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City, county talk economic development

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Elected officials discussed economic development opportunities related to the Garner Economics report during the second joint meeting between Wilmington City Council and New Hanover County Commissioners Monday, Nov. 17.

One of the first items on the meeting agenda was an update on North Carolina’s film incentive package that will sunset at the end of 2014.

Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo said he has met personally with mayors of other North Carolina cities like Charlotte and Asheville, who also benefit from the film industry, to collaborate. In addition to those directly employed in the film industry, Saffo said small businesses that benefit should voice more concern about the film incentives ending.

Another regional effort that was discussed during Monday’s meeting was the announcement of a new, regional micromarketing effort led by North Carolina’s Southeast, an economic development organization based in Elizabethtown.

NCSE president Steve Yost said the vision for the project is to create a marketing focus for Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender counties to leverage resources in marketing the area to business and industry. Yost said the effort would not replace or compete with local economic development marketing efforts in any of the three counties, but would serve as a device to encourage the three coastal counties to work together.

Specific industries the effort will target include precision manufacturing, aerospace technology and marine science development.

While in preliminary stages, Yost said a finalized plan would be available for consideration in January 2015 and an industry recruiting mission in May.

Supporting the small businesses and entrepreneurs attempting to make a start in Wilmington was the subject of another discussion Monday.

Roger Johnson, Wilmington special assistant to the city manager, pitched an idea for a project team to target business builders and supporting organizations to foster small business and entrepreneurial growth.

Jim Roberts, University of North Carolina Wilmington Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) executive director, said the lack of local high-income investors for startups is sending the startups to places like Raleigh to find investors.

“Our local investors are very conservative and they understand certain industries. The local startups we have are much more technology and app based,” Roberts said. “This would be an important piece to educating the local high net worth individuals.”

The project would cost $25,000 to be shared by the city and county but neither board voiced support for the project.

The city and county will meet again to discuss economic development after the first quarter of 2015.

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