AT AN ENTERPRISE ZONE WORKSHOP/MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HELD IN AND FOR GADSDEN COUNTY, FLORIDA ON APRIL 16, 2013 AT 4:30 P.M., THE FOLLOWING PROCEEDINGS WERE HAD, VIZ:

Present:               Doug Croley-District 2, Chairman

                                Eric Hinson-District 1, Vice Chairman

                                Gene Morgan-District 3 (arrived late)

                                Brenda Holt-District 4 (arrived late)

                                Sherrie Taylor-District 5 (arrived late)

                                Robert Presnell, County Administrator

                                Marcella Blocker, Deputy Clerk

INTRODUCTION

  Chair Croley called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m.

OVERVIEW OF FLORIDA ENTERPRISE ZONE

  Henry Grant, Enterprise Zone Coordinator appeared before the Board.  Mr. Howard McKinnon and David Gardner were also present.

Dr. Grant spoke to the Board concerning the Enterprise Zone and the benefits it provided.

Chair Croley asked what made the enterprise zone different from other enterprise zones and Dr. Grant stated nothing, the incentives were the same all over. 

Commissioner Holt appeared at this juncture of the workshop.

Dr. Grant tax incentives are offered to all businesses that are located in an Enterprise Zone and EZ residents, or purchase business equipment to be used in the EZ.

Commissioner Holt asked if there were a way to know what businesses had submitted applications.

Commissioner Taylor arrived at this juncture of the meeting.

Mr. Burt C. Von Hoff, Department of Economic Opportunity, appeared before the Board. 

Chair Croley asked him to explain the role of the enterprise zone. 

Commissioner Taylor stepped out at this juncture.

Commissioner Holt said she was the one that asked for this workshop and stated we needed to market this for the businesses.

Dr. Grant stated they had asked the Board for $2500 for 4 years in a row and finally stopped asking.  The money was to be used for publications and hand-outs for the public.

Commissioner Morgan stated there was a very strong marketing plan if it were implemented. 

Mr. Von Hoff stated there were 65 enterprise zones and the biggest problem was marketing.

Commissioner Holt stated it took no money to Facebook, Twitter or any of the social media that was available.

Chair Croley stated there needed to be a better game plan.

Commissioner Taylor stated what she was hearing was fragmented, they (pointing to the audience) needed direction from the Board.

Lee Garner appeared before the Board.  He commended Mr. Presnell since he had become Administrator and said Mr. Presnell has worked with their Board and has been very involved.

Commissioner Morgan stepped out at this juncture of the meeting.

Chair Croley asked Mr. Presnell to continue to work with the boards.

FLORIDA ENTERPRISE ZONE BENEFITS

COMMISSIONER’S QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

ADJOURN

  The workshop adjourned at 5:45 p.m.