Orange County NC Website
16 <br /> <br />Chair Dorosin suggested keeping the Arts Moment as it is now, and if a group wants to 1 <br />speak or promote something, there is time during the” items not on the agenda” for comments 2 <br />to be made. 3 <br />Commissioner Jacobs said the Arts Moment is Orange County’s answer to opening a 4 <br />meeting with a prayer. 5 <br />Commissioner Rich said the County is not used to an Arts Moment, and it is special to 6 <br />all. 7 <br /> 8 <br /> 3. Planning for the 2018 Orange County Economic Development Summit 9 <br /> 10 <br />PURPOSE: To finalize planning for fall 2018 Economic Development Summit, including: 11 <br />1) Identifying topics for discussion; 12 <br />2) Selecting the date and time of day for the Summit; and 13 <br />3) Confirming the roles of BOCC members during the Summit. 14 <br /> 15 <br />BACKGROUND: 16 <br />The Board of County Commissioners appropriated $30,000 in the FY 2017-18 budget from the 17 <br />Article 46 sales tax to host an Economic Development Summit. At its April 3 meeting, the 18 <br />BOCC approved holding the Summit on a to-be-determined date after the summer break and 19 <br />chose to partner with WCHL to broadcast the Summit live on the radio and Internet. The Board 20 <br />chose to hold the event at the Whitted Building so it could also be broadcast on the County 21 <br />access channel (channel 1301 on Spectrum). The purpose of the Summit is to provide 22 <br />information to residents and existing or potential businesses about the many services and 23 <br />programs provided by Orange County Economic Development. 24 <br /> 25 <br />Staff met April 19 with representatives from WCHL and developed the four proposed topics 26 <br />below. These topics were taken from ideas solicited by staff from the Board of Commissioners 27 <br />earlier this year. It is proposed that each topic be discussed by a panel of experts for one hour 28 <br />of the four-hour program. 29 <br /> 30 <br />In addition, WCHL will create short (60-second) profiles of individuals or businesses that are 31 <br />Orange County Economic Development “success stories.” These stories will highlight 32 <br />businesses that received assistance from Orange County Economic Development or students 33 <br />who benefitted from an Orange County Scholarship to Durham Technical Community College. 34 <br /> 35 <br />Todd McGee reviewed these topics, suggesting one topic per hour of the event: 36 <br /> 37 <br />Suggested topics: 38 <br />• Creative Economy – The non-profit arts segment generates more than 5,000 jobs and 39 <br />attracts significant tourist spending in the County. The LAUNCH business incubator has 40 <br />helped many small start-ups grow into thriving businesses that create jobs and 41 <br />prosperity for residents. 42 <br />• Recreation Destination – The Orange County/Chapel Hill Visitors Bureau recently 43 <br />completed an assessment of the potential for a multipurpose sports/recreation facility. In 44 <br />addition, Orange County already has existing assets (examples: the Soccer.com 45 <br />complex in Mebane and the Mountains to the Sea Trail) that can be tapped to create 46 <br />more recreation-related tourism revenue for the County. 47 <br />• The Nexus of Local Food System – Orange County is home to many small specialty 48 <br />farms that can attract visitors and create more economic output in the County through 49 <br />more jobs and agritourism. Helping small farms bring their products to market is critical 50