel kind of makes this not a market for them to

So I think there's good information there.

That's a good- Yeah.

The new MLU puts that firmly in place, so I think that's a great note from you all, that adding the word attraction could be beneficial for this, for sure.

and being able to, so we can train our workforce for jobs that are here and the ones that will be coming up.

And it's usually, it's mostly geared toward juniors and seniors, I think, that experiential learning piece, the internships, but it's open to everybody.

So once they catch on, then they're all in favor.

So I have some experience with the things you're talking about and I hope I can contribute to your work.

Anything else, Dan?

administration of that.

Any comments or questions on the change?

Two months, three months, a year, actually been about six years in the making.

So once the terms are agreed upon, it shouldn't take that long to bring it back.

Soon.

I think we'll be able to work through it with some speed.

We're not talking about a lot of money.

Am I getting this right that instead of asking for a set amount of money given to the EDA and then kind of like, okay, here's some money and then you all have to think of how we can spend it, it would just be that if you come up with something, then you come to the board and ask for money.

As all partner agencies.

So this is money the EDA pays to the county for providing

It's consistent across multiple authorities.

So, and of course, fiscal services has to staff

And there are real benefits to having the professionalism and oversight that comes for having that money go through finance.

Very true.

All right, so is there a motion to approve the resolution?

There's MOU.

If unchanged by the Board of Supervisors, then the adoption of this motion will constitute the authority's final approval and adoption of the memorandum of understanding and authorization for the chair to sign.

All right, staff report.

OK, and Ashley is going to take us off on the staff report on the business retention and expansion work.

You can reach out to me and I'd be happy to share it with you if you've got anybody that might like to fill it out themselves.

Thanks, Ashley.

are trying to collaborate together to see how we can make that path forward and provide those energy industries with the workforce that they need to keep up with speed.

So we're excited about the energy around energy.

It was something I was excited to learn more about, certainly.

Like what I'm having a hard time imagining, like if you, just for the audience.

I can give you a more articulate list.

And how did you come upon them?

And it would be very much appreciated.

Thank you so much.

We try to leverage those folks who are working in those sectors to be able to say who's interesting in Albemarle County that we should be talking to.

We work very closely with the region and the state and they have target lists too that they're folks that are really interested in meeting with and they'll work together kind of coordinating.

That would be wonderful.

Definitely.

All right.

Thank you.

for their first 12 month cohort and their fall at six companies before they opened the door, which was really exciting.

Good problem to have.

And being VDOT, that funding would really focus on the extension of Boulder's Road that we hope to achieve.

Any questions on Rivanna Futures?

Thank you.

So that's an update.

And that's just the placeholders that development strategic plan or what are we doing on it?

And so I think at this point we're planning on just sort of calling it that and not branding it in a particular way.

How do they go about doing that?

Those are the opportunities for the public.

What context are those?

We envision that the strategic plan will be adopted at a joint meeting of the board and EDA in August and so that could be the place.

We'll find opportunities as we continue to get through the process where we can do touch points like that as well to invite the community to participate and help shape the plan.

Next door.

And it's also regional.

Second.

Director Long?

Aye.

Director Morrill?

Aye.

Director Storm?

Aye.

Hood, aye, Dr. Friedman, aye.

See you April 15.

Thank you, Bob.

It can't be more than two people.