Development Authority Learns About New Economic Development Plans

Oconee County plans to target information technology, healthcare and professional services as sectors for its future economic development.

By contracting with the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce for economic development, the county will save about $40,000 from last year when it tried to promote economic development on its own.

Courtney Bernardi, president of the Chamber of Commerce, will be the person who will handle economic development for the county.

These were key announcements in the presentations by Oconee County Board of Commissioners Chair John Daniell, County Administrator Justin Kirouac, and Bernardi to the Oconee County Industrial Development Authority at its meeting on Monday.

The Industrial Development Authority in the past played a key role in economic development in the county, and the trio was explaining to the full Authority how things will work if the Board of Commissioners adopts the recommendations of its Economic Development Task Force as expected.

Daniell and Bernardi are members of the Authority, and Authority Chair Rick Waller served on the Task Force.

Of the four members of the Authority present who were getting their first full report on work of the Task Force, only Matt Elder objected, saying the Task Force should have addressed the need for acreage in the county for what he called "allied" businesses.

For more on the story, with a video of the Industrial Development Authority meeting, please go to Oconee County Observations.