DATE: June 6, 2017
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Sal Quintero, Supervisor, District 3, County of Fresno
SUBJECT: Formation of County of Fresno Economic Development Action Team
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
1. Approve and authorize the formation of the County of Fresno Economic Development Action Team, as outlined in the Economic Development Element of the County of Fresno 2000 General Plan.
2. Approve the roster of thirteen (13) team members of the County of Fresno Economic Development Action Team to be as follows:
Two (2) Fresno County Supervisors
The County of Fresno County Administrative Officer (CAO)
The County of Fresno Director of Public Works and Planning
The County of Fresno Agricultural Commissioner
One (1) City elected representative assigned by the City of Fresno
One (1) City elected representative assigned by the City of Clovis
One (1) City elected representative assigned by the Five Cities Consortium from
the East side of the County
One (1) City elected representative assigned by the Fresno County Council of
Governments from the West side of the County
One (1) representative from the Fresno County Farm Bureau
One (1) representative from the Fresno County Economic Development
Corporation
One (1) representative from the Fresno Chamber of Commerce
One (1) representative from the Fresno & Clovis Convention & Visitors Center
Approval of the first recommended action by the Board of Supervisors is to implement Policy ED-A. 3 of the Economic Development Element of the County of Fresno current General Plan approved in the year 2000.
Approval of the second recommended action by the Board of Supervisors would designate the roster of members for the action team as outlined in Policy ED-A. 3. All facets of the team components outlined in the policy to be assigned are, representatives from County departments, including the Agricultural Commissioner, city representatives and regional organizations engaged in various facets of economic development in the county.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
The Board could approve with a change in the roster of less or more than thirteen (13) members of the County of Fresno Economic Development Action Team, from which departments, from which organizations, etc. The Board could choose not to approve the described action(s).
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no additional net county cost associated with the recommended action.
DISCUSSION:
Fresno County’s unemployment rate has remained among the highest in California and the county’s average wage levels have been low. Diversification into new agricultural technological advances, the tech world, medical fields, manufacturing, distribution and other sectors may be the key to changing the high unemployment and low wage average.
As stated in the County of Fresno Economic Development Element of the General Plan, “Fresno County’s Economic Development Strategy seeks to change the pace and direction of business and employment growth in the county. For this effort, strong leadership and regional partnering and coordination are needed.” With the state of the economy and the need for more jobs, the County should implement this portion of the Economic Development Element taking on this leadership role in promoting economic development. Working in collaboration with the proposed team members, will bring an abundance of resources and ideas.
The long-term and short-term objectives of the County are to work with cities, the private sector, education and other organizations to provide much needed local workforce training, create good jobs at a faster rate than population growth to bring Fresno County in line with the rest of California in terms of employment rates and wage levels. With the Economic Development Element within the County of Fresno’s General Plan divided into three sections: Job Creation, Economic Base Diversification, and Labor Force Preparedness, the County can be poised to be the point organization in collaborations with all its cities, unincorporated areas, public/private sector, economic development and educational organization partners.
The formation of this County Economic Development Action Team would work to achieve all points previously stated in this discussion and should be viewed as an enhancement and partnership to all other public/private entities and organizations involved in the economic development sector of Fresno County. Additionally it sends a strong signal to all industries that the County of Fresno is open for business.
The three goals set forth in the Economic Development Element, in the General Plan:
1. Job Creation
2. Economic Base Diversification
3. Labor Force Preparedness
That gives the action team the direction needed to work together through initially planning meetings, site identification, site preparation and then direct contact with existing and potentially new and different types of industry to expand and bring to Fresno County. The initial planning meetings would focus on insuring that Fresno County, its Cities and Unincorporated Area partners have not only the availability of space for new industry, but have the infrastructure or plans for providing the infrastructure along with possible incentives to attract the expansion of existing business or new industry.
You will find that the attached copy of the Economic Development Element provides goals, a vast array of policies and implementation programs with direction as to which departments, personnel or partners are responsible. The policies and programs fall under each of the three main goals as follows:
A. JOB CREATION (Goal ED-A: To increase job creation through regional leadership, agricultural productivity, and development of high-value-added processing firms)
1. Agricultural Land Productivity
2. High Value Added Agriculture
3. Implementation Programs
B. ECONOMIC BASE DIVERSIFICATION (Goal ED-B To diversify the economic base of Fresno County through the expansion of non-agricultural industry clusters and through the development and expansion of recreation and visitor-serving attractions and accommodations)
1. Information Technology and Non-Agricultural Industry
2. Recreation and Tourism
3. Implementation Programs
C. LABOR FORCE PREPAREDNESS (Goal ED-C: To improve labor force preparedness by providing the local workforce with the skills needed to meet the requirements of an increasingly diverse business sector in the 21st century global economy)
1. Policies
2. Implementation Programs
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Economic Development Element
Letter of Support from Fresno County Economic Development Corporation (EDC)
Letter of Support from the Fresno Chamber of Commerce
Letter of Support from the City of Fresno Council Member Council President Olivier
Letter of Support from the City of Fresno Council Member Chavez