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Imagine a Gaston County Where…

Career opportunities abound

Technological advancements meet manufacturing needs

Education is tailored to synchronize with job demand

New roads open land to development

Quality of life flourishes

Companies clamor to expand and relocate Sound good? You bet, and in 2015, it's time to transform imagination into reality! The Alliance for Growth, a special task force commissioned by the Greater Gaston Development Corporation (GGDC), has assembled a blue-ribbon panel of local business and civic leaders to develop a plan for a prosperous Gaston County. This report serves as a starting point for elected and corporate leadership to guide Gaston County into a new era of prosperity. Special Note from Greater Gaston Development Corporation Leadership:

Bob Clay, Chair, Board of Trustees, Greater Gaston Development Corporation bob.clay@cbcmeca.com

Thank you for taking time to learn more about the Alliance for Growth growth-planning initiative. While we are proud of the thousands of hours of volunteer time it took to produce this report, it means nothing unless we work together to implement the enclosed

recommendations to accelerate Gaston County’s growth and prosperity. Beginning in the New Year, we will shift our focus to the critical implementation phase. The investors in the GGDC invite your comments and involvement over the coming weeks and months. Please send me your ideas and suggestions for making Gaston County the top choice in the region for capital investment and jobs.

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Table of Contents

“Imagine a Gaston County Where…” 1

Table of Contents 2

Poised to Prosper 3

Alliance for Growth Initiative: Local Expertise 4

Where We Are Today 5

Reaching Our Potential 7

National Trends Impacting Gaston County

A. A More Complex, Fast Changing Economy 8

B. Developing 21st Century Workforce Skills 9

C. Ensuring and Marketing a Quality Education Continuum 11

D. Taking Advantage of a U.S. Manufacturing Resurgence 12

E. Embracing Regionalism … Then Competing for Projects 13

Findings and Recommendations 15

A. Image/Marketing

Developing a Positive Story 16

B. Entrepreneur/Small Business

Innovation for Growth 17

C. Workforce Preparedness

Local Education Resources 19

D. New/Expanded Recruiting

Enhancing an Effective Process 23

E. Growth Regulatory

Building on Customer Service 26

F. Sites/Buildings/Infrastructure

Perception of ‘No Land Available’ 28

G. Transportation/Access

The Case for Roads 32

Summary of Recommendations 35

Ideas for Future Analysis 38

Special Thanks 38

Appendix 39

Committee Rosters 40

Research 41

Voccii Image Survey Summary 43

Learning Commons at Belmont Abbey College 46

Greater Gaston Development Corporation Investors 47

Bios: Carroll D. Gray, Bill Millett 48

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Poised to Prosper Ideally situated along I-85, I-485 and U.S. 321 in a dynamic region offering numerous quality lifestyles and business opportunities, Gaston County has a proven track record in attracting national and international investment. With a rich history steeped in manufacturing tradition, Gaston boasts a dedicated, capable workforce and convenient access to highways, rail and air transportation. Offering close proximity to all the advantages of the bustling urban center of Charlotte, as well as to the mountain and coastal regions, make Gaston County well positioned for corporate and industrial/manufacturing site growth with an array of outstanding options for affordable family living. But time is of the essence. Gaston County is lagging behind other counties within the Charlotte region in attracting businesses and jobs. The County’s comparatively slow business and jobs growth is placing intense pressure on local governments’ ability to fund critical public services. Gaston is in danger of becoming just a bedroom community, which, conversely, places additional demands on already stressed government revenues as the property tax base becomes increasingly based on the homeowner. The time for Gaston’s leadership to act is now.

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Alliance for Growth Initiative:

Local Expertise Recommendations by Alliance for Growth, along with the seven economic drivers, form a cohesive action plan to make Gaston a major player in the regional economic landscape. It is important to distinguish that these action items have been developed by civic and industry leaders from within the Gaston business and governmental

communities and not by a group of outside consultants. Local citizens representing a variety of disciplines have partnered to develop recommendations for the seven drivers of growth. Their proposals are the result of months of meetings in separate committees, extensive research and data analysis and historical perspectives that relate to current conditions and future goals. Together, this consortium has identified keys its members believe will serve to facilitate increased economic growth that will further benefit the business community and residents of Gaston County. These opportunities represent increased economic self-sufficiency between Gaston County government and its 13 municipal jurisdictions and will, when implemented, result in a stronger, more diverse property tax base and a wider array of employment opportunities for our citizens.

Committees and chairpersons:

Entrepreneur/Small Business: Don Harrison, Alliance Bank; Brad Rivers, Gaston College

Workforce Preparedness: Reeves McGlohon, Gaston County Schools (Retired)

Sites/Buildings/Infrastructure: Robert Browne, Beam Construction

Growth Regulatory: Gerald Sosebee, Carolinas Design Group, PLLC; Mike Stanforth, Excel Engineering

New/Expanded Recruiting: John Lowery, WealthPlan Financial

Image/Marketing: Elaine Lyerly, Lyerly Agency; Andy Warlick, Parkdale Mills

Transportation/Access: Regina Moody, Holy Angels Services; Tim Efird, Standard Distributors

Committees proceeded with a focused, customized planning process that included:

Data gathering

SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis

Priority identification

Recommendations Note: Carroll Gray and Associates was retained by GGDC to provide organization and facilitation of the Alliance for Growth process.

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Where We Are Today Gaston County is part of a multi-county, two-state economic region that has gained significance both nationally and internationally over the past three decades. Tracing its origins to transportation, this region developed from Native American trade routes to railroads to interstate highways. Today, it is one of the nation’s leading financial services regions and a growing technology base. It’s a region that also enjoys the advantages of a nearby multi-modal transportation hub at a bustling international airport. Prior to the mid-1980s, the region was driven primarily by manufacturing and distribution, with an emerging emphasis on financial services. More than 25 years later, much of the manufacturing base has either relocated to other countries and/or has transformed into global headquarters. International companies are choosing this region for their U.S. operations centers. The Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, a global airport, serves as American Airlines’ largest hub and makes travel to any U.S. location easy. The region has reached critical mass, and is growing because of its reputation for its lifestyle, capable and diverse workforce and convenient transportation. For most of the region’s history, the group of loosely connected counties surrounding Charlotte-Mecklenburg actively competed for business investment and jobs, and viewed business recruiting against each other as “win or lose.” This dynamic has evolved into a hybrid growth model some refer to as “coopetition.” Development professionals understand that, as its hub, Charlotte is the economic engine and the surrounding areas develop and offer unique niches for local and new business growth. Gaston County and other regional counties compete daily for new business and yet work to support and benefit from Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s public and private investments, providing the advantages of a nearby urban center while maintaining the unique character and lifestyle of their own communities. With abundant developable - albeit currently largely inaccessible - land and geographical advantages of its Piedmont location, Gaston is in an enviable position to prosper. This plan will provide a foundation upon which Gaston County may capitalize on its untapped potential for business growth, enhance the quality of life for its residents and emerge as a key economic player in the region. The emphasis is on the word “potential.” We must accept that Gaston County is in transition and must re-tool from the schoolhouse up in order to meet the needs and demands of a changing regional and global economy.

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The past three years have seen a turn in the downward trend of manufacturing job loss. Today, there are approximately 15,000 manufacturing jobs, representing a significant increase since 2010, but still less than half of the more than 40,000 jobs that once existed here.

In 2014, Gaston County’s employment by category breakout:

Manufacturing 20%

Healthcare and Social Services 17%

Retail Trade 14%

Accommodations/Food 10%

Educational Services 9%

Administrative 6%

Public Administrative 5%

Information/Fire 4%

Utilities 4%

Wholesale trade 3%

Miscellaneous 8%

From a wages earned perspective, manufacturing provides 25% of total wages, followed by health care and social services at 21%, and educational services at 8%.

