EDAB 07/16/2013 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Casselberry Economic Development Advisory Board Minutes of July 16, 2013 Meeting Page 2 Presentation: "Casselbegy 2012 Business Survey and Incentives Overview" Ms. Pamela Lynch, Economic Development Coordinator, reviewed information provided in a PowerPoint presentation regarding the outcome of the 2012 Casselberry Business Survey and an overview of current economic development incentives available to businesses. A copy of the PowerPoint presentation is attached and made a part of the minutes. Mr. Grossman arrived at the meeting at 11:37 a.m. Ms. Lynch clarified that the `others' category in the business survey consisted of any business that didn't feel it fit into any of the other categories. She stated that the next survey would be modified to categorize more businesses, but will be cautious as to not segment them too much. She stated that the response rate of the survey was a huge success and well exceeded the national average. Ms. Lynch said that current economic conditions were the major obstacle to current City businesses, but was pleased to see that the business community, in general, felt that safety was not a large concern. She also stated that the most prominent comments from the survey were concerns regarding customer traffic and less signage restrictions. Ms. Lynch also provided information on state and local incentives. She stated that while state incentives provide opportunities for businesses, they provide no competitive advantage to Casselberry when compared to the rest of the state. She also said that they require a lengthy process and timeline which most companies can't wait for. Ms. Lynch stated that local incentives, including the CRA Economic Development Incentive Fund and the Job Growth Incentive Fund have both been used in the past with success in supporting job growth in the area. Mr. Kyle Dudgeon, Economic Development Planner, clarified that a public entity, such as a City or CRA, can only spend money related to economic development on certain projects. He stated that infrastructure and `brick and mortar' projects are good examples. He also said that part of the reason the process is lengthy is because the City has to do extensive due diligence before awarding a grant, not only to make sure it's a good investment, but to make sure they build a strong case for presenting it to a business. Ms. Lynch also stated there are technical assistance organizations available to companies wishing to grow. She said these volunteer organizations are free to businesses provided that they meet certain criteria to be eligible for help.