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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2019-04-18, Page 3THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019. PAGE 3. Ec. Dev. attraction plan set Cody Joudry, Huron County’s director of economic development, says there is a clear path forward for the county in terms of attracting investment and developing business. Joudry spoke to Huron County Council at its first meeting in April, presenting his investment attraction strategy and business development coaching system for approval. He told councillors that while much of what’s needed to attract investment and nurture business development is already happening, the department is now seeking to formalize and document the process. In general terms, he told council, 80 per cent of economic growth can be classified as “organic” growth, meaning an existing business expanding at a reasonable rate. For the business development coaching system, Joudry says he hopes to bring various concepts and initiatives together, such as a client relations system, small business centres, concierge support, land development support and a support system for an investment attraction strategy. By creating an integrated “full client care” system in the department, Joudry said it will help to close the gaps in business support services, create clarity around roles and responsibilities within the department, create a competitive advantage and build alignment across the county’s organizations. He also said that he and councillors need to be comfortable in discussing the past failures of the economic development department, saying that confidence in the department had been lost and it’s appropriate to talk about that. Once interest has been expressed, Joudry says that the intake process will kick in. That will include a number of service teams tackling areas like entrepreneur coaching, business planning, business connections, investment lead handling, a regulatory navigator, services support and access to land, acreage and buildings throughout the county. The entrepreneur coaching team, he said, will guide entrepreneurs through the goal-setting process and check in with clients regularly to track progress and help with any barriers they encounter along the way. Whenever possible, Joudry said, the county will attempt to connect clients with an appropriate business mentor and additional resources, like Community Futures Huron. The business and strategic planning team would be designed for any client needing to create a business plan, business case or strategic plan. The business connections team would be led by local chambers of commerce or BIAs, connecting clients to relevant business leaders in the community. The team handling land, acreage and buildings would be a proactive support role team that would meet with a developer to draw from vacant buildings and a developable database to identify possible location, identify possible development or occupancy challenges and provide guidance and advice. Joudry also said that having a personal connection through an investor welcome committee would go a long way. He said having that connection makes investors feel comfortable and that a welcome committee comprised of elected officials, county staff and community representatives would meet with an investor and “roll out the red carpet” so to speak. For the regulatory navigator team, Economic Development Officer Chris Watson will play the co- ordination and information role to identify required regulatory approvals, whether it’s expansion, occupying a premise or developing land. The services support team would play a similar role, but by connecting investors with services in the county, like electricity, natural gas, internet and other service suppliers. At the municipal level, Joudry said it would be helpful to develop a database of vacant commercial- and industrial-zoned buildings and shovel-ready and developable land. The municipalities would then input that data into a county-wide database. The county, he said, would be the primary provider of business support services by co-ordinating the process and service teams, capturing and reporting data and attracting investment to investment-ready communities willing to partner. In the end, Joudry said, the county will be held accountable for the system at-large. When it comes to the other 20 per cent of economic growth, he said, investment attraction is part of the county’s Growing Success project that brought together municipalities, BIAs and chambers of commerce. Joudry said the county would be targetting manufacturing, home- based businesses and high-value agriculture, such as grapes or marijuana or value-added agriculture, such as raw agriculture product processing. He said the thinking in targetting those businesses is that investment attraction often makes the most sense when those industries are already existing in an area and thriving. When that is in place, he said, it makes it easier to attract further investment. In terms of attraction, Joudry said that industry specialists would be brought on to “land the deal” with I cannot think little of sin, when... (J.C. Ryle) “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46 Would I know how exceedingly sinful and abominable sin is in the sight of God? Where shall I see sin most fully brought out? Shall I turn to the history of the flood, and read how sin drowned the world? Shall I go to the shore of the Dead Sea, and mark what sin brought on Sodom and Gomorrah? No! I can find a clearer proof still! I look at the cross of Christ! There I see that sin is so filthy and damnable, that nothing but the blood of God’s own Son can wash it away! There I see that sin has so separated me from my holy Maker, that all the angels in Heaven could never have made peace between us. Nothing could reconcile us, short of the death of Christ. If I listened to the wretched talk of proud people, I might sometimes imagine that sin was not so very sinful! But I cannot think little of sin, when I look at the cross of Christ! “A bleeding Saviour I have viewed—and now I hate my sin!” John Newton A Grace Gem Submitted by: Immanuel United Reformed Church, Listowel, ON 519-291-1956 The Citizen offices will be closed on FRIDAY, APRIL 19 for Good Friday 405 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4792 541 Turnberry St., Brussels 519-887-9114 The deadlines for the April 25 paper will be the same as usual: Monday, April 22 2 pm in Brussels and 4 pm in Blyth By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Continued on page 19 Out in style Earlier this April, the Cranbrook Dart Club wrapped up its season, but not before avid darter John Gillis landed the best possible trio of shots in the game: three triple-twenties for a total of 180. (Photo submitted) Winners The Blyth Brussels Minor Hockey Association handed out its year-end awards earlier this month and a number of locals were honoured for their prowess on the ice. Above, Justin Fleet was the winner of the Luke Anderson Memorial Award, which was presented by Diane Anderson. Below, Nolan McCutcheon, left, and Cole Pollard were among those honoured with the Dynamic Duo Award in memory of Blake Hesselwood and John Bokhout. McCutcheon’s Midget Rep partner Devin Johnston was absent, as was Pollard’s Midget Local League teammate Nick McArter. Also absent were Dustin Fritz and Maitland Higgins of the Midget AE Crusaders. (Photo submitted)