Developments in Development

If you were following this series of educational articles in 2005 you will remember that the Development Authority of Jasper County’s (DAJC) three goals were to 1) assist with existing business retention and expansion, 2) attract new industry and large business so that 200 jobs were created (by 2010), and 3) improve conditions and coordinate efforts to increase tourism revenue in our county.

Team Jasper decided on the second goal during a Strategic Planning Session in March of 2005.

Although Team Jasper has not yet worked through a planning session for goals one and three, my personal goals are to help existing industries expand by 20 jobs in five years and to increase tourism revenue by 10 percent each year on average.

So what benefit is DAJC to our county? The county invests taxpayer funds into our organization with an expectation that economic conditions will improve. Let’s review some facts surrounding each goal and some of DAJC’s accomplishments for 2005 to see if you, as a taxpayer and investor yourself, believe we are worthy.

Existing Industry. Fortunately, I started this job when there was an economic upswing in the entire nation. After the nation’s tragedy of “9-11” the field of economic development took a very hard hit. You remember the business shutdowns and slow growth period. Even so, my predecessor landed two industries and 40 jobs in 2003 and 2004, as well as accomplishing other smaller feats.

Here are some facts that may help you understand our current conditions:
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•Our workforce consists of 6,066 citizens. There were 5,258 employed persons, 16 years or older, in our county (2004 stats from Department of Labor).

•Industry provided 24.7 percent of those jobs and was the largest category of job-type in 2004. The next largest job category was “education, health, and social services” which provided 15.7 percent of the jobs for our county. The third largest area of jobs was “construction” providing 12.7 percent of our jobs while the fourth top contender was (drum roll) retail trade, which provided 11.9 percent of our jobs.

•Industries generated $486,138 in property taxes in 2005; county invested $69,480.

•Fourteen companies provided 1,033 jobs for our county in 2005; industries provide 1/6th of the total jobs needed.

•Only one of those 14 industries has over 500 employees, which is Georgia Pacific with 522. The next largest is Cal-maine, if we do not include our local hospital with 120 plus employees, with 75 employees. The rest of the industries have 50 or less employees.

•Five companies have planned for expansions between 2005 and 2010.

•Three of those companies expanded in 2005, adding 22 jobs.

•Ten companies trade outside of Georgia and four trade internationally.

•Seven companies are located in the county, five are in Monticello, and two are in Shady Dale.

•Products manufactured include: eggs, wood pallets (2), trailer axles, compost & soil products, hardwood lumber, Feldspar, concrete, plywood & MDF wood products, upholstery sample books, custom equipment trailers, architectural steel design and fabrication (gates and stairs), cold storage panels, and plastic parts for farm equipment.

History
•The 1950’s brought us the Feldspar Corporation.

•The 1960’s, Dexter Axle and Georgia Pacific.

•The 1970’s, Hooper Trailer and Poly Tech.

•The 1980’s, Calmaine Foods.

•The 1990’s, Champion Lumber, Earth Pak (a division of Pennington Seed), Fowler-Flemister, Harris Sample Book, Pallet Acquisitions, and Perma-Therm (six companies).

County investment = $338,497 (from 1991 to 1999) for 200 jobs (estimated); Jasper County citizens recouped an estimated $549,000 in taxes so far, just on those companies. This benefit does not include wage taxes and other benefits.

•The first half of 2000 brought us Farrar Log & Lumber and Metzger-Moore. County investment = $335,918 (2000 to 2005) for 55 new jobs and retention of 1033 jobs.

Goal One Accomplishments for 2005 included 1) visits to all 14 industries, 2) completion of a “Business Retention & Expansion Process (BREP) survey with 11 out of 14 industries (which helps the Georgia Department of Economic Development, DAJC, the city, and county learn how to serve them better and provides tax incentives for expansions), 3) assisting companies who were expanding to gain 22 new jobs in the county (2.2% increase from 2004), and 4) coordinating an Industry Appreciation Dinner with 12 companies in attendance.

We also coordinated business-recruitment efforts with the Monticello-Jasper County Chamber of Commerce by developing a website (www.historicmonticello. com), leading Leadership Jasper 2005 with 17 graduates, and working with Team Jasper, a leadership advisory. Industries are invited to Team Jasper.

The county invested $69,480 in 2005 into economic development to create jobs and wealth. Is creating a more business-friendly environment so that jobs are created and retained from existing industry a worthy investment of your tax dollars? More—on the next two goals—to come.