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Reaching Our Potential The reality is we have work to do. Beginning in 2015, Gaston County must bring together the public and private sectors as has never been done. We must bring new focus on the need to add value to our county tax base. That means helping businesses expand and grow here is Job One. But, without the involvement and dedication of the private sector, local government alone will likely continue to be challenged by intense competition for business throughout the region. A survey of Gaston’s recent employment growth shows that medical and related business is today one of the fastest growing sectors, according to the ongoing, 14 county regional cooperative initiative, Connect Our Future.

Such efforts have already begun thanks to the 105 Alliance for Growth volunteers who have worked toward developing findings and recommendations to help improve Gaston County’s economic development competitiveness. Many viable suggestions were made that were not selected as recommendations, but have been captured in this document for future consideration and action. For all discussions held and suggestions made, the leadership of GGDC and authors of this report are deeply appreciative.

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National Trends Impacting Gaston County

A. A More Complex, Fast Changing Economy In an era of global competition and accelerating rates of change in virtually everything, communities must consistently employ three critical factors to maximize their future economic vitality: Insight, foresight and agility. Successful communities will have evaluated their strengths and weaknesses, carefully analyzed new realities at the local, state, national and global levels, and positioned themselves appropriately. In far too many instances, local business leaders assumed that things would never change and that the status quo would continue. There are countless examples of companies that were once dominant or major players in their fields that no longer exist. Thriving communities in 2015 have a sense of urgency - to provide a solid tax base and jobs for their citizens. Many other civic needs can be met if these economic foundations are secure. And as the pace of change has accelerated, the time span from prosperity to desperation has shortened dramatically for many. Simply put, in today’s world, it doesn’t take long to go from state-of-the-art to average to mediocre if your posture is one of complacency. It must be clearly understood that strategies and tactics that worked in the past may well be of little value today - and perhaps even counterproductive. A successful economic development strategy will center on 1) improving the skills of the area’s human resources; 2) providing the quality-of-life factors that will help retain existing talent and attract additional ones; 3) offering an attractive selection of sites and buildings; 4) responsibly reducing the costs of doing business and; 5) having the infrastructure components that support business growth. The Gaston County Development Corporation’s economic initiative has included an assessment of the key changing circumstances and coming realities that will impact these factors and, thus, the area’s ability to compete and succeed economically in the years just ahead.

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B. Developing 21st Century Workforce Skills

The United States has less than 6% of the world’s population, so against global competition it must maximize its human resources. But the U.S. high school graduation rate, currently about 75%, trails countries such as Denmark (96%), Japan (93%), Poland (92%) and Italy (79%). Only about one-third of America’s high school students graduate ready for college, and the rates are much lower for poor and minority students. More than one-third of all students who enter college must take remedial courses.

The performance levels of American 15-year-olds on comparative international tests are middle of the pack at best. But the issue goes deeper than that. Mastery of the basic skills is no longer enough. Increasingly, almost all jobs that pay more than minimum wage today - blue and white collar - require employees who know how to solve a range of intellectual and technical problems. The following chart, developed by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, shows how substantially the job types and skill requirements have changed in recent decades.

FACTOR 20TH CENTURY 21ST CENTURY

Number of Jobs in Lifetime 1-3 10-15

Job Requirements Mastery of One Field Mastery of Many Ever

Changing Fields

Job Competition Local Global

Work Model Routine, Hands-On, Fact-

Based Non-Routine, Technical,

Creative, Interactive

Education Model Institution-Centered, Formal Degree Attainment the Goal

Learner-Centered, Self-Directed, Life-Long

Learning the Goal

Organizational Culture Top Down Multi-Directional (Bottom Up,

Top Down, Side to Side)

There is a clear emphasis on the importance of developing “soft” - or life, socializing and teamwork - skills. In his research, Tony Wagner of Harvard University’s Technology and Entrepreneur Center says today’s corporate work environment consists of clusters of business expertise distributed globally and connected via high-speed communications links. Workers collaborate in their local team and with other teams around the world to define and solve open-ended problems. Wagner identified seven specific attributes that companies say they cannot find in sufficient quantities in much of the United States:

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Problem-solving and critical thinking Collaboration across networks Adaptability Initiative Effective oral and written communication Analyzing information Developing curiosity and imagination Success for individuals, communities and companies in 2015 requires: 1) information literacy; 2) a spirit of self-reliance and; 3) the ability to collaborate, communicate and solve problems.

There is no action that Gaston County could take that would better position it for long-term economic vitality than clearly establishing itself as a place where these 21st century skills exist.

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C. Ensuring and Marketing a Quality Education Continuum For knowledge-intensive companies, human capital is their most important asset. Facility location decisions are heavily based on an evaluation of local knowledge

resources. If a company is going to invest millions of dollars in a community, they intend to stay. They want to know not just what the education system looks like today, but what the community is doing now to ensure a competitive and skilled workforce 15 to 20 years out. Increasingly, companies view education as not just K-12 or K-16, but rather B-R ... Birth to Retirement. They view workforce development not as a vital element for high school or middle school, or even elementary school, but rather the earliest years. Ideally, the momentum

established there carries forward throughout an individual’s entire educational life. Companies always look at the quality of the local school systems, the adult population’s educational attainment levels, and programs available at technical colleges and universities. Those will always be critical considerations. But now, companies also eye the quality of early care and education. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that many studies reveal the capacity for developmental skills begins in the first five years of life. This is the beginning point for a person's creativity, communication, team-working, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. These studies reflect a great need for children to enter kindergarten prepared to learn. The issue is not just about the future, however. It’s also about today, and a company’s bottom line and a quality educational experience resulting in both a productive workforce as well as for the families of employees of new and expanded businesses provide the Economic Development Commission (EDC) with yet another asset to market.

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D. Taking Advantage of a U.S. Manufacturing Resurgence

Gaston County has always been viewed as having a manufacturing-based economy … and rightly so. That has often been cited as a major reason for the local economic downturn over the last decade, as manufacturing-related jobs have dropped sharply - especially when compared to figures from the other counties in the Charlotte region. However, Gaston has a major asset in the industry-leading manufacturers that remain. Manufacturing gives the County credibility in targeting others, and its efforts in international recruitment have certainly borne fruit. This success puts Gaston County in a strong position to attract operations of companies that are bringing jobs back to the U.S. A 2013 study by the Boston Consulting Group calls export manufacturing “the unsung hero of the U.S. economy.” While there has been substantial news coverage of the U.S. trade deficit, little attention has been paid to the fact that American exports have been growing more than seven times faster than the gross domestic product (GDP) since 2005. Indeed, exports as a share of the U.S, economy are at their highest point in one-half century. More recently, America’s resurgence in petroleum exports is redrawing the world’s energy map. Notably, Gaston County is home to several world textile industry leaders such as Parkdale Mills, Pharr Yarns, American & Efird and Firestone Fibers. Also, Daimler/Freightliner trucks has some of its manufacturing operations here and throughout the region as well. By 2020, U.S. exports, combined with production work that will likely be “re-shored” from China, could create 2.5 million to 5 million American factory and service jobs associated with increased manufacturing. More than half of executives at manufacturing companies with sales of more than $1 billion plan to return some production to the United States from China, or are considering it, according to the report. And while all of that is encouraging news, many experts warn that even as manufacturing returns to America, the jobs previously associated with the sector are not. This renewed production includes plenty of new machines, but few additional workers. The bottom line is the coming jobs will require a higher standard of technical and “soft” skills.

