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GOP Women host
Economic Development Update
By Lyn Bliss, Senior Scribe
www.darkecountyseniors.us
(L.
Bliss photo) Darke County Economic Development Director Marc Saluk
explains the state of economic development in Darke County to the Darke
County Republican Women’s Club.
GREENVILLE – “Sometimes I sit back at the end of a very busy day and
ask what the heck did I get done?” Director of Darke County Economic
Development Marc Saluk told the Darke County Republican Women’s Club
recently. “But, most of my job is putting pieces and people together –
getting the inertia going for a project.”
The club hosted Saluk’s presentation of “The State of Darke
County Economic Development” recently at the Chestnut Village Community
Center at Brethren Retirement Community.
The philosophy of the economic development effort in Darke County is to
be pro-active to needs of the business community; rapid and consistent
communications with businesses and the community; have a bias toward
existing county businesses while exploring new ideas, new tools and new
opportunities; while developing and strengthening county, regional and
state partnerships.
During 2010, the Partnering for Progress Initiative (P4P), which is
governed by the Community Improvement Corporation (CIC), established
the Business First Program - a formal retention and expansion program.
There were 38 formalized business visits that generated 10 projects and
halted all potential relocations. It provided a pro-active response to
Darke County’s business needs.
P4P also had meetings with government entities, economic development
groups and 80 percent of investors. Among those who were given
presentations regarding economic development were the city councils of
Greenville, Union City, Ansonia, Arcanum, Gettysburg, Versailles, and
Osgood. Others included: Versailles Chamber, Greenville Kiwanis,
Greenville Rotary, Versailles Rotary, Darke County Republican Men,
Darke County Republican Women, Township Association, Darke County
Mayors Association, Union City Boom Town Events, Union City Wind Energy
Forum, and Greenville School Levy Information Session.
During 2010, P4P worked to strengthen regional ties between Dayton
Development Coalition, County Alliances, Mercer County, Preble County,
and Montgomery County. At the same time, P4P worked to increase
office visibility by issuing over 30 press releases, eight radio spots,
two TV reports and over 40 public presentations. It worked to maintain
existing investors and increase investor group size, resulting in 49
actively contributing investors. A leadership group worked to gain
renewals and new partners. A newsletter was initiated and published.
A formal retention and expansion program was established because 86
percent of new jobs in a rural county come from existing businesses.
Stress was placed on addressing businesses’ concerns proactively, not
after there was a problem. P4P has stressed continuity and realizes
there is no substitute for seeing how a business runs day-to-day.
Relationships were established and built through these activities.
Priorities are to take care of who is already here by improving and
refining delivery of fundamental philosophy; improve marketing/branding
through website, promotional materials, West Central Ohio Development
Group (WCODG) website, reach to the south, social media and trade
shows. Saluk said there is an effort to utilize expert resources and
focus on site development for industrial parks, CEDS, cooperative
regional projects and better advertising of the sites we have.
Currently Phoenix Tubing Company has been through all the economic
development procedures and has secured a $1.45 million incentives
package from the state, as well as incentives from city and county that
are in place. This company would create 45 jobs over the next three
years if they come to Darke County. The “ball is in their court,” said
Saluk.
At the same time, Saluk explained that they had another firm go through
all the same processes and Darke County lost out to Trotwood due to
facilities incentives.
When P4P works on business development, there is an all or nothing
result and it also takes time away from working on growth of existing
businesses and there are far less secondary benefits.
Saluk summarized the P4P work stating he has worked with 23 companies
on projects of varying sizes and purpose, has worked on a website and
branding, encouraged grants and loans, formalized city and village
incentives, and developed sites.
There have been 65 businesses confirmed as retained, with 318 in
progress. There have been 112 confirmed businesses created/attracted
with 206 more in progress. There are a total of 524 jobs in play with
the current projects.
Besides job creation, Saluk said there are other non-job creating
support efforts which include utilities, roads, market resources, and
public informational meetings. Five companies have made use of these
support efforts. Two are confidential and the other three are
Specialized Castings, Invenergy, and Continental Carbonic.
Grants are an area of focus, according to Saluk. Both a United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Grant and a Federal Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) grant are being sought. The USDA grant would
award up to $100,000 to be used as a revolving loan fund for county
businesses. These funds could be used in conjunction with the county
program and can be replenished each year. The advantages to this new
program over the existing one is that this does not require as high a
job creation for any given project and after the first year there would
be no requirement for approval from the USDA – thus speeding the
response time to businesses’ needs.
The EPA Grant is a collaborative effort with Randolph County for a
project that is unprecedented in EPA history. It would seek money for
clean-up assessments in both counties. The four entities involved would
be Union City (Indiana and Ohio), Darke County and Randolph County.
Saluk said the grant is being written by an independent firm at no
charge because they feel the collaborative story “will sell.”
Darke County Economic Development is a single countywide effort that
focuses solely on corporate and community development on a daily basis.
It is the result of cooperation between the public and private sector.
Those involved are city/villages, chambers, CIC, Realtors, community
organizations, main street programs and many others.
Saluk said that Darke County has some very positive features to
promote: a healthy plan, an active board, devoted community leaders,
broad recognition of development needs, solid workforce, regional
partners and location.
P4P consists of the Darke County Commissioners, CIC, county towns,
community groups and businesses from around the county. They receive
their funding from real estate conveyance fees collected by the Darke
County Board of Commissioners, corporate/individual investors, Darke
County Villages and Greenville.
It is composed of representatives from around the county who control
the funds and guide the Economic Development office.
The responsibilities are to be a point of contact for the business
community, work for retention and expansion, attract new businesses,
market the county, liaison with the state, implement development tools
such as the Revolving Loan Fund, and coordinate efforts throughout the
county.
If you have any questions, comments or feedback contact the Economic
Development Office, 622 South Broadway, Greenville. Phone Marc at (937)
548-3250 or email him at msaluk@darkecounty.com
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