Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutEDAAgenda2025August7 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY | THURSDAY, AUGUST 7TH | | 8:00 AM | COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING @ FIRST FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM 107 KENT STREET WINCHESTER, VA 1. Call to Order 2. Approval of Minutes – June 5, 2025|| ACTION  Review and approval of minutes from last meeting, if appropriate 3. Treasurer’s Report || ACTION  Review and approval of latest Treasurer’s Report, if appropriate 4. Partner Showcase – Workforce Solutions at Laurel Ridge Community College  Presentation by EDA partners, Workforce Solutions at Laurel Ridge Community College, to include an overview of their operations and activities and how they interact with the EDA. 5. Large Project Ready Sites Concept | Next Steps || INFORMATION  Update to the strategy to increase the availability of large project ready sites to facilitate new development and support larger scale projects. 6. Such other business as may come before this Authority MINUTES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY | THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2025 | A meeting of the Frederick County Economic Development Authority was held on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. in the County Administration Building, 1st Floor Conference Room, 107 N. Kent Street, Winchester, Virginia. PRESENT: Judy McCann-Slaughter, Diane Kearns, Rick Till and Gary Lofton. Stan Crockett was absent due to a personal reason and Bryan Fairbanks was absent due to a medical reason. Both participated remotely and their participation was approved by the Board members present. STAFF: Patrick Barker, Shayla Rickard, Wendy May and Donna McIlwee, Frederick County Economic Development Authority; and Michael Bryan, EDA Attorney. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER: Chairman Till called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. PUBLIC HEARING - MODIFICATION OF REVENUE BONDS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE VILLAGE AT ORCHARD RIDGE Mr. Bryan introduced Allison Combs, VP Sales, Marketing and Communication at Orchard Ridge who gave an overview of the facilities. He also introduced Mr. Mike Graff of McGuire-Woods who explained the requested modification. There was no one present for the Public Hearing so it was closed. Ms. Judy McCann-Slaughter made a motion to approve the resolution with modifications, which was seconded by Mr. Lofton and approved by the following recorded vote: J. Stanley Crockett Aye Bryan Fairbanks Aye Diane Kearns Aye Gary Lofton Aye Judy McCann-Slaughter Aye Tina Murphy Absent Rick Till Aye A copy of the resolution is attached at the end of these minutes. Page 2 of 4 Frederick County EDA Meeting Minutes | June 5, 2025 APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of the May 1, 2025, meeting were presented. On motion duly made by Ms. McCann-Slaughter and seconded by Mr. Crockett, the minutes were approved as presented by the following recorded vote: J. Stanley Crockett Aye Bryan Fairbanks Aye Diane Kearns Aye Gary Lofton Abstain (due to absence at that meeting) Judy McCann-Slaughter Aye Tina Murphy Absent Rick Till Aye TREASURER'S REPORT Mr. Barker submitted the following report: Checking Account - Bank of Clarke as of April 30, 2025 - $2189.22 Intrafi Account – Bank of Clarke as of April 30, 2025 - $3,176,847.02 On motion of Mr. Lofton, seconded by Ms. Kearns, the Treasurer’s Report was approved by the following recorded vote: J. Stanley Crockett Aye Bryan Fairbanks Aye Diane Kearns Aye Gary Lofton Aye Judy McCann-Slaughter Aye Tina Murphy Absent Rick Till Aye INCENTIVE PERFORMANCE AGREEMENTS – CLASEN QUALITY CHOCOLATE Mr. Barker reviewed a resolution and performance agreements (State and County) for Clasen Quality Chocolate who will locate its operation in Frederick County. All parties’ legal counsels have reviewed and approved the performance agreement, as well as the Frederick County Board of Supervisors. Under the Virginia State Constitution, localities are prohibited from providing direct funding to private entities. To comply, EDAs serve as the designated parties in performance agreements that include financial assistance. The EDA’s responsibilities include auditing performance and administering funding. Staff is seeking the Authority’s adoption of the resolution. Page 3 of 4 Frederick County EDA Meeting Minutes | June 5, 2025 Mr. Lofton made a motion to approve the resolution, which was seconded by Mr. Crockett and approved by the following recorded vote: J. Stanley Crockett Aye Bryan Fairbanks Aye Diane Kearns Aye Gary Lofton Aye Judy McCann-Slaughter Aye Tina Murphy Absent Rick Till Aye PERFORMANCE LARGE PROJECT READY SITES CONCEPT Mr. Barker provided an update to the strategy