EDAMinutes2023January5
MINUTES
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
| THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2023 |
A meeting of the Frederick County Economic Development Authority was held on
Thursday, January 5, 2023, at 8:00 a.m. in the County Administration Building, First
Floor Conference Room, 107 North Kent Street, Winchester, Virginia.
PRESENT: Bryan Fairbanks, Rick Till, Stan Crockett, Karen Swecker and Doug
Rinker.
STAFF: Patrick Barker, Shayla Rickard, Wendy May and Donna McIlwee, Frederick
County Economic Development Authority, Jay Tibbs, Deputy County Administrator, and
Michael Bryan, Attorney
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER: Chairman Rinker called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.
AGENDA CHANGE: Chairman Rinker asked for Board consent to move agenda item #4
(Annual Meeting) to item #10 following the Closed Session. All present gave their consent.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes from the December 1, 2022, meeting were presented.
On motion duly made by Mr. Crockett and seconded by Mr. Fairbanks, the minutes were
approved by the following recorded vote:
J. Stanley Crockett Aye
Bryan Fairbanks Aye
Doug Rinker Aye
Judy McCann-Slaughter Absent
Karen Swecker Aye
Rick Till Aye
TREASURER'S REPORT
Mr. Barker submitted the following reports:
Checking Account - Bank of Clarke County as of October 31, 2022 - $5470.06
Savings Account - Scott & Stringfellow as of October 31, 2022 - $1,421,638.99
Checking Account - Bank of Clarke County as of November 30, 2022 - $2195.56
Page 2 of 5
Frederick County EDA Meeting Minutes | January 5, 2023
Savings Account - Scott & Stringfellow as of November 30, 2022 - $1,423,660.41
On motion of Mr. Crockett, seconded by Mr. Till, the Treasurer’s Reports were
approved by the following recorded vote:
J. Stanley Crockett Aye
Bryan Fairbanks Aye
Doug Rinker Aye
Judy McCann-Slaughter Absent
Karen Swecker Aye
Rick Till Aye
FREDCO EATS: RESTAURANT WEEK
Ms. May, Marketing Manager, announced Restaurant Week will be held January 30 through
February 5, 2023. She also reviewed the current agricultural survey in progress and gave a
recap of a USDA Seminar held at the Barns of Rosehill on December 13, 2022. The EDA will also
be a sponsor of a Farm2Fork Affair, a regional tradeshow connecting Shenandoah Valley
farmers, producers and makers with commercial-scale buyers throughout Virginia, West
Virginia and Washington, DC, being held in Harrisonburg on March 14, 2023.
TARGET INDUSTRY ANALYSIS UPDATE
Mr. Barker reported that at the May Board meeting, staff stated additional research would be
done to ensure quantitative propositions are accurate. Chmura Economics was contracted to
compare the Frederick County MSA to 28 competing MSAs on various demographic economic
indicators, as well as industry and occupation variables for the EDA Industry Targets. He then
reviewed their results.
Mr. Fairbanks stated he felt it was good to have an outside agency review.
PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR TARGET INDUSTRY COMPETITIVENESS
Mr. Barker stated that, at the EDA’s October meeting, staff provided an update to short-term
action plans for improving Frederick County’s competitiveness in attracting the approved Target
Industry Sectors. The plan is focused on the caveats related to talent and sites/buildings. The
following provides an update to each item, which are highlighted.
TALENT
• Construct a listing of the “Potential Candidates per Opening for Each Sector”
which are low ratio (red) to moderate ratio (orange) results
o Completed and presented
• Identify necessary career pathways for those occupations
Page 3 of 5
Frederick County EDA Meeting Minutes | January 5, 2023
o Completed and presented
• Verify infrastructure in place for those career pathways
o In progress, awaiting feedback from educational institutions
• Discuss with key stakeholders engaged with career pathway development
potential short=term solutions
o Programmed to commence next month (January)
• Hold conversations with key employers on current hiring strategies
o Programmed to commence next month (January)
• Examine recommendations of DCI’s Talent Strategy for short-term solutions
o Completed and presented
• Develop recommendations with appropriate budget, if applicable
SITES/BUILDINGS
• Identify large acreage areas (100 acres or more) either zoned, comprehensively
planned or otherwise with a focus on areas within proximity of major electric
transmission lines
o Completed and generalized areas identified
• Discuss those identified areas with infrastructure providers to access service
potential within 12-18 months with preliminary cost estimates, if applicable.