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E. Embracing Regionalism … Then Competing for Projects

No community stands alone when it comes to successful economic development. Corporations seeking the right location for new and expanded operations view potential sites from a much broader perspective. The more desirable the company, the more likely it is to consider the assets and liabilities of a multi-county region in making its final decision. In almost every instance, companies looking to locate new facilities or expand existing ones examine potential sites in terms of multi-county labor force size and skills, quality-of-life amenities and other factors. Those communities that effectively promote themselves as part of a larger area have a distinct advantage over those that don’t. There will naturally be instances when communities within a region ultimately wind up competing against each other for the same prospect, with each locality having its own specific identity, assets and limitations. But unless those communities initially market the collective region against other regions, the chances for local competition among them will be minimized. And wherever within that region a company locates, there will be some positive ramifications across that area. Even the “losers” within the regional competition win at some level. The definition of the region is growing, too. (See map.) This is an especially relevant point in Gaston County, with its 13 municipalities and geographic closeness to Charlotte. That proximity has been effectively used by Gaston County recruiters, who have emphasized such points as Charlotte-Douglas International Airport being much closer to many Gaston locations than those in Mecklenburg. That’s accurate, and that’s fair. Many of the residential, cultural and other amenities of Charlotte can also serve as assets in marketing Gaston. Charlotte also benefits from a strong relationship with Gaston County. There are many companies with a major Charlotte facility whose employees enjoy the lower cost of living and quality-of-life advantages of being outside the city proper. And as Charlotte has run short of developable industrial properties, the surrounding region has provided the critical inventory for the region to be successful. Call it the best of both worlds. To put it another way, both Mecklenburg and Gaston Counties benefit when there is a close coordination of their respective economic development efforts, and when

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each recognizes the benefits of a regional approach.

Nowhere is the dynamic of influx/outflow employment more apparent than in this set of statistics. There are 63,953 jobs in Gaston County, filled by residents and in-commuters. Some 57,000 Gaston County residents commute daily elsewhere (Charlotte). Approximately 31,000 workers commute here to Gaston County. Adding all three brings the number of Gaston County jobs and resident/commuters to almost 121,000.

Gaston County should use Charlotte as a major lure in attracting a company’s attention and then advance its own unique assets to close the deal. In that respect, Gaston is often competing against other area counties on both sides of the state line, and it must aggressively identify and clearly explain what we have to offer that the other counties do not.

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Findings and Recommendations When the Greater Gaston Development Corporation (GGDC) Trustees approved the Alliance for Growth planning initiative on August 5, 2014, finding the leadership of our seven study groups was the first priority. Then, over the subsequent 30 days, a team of knowledgeable and dedicated leaders was identified and recruited to help organize and serve as committee chairs or co-chairs. In no case were we refused. Then, committee members were recruited, meetings set and the process began. The first committee meeting was held September 12, and the final committee meeting on November 18. During these 66 days, 33 meetings were conducted as a significant amount of information was collected and analyzed. Following this initial phase, each committee participated in a Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats (SWOT) analysis. The next step was to suggest the most significant topics and finally comment on steps to implement them. Carroll Gray and associate Bill Millett then collaborated with committee leaders to construct a narrative and context for action while keeping in mind the trends that affect Gaston County. These priorities are a summary of both previous and new work. Together, they compile an agenda for growing Gaston County, but, unless implemented, remain an exercise in the notebook. The organizers, volunteers and facilitators hope the priorities become the basis of a phased series of actions beginning in 2015.

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A. Image/Marketing All of us constantly collect information from many sources, process and store for future reference. The more often those impressions are reinforced, these perceptions become fixed in our minds as “facts.” These facts or mental pictures of how we think and feel when a topic is discussed guide our decision making. Our committee began our assignment to determine if Gaston County’s slow growth was affected by how others perceive us. The Committee retained the market research firm Voccii to develop a questionnaire, compose a list of willing participants and conduct a statistically valid poll of Mecklenburg County residents, Gaston County residents and 15 developers who are active in the region’s economic growth. The polling occurred the week of October 6, 2014, and results were presented and explained to the Committee.

Findings: 1. Gaston County is threatened by maintaining the “status quo” Mecklenburg

perception as a stagnant, outdated backwater area of the region.

2. However, the above impression is NOT the majority opinion. Most Mecklenburg

residents have NO impression of Gaston County whatsoever. 3. More than 78% of Mecklenburg County residents have only “moderate” to “low” (or

no) knowledge of Gaston County. 4. Meanwhile, 58% of Gaston County residents see their home county as “positive,”

42% view Gaston County as “negative.” Therefore, Gaston’s image could benefit from better communications - on both sides of the Catawba River.

5. The important developers’ impressions of Gaston County are “negative.” A range of reasons were mentioned, but these perceptions effectively limit them from investing money here.

6. A lack of job opportunities is seen by County residents as a primary concern, while a lack of available, ready-to-sell land is the developers’ largest concern.

7. Gaston County’s two publicly funded promotion organizations (Economic Development Commission and Travel and Tourism) target their marketing dollars out of the Gaston market to fulfill their missions. Therefore, there is no “message” or “story” available to the Region or the State regarding the attributes of the County.

Recommendation 1: Convene key business and governmental leaders to: 1) identify the strengths of Gaston County; 2) create a strong and inspiring story about what and who we are; 3) craft a public/private funding model to extend for three or more years; and 4) implement, monitor, measure and report the effectiveness of the campaign.

Recommendation 2: In the spring of 2015, initiate relationship building activities to assist in delivery of the new Gaston “story.”

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B. Entrepreneur/Small Business

There are few subjects as thoroughly studied as the topic of small business assistance. Yet, there is a constant commentary that the small business is overlooked and/or ignored. Yet, for years, organizations have attempted to implement a broad array of services, many of which prove ineffective. Well-intentioned programs and services offered by Chambers of Commerce, business associations, community colleges and others fail to attract support and attendance from those who need it most because a lack of available time and/or perceived value. This dynamic presents a challenge to networking small businesses to be exposed to beneficial programming. And, generally speaking, small businesses don’t know what they don’t know. Therefore, communication from, to and between small business men and women is highly significant.

Finding: Gaston County has a rich history, as well as a number of currently active, successful entrepreneurs. These examples should be identified and featured in an effort to stimulate others to start their own business and/or encourage outside entrepreneurs to consider Gaston for their location or start-up.

Recommendation 1: Promote career biographies of Gaston’s entrepreneurs.

Finding: The Committee encountered the general impression that the small business person feels over-regulated by municipal governments. While the committee fully supports proper regulation for health and safety, small business persons often cite plans being dissected and analyzed beyond code. This perception can be pervasive in dissuading other new businesses and relocations from considering Gaston County.

Recommendation 2: Municipalities within Gaston County should employ helpful, consistent and reasonable zoning oversight when working with new and expanding businesses within their jurisdictions.

Finding: Several comments from small business men and women indicate a lack of readily available space, suitably located, to meet their needs. While there are numerous empty buildings throughout the County, the cost to rehabilitate that space for new uses is often prohibitive, effectively rendering them useless for small business needs. Gastonia, as well as nearby cities, have cooperated with the private sector to partner on commercial projects, such as Loray Mill in Gastonia for residential and commercial adaptive reuse, and the NEXT Center in Greenville, S.C., for small commercial uses. These are excellent examples of rehab space as these projects are succeeding and adding value to the tax base.

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Recommendation 3: Evaluate current and future needs for market-driven incubator.

Finding: The old sayings “birds of a feather flock together” or “like minds attract” are also applicable to innovative, creative, technology-driven companies. Most owners in this category have the desire to tweak their business models and grow outside the immediate area. As a result they create more jobs, add value to the tax base and contribute to economic growth. These entrepreneurs want and need to regularly confer and interact with their peers to collaborate over ideas and innovation. Often, this dynamic occurs outside of their business, in an environment conducive to mutual exchange.

Recommendation 4: Local Chambers of Commerce should identify such businesses among their memberships or within their immediate areas and facilitate discussion among them regarding helpful services and topics for conversation. This “virtual hub” could serve as the catalyst for redefining the value proposition of all Gaston County’s business related not-for-profits.

Finding: Gaston County’s location as central to the Charlotte Region is underdeveloped from a service-industry perspective. With the spring 2015 completion of I-485, no part of the region will be more than 45 minutes from downtown Gastonia.

Recommendation 5: Gaston Regional and Montcross chambers of commerce should partner to organize and administer a region-wide campaign to recruit service industries.

