SEDC Minutes 06-12-2012 F �
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SOUTHEASTERN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
PO BOX 921,ELIZABETHTOWN,NORTH CAROLINA 28337
44th ANNUAL MEETING
June 12,2012
The 44th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Economic Development Commission (SEDC)
was held Tuesday, June 12, 2012 at the White Lake Municipal Building at White Lake, North
Carolina.
Members present were: Bladen County: Vice Chairman Chuck Heustess and Mark
Gillespie; Brunswick County: Ben Brooks and Velva Jenkins; Columbus County: Gary Lanier and
Raymond Shaw; Cumberland County: Edward Melvin; Harnett County: none; Hoke County:
Linda Revels; New Hanover County: Jonathan Barfield and Randall Johnson; Pender County:
Patrick Whitfield; Robeson County: Greg Cummings; Sampson County: none; Scotland County:
Secretary-Treasurer Greg Icard and John Ferguson.
Members absent were: Bladen County: Barbara Knight and Chris Tatum; Brunswick
County: Don Hughes and Scott Phillips; Columbus County: Rickey Benton and Ricky Bullard;
Cumberland County: Amy Cannon, Doug Peters, and Jeanette Council; Harnett County: Dan
Andrews Phyllis Owens, Abe Elmore, and Carrell Robinson; Hoke County: Tony Hunt, Jackie
Lynch, and Ellen McNeill; New Hanover County: Corey Barbour (New Hanover also has a vacant
position); Pender County: Jimmy Tate, R.V. Biberstein, Jr., and William Jordan;Robeson County:
Jack T. Floyd, McDuffie Cummings and Hubert Sealey; Sampson County: John Swope, Cary
Taylor, William Turlington, and John Blanton; Scotland County: Jim Graham and Rembert
Deberry.
Staff members present were Pamela Bostic, Executive Director and Linda Melvin,
Administrative Assistant.
Special Guests were: NC DOT Secretary Eugene Conti; Charlie Grady, Asst. to Sec. Conti;
Jimmy Yokeley, NC State Ports Authority; Steve Yost, Director of NCSE; Dr. William Findt,
President of Bladen Community College; Greg Martin, Bladen County Manager; Brenda Clark,
White Lake Town Clerk; Martie Butler, NC Dept. of Commerce; James Leach, Hoke County BOC;
Billy Ray Pait, Bladen County BOC; Noah Woods, Robeson County BOC; Jim Caldwell and Joel
Strickland of Mid Carolinas COG; David Deese of Rep. Larry Kissell's Office, Mickey Duvall,
Pender County Manager; Larry Faison, Whiteville Manager; Brian Haney, FTCC; David Hollis,
Leland Manager; John Lyon, AT&T; Terry Mann, Whiteville Mayor; Sean Martin, Whiteville Intern;
Blondell McIntyre, LRCOG Workforce Dev.; Eric McKeithan, Cape Fear CC; Hayes Petteway, First
Community Bank; Don Porter, Raeford/Hoke EDC; Shawn Purvis, Clinton Asst. Manager; Bobby
Strickland, Salemburg Mayor; Butch Watson, Pender County Finance Officer; Arnold Page,
Salemburg Commissioner; Jefferson Strickland, Sampson County BOC; Teresa Oxendine. Regional
Center—UNCP; Christopher Sergo, Senator Hagen's office.; Winifred Murphy, Garland Mayor; John
Hinnant, Wilmington Downtown, Inc.
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Pam Bostic,Executive Director of SEDC welcomed board members and guests who included
NC DOT Secretary, Eugene Conti; representatives from the offices of Senator Kay Hagen and
Representative Larry Kissell; elected and municipal officials from the twelve member counties, and
economic development allies. She stated that over the years, SEDC has assisted counties,cities, and
other eligible applicants in the Southeast region receive grant funds totaling more than$80 million
involving 155 projects from the US Department of Commerce Economic Development
Administration. This fiscal year over$1.7 million has been awarded.
Greg Icard, Secretary-Treasurer of the SEDC Executive Committee gave the invocation.
Lunch buffet was catered by Front Porch Restaurant.
After lunch, Vice Chairman Heustess introduced the guest speaker for the meeting, Mr.
Eugene Conti, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Transportation. In his comments,
Secretary Conti gave an overview of the current and proposed DOT projects throughout the southeast
region as well as the whole state. He noted the challenges the Department of Transportation faces
with estimated cost of needs, maintenance, and new projects compared to the shortfall of projected
revenues. Secretary Conti stressed the importance between transportation policy and planning
decisions and the significant impact they make on economic development. Secretary Conti opened
the floor for question and answer time. In closing he stated he and his board along with all DOT
employees will continue to strive to meet the goals and objectives to keep North Carolina's modes of
transportation safe and efficient.
Vice Chairman Heustess thanked Secretary Conti for joining us today to share with the group
the importance of transportation assets as tools to be used to support community and business needs
in the southeast region. He stated that the quality of life for the citizens of North Carolina,both urban
and rural, is heavily dependent on transportation. Multi-modal transportation focused on meeting the
logistic needs of business looking to locate,expand, and operate in our region will give the region a
competitive advantage over others and keep North Carolina globally competitive. He told Secretary
Conti that the Commission's staff and Board of Directors stand ready to assist the NC Department of
Transportation in whatever means they can to work together for the betterment of southeastern North
Carolina.
Vice Chairman Heustess stated that anyone wishing to leave before the business session may
do so.
