Commissioner Gene Valentino presented his “plan” to the Escambia County Commission. Jane Birdwell worked the PowerPoint presentation and coached the commissioner during the meeting. Valentino led a series of “experts” through conference calls. GV had prepared questions that he led the callers to give want appeared to be rehearsed answers—at least, in the beginning. They all, of course, preferred GV’s plan. None had talked directly to the Chamber, chairman Mort O’Sullivan or any of his study committee to understand the Chamber proposal.
Sitting by Gene Valentine was Mobile County Commissioner Steve Nodine, a Birdwell client. Nodine talked in circles – admitted the Chamber ran economic development, but tried to stress his role.
Telephone Guests: Jim Devine, Lee Summit Economic Development Commission; Tom Jones of Smart City Consulting – who worked with Birdwell on the Chamber’s branding (magnets?).
What I loved the “experts” talked about the need to work together.
Still GV didn’t give any more information on his plan. He opened with the comment that he would give a consensus plan. He said he had modified his plan, but he didn’t tell us how. He mentioned spreadsheets, but didn’t provide them
The BOCC had allotted one hour. Valentino said he would only take up 30 minutes, but instead went 45 minutes. Mort O’Sullivan spoke about seven minutes pointing out the similarities in the two plans.
O’Sullivan asked the dedicated funding source for economic development be from the growth in franchise fees, not actual fee increase as Valentino originally proposed. He suggested that the PEDC be the public body that approves all uses of the incentive monies.
Valentino chided O’Sullivan and private business owners for not contributing to economic development in the past. The Chamber calls for the private sector to increase contributions for economic development to $1 million over the next couple years.
Valentino continues to try to paint the Chamber proposal as being more of the same, when clearly it is not. The truth is that any economic development effort will be more successful if the incentives go from $400K to $6 million.
However, I do not believe that economic development should be controlled by the county commission. I agree with Commissioner Grover Robinson: “The Commission needs to focus on the product, not selling the product.”
In the end, nothing happened. This was all for discussion. Maybe Valentino will post his spreadsheets to a website that we all can see.