Webb Dissatisfied with Economic Outlook

During last week’s commissioner’s meeting, Post One Commissioner and Commission Chairman Candidate Garnett Webb pressed for answers to the county’s economic problem. Webb showed dissatisfaction with the county’s sluggish economic recovery, despite Economic Development Director Stephanie Sceare’s progress report.

Addressing the board and citizens, Scearce said towards the end of last year, continuing into the first few months of this year, the county experienced an up-swing in business prospects.

“A lot of people are walking in, wanting to start small businesses; existing businesses (are) wanting to expand and some retailers (are) looking at our area (too).”

Although she did not name the company, she said the Economic Development Authority is assisting an existing business in Blue Ridge with an expansion project. This same company, she said, is considering a lease-purchase agreement, targeting the 20,000 foot space located in the development authority’s textile building, also known as Blue Ridge Industries, she said.

“Right now that project could have the potential to create 50 jobs over the next two years,” she said and that they are currently “walking through the process.”

She also said the Development Authority is working with several retailers that are considering moving to the area.

“One of those is, of course, being Stage Doors,”

she said,

“which you may know as Goody’s.”

She explained the company is currently in the last stages of negotiating their lease agreement with Ingles.

“They are coming,”

she added

,” just not as soon as we hoped.”

Scearce did not give an approximate time when the retailer would move in or how many jobs the operation would create. Scearce said the Development Authority is also working with other retailers who are looking to come into the area, although did not give specifics on any of these ventures.

Additionally, The Development Authority has been working with the Braden Group, a company with plans to construct an independent living facility for seniors on property that was recently re-zoned in Blue Ridge.

Continuing, Scearce gave an update on Pulse Medical, who recently moved into a Blue Ridge facility and has created 30 new jobs.

“We started an existing business program,”

she explained, which started last week. In this program, the Economic Development Authority visits existing businesses in the county to learn what the businesses do and how many people they employ. But, the authority also educates the businesses, she said, in what resources are available on a local, regional, and state level to assist these businesses. The Authority has also begun to compile Inventory Lists, she said, which provide available sites, utility information and pricing and contact information for businesses seeking space in the county.

Commissioner Webb, though was respectfully concerned about the county’s high unemployment rate and sluggish job creation for the area.

“The fact remains,”

he said,

”that Fannin County in January had 10.1 percent unemployment and that’s higher than the national average. So, when is the unemployment rate going to start to come down, since we’re getting this, this, and that?”

Scearce said she could not really pin down a time when this will happen.

“Last year, for 2011,”

she said,though,

“there were roughly 60 to 70 jobs created,”

adding that the county has made some headway in job creation. Reacting, Webb said sharply the unemployment rate should start to come down.

“It should,”

Scearce said,

“but you should’ve seen where we came from.”

“We always have excuses,”

Webb returned,

“At some point someone is going to have to put on their selling shoes and go out and get some businesses to some into the Fannin County or our taxes are going to be high.”

Scearce agreed, but said economic recovery in Fannin County will be a long, patient process and that

“You may not see an impact (of what the economic development authority is doing) right away, but you will in the future.”