AEDC Board sets goals, work plan for coming fiscal year

By SAM KAUFMAN
sam@basinbroadband.com

The Andrews Economic Development Corporation Board approved goals and its work plan for 2009-2010 during a regular meeting last week. Now, the goals and work plan—which include adding businesses to a local business park and assisting with local business expansion—will go before the council for approval Thursday night.
“We have an annual planning meeting and try to set goals each year,” AEDC Director Wesley Burnett said. “There are some new ones and some are a continuation from last year. I’m pleased with the direction the AEDC is heading.” The board derived seven top priorities among its list for the coming fiscal year, Burnett said. Topping the list is an ambition to continue a program of local business visits to assess and gauge local needs and expansion possibilities.
“These visits and resulting information will be reported to the AEDC Board on a monthly basis, along with regular project and prospect updates,” Burnett noted.
The AEDC also plans to continue the Business Leader’s Think Tank program in which local business representatives brainstorm ideas to develop business leads and opportunities. The information gleaned from the program is also presented to the board on a regular basis, Burnett said.
Another top goal for the coming fiscal year is for AEDC staff to develop a “build to suit” option for new or expanding businesses, he added.
“This option will be available to download or develop as needed,” Burnett explained. “The plan will be customizable to individual projects that could require such an option. This option should include timelines for construction and completion.”
Yet another AEDC goal for 2009-2010 includes researching and developing options for expansion of the Business Park into other areas of Andrews, along with options for the oil and gas industry and related businesses.
Burnett also said the AEDC hopes to “make every effort possible” to add two new businesses to the Business Park South. Composites One is the lone business currently situated there, but infrastructure is intact and other incentives will be readily available, officials said.
The AEDC also plans to hire an outside expert and assist them in the development of an infrastructure availability and needs assessment, along with a resource analysis of Andrews and Andrews County.
“This analysis will assess the financing capabilities, community expertise and challenges, and opportunities
for community business growth and expansion,” Burnett explained.
The final goal listed is the continued providing of regular AEDC updates to the community, as well as to local elected and appointed officials, using local/regional media and speaking engagements when requested.
“This will be accomplished as news information or as paid advertisements,” Burnett noted of the communityupdates. “It will also include an educational series on AEDC capabilities and assistance programs for business expansions or relocations.”
Burnett also said a slight sales tax increase that was approved several years back to help fund AEDC operations has greatly assisted with offering incentives for new industry and local expansion.
Those funds will help infrastructure projects in place and also allow the local area to be competitive with the region and state in attracting industry through incentives.