Halifax County Plans for Leaner Economic Development

Hank Dewald, Herald Staff Writer

HALIFAX – The County Board of Commissioners spent much of their Friday retreat looking toward the future — a year in which they expect leaner revenues and growing demands for county services and facilities.

Ellen Burnette, who facilitated the brainstorming sessions, noted the serious nature of most of the topics and ideas presented by the county leaders. “There are not many self-serving interests listed,” she told the group as it prepared to break for lunch.

From an economic development standpoint, all of the small groups chose the Halifax Corporate Park and the adjoining  Halifax-Northampton Regional Airport as the most important economic development project to be considered in 2009.

Newly hired Economic Development Director Cathy Scott had given a short presentation on the status of each of the Economic Development Commission’s current projects and she too agreed the Corporate Park should be at the top of the list.

“According to the master plan for the corporate park, infrastructure needs will be by far the most expensive,” Scott told the group. She pointed out the process of having the park certified by the state as an industrial site is almost complete. “Reaching an agreement with the Town of Halifax should be an immediate priority,” she said, referring to the steps necessary to complete the sewer lines leaving the park.

Scott told the group she has a plan already in place for the project. Part of that plan involves gaining “free trade zone” status for the corporate park, which she pointed out would not require much in the way of costs, but would help in the recruitment of companies that sell products worldwide.

“It is not difficult, but it will be time consuming,” she said describing the process. She told them that other than the Global Transpark area between Raleigh and Wilson County, the Halifax Corporate Park will be the only designated free trade zone in Eastern North Carolina, and the only one on the Interstate 95 corridor.

Commission Chairman Gene Minton suggested the adjoining airport should be considered as part of the same project and Vice-Chairman James Pierce agreed. Pierce suggested planning a taxi-way from the airport to the park to make the park more attractive for global trading companies.

Minton also pointed out the importance of completing a deal with Resers Fine Foods, which is necessary to complete the solid waste issues facing the corporate park. He also said that existing business and industry should not be ignored, specifically mentioning an earlier agreement the county made with PCB Piezotronics that calls for the county to offer the company an expanded building once it reaches a level of 250 employees. “Should we go ahead and plan to set aside money in this upcoming year for that?” Minton asked.

Scott told the group PCB would probably not reach the 250 employee level in the upcoming year, but it was a good idea to keep the agreement in mind. All of the group agreed that with the availability of the Littleton Industrial building that was reconditioned for Window Fashion Resource, which is no longer coming to the county, another new shell building could be eliminated for this year. There had previously been one on the board’s wish list.

Scott also listed image building as a way of highlighting the entire Valley area, as well as the new corporate park, without much expense. On Jan. 31, a new Website should be complete, she told the group. “It’s a great time of year to start promoting the park,” she said.

While discussing the need for an instrument landing system at the new Halifax-Northampton Regional Airport, Minton reminded the group that U.S. Congressman G.K. Butterfield had said securing the funding for the ILS was one of his priorities. “We haven’t heard anything more about that so I think we need to contact the congressman and remind him,” Minton suggested.

While on the topic of airports, the group briefly discussed the future of the old Halifax County Airport and whether or not it should be considered as an asset by the Economic Development Commission.

Minton mentioned that since the county now owns the property, using it for something other than bringing in revenue would be a huge waste. He was referring to unsolicited plans several groups have drawn up for using the property as a sports complex. “I think it would be an excellent location for the new solid waste transfer station we need to plan,” said Minton. “That could be a huge economic boom for us.”

Other suggestions for the property included a small business incubator and a small, but different corporate park. Commissioner Carolyn Johnson suggested having a public input forum, but Minton was against the plan, saying it would only lead to more non-revenue producing ideas for the land the county was forced to purchase in order to build the new airport.

Scott suggested the time was right to put an engineering firm on retainer, in order to be more responsive to infrastructure, corporate park and airport needs as they arise. She stressed the need to continue searching for grant moneys, which often require engineering studies.

County Manager Tony Brown said that the overall tone of the retreat was one of “let’s finish what we have started and spend as little money as possible.” He said the entire group realizes there are big challenges facing the county during the upcoming year and the time is right to prepare for when the economy begins to turn around.