Vice Chairman Heustess presided as acting chairman in the absence of Chairman John Swope
who was unable to attend the meeting. He declared a quorum present and opened the meeting for
Agenda items. Vice Chairman Heustess called for action on the Minutes as mailed out of the April 26,
2011 Annual Meeting. Gary Lanier moved that the Minutes of the April 26, 2011 meeting be
approved as presented. The motion was seconded by Mr. Icard and approved by majority vote.
Hr. Heustess presented the 2012 Chairman's Report and stated that it has been another
successful year for SEDC. The Commission's staff has assisted with six grant applications to the US
Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration(EDA). The staff successfully
obtained FY2012 Federal Assistance for a three year EDA Partnership Planning Investment in the
amount of$189,000 to develop and implement the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
(CEDS)for the SEDC District. With grant writing assistance provided by SEDC staff, an EDA Local
Technical Assistance investment in the amount of$50,000 was approved for the Fayetteville Public
Works Commission to support the development and growth of an economic hub for sustainable
development through partnerships with business,military, education, non-profit and government
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agencies. The project is estimated to cost$100,000. The staff also assisted with submission of one
EDA Short-term Planning application for the Cape Fear Future Foundation, Inc. for$50,000 that was
funded to assist with development of the Cape Fear Future workforce initiative to benefit the Greater
Wilmington MSA of New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender Counties. The total project cost is
$100,000. The staff also assisted with submission of grant applications totaling$1.6 million to the
EDA on behalf of the Bladen's Bloomin' Agri-Industrial,Inc. and the Scotland County Economic
Development Corporation to construct business incubators in Bladen and Scotland County. The total
project cost for both investments will be over$2 million and will create 680 jobs and$16 million in
private investment within nine years. The staff recently assisted with submission of three EDA
Public Works investment applications totaling more than$5 million to construct two business
incubators in Robeson County and assist with one workforce training facility at Richmond
Community College. These projects are estimated to cost a total of$6.6 million. The$2.1 million
Public Works investment application to renovate and expand the Forte Building at Richmond
Community College has received further consideration by EDA and is awaiting final approval by the
EDA Washington DC Office. To summarize,this year alone,the SEDC staff assisted in obtaining
over$1.7 million in EDA grant funding for projects in the region with an additional $2.1 million
pending final approval.
Mr.Heustess stated that these projects, added to those funded in the past,brings the total
EDA investment in southeastern North Carolina to $80,123,017 primarily for water and sewer and
infrastructure projects to serve new and expanding industries.
He noted that the SEDC staff is currently in the process of developing a new five-year
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy or CEDS for the region. The CEDS for the
Southeast region is the result of a local planning process designed to guide the economic growth in
the region. SEDC is designated by the US Department of Commerce-Economic Development
Administration(EDA)to lead the CEDS process on behalf of the region. Completion of the CEDS
process allows local governments and nonprofits within the region to qualify for EDA assistance.
The CEDS is a planning process that takes place throughout the year in conjunction with broad based
and diverse community participation from public and private sectors. The strategy document contains
regional economic analysis, goals and objectives for regional prosperity, and a plan of action,
including a list of economic development strategies and projects to implement the goals and
objectives.
The CEDS process is required for the member counties in the region to qualify for EDA
assistance under its public works, economic adjustment, and planning programs. The CEDS is also an
excellent resource to facilitate coordination and to assess the many economic development activities
in the twelve-county region. This year the Commission is partnering with the Lumber River Council
of Governments,the Cape Fear Council of Governments and the Mid-Carolina Council of
Governments for the purpose of undertaking a cooperative project entitled NC Tomorrow. NC
Tomorrow is a collaborative being lead by the North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of
Government to develop and foster sustainable economic growth statewide including the SEDC
District. It involves funding from the EDA and from the Community Development Block Grant
Program through the Division of Community Assistance with the NC Department of Commerce. The
NC Tomorrow initiative is designed to build a stronger Comprehensive Economic Development
Strategy with the state's Economic Development Districts by expanding the traditional CEDS to
incorporate sustainability principles that would foster community revitalization and job creation.
Mr. Heustess said that if any of those present had participated in the CEDS/NC Tomorrow
process in any way during the past year, SEDC would like to say thank you and that their contribution
to the process is invaluable and will greatly benefit the outcome and success of the process. He said
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the Board would also like to encourage them to continue participating in the process over the next few
months. The final five-year CEDS document is due to EDA by September 30, 2012.
Mr. Heustess stated SEDC is the EDA designated body for the region; it also acts as a liaison
to local governments,nonprofits, and the EDA. If staff can assist in any way,do not hesitate to call
the SEDC office.
Vice Chairman Heustess stated that as another year concludes,the Staff and Board of SEDC
wish to thank everyone for their support and the effort put forth to make southeastern North Carolina
a great place to live and work.
Mr. Icard presented the Nominating Committee's proposed slate of officers for 2012-2013:
John Swope of Sampson County as Chairman, Chuck Heustess of Bladen County as Vice Chairman,
and Greg Icard as Secretary-Treasurer. Ms. Linda Revels moved to accept the slate of officers as
presented for 2012-2013. The motion was seconded simultaneously by Mr. Gary Lanier and Mr.
John Furgeson and approved by majority vote.
Mr.Heustess thanked everyone for coming and upon motion adjourned the meeting.
For the Commission,
Greg Icard
Secretary/Treasurer
lira
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