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INFORMATION ITEM <br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />NORTH CAROLINA <br />Economic Development <br />MEMORANDUM <br />To: Greg Wilder <br />From: Steve Brantley, Director <br />Date: July 1, 2014 <br />RE: 2014 Out - Standing BOCC Meeting Follow -up Actions <br />In follow -up to the April 15, 2014 BOCC Meeting: <br />Provide BOCC feedback related to the Small Business Loan Program (SBLP), including provisions regarding the Program's access <br />limits for individuals with criminal records and individuals with pending criminal issues, to the Program's Board of Directors and <br />bring back feedback /follow -up information to the Board of Commissioners. <br />On April 17, 2014 the Small Loan Committee met and discussed BOCC concerns regarding the Program's access limits for individuals <br />with criminal records, interest rates, and efforts to increase loans to minorities. Several board members felt the change would be ill <br />advised, citing concerns about the county losing potentially money from loans that should not be approved due to high credit risk. <br />In follow -up to the May 20, 2014 BOCC Meeting: <br />Review and consider a request by Commissioner Rich that staff develop a database of all businesses in Orange County. <br />The following database resources are currently available and /or maintained by the Orange County Economic Development (OCED) <br />office: Orange County Major Employers *, Orange County Manufacturing Businesses *, International Owned Businesses, Minority <br />Owned Businesses and Orange County Farms. These databases are extremely difficult to maintain and out -of -date immediately. <br />*information previously provided by the State of North Carolina's Employment Security Commission (ESC, now renamed Workforce Solutions) is no <br />longer available due to that agency's internal confidentiality rules. <br />This task will be more difficult to maintain on a consistent basis, due to constant changes, and, any database obtained will not be all <br />inclusive. <br />In follow -up to the May 20, 2014 BOCC Meeting: <br />Review and consider request by Commissioner Rich that the County pursue assisting PORCH with locating warehouse storage <br />space. <br />Orange County Economic Development (OCED) has contacted PORCH via the agency's web site, and is being assisted by the Chapel <br />Hill /Carrboro Chamber of Commerce to identify and contact the appropriate agency representatives to offer assistance. Also, the <br />OCED office has met with Asset Management regarding potential county -owned warehouse space, such as at the Cedar Grove <br />facility, that may be available. <br />