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C. Workforce Preparedness In the not-too-distant past, communities wanting to grow would promote cheap land, cheap labor, low taxes and a good road/rail system as reasons enough for business to locate within their boundaries. In that time, only a basic elementary education was needed. Like most things, having a prepared workforce today requires increased effort and costs more than in the past. Today, a high school diploma, computer skills and some additional education beyond high school is the norm to qualify for most jobs. In recognition of the fact that education can be either an asset or a liability, Gaston County needs a comprehensive vision for education to guide public and private efforts for the next decade. Gaston County Schools are faced every day with the assignment to provide both a basic education and deal with a variety of social concerns. Bright spots in our public school system include a graduation rate that has climbed from 68% to higher than 83% in recent years. The Highland School of Technology receives more than four times as many applicants as available slots and is recognized as one of the top high schools in North Carolina. Highland is the only school in Gaston County where every student is required to have a Career and Technical Education pathway. The new Stuart W. Cramer High School rivals any modern school campus in the state. All traditional high schools in Gaston County offer a significant number of programs included in the “Career Clusters” approved by the North Carolina Board of Education. Of great importance to parents is that the school district remains among the safest of North Carolina's 115 public school systems.

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Belmont Abbey, a highly regarded liberal arts college, offers quality education with high ethical standards. Almost 40% of each graduating class leaves with a business or business-related degree, and the Abbey is a key provider of certified teachers to the Gaston County Schools. There is a high interest on the part of college leadership for Belmont Abbey to be regarded as Gaston County's four-year college of choice. The college is developing a new concept for accelerating 21st century knowledge for effective use of information for individuals and teams using the "learning commons" concept. The Motorsport Management program implemented by the Abbey has been recognized as a unique and effective endeavor. Belmont Abbey is developing a financial model for higher education that depends totally on tuition and fees. Gaston College serves a wide variety of individual and business education needs offering post high school Associate’s degrees, certifications and specialized training either in partnership with the North Carolina Community College system, or custom training for business and industry. The Early College High School (cooperative effort with the Gaston County Schools) is a model for addressing student needs through a collaborative effort among educational entities. The college is responding to increasing demand for manufacturing skills by way of the Advanced Manufacturing Center concept. This new facility is set to open in 2016 and will provide a state-of-the-art facility that will

allow the college to better meet the workforce needs of the county.

Finding: There is a lack of appreciation of the value of education among Gaston County citizens. There is also a lack of awareness among students, parents and teachers as to the options available in the 21st century workplace and the skills and abilities needed to take advantage of these options. This lack of awareness leads to poor choices by students with some ending their education after high school graduation and others pursuing a four-year degree when there are better options for preparing them for entry into the workforce.

Recommendation 1: 1) Introduce workforce readiness concepts at the middle school level involving business community participation; 2) create an awareness campaign that promotes the value of education; and 3) offer students and teachers exposure to apprenticeships and internships in the 21st century workplace.

Finding: Gaston County Schools and Gaston College could reasonably claim, “we do more with less.” Based on data provided by the North Carolina Board of Education, for the 2012-2013 school year the Gaston County Schools ranked 114th out of 115 North Carolina school districts in per-pupil spending. The district has approximately $1,000 less per student to spend than does the average North Carolina school system. Given an enrollment of 31,000 students, that translates into a $31 million annual gap between where the district is and the average per-pupil expenditure in North Carolina. Gaston College has faced significant state operating fund cutbacks in recent years and has seen its capital funding reduced by the county. A lack of funding places great strain on

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education leadership and our students pay the price of less education in general and a limited variety of options in particular.

Recommendation 2: The Committee recommends that the Gaston County Legislative Delegation support budgets in the 2015-2017 biennium that restore basic needs funds cut from state education budgets and make salary improvement for teachers and college faculty a top priority. Also, we urge the Gaston County Commission to increase financial support for local schools to the extent possible.

Finding: Matching prospective employees with available jobs is a difficult task. The Career Readiness Certificate (CRC) provides one avenue of measure to give employers an assessment of an individual applicant's ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of a specific job. CRCs are recognized by some businesses in Gaston County and utilized to different degrees by others. The WorkKeys test used with the CRC program in Gaston County does not, however, provide information on the "soft" skills (attendance, punctuality, getting along with others, etc.). Business leaders indicate the lack of “soft” skills creates significant problems. A component that measures "soft" skills is available and could be added.

Recommendation 3: An awareness program be developed to provide businesses information about the CRC and its appropriate use in the recruitment and hiring process. Furthermore, the Committee recommends that use of the portion of the WorkKeys test that measures soft skills be explored.

Finding: Gaston College is the primary training partner of local business and industry. Anticipating industry needs is a primary role of the institution and the college has developed plans and has secured most of the funds for an Advanced Center for Manufacturing. It is imperative that this facility provide state-of-the-art equipment if it is to meet the short-term and long-term needs of Gaston County.

Recommendation 4: The Committee recommends that in order to make the Advanced Manufacturing Center operational, the estimated $450,000 needed to fully equip the facility be raised from both public and private sources. The Committee believes this training facility would add significant value to the county's goal to attract capital investment and jobs.

Finding: One important element of workforce preparedness is the concept of "one size does not fit all." A key to success in having a prepared workforce is matching jobs with the needs and interests of students. One missing component in the array of options available to students in Gaston County is a vocational/technical high school that focuses on manufacturing and trade programs. Such a facility, if meshed with advanced training opportunities at Gaston College, would be an asset to an overall workforce preparedness effort in Gaston County. Similar programs exist in Mecklenburg County,

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which has a technical high school and offers vocational training programs at North Mecklenburg High School and a specialized engineering program at Hopewell High School.

Recommendation 5: The Gaston County Board of Education should explore an option of a vocational high school that focuses on manufacturing and trade programs and provides students with the opportunity to go directly into the workplace or to further their education in a community college or four-year college or university.

Finding: Because of the importance of workforce preparedness, the Committee believes that there should be an on-going effort to maintain focus on Gaston County preparing and maintaining a skilled workforce. It is imperative that business leaders, educators, and government officials continually monitor how well the community is meeting its workforce needs and recommend needed changes.

Recommendation 6: Gaston County establish a permanent group (similar to the Spartanburg Academic Movement - SAM) to provide ongoing and collaborative leadership for workforce preparedness programs.

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D. New/Expanded Recruiting During the past 20 years, the Gaston County Economic Development Commission (EDC) has conducted a recognized manufacturing recruiting program. In 2013, Gaston County ranked fourth-highest among North Carolina counties in capital investment, totaling more than $200 million. These investors (at least $1 million) include Belmont Abbey College, Beverly Knits, Carolina Care Center of Cherryville, Daimler Truck North America, CaroMont Health, Loray Mill, Loray Mill Redevelopment/Camden Partners, Mountain Island Charter School, Owens Corning, Tractor Supply, US Leisure, ImageMark and Affinia. Funding for the EDC comes primarily from Gaston County. Annual operating expenses for professional staff is approximately $1.1 million, although the EDC budget includes another $700,000 for incentive payments to companies that qualified for the cash grant incentives program. The GGDC makes a $55,000 contribution to the EDC to cover some recruiting costs. The EDC board has 14 members and is appointed by the Gaston County Commission. Both the EDC and staff report to the County Manager. At present, there are five EDC staff, headed by Donny Hicks as chief executive. Functions include recruiting manufacturing and related, local industry relations, and research and site development. The EDC staff has earned a reputation as an effective recruiter of manufacturing clients, as indicated by the companies previously noted. The EDC also manages a local industry contact effort, designed to maintain communications with the manufacturing community to be aware of and assist in resolving any issue of concern regarding maintaining and/or growing their operations in Gaston County. A majority of new business leads come from the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Regional Partnership. The remainder comes from referrals and staff-generated leads. The EDC staff participates in state and/or regional partnership marketing trips and promotes Gaston County in certain industry publications and websites. Recruiting new business and assisting industry expansions in the Charlotte market has positive and negative aspects. The “good” is hundreds of leads per year seek more information about the Charlotte region. The “negative” is intense competition from other counties. As part of Gaston County’s recruiting strategy, the EDC and the Gaston County Commission have offered county-owned land at little or no cost. Indeed, most counties adjacent to or within the second ring around Mecklenburg offer no-cost land. In 2008 and 2009, projects were few and far between. Since then, with additional land improvements (grading and testing) and a better economy, the Gaston Technology Park has attracted six tenants. County-wide, an additional eight clients located here with EDC assistance. The market continues on an upward trend and Gaston County is in a

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position to continue benefitting from business growth. However, the Committee believes there are some changes and improvements that, if made, can accelerate the number of business investments and jobs here.

