York County’s administrator and director of economic development pitched a new approach to regional economic development that’s focused on projects and lets localities choose to partner to share costs and revenue of a project.
The idea sparked a lengthy conversation at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors work session and piqued the Board’s interest.
Currently, York is part of the Greater Williamsburg Partnership, a roughly two-year-old regional EDA made up of Williamsburg, James City County and York County. The entity has not yet brought in a new business, but Jim Noel, the county’s director of economic development, said it has led to more inquiries, face time with companies and attention from the state’s EDA.
The supervisors agreed that the Williamsburg partnership needed more time to get its footing and the county should remain members for another year, as originally planned, before assessing if they’ll continue the regional group. But they still would like to hear how the partnership would adjust its operations over the next year.
County Administrator Neil Morgan said his and Noel’s idea for a more project-based regional effort wouldn’t necessarily replace the marketing function of the Williamsburg partnership, but it would be a way to address challenges that York County and the region face.
The model is based on the Go Virginia program, which divides the state into regions that can apply for a pot of state money geared at creating high-paying jobs.
York is part of Region 5, mostly made up of Hampton Roads, and the region submitted a proposal for an unmanned systems facility in York. The proposal was deferred by the state Go Virginia Board and will be presented again in February for reconsideration.
The proposal, while based in York, was made by all Peninsula localities and received support from all localities in the region, Gloucester County, local drone development businesses and universities. Part of the proposal is a cost and revenue sharing model among localities that choose to participate.
The option for localities to participate in projects that may benefit the region beyond the location of a business is the crux of the partnership, called a Regional Industrial Facilities Authority.
Morgan said that while York doesn’t have much space to attract businesses, it may benefit from new business elsewhere on the Peninsula — much of the county’s population already works in major employment centers like Newport News Shipbuilding and federal labs.
Morgan highlighted Hampton Roads’ lack of growth since the recession as evidence of a need to change the approach to economic development and for localities to adopt a more collaborative mindset.
Tom Shepperd, the board’s vice chairman, said Hampton Roads localities often find themselves competing for the same projects, and this could be a shift to having them work together, possibly pooling resources.
Supervisor Jeff Wassmer pointed out that in the past, York was part of Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance but that didn’t bring much interest to York. Wassmer said being part of a regional authority was important to connecting with the state EDA, which fields inquiries and connects prospects with regional EDAs.
Wassmer pointed to the area’s lack of a professional sports team as an example of a lack of partnership between localities.
