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16 <br />11. County staff is working closely with the staff of the County's towns and city to <br />facilitate coordinated approaches to site selection inquiries from site search firms. <br />Active project request responses are being prepazed that involve the Towns of <br />Chapel Hill, Hillsborough and City of Mebane. <br />12. We are working closely with various elements of UNC to develop useful <br />collaborations and expanded relationships to enhance our economic development <br />efforts. We collaborated with the Department of City and Regional Planning to <br />gain graduate student reseazch services and facilitate ongoing assistance including <br />Graduate Interns to assist in specific research projects. The UNC Institute of <br />Government is assisting in organizational analysis and other aspects of improving <br />the County's economic development program. <br />13. The County is in the process of completing. construction of a regional food <br />processing center targeting small entrepreneurs in the food production business. <br />The facility should open late spring or early summer. A facility manager is in the <br />process of being hired. That person will promote and manage the facility which is <br />ultimately to be leased to a yet undetermined non-profit or not-for-profit. <br />14. County staff is evaluating the potential to establish one or more small business <br />incubators in available vacant county owned buildings. This project is being <br />evaluated for merit and specific proposals will be brought back to County <br />Commissioners once evaluations are complete. <br />15. The County is working with the Orange County branch of Durham Technical <br />Community College on potential job skill training programs that facilitate closer <br />ties between DTCC and the County. A most recent example is the proposed use <br />of commercial kitchen facilities at County's Senior Centers for a DTCC culinary <br />arts program. Further collaborations are possible. <br />16. Similarly related efforts are being pursued in various County departments. A <br />primary initiative is to expand partnerships where county resources can be linked <br />to efforts of other agencies, non-profits and private sector groups to enhance local <br />economic development and further diversify employment options for residents. . <br />