Finding: Recent activity in the manufacturing sector has absorbed most of the time of the EDC staff. However, the committee believes other business expansion clients could be served as well, such as major mixed use and/or major retail projects.

Recommendation 1: EDC and staff make known its interest in facilitating all capital investments that will expand our tax base.

Finding: Future success of the EDC is largely dependent on developing more sites and buildings as “inventory to sell.” This topic is dealt with in another section of this report, but is also identified by the New/Expanded Recruiting Committee as critical.

Finding: Manufacturing, office, retail and other capital investment projects should be a team effort to ensure greatest success. In some ways, the EDC staff tends to “go it alone.” While client confidentiality is paramount to any recruiting effort, Gaston County has top business leaders with national and international reputations who are willing to volunteer on a stand-by basis to assist in “closing” the sale. The EDC board could fulfill that aspect as could non-board business leaders. Likely a signed non-disclosure agreement would be a requirement to participate.

Recommendation 2: The EDC board identify and train local leaders “closing team” to be available to meet with business prospects and sell the county on an as-needed basis.

Finding:

Also, there is another committee dealing with Gaston County’s image. But how we are perceived by others of significance affects the number of clients who are interested in Gaston County. We believe a new and better story must be crafted and communicated to the region, the state, to developers and to current and future clients.

Finding: A vital part of relationship marketing is credibility and ongoing communications. Several years ago, the EDC hosted key local, regional and state “allies.” Our business friends and associates must think of Gaston County when opportunities arise. There is no better way to deliver a message than face-to-face.

Recommendation 3: We encourage the EDC to plan and conduct key allies events beginning in Spring 2015 to showcase Gaston County’s assets and enhance personal relationships for mutual benefit.

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Finding: Another committee of the Alliance for Growth is dealing with the need for a County/City infrastructure fund, but our Committee adds another reason to accomplish this goal. Specifically, the Committee learned that a State “certified” site is the most attractive for business development because all questions are answered up front and is ready for immediate purchase. However, there is a cost to complete the certification process, which could amount to $30,000 or more, a financial hardship for the land owner to absorb.

Recommendation 4: Gaston County government should include funds in its Infrastructure Fund to assist private property owners to defray the costs of State certification of their land as development-ready.

Finding: The County appoints local citizens to serve on the Economic Development Commission for specified terms. There is the assumption and perception that the EDC board provides oversight and policy direction for the EDC staff, which, in turn, carries out the County’s economic development program. However, there is confusion about what role and responsibility the EDC board actually has and what is expected of the County appointees. An informed and engaged EDC board can add considerable assistance and clout to the overall work of the EDC staff.

Recommendation 5: The EDC board’s leadership should meet with County management and the County Commission to resolve in detail the EDC board’s role and authority to oversee the programs and strategies of the County’s recruitment program.

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E. Growth Regulatory

Critical roles of local governments are to organize and deliver services for safety, infrastructure (roads, water and sewer), education and health as well as collect enough tax revenues to cover costs. In this context, Gaston’s 13 municipalities and Gaston County are well served by dedicated and knowledgeable staff, who gives value above and beyond requirements. As the State, County and municipalities have grown and evolved, the complexity of the regulatory environment has increased. From a development perspective, understanding and complying with these various governmental levels are often confusing and frustrating. The Growth Regulatory Committee was organized to analyze how well this system works to guide and direct a business (or an individual) effectively and as quickly as possible through the County and municipal maze of ordinances and codes while helping the “customer” feel respected and accommodated at his or her lowest possible cost. Gaston County’s 14 governmental jurisdictions add even more complexity for the business investor. There is a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), but only four of the 13 municipalities use these guidelines. On the other hand, the County essentially enforces state-mandated laws. At the municipal level, approvals are needed for zoning, plans review, ordinance compliance and inspections, storm water control, fire protection and more. The City of Gastonia has taken the lead in creating a weekly Technical Review Committee (TRC) process, as all departments meet jointly with any business developer or representative who would like to build something in the city. This informal but collective review program provides the applicants with commentary on their plans, suggesting changes needed to comply and move through the Gastonia building development system. The City also makes good use of technology, which facilitates information flow internally and externally, effectively speeding up the approvals. From the business perspective, the quicker the better as “time is money.” While City and County staff department heads are dedicated to good customer service, the overall development approvals system needs a higher level of governmental cooperation and better internal and external communications.

Finding: The current version of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) was first adopted by the City of Gastonia, Gaston County, Bessemer City and Lowell in 2008 and 2009. Other municipalities continue to manage growth with their own set of rules. Over the years, there have been changes, largely staff driven, to the UDO. However, in the current economy, the committee believes a more systematic review of the UDO could accelerate growth.

Recommendation 1: Initiate a complete review of the UDO involving key staff, elected officials and representatives of the building development industry.

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Finding: Most regulatory employees approach their assignment with a professional and helpful attitude. They understand that capital investment, whether an individual or business, expands the tax value of their jurisdiction, which, in turn, reduces the tax burden for everyone. However, there are examples at municipal levels in which staff will require changes to plans above and beyond ordinance requirements in order to gain approval. Sometimes these amendments are required by the ordinance, at other times they appear arbitrary. In these cases, the extra requirements result in delay and increase costs of the project, and can endanger the project altogether. The Committee believes municipal staffs and the appointed citizen boards should require the developer or business applicant to meet the requirements of the code, period. However, to add requirements beyond the code increases costs, complicates the process and raises questions of fairness and legality.

Recommendation 2: City and/or County regulatory staff and appointed boards should require proposed projects to meet code and refrain from preferential negotiations beyond adopted requirements.

Finding: County building code and inspection staff are moving toward a customer-friendly process of the application approval, having recently created the Small Business Project Manager position in addition to other steps already taken to shorten the approval process. Now, County staff meets with the “client” and offers counsel for preparing an application and sequencing departmental approvals, in effect, serving as an internal advocate. To further improve and shorten approvals, the County staff needs an upgrade in technology, especially software, putting the county building inspection function on the same technological platform as the City of Gastonia.

Recommendation 3: City and County continue to improve their customer service focus and include vital technology needs in their FY 2015-2016 budget plans.

Finding: As previously referenced, the City of Gastonia convenes all department heads (or representatives) each week to offer free, informal development plans review. This process creates a virtual “one stop” and provides a clear picture of what is needed to prepare the application for fast approvals. The County should consider starting a version of this Technical Review Committee, resulting in a positive interface experience between the County and applicant. The recently added Small Business Project Manager is a step in the right direction.

Recommendation 4: Gaston County Building Inspections Department should initiate its own version of an informal, regularly scheduled technical review group to meet with applicants, explain the required process and facilitate quick approvals.

