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Any victory a victory
for Darke County
By Bob Robinson
“What the heck is happening in Darke County?”
“I don’t know… but let’s give them money and move there.”
Amidst success stories and updates on the new direction of the Darke
County Economic Development Office was that gem of a comment overheard
at a meeting in Dayton, plus one more that highlighted a growing trend
in local economic development…
“In the beginning we got tips and moved on them,” said Darke County
Economic Development Director Marc Saluk. “Now we get tips on projects
that we may have already been working on for weeks or months.
“Now we have a handle on what’s happening.”
Saluk told a standing room only crowd of investors, business people and
other interested individuals in a recent quarterly Partners For
Progress meeting at Andersons Marathon Ethanol that Phase 1 is now
complete.
“We’ve completed our structural and procedural changes,” he said,
adding that DCED now has “full county collaboration.”
“Now we can focus more on economic expansion while we continue our
efforts on retention,” Saluk added.
Saluk displayed a new DCED stand-alone web site and logo to be
introduced soon. He noted a new loan program that is in the planning
stages, and reminded the group that the office has moved to the Palace
on South Broadway with staffing under the Darke County CIC (Community
Improvement Corporation).
As he has in the past, Saluk discussed five new projects (Companies A
through E) that are in play, then summarized successes vs jobs still in
play. Retained or created jobs total 262, while 478 are in play
(Retention 241, to be created 237).
Saluk said that the focus in Columbus is on attraction, as is the focus
of the Dayton Development Corporation.
“This makes it a little tough for a rural area where our concentration
is on retention,” he said, but added that the right approach can still
get the attention of those in a position to help.
Saluk noted that one of Darke County’s strongest assets, one of the
“biggest and fastest replenishing water aquifers in the country,” is a
strong sales point for business attraction.
The meeting was opened with a brief introduction from Scott Reed of
Continental Carbonic, which recently started operations next to
Andersons.
“Last year we ran out of ice,” he said. “It was time to expand.” The
new facility in Greenville delivers 400 tons of liquid daily, 200 tons
of dry ice. Everything it makes is on order and the company is already
operating at full capacity.
Reed noted that Continental’s biggest customers are food processors and
beverage manufacturers. There is also a growing market for ice blasting
equipment.
“The uses for dry ice seem almost limitless,” he said.
Reed added that staffing is full now but more hiring will take place as
soon as another planned press is operational.
“We were up and running in May,” he said. “We used local services
wherever possible. We have hired 50 people… all but one is local. I’ve
been all over the world and have been pleasantly surprised at the
availability of services and quality of the work force in a rural area.”
DCED’s “Business of the Quarter” is Brilliant Beginnings Learning
Center in Versailles.
The business opened in October 2010 in a 7,000 sq. ft. building on two
and a half acres. There are 99 children enrolled with a capacity of
114. Pictured in the photo are Versailles Village Administrator Randy
Gump, presenting the award, Shawn Brewer, Jill Brewer and Cassandra
Lochtefeld.
During the meeting, Saluk noted that some people have questioned why
the activity seems to be focused in Greenville. Also, Versailles will
likely benefit more than other areas of the county with an increased
emphasis on attraction.
“There is more available land in Versailles,” Saluk said, noting that
nothing is keeping any county resident from applying for available jobs.
“Bottom line?” he added. “Any victory is a victory for Darke County.”
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