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Economic Yearbook 2008
NORTHWEST: Refocusing
HOLMES / WASHINGTON COUNTIES
Holmes County is positioned to benefit from Panama City-Bay County International Airport construction, but to cash in, it needs to make potential industrial sites ready for move-in, says Holmes County Development Commission Executive Director Jim Brook. The county lacks money for developing the infrastructure, so it will be looking for grants. In addition, says Brook, the Amendment 1 hit on local taxes will be tough on the county’s budget.
Neighboring Washington County similarly needs industrial sites. Gary Clark, chairman of the county’s Economic Development Council and vice president of member services for West Florida Electric Coop, says the EDC has a couple of infrastructure grant applications in the hopper. One, if successful, will bring a new industry with 300 jobs to Chipley. "We’re making a transition from agriculture all through the Panhandle. Washington County has been aiming for construction-related products manufacturing; those industries will be coming back."
JACKSON / CALHOUN COUNTY
"Our biggest issue is to continue to get jobs to replace the jobs lost during the last decade," says Bill Stanton, executive director of the Jackson County Development Council. He counts 1,505 major industrial job losses since 1998 but 1,280 newcomers since 2004. Recent successes include development of two build-ready industrial parks close to Interstate 10, one for distribution industries, the other for construction-related companies.
When Calhoun County Commissioner Dan Wyrick went door to door seeking support in the last election, three-fourths of those polled said jobs were their biggest concern, he says. He recently sparked an initiative to hire Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Marti Vickery on a part-time basis as county economic development director.
WALTON COUNTY
 Road Funding (Walton County) Dawn Moliterno » Walton County Chamber of Commerce President Dawn Moliterno has been lobbying for funds to widen Highway 331 to four lanes. [Photo: Jeffrey Camp] |
Matthew Avery, manager of engineering for Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative at DeFuniak Springs, is chairman of BUILD (Building U in Leadership Development), a new chamber initiative to attract and retain leaders through mentoring. It has attracted 42 mentors so far.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
The biggest issue for Santa Rosa County: Developing more buildings to offer industrial prospects, says Cindy Anderson, executive director of Team Santa Rosa Economic Development Council. "The good news is all our buildings are filled. The bad news is all our buildings are filled," says Anderson. The county owns a developed industrial park and land for expansion. Among current industry newcomers: H.T. Hackney Co., starting construction of a food distribution facility this spring, to employ 100. EDC Chairman Ed Gray, a school board member and former Gulf Breeze mayor, also has concerns related to the passage of Amendment 1, which cuts taxes: "How to manage the decrease in resources and still maintain an environment where we can recruit new jobs."
LIBERTY / GULF COUNTY
Johnny Eubanks, president of the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce, worries about the 60 jobs at the Sunshine State Cypress sawmill at Hosford, which St. Joe Timberland Co. has for sale. But he’s encouraged by plans proposed by Liberty Industries in Bristol to build a $38-million plant in the region to produce ethanol from pine waste — a project awarded a $4-million state grant.
Gulf County needs to become a destination point, not only for tourism but also for economic enterprises, says Commissioner Bill Williams. Two beneficial projects are under way: Construction of the new Sacred Heart Hospital starting this spring and port reactivation work. Economic Development Council funding, meanwhile, has lapsed, but its executive director, Alan McNair, is staying on as a volunteer. "We’re attempting to get grants to keep the organization alive."
