Agenda - 06-05-2018 8-a - Minutes

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17 for this industry to grow. The Piedmont Food and Agricultural Processing Center (PFAP) 1 has launched several successful businesses. Economic Development’s small grants and 2 loan programs have also helped many new farmers in Orange County. 3 • Small Business/Industrial Recruitment – In recent years, Orange County Economic 4 Development successfully recruited Morinaga America Foods to a site in Mebane for its 5 first U.S. plant and a Wegman’s Supermarket to Chapel Hill. The department has many 6 initiatives to attract new businesses and industries to the County. Grant and loan 7 programs are available for small businesses looking to expand or entrepreneurs who 8 are looking to start a new business. Durham Technical Community College also plays a 9 critical part in training students for careers in healthcare or advanced manufacturing. 10 11 Commissioner Rich said she would like to add the Food Council into the ‘Nexus of Local 12 Food System’ topic. She said there may be a common theme in all four topics, such as Article 13 46 funds. 14 Steve Brantley said not every example is listed, but this would allow many programs to 15 be explained and highlighted. 16 Todd McGee said the radio station will create 60-second stories about recipients of 17 Article 46 grants. 18 Commissioner Jacobs said he would also add the Lands Legacy Program to the ‘Nexus 19 of Local Food System’ topic, as it has protected so many acres of land, which has contributed 20 to keeping the food system viable. 21 Commissioner Jacobs said the Sportsplex should be added to the Recreation 22 Destination topic, at it is a huge draw to the area. 23 Chair Dorosin suggested having a component on the issue of wages and employment: 24 wages for school employees, low wage jobs in healthcare and childcare, etc. He said the 25 County is making great efforts towards promoting a living wage wherever possible, and it is 26 important to keep discussing how to continue this work. 27 Steve Brantley said there could be a Durham Tech education/work force development 28 topic, which could include more sophisticated business recruitment. 29 Commissioner McKee said this topic could be woven into all of these topics, and the 30 support for these enterprises drives a more successful business, which in turn allows the 31 business to pay higher wages. 32 Commissioner Jacobs agreed, and said it strikes him as strange that salaries are rarely 33 discussed. He said it may be useful to share the salaries that are earned within the different 34 topics and areas of the economy. 35 Chair Dorosin said he liked this idea. 36 Commissioner Marcoplos said he would like to see some time spent on the trades, and 37 how to prepare young people for the trades. He said the schools are doing a bit more, but it 38 may be a good time to push the conversation further. 39 Steve Brantley said his office is participating with the schools, especially with Orange 40 County Schools. He said Durham Tech also focuses on the trades. 41 Commissioner Marcoplos said he is part of a homebuilders’ effort to spur the schools to 42 do more with building trades, and is currently working with students at Orange High School to 43 build a chicken coop. He said there is good money to be made working in building trades, and 44 youth should know this. 45 Commissioner McKee said there is great opportunity in the trades, and the work is very 46 difficult to export. He said he would like to highlight the County’s support for recruiting outside 47 economic development, as well as its support of existing local businesses. 48 Commissioner Rich asked if speakers will be found for each category. 49