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Understanding the role of the board, moving forward <br />Questions that need to be answered: <br />• What other partners do we need to engage for economic development? (talks are <br />underway at the ED -staff level) <br />• What is the next step for water and sewer w/ Mebane and Durham to EDD? (Board <br />is ready to invest money —what needs to happen next ?) <br />• Which types of businesses /industries do we want to attract? <br />There's general consensus on the following next steps: <br />• Direct staff to begin working on improving infrastructure. This is a long process. <br />Let's start now. <br />• Find ways to make the regulatory process easier for businesses. Establish an <br />"advocate" who helps guide businesses through the process. <br />• Focus on retaining and supporting existing businesses. Broad agreement that this is <br />an important strategy for Orange County. <br />• Orange County already does a good job with the place- making strategies (amenities, <br />etc.) We need to stay strong in that way, and add in these other strategies at the <br />same time. <br />• Continue to work on defining a more proactive, deliberate strategy: still need to <br />answer the question of: what kinds of businesses do we want to recruit? <br />• Communicate with the public about the Board's ED plan and discussions. Need to <br />create a synopsis for the press. <br />26 <br />