Assisting Businesses is Key to Economic Development in Troy

The ability to attract new businesses to Troy and surrounding Oakland County communities relies on the willingness of local municipalities to work together and the ease of setting up shop, a county administrator said Wednesday.

Matt Gibb, deputy Oakland County executive, told a group of about 50 people attending a Troy Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee meeting that financial incentives from the state are all but dried up, leaving affordable real estate and a willingness to work with incoming businesses as a community's most valuable assets to gain and retain business.

"It's our job to create solutions and to get rid of stops, red tape and delays," Gibb said, referring to efforts that municipalities must make to reduce the time to issue building permits and other processes new businesses face when relocating.

Gibb, former supervisor for Orion Township, was appointed in May as Oakland County's deputy executive. As such, he oversees all aspects of economic development and community affairs for the county, including business planning, recruiting and retention services.

Overcoming a negative national image and cultivating a competitive workforce are two of the challenges facing economic development in the Detroit area, Gibb said.

Tom Krent, a member of the Troy Planning Commission, said the commission already works to streamline the process for businesses to set up shop in the city.

Troy City Council member Robin Beltramini, who attended Wednesday's meeting at the Michigan Design Center, said she was excited about the increased development in Troy, as well as by comments during Gibb's address.

"He set the right tone," she said. "We are the ones that have to figure out what we want and make it as easy as possible for businesses to develop in our community."

Beltramini said the future of economic development in Troy will be based on clean industries, such as information technology, high-tech research and development and health care.

However, the availability of money is still a problem for businesses looking to expand, she said.

"If the financial community can come together and help the local businesses — that would be key," Beltramini said.