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F. Sites/Buildings/Infrastructure An inventory of ready-to-sell sites and buildings is basic to accommodating local business growth as well as effectively recruiting new business. And Gaston County’s inventory of shovel-ready sites is low. Given the lead time and costs associated with site development, this low inventory is likely to negatively affect Gaston County’s ability to attract growth. In effect, we are “painted into a corner” on fully serviced and “certified” sites. Currently (November 2014) there are 20 acres (two sites) remaining in the County-owned Technology Park and 40 acres of County-owned sites at Southridge Business Park. Also at Southridge Business Park, there are 220 acres of private land. The Oaks Commerce Center contains 130 acres of fully serviced, privately owned land. There is a 164 acre site at the King’s Mountain exit off I-85 that has utilities, but no access road. And the 325 acre Lineberger site on I-85 between Exits 21 and 22 has nearby utilities, but limited access. Beyond these specific properties, options are few. One reason for limited site options was the economic slowdown during the recession. Another contributing factor is County and EDC policy of offering County-owned land to new industry prospects at below market value or at no cost. Acreage for the Gaston Technology Park was purchased by Gaston County in the late 1990s. For longer than a decade, Rochling was the sole tenant, but in the past three years, six companies have located there. The nation’s economic recovery combined with site preparation (certification), plus County policy of no-cost land, were significant factors in generating interest. Significantly, other counties in the region - including Cleveland, Lincoln, Catawba, York and Iredell - offer land at minimal or no cost to the prospective industrial client. The EDC believes this competition forces Gaston County to include a free site as well. Some developers are convinced that most of the companies currently located in the Gaston Technology Park would not be there if free land wasn’t included as an incentive. The EDC believes the value to the County from the construction of buildings and jobs, and above ground improvements justify the donated land policy. However, during the same timeframe, eight companies chose Gaston County without free land as a closing incentive. Recently, Bürkert Control Systems announced it would invest $23 million to build a campus on 94 acres of previously privately owned land it acquired in Huntersville in Mecklenburg County. And more than two years ago, energy technology giant ABB acquired 23 acres in Commerce Station, an industrial park in Huntersville jointly owned by the towns of Huntersville, Davidson and Cornelius, for which it paid $891,000. Its plant is now fully operational.

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Once the 60 acres of property between Gaston Technology Park and Southridge Commerce Center are absorbed by new or expanding business, the County will have no public land available for development, assuming no additional County purchases. As effective as the County land policy has been, it competes directly with privately owned land in the County, driving down the market value. The Committee makes the following observations:

The County land is almost gone;

Overall, the U.S. and Charlotte region’s economy is improving;

The market for land is growing tighter resulting in increasing land prices; and

Improved conditions make the cost of infrastructure improvements to privately owned land more desirable from a return on investment perspective.

Finding: Gaston County’s elected leaders and staff have considerable expertise in recruiting manufacturing clients. But in terms of marketing Gaston County, the Committee believes the time is right for the County and EDC to conclude the free land policy. Available revenues could be directed to a new policy to work with private land owners to assist in bringing their land to market via strategic infrastructure investments and improvements.

Recommendation 1: The timing is right for the County to evolve current land purchase/donated policy to a public/private model.

Finding: A spec building draws inquires, inquiries lead to locations, and the cycle repeats. The local and regional development community received mixed signals in 2012 from Gaston County on public/private cooperation in the wake of the defeat of the Garden Parkway. Developers have understandable concerns about Gaston County’s views on growth and therefore many choose to invest in Cabarrus, Union, Iredell, Lincoln, York or Lancaster, where governmental signals are clearer and they believe their investment risk is lower. This analysis leads the Committee to urge public and private interests to encourage developers to invest in Gaston County. A spec building in the 75,000 to 100,000 square-foot range or more would change the dialogue about investment prospects here.

Recommendation 2: The public and private communities should immediately work with land owners and developers to construct one or more spec buildings.

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Finding: Several years ago, EDC staff analyzed a number of privately owned lands coupled with an estimate of development costs required to make those properties “sell-ready” or certified by North Carolina Department of Commerce. This analysis should be updated. When this research is complete, a data bank of land/prices should be created and distributed widely to local and regional developers.

Recommendation 3: The EDC should update development costs needed to obtain “certified” sites status on selected properties and to create, maintain and make this information available.

Finding: (This topic is also addressed by the Transportation/Access Committee.) There are a number of large tracts that would make excellent sites for manufacturing, office or flex space provided water and sewer were available and the sites were better serviced by access roads. Large tracts exist along U.S. 321 North and to the west of N.C. 16. Both sites would greatly benefit from new interchanges at strategic points. Discussions should begin as soon as possible with land owners and local and State elected officials about how to fund these vital improvements to Gaston County land. It should be noted that Lincoln County borders Gaston County immediately north along both U.S. 321 and N.C. 16. Commuters to the Lincoln County Industrial Park drive daily through Gaston County, but because of the lack of infrastructure, the County’s potential commercial and industrial sites remain unavailable.

Recommendation 4: The Two Rivers Utilities and the City of Gastonia should create a county-wide infrastructure plan to provide water/sewer and reasonable access to parts of the County with highest job development potential as indicated by the EDC Board.

Finding: (The subject of Gaston County’s image is addressed by the Image/Marketing Committee.) This committee firmly believes a poor image, or a lack of an image, directly affects how business clients and developers perceive Gaston, which affects their

investment decisions. Therefore, the County’s image does matter. We know pride exists throughout and for Gaston County. Let’s begin telling the real story of Gaston County as soon as possible.

Recommendation 5: The private and public interests in a better image of Gaston County should initiate a public campaign aimed at targeted markets and individuals.

Finding: The Committee believes Gaston County’s location on I-85, the main commerce corridor between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, is greatly underutilized. Gaston County is also favorably located to I-485, I-77, U.S. 321 and I-40. Additionally, it is Charlotte-Douglas International Airport’s closest neighbor. With these abundant transportation assets, Gaston has the ability to appeal to the automotive industry here (Daimler), just 70 miles west in Greenville/Spartanburg (BMW and Michelin), to Charleston, S.C. (Boeing,

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Bosch) and Greensboro (HondaJet) as potential sites for their current/future supplier networks.

Recommendation 6: The EDC should develop a business case for Gaston County to serve supplier needs of the large manufacturers, especially in the automotive and aerospace industries, such as BMW, Michelin, Daimler, Boeing and HondaJet.

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E. Transportation/Access

Given that I-85 is the Southeast’s “Main Street” and Gaston County taps into this busy artery with 11 interchanges, one might think transportation is a clear advantage, fueling local and regional growth. But because of a half-dozen municipalities at various interchanges and relatively condensed land uses surrounding these access points, coupled with the Catawba River barrier to the east, lack of transportation access is one of the primary impediments to Gaston County’s growth. There are positive factors within this overall scenario. Well understood and utilized by Gaston County businesses and residents is the proximity to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. From virtually any spot in the County, the nation’s 12th busiest airport - anticipated to rank among the top 10 by 2016 - is an easy, 30-minute (or less) drive, along I-85, N.C. 27 or U.S. 74 East/Wilkinson Boulevard. This fact alone, if more widely known, would help accelerate business investment here. Beginning in January 2015, the North Carolina Department of Transportation will begin the redesign and reconstruction of the I-85/U.S. 321 interchange. This three-year project will greatly improve traffic flow along U.S. 321 North, a growing manufacturing corridor. At the same time, this project will greatly enhance access and appearance of the “front door” to Gastonia’s downtown. Unfortunately, this is the only significant project on the State’s Transportation Improvement Program list, the next being widening of I-85 from Exit 17 to Exit 26 (U.S. 321), set to begin in 2024. With the completion of I-485 in spring 2015, a 67-mile loop interstate along the edges of Mecklenburg County, Gaston County’s transportation prospects brighten. This final piece allows a 30 minute drive to UNC-Charlotte from downtown Gastonia, bringing the region’s research university as close, in terms of drive time, as downtown Charlotte. But traffic congestion to and from Mecklenburg County has reached standstill conditions during the morning and afternoon peaks. This condition will significantly worsen over the next decade. As U.S. 74 and N.C. 27 are the only alternatives, this impedes Gaston County’s ability to provide safety and to connect with the international airport and the recently opened Norfolk-Southern intermodal hub at the airport. With the continuing growth in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, there is mounting market pressure for land for office and commercial space here. This increased demand will result in more investment and more traffic movement, which, in turn will add to current congestion. Aggressive policy of State and local government to facilitate land-to-market is highly needed. Local business leaders should anticipate and take advantage of these growth pressures in Charlotte-Mecklenburg to attract the capital investment to Gaston. Failure to keep local streets and roads in good condition will limit economic development opportunity, effectively yielding growth to Cabarrus and York Counties.

