|
In Brief . . .
Highland Economic Development Authority
¦ The economic development authority met Tuesday at The Highland Center and agreed to ask supervisors to budget $1,500 for the EDA, the same as last year, with the understanding the board was agreeable to consider additional dollars for the authority throughout the year as needed. ¦ The EDA issued a letter of support to Jim and Lisa Jacenich for their startup business, l Chi Experience, a venture specializing in art sales, art classes, and Aikido classes. The Jacenichs asked for the letter of support so they could include it in their business plan as they consider options for expanding. ¦ Kevin Wagner, president of the Highland County Chamber of Commerce, recommended the EDA consider a link between a proposed EDA Web site and the chamber. Wagner said leading up to Maple Festival, the chamber site receives about 1,000 hits a day. Some of those accessing the chamber site might be interested in starting a business in Highland and the link to the EDA could provide a point of contact. ¦ The EDA approved development of its own Web page for a cost of about $100 for initial design and as much as $200 for maintenance; details are yet to be worked out with a local Web designer. "Get it up, keep it simple. First and foremost it should be a place for people to contact the EDA," said member Lloyd Bird. ¦ Wagner also noted many businesses in Highland were operated at facilities they leased or rented. He said in his opinion it was hard to recoup one's investment in rental property in Highland because property values were so high and the rental market was low. Wagner and his wife, Theresa, recently opened Wool Becomes Ewe, a yarn and notions store on Fleisher Avenue in Monterey, housed in a building they bought as a rental property investment. Wagner said the storefront was vacant for more than a year as they unsuccessfully searched for potential renters. ¦ Tom Brody, owner of Bear Mountain Farm and Retreat and a carpenter, said, "We've got to do something to use assets we have to attract investors." Brody said the local housing market was not enough to keep county carpenters employed. "You have communities in North Carolina that are willing to work with developers," he said. "You've got to be able to have some flexibility and work with them. The market here is rather thin; developers want to make money, and it takes flexibility to do it. Once you get things rolling people will want to be where things are happening." Brody said one idea to consider is combining a residential area with a private airstrip, something echoed by member Dave Smith, a private pilot and former owner of Hannah Field near the county landfill which operated for many years following World War II. Owning a home in Highland would be more feasible for air commuters from Northern Virginia who only need an hour and a half to fly home to Highland, rather than more than four hours by car, Smith reasoned. ¦ The EDA approved a $150 annual membership in the Virginia EDA and decided it should be an annual budget line item. ¦ The EDA went into closed session to discuss acquisition of real property, specifically to receive a briefing from Betty Mitchell, EDA chair and The Highland Center executive director, on the progress of the proposed agricultural center.
|