o Completed with some needed follow-up
• Access feasibility of future applications to the Virginia Ready Sites Program’s Site
Development Fund
o On-site visit by VRSP’s review team. Awaiting decision on $7,225,000
application for the Valley Innovation Park’s sanitary sewer and power
upgrades
• Collaborate with Planning Department and other applicable committees/parties
to expand permitted uses with the Office/Industrial zoning district
o Revised TM Zoning Ordinance scheduled for review by Development
Rules and Regulation Committee in January
GROCERY STORE ATTRACTION
Mr. Barker provided an update on progress regarding efforts to encourage grocery stores to
locate in Frederick County. Those with whom we have connected, 3 with moderate interest
and 3 with long-term interest, receive a quarterly update on relevant information with a soft
ask for an update. Those we are still waiting to make a connection with (4), receive a follow-up
email and two phone calls each month.
CLOSED SESSION
Upon Motion duly made by Mr. Rinker, seconded by Mr. Crockett, the Authority unanimously
RESOLVED to go into a closed meeting pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A)(3) for the discussion and
consideration of the acquisition of real property for a public purpose, or of the disposition of
Page 4 of 5
Frederick County EDA Meeting Minutes | January 5, 2023
publicly held real property, where discussion in an open meeting would adversely affect the
bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the Authority, and pursuant to Section 2.2-
3711(A)(5) for discussion concerning a prospective business or industry where no previous
announcement has been made of the business or industry’s interest in locating or expanding its
facilities in the community.
RETURN TO OPEN MEETING
At the conclusion of the closed meeting concerning the discussion concerning the acquisition of
real property for a public purpose, or of the disposition of publicly held real property, where
discussion in an open meeting would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating
strategy of the Authority, and the discussion concerning a prospective business or industry
where no previous announcement has been made of the business or industry’s interest in
locating its facilities in the community, the following Resolution was unanimously adopted upon
roll call vote as set forth below:
WHEREAS, the Economic Development Authority of the County of
Frederick, Virginia has concluded its “closed meeting” at a meeting held
on January 5, 2023, and desires return to an “open meeting”; and
WHEREAS, the adoption of this Resolution is intended to serve as the
“Certificate” described in Section 2.2-3712(D) of the Code of Virginia
(1950, as amended).
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Economic Development
Authority of the County of Frederick, Virginia does hereby reconvene in
an “open meeting” at its meeting held on January 5, 2023; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each and every Member of said Authority
who votes in the affirmative for this Resolution does thereby certify to
the best of each Member’s knowledge that only public business matters
lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements of the Virginia
Freedom of Information Act were heard, discussed or considered during
the closed meeting, and that only such public business matters as were
identified in the Motion which convened the closed meeting were heard,
discussed or considered during the course of said closed meeting by the
Authority:
Roll Call Vote
J. Stanley Crockett Aye
Bryan Fairbanks Aye
Doug Rinker Aye
Judy McCann-Slaughter Absent
Karen Swecker Aye
Page 5 of 5
Frederick County EDA Meeting Minutes | January 5, 2023
Rick Till Aye
ANNUAL MEETING
Mr. Rinker asked Mr. Bryan to conduct the election of officers.
Mr. Fairbanks nominated Mr. Till for Chairman. Nomination was seconded by Mr. Crockett and
all present voted in favor of the nomination.
Mr. Fairbanks nominated Mr. Rinker for Vice Chairman. Nomination was seconded by Mr.
Crockett and all present voted in favor of the nomination.
Mr. Fairbanks nominated Mr. Tibbs for Secretary-Treasurer. Nomination was seconded by Mr.
Crockett and all present voted in favor of the nomination.
On behalf of the entire Board, Mr. Fairbanks thanked Mr. Rinker for his leadership during the
past three years.
ADJOURN
There being no further business to come before this Authority, the meeting was adjourned at
9:10 a.m.
________________________________ ____________________________
Doug Rinker Jay Tibbs
Chairman Secretary