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Finding: Gaston County has no widely supported transportation vision. Such a vision would provide a fact-based approach to making local interstate, bridge and road needs more widely understood and supported. The Committee feels strongly that while there are “flagship” needs in the County, there are other less publicized needs as well. The process of developing transportation vision would involve continuing demand for road improvements and provide much needed advocacy to and with elected officials.

Recommendation 1: All Gaston municipalities and County governments authorize a county-wide transportation study to update current and projected data and prioritize needs.

Finding: While many citizens of Gaston County are advocates for the failed Garden Parkway project, the committee accepts the fact this project is not on the State’s plan. And without the Federal and State governments creating new revenue sources for road construction to supplement the declining gas tax, the Parkway project is not viable. However, as the committee learned the details of the Norfolk-Southern intermodal hub at the airport, there is growing interest in seeking local and state approval to fund another bridge across the Catawba River to facilitate economic growth, safety and access.

Recommendation 2: Develop a fact-based case for an additional bridge across the Catawba River between Gaston County and Mecklenburg County and organize community support for the concept.

Finding: In order to fund road improvement projects, the City of Gastonia and other municipalities need a local revenue source to construct and maintain projects of benefit to the citizens and business community alike. The North Carolina Department of Transportation encourages local revenue support, and if local revenues are committed to a State road project, the State will return 50% of the local money to local governments to use on other road needs. Plus, there’s a glowing example of the power of local revenues in the York County, S.C. “Pennies for Progress” program. That program has been supported by the voters in three successive referenda. The most recent vote was approved by an overwhelming 82% of voters. That local revenue availability has already resulted in more than $400 million in road improvements, and a total of $645 million in improvements are projected by the end of the third funding cycle in 2020. York County understands the power of local action and its economic growth is a testament to its foresight. Gaston County can do it as well.

Recommendation 3: Gastonia and other municipalities in conjunction with Gaston County government seek legislation to authorize a sales tax referendum for roads.

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Finding: Good transportation planning and investment leads directly to economic growth. Two examples of lack of planning are U.S. 321 and N.C. 16. There are large tracts of developable land on both four-lane divided highways with easy connections to I-85 and to I-485, but there are no direct access points to either tract. Lincoln County abuts to Gaston County on both highways, and the growth occurring in Lincoln County is impressive. Lincoln County’s land is more accessible from U.S. 321 and N.C. 16. Two new Gaston County interchanges are needed there to facilitate economic investment and job growth.

Recommendation 4: Business and government should work through the Gaston-Cleveland-Lincoln Metropolitan Planning Organization to promote two new interchanges on U.S. 321 and N.C. 16 in Gaston County.

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Summary of Recommendations

Image/Marketing:

1. Convene key business and governmental leaders to: 1) identify the strengths of

Gaston County; 2) create a strong and inspiring story about what and who we are; 3) craft a public/private funding model to extend for three or more years; and 4) implement, monitor, measure and report the effectiveness of the campaign.

2. In the spring of 2015, initiate relationship building activities to assist in delivery of the new Gaston “story.”

Entrepreneur/Small Business:

1. Promote career biographies of Gaston’s entrepreneurs. 2. Municipalities within Gaston County should employ helpful, consistent and

reasonable zoning oversight when working with new and expanding businesses within their jurisdictions.

3. Evaluate current and future needs for market-driven incubator. 4. Local Chambers of Commerce should identify such businesses among their

memberships or within their immediate areas and facilitate discussion among them regarding helpful services and topics for conversation. This “virtual hub” could serve as the catalyst for redefining the value proposition of all Gaston County’s business related not-for-profits.

5. Gaston Regional and Montcross chambers of commerce should partner to organize and administer a region-wide campaign to recruit service industries.

Workforce Preparedness:

1. Introduce workforce readiness concepts at the middle school level involving

business community participation; 2) create an awareness campaign that promotes the value of education; and 3) offer students and teachers exposure to apprenticeships and internships in the 21st century workplace.

2. The Committee recommends that the Gaston County Legislative Delegation support budgets in the 2015-2017 biennium that restore basic needs funds cut from state education budgets and make salary improvement for teachers and college faculty a top priority. Also, we urge the Gaston County Commission to increase financial support for local schools to the extent possible.

3. An awareness program be developed to provide businesses information about the CRC and its appropriate use in the recruitment and hiring process. Furthermore, the Committee recommends that use of the portion of the WorkKeys test that measures soft skills be explored.

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4. The Committee recommends that in order to make the Advanced Manufacturing Center operational, the estimated $450,000 needed to fully equip the facility be raised from both public and private sources. The Committee believes this training facility would add significant value to the county's goal to attract capital investment and jobs.

5. The Gaston County Board of Education should explore an option of a vocational high school that focuses on manufacturing and trade programs and provides students with the opportunity to go directly into the workplace or to further their education in a community college or four-year college or university.

6. Gaston County establish a permanent group (similar to the Spartanburg Academic Movement - SAM) to provide ongoing and collaborative leadership for workforce preparedness programs.

New/Expanded Recruiting:

1. EDC and staff make known its interest in facilitating all capital investments that will expand our tax base.

2. The EDC board identify and train local leaders “closing team” to be available to meet with business prospects and sell the county on an as-needed basis.

3. We encourage the EDC to plan and conduct key allies events beginning in spring 2015 to showcase Gaston County’s assets and enhance personal relationships for mutual benefit.

4. Gaston County government should include funds in its Infrastructure Fund to assist private property owners to defray the costs of State certification of their land as development-ready.

5. The EDC board’s leadership should meet with County management and the County Commission to resolve in detail the EDC board’s role and authority to oversee the programs and strategies of the County’s recruitment program.

Growth Regulatory:

1. Initiate a complete review of the UDO involving key staff, elected officials and

representatives of the building development industry. 2. City and/or County regulatory staff and appointed boards should require proposed

projects to meet code and refrain from preferential negotiations beyond adopted requirements.

3. City and County continue to improve their customer service focus and include vital technology needs in their FY 2015-2016 budget plans.

4. Gaston County Building Inspections Department should initiate its own version of an informal, regularly scheduled technical review group to meet with applicants, explain the required process and facilitate quick approvals.

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Sites/Buildings/Infrastructure:

1. The timing is right for the County to evolve current land purchase/donated policy to a public/private model.

2. The public and private communities should immediately work with land owners and developers to construct one or more spec buildings.

3. The EDC should update development costs needed to obtain “certified” sites status on selected properties and to create, maintain and make this information available.

4. The Two Rivers Utilities and the City of Gastonia should create a county-wide infrastructure plan to provide water/sewer and reasonable access to parts of the County with highest job development potential as indicated by the EDC Board.

5. The private and public interests in a better image of Gaston County should initiate a public campaign aimed at targeted markets and individuals.

6. The EDC should develop a business case for Gaston County to serve supplier needs of the large manufacturers, especially in the automotive and aerospace industries, such as BMW, Michelin, Daimler, Boeing and HondaJet.

Transportation/Access:

1. All Gaston municipalities and County governments authorize a county-wide

transportation study to update current and projected data and prioritize needs. 2. Develop a fact-based case for an additional bridge across the Catawba River

between Gaston County and Mecklenburg County and organize community support for the concept.

3. Gastonia and other municipalities in conjunction with Gaston County government seek legislation to authorize a sales tax referendum for roads.

4. Business and government should work through the Gaston-Cleveland-Lincoln Metropolitan Planning Organization to promote two new interchanges on U.S. 321 and N.C. 16 in Gaston County.

