The Siskiyou County Economic
Development Council (EDC) is located at 1512 S. Oregon Street.
http://www.siskiyoucounty.org/ The Executive
Director of the EDC is Tonya Dowse. The County does provide some basic funding for the
Council and operation of the Shasta Valley Enterprise Zone.
The EDC has five areas of emphasis: (1) business retention; (2)
business recruitment; (3) marketing; (4) resource development; and (5) the Enterprise
Zone. Its performance objectives are to: (a) conduct individual meetings with existing
businesses to exchange information, survey needs and provide customized assistance; (b)
respond to new business inquiries leading to development of detailed recruitment
proposals; (c) participate in trade shows, establish and track success of web-site,
identify and cultivate marketing partnerships; (d) research and write grant proposals that
enhance economic development and develop an EDC private membership base to add to existing
funding; and (e) increase Enterprise Zone usage by marketing to eligible businesses.
During the first quarter of the fiscal year, the EDC worked with 10
existing businesses to provide information, resources and referral services in the area of
Enterprise Zone benefits, workforce challenges and available financial resources. They
also provided assistance to 15 business start-up clients. There were responses to 11
business location inquiries resulting in five detailed recruitment proposals that included
demographic and site research. The proposals resulted in three site specific tours.
The EDC serves on the Board of Directors of the Upstate California
marketing effort, is participating on a newly organized statewide marketing coalition
– Team California and the California Association of Enterprise Zones. The EDC website
averages 150 visits per day. Visitors are downloading information about real-estate,
demographics and amenities. Plans are for a freshly designed website including information
from a new County-wide lands inventory project.
On September 9, the EDC hosted a Siskiyou County Industrial Tour and
dinner. Tours included Roseburg veneer mill in Weed, and Nor-Cal Products in Yreka. The
event was well attended by local business leaders, as well as several high-ranking
economic development officials.
During the quarter, the EDC completed requirements for a $32,500 USDA
Rural Business Enterprise Grant to purchase equipment and provide technical assistance for
clients using the Business Incubator Commercial Kitchen in the EDC building. Currently,
the EDC is working with the US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration
to propose an economic adjustment grant to renovate the entire Business Incubator. In
addition, a USDA Rural Business Opportunity Grant was applied for.
Siskiyou County’s Enterprise Zone provides certain tax benefits
to employers of targeted (low) income groups. The Zone is located only in parts of Shasta Valley
and expires in 2008. (Original boundaries needed to include contiguous areas, have 51% of
the land zoned for commercial use and be served by appropriate infrastructure.) Tulelake
Potato, a processor that purchases local Klamath Basin crops to make potato chips, hash
browns and other products for major labels would like an expansion of the Zone into their
area. The EDC is working with them to see if, under new rules, the current Zone can be
expanded to include spot areas away from the original zonal boundaries. The EDC is also
beginning the lengthy, expensive and competitive process of trying to create a new
Enterprise Zone in 2008. Cities are being approached to determine their interest in
participating and sharing in the expense and work to submit the new application. |