to increase the availability of large project ready sites to facilitate new development and support larger scale projects. He stated engagement with property owners has begun and they appear to be open to meeting, which should begin in the coming week. EDA PARTNER SHOWCASE Mr. Barker stated that, over the past 18 months, the EDA has received presentations from various EDA partners designed to give the EDA Board members a better understanding of the partner’s role in implementing the EDA strategy. If the Board would like to continue to receive these presentations, staff presented some suggestions. All present felt these presentations have been helpful and suggested some possibilities for future ones: Virginia Inland Port, HIVE, fiber optics, residential and commercial realtors, electric co-operatives, and Frederick Water. SUCH OTHER BUSINESS AS MAY COME BEFORE THIS AUTHORITY Mr. Barker reported that the college careers familiarization tour held on May 30 went well with 20+ participants and included a young professionals panel and an employer panel. ADJOURN There being no further business to come before this Authority, the meeting was adjourned at 8:40 a.m. ________________________________ ____________________________ Richard Till Jay Tibbs Chairman Secretary Page 4 of 4 Frederick County EDA Meeting Minutes | June 5, 2025 resolution.pdf DATE: August 1, 2025 TO: Board of Directors, Frederick County Economic Development Authority FROM: Patrick Barker, CEcD Executive Director CC: Jay Tibbs Deputy County Administrator RE: EDA Partner Showcase || Workforce Solutions at Laurel Ridge Community College Over the past year, EDA partners have been invited to present to the Board at a regular interval. The presentation includes an overview of the entity’s operations and activities and how they interact with the EDA. A well-trained, adaptable workforce attracts new businesses, supports existing employers, and helps communities stay competitive in a rapidly changing economy. As industries evolve— especially in sectors like advanced manufacturing and technology—having a pipeline of skilled workers becomes a top factor in business location and expansion decisions. A competent workforce training not only enhances employability and wages for residents, but also ensures that Frederick County economy can meet the demands of modern industry. For economic development efforts to succeed long-term, workforce development must be a core strategy. To that end, the Workforce Solutions for Laurel Ridge Community College will present an overview of its operations and strategic initiatives as they relate to the Economic Development Authority’s (EDA) strategic plan. Laurel Ridge Community College’s Workforce Solutions offers fast-track, hands-on training programs designed to equip individuals and organizations with industry-recognized credentials in high-demand fields such as mechatronics, welding, HVAC, and healthcare. With flexible delivery—online, in-person, on-site, and employer-customized— and weekly program start dates across its campuses, participants can start, enhance, or pivot their careers efficiently. Professional instructors from relevant industries deliver over 1,000 courses annually, including multi-week apprenticeships and leadership development tailored to workforce needs   For more information, visit https://laurelridgeworkforce.com/ DATE: August 1, 2025 TO: Board of Directors, Frederick County Economic Development Authority FROM: Patrick Barker, CEcD Executive Director CC: Jay Tibbs Deputy County Administrator RE: Large Project Ready Site Program | Current Status At its January meeting, the EDA Board endorsed moving forward with a strategy to expand the number of Large Project-Ready Sites. The initiative began with an internal staff assessment to identify and prioritize candidate properties. For this effort, “Large” is defined as 100 or more contiguous acres, and “Project-Ready” means the site is industrially zoned and either has—or can feasibly obtain within 12 to 18 months—key infrastructure, including roads, water, wastewater, electric, and natural gas. A core element of the plan involves assigning priority levels to each site based on a calculated per-acre cost, which includes:  The site's asking price  Estimated infrastructure costs to extend or upgrade utilities and access within the defined timeframe Staff has actively engaged infrastructure providers to inform the development of a comprehensive Site Evaluation Matrix. In consultation with the Assistant County Administrator and the EDA Chair, each site was assigned a priority level based on strategic and cost-efficiency criteria. Initial discussions have already been held with contacts for the top- priority site. A summary of those conversations, along with proposed next steps, will be shared during the upcoming meeting.