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Ideas for Future Analysis Topics mentioned during the Alliance for Growth discussions worth additional consideration:

Organize venture capital group

Craft and implement “second chance” employment certification

Ask Governor/Secretary of Commerce to clarify and stabilize business recruiting model

Request local legislative delegation to find better funding source for roads construction/maintenance

All municipalities in County to consider adopting similar growth regulatory ordinances

Assist Belmont Abbey College’s launch of “Learning Commons” concept

Local governments confer on money-saving ideas through cooperation

Identify ways to promote growth of CaroMont Health

Leverage Gastonia/private investors’ cooperation on Artspace project

Business leaders and elected officials hold annual conference to set goals for growth

High schools incorporate courses in ethics and life skills for students

Special Thanks Producing a report of this nature requires the efforts and cooperation of many people. Special appreciation to the investors in the Greater Gaston Development Corporation and the founding directors/officers Bob Clay, Andy Warlick, Doug Luckett and Fred Jackson. Also, the committee chairs and co-chairs Don Harrison, Brad Rivers, Regina Moody, Tim Efird, Reeves McGlohon, Robert Browne, Elaine Lyerly, Andy Warlick, John Lowery, Gerald Sosebee and Mike Stanforth. Also, Ann Hoscheit, Earl Mathers, Rick Houser, Ted Hall, Kim Price and Wes Bumgardner as well as Donny Hicks, Devin Swindall, Malissa Gordon of the EDC and Walter Israel and Emily Carpenter of Travel and Tourism, GGDC assistant Joyce Hannon, copy editor Andrew Warfield and the 105 volunteers who served many hours on our committees.

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Appendix:

Committee Rosters Research

Voccii Image Survey Summary Learning Commons at Belmont Abbey College

Bios - Carroll Gray, Bill Millett

Learning Commons at Belmont Abbey College

Libraries have long been vital actors in economic development, dating back to the era of Andrew Carnegie. He felt so strongly about the link between his own library research and business success that he donated much of his personal fortune to building new libraries in cities and towns across the U.S. Since the technological revolution of personal computers and the internet, that linkage has grown even stronger. Libraries have stayed on the leading edge of this revolution, in moving from print journals to online databases, and investing in large eBook collections even as print book collections have continued to grow.

Most college graduates now enter a different workplace than their counterparts in earlier times. They often find themselves working in groups or teams: from product development teams to project management teams. Such teams spend much time and energy gathering, analyzing, and distributing data and information using various technologies. To prepare college students for this kind of competitive knowledge economy, libraries have also evolved their patterns of service delivery, from the old reactive model of the “reference library” to new proactive models called the “Information Commons” (IC) and “Learning Commons” (LC).

In brief, an IC may be defined as being library-centered, featuring a cluster of network access points and associated IT tools situated in the context of physical, digital, human, and social resources organized in support of learning. At some point an IC often goes through a transition to become an LC when its resources are organized in collaboration with learning initiatives co-sponsored by other academic units beyond the library (such as a Writing Center), and aligned with learning outcomes defined through a cooperative process.

In the library expansion now under discussion at Belmont Abbey College, we have skipped the IC phase and moved directly to the development of a Learning Commons. This actually started in 2009, when we received a $100,000 LSTA grant to convert the former Reference Room into a proactive Learning Commons with 38 computers and a fully integrative instructional space for faculty and students. The result has been a doubling of usage, with all workstations in use at peak periods and with faculty bringing numerous classes into the LC for specialized research instruction by skilled librarians.

This surge in demand has prompted Belmont Abbey College to begin advance planning for an even more ambitious Learning Commons expansion that would double the existing floor space, incorporate even more advanced technologies such as interactive display walls and 3D printers, and fashion multiple labs and collaboration spaces where our distinguished faculty can help students experience integrative learning in those group process and teamwork environments that modern business and manufacturing enterprises value so highly. We also envision this Learning Commons as a welcoming space and catalyst for community investment meetings and activities, and as a dynamic showcase for the potential growth and expansion of business and manufacturing enterprises in Gastonia, Belmont, and the entire Gaston County community.

Investors

Allen Tate Realty, Angela Dole

Alliance Bank and Trust, Don Harrison

American & Efird, Fred Jackson

AT&T, Todd Lanham

BB&T, Susan Briggs

BBSI, Sheree Hall

Belmont, City of, Barry Webb

Carolina Trust Bank, Chuck Long

CaroMont Health, Doug Luckett

Charlotte Paint, Doug Bess

Cherry, Bekaert, & Holland, LLP, Jim Ratchford

Coldwell Banker Commercial MECA, Bob Clay

CommunityOne Bank, Barry Phillips

David Belk Cannon Foundation, Frank Matthews

David Belk Cannon Foundation, Gene Matthews

Dole Foods, Dan Doyle

Duke Energy, Tim Gause

Firestone Fibers & Textiles, Fred Padgett

Gaston College, Pat Skinner

Gaston County, Earl Mathers

Gaston County Schools, Jeff Booker

Gaston Gazette, Lucy Talley

Gastonia, City of, John Bridgeman

Gastonia, City of, Ed Munn

GSM Services, Joel Long

Holy Angels Services, Inc., Regina Moody

Lyerly Agency, Elaine and Melia Lyerly

McCannon, Rogers, Driscoll & Associates, LLP,

Steve Driscoll

Mount Holly, City of, Bryan Hough

Park Sterling Bank, Dan Boyd

Parkdale Mills, Andy Warlick

Pharr Yarns, LLC, Bill Carstarphen

PNC Bank, John Forgan

Precision Machine Products, Robert Blalock

PSNC Energy, George Ratchford

PSU, Tim Blackwell

Roechling Engineering Plastics, Lew Carter

Seven Oaks Farm LLC, Harding Stowe

Standard Distributors Inc., Tim Efird

Summit Eye Associates, Ann Hoscheit

Ultra, Frank Stewart

Watson Insurance Agency, Inc., Tom Watson

WealthPlan Financial Partners, John Lowery

Wells Fargo, Bill Ingram

Wilbert Plastic Services, Greg Botner

Carroll D. Gray Gray currently serves as Executive Director of Greater Gaston Development Corporation, which began in July 2014. He is owner of Carroll Gray and Associates, which provides custom growth strategies for Chambers of Commerce, businesses and local governments, primarily in the southeastern United States. For 22 years, from 1984 to 2006, Gray filled the role of President of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. As the organization’s chief professional, he was a constant advocate of public and private solutions in partnership with the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and regional allies. Key goals were pursuit of expanded and new business, local, state and Federal governmental cooperation and quality of life factors influencing the Charlotte Region’s rapid expansion.

During his tenure, Charlotte and Mecklenburg County attracted more than 200,000 jobs and $15 billion in private investment, doubled its population and was recognized as the top region in the United States for 20 years (1993–2013) in attracting and keeping businesses. In prior roles, Gray served as President of the Greenville, S.C. Chamber of Commerce (1976–1984), a time during which the Chamber was the most active and largest in the state. From 1971 to 1976, he served as President for the Gainesville, Fla. Chamber of Commerce, working to advance the interests of businesses in a largely college town.

Bill Millett Bill Millett established Charlotte, N.C.-based Scope View Strategic Advantage in 1995 after a career in economic development, including serving as Executive Director of two regional councils of governments in South Carolina, VP of Development for the Greenville, S.C. Chamber of Commerce, Senior VP for Economic Development for the Charlotte Chamber and Principal for Development at a major architectural practice.

His company delivers substantial and sustainable value to private, nonprofit and public clients in a broad range of organizational and business development areas. Those include strategic planning and implementation, needs assessment, change anticipation and positioning, board and staff development, site location and product differentiation.

While Scope View’s work initially centered in the Carolinas and Virginia, its client base now includes organizations in 20 states across the country as well as Washington, D.C. Among the clients are corporations, architectural firms, professional associations, a diverse range of not-for-profits, governmental agencies and economic development groups.

In an era of ever accelerating change, virtually all organizations face highly challenging circumstances, with significant competition in even the nonprofit sector. Scope View provides more than just technical assistance; it develops and helps implement initiatives that give a competitive advantage to those for whom it works.