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Fourth quarter of '06 a rocky ride for TEDC
By Justin Jones: justin_jones@terrelltribune.com
October to December were busy and at times unfortunate months for the Terrell Economic Development Corp.
According to the TEDC's quarterly report, during that three-month span, the organization looked into a land project for a new business park, successfully resumed the Work in Terrell program and received an increase in annual funding from $72,000 to $175,000.
Also during those months, Precisionaire decided to relocate its business and Helwig Trucking Co. opted not to move to Terrell, which also received a request for proposal from one of the nation's largest site locators.
With the Metrocrest Business and Airport Business parks both at least 90 percent developed with no rail sites available, the report stated, as part of the economic development strategic plan existing business parks were reviewed and recommendations were made concerning the development of a new business park.
A potential site for the rail-served park would have been on property east of Terrell. However, after a contract was developed for the property with a review period, the owner - after months of work by TEDC - deemed the contract unacceptable, according to the report, which also said at this time TEDC is not pursuing additional locations.
After successfully creating the Work in Terrell program in 2001 and filling more than 95 percent of all job vacancies, the Terrell Chamber of Commerce, TEDC, the city of Terrell and the North Central Texas Workforce reimplemented the program in June 2006.
During the first six months, the program held two, two-day job fairs totaling more than 1,600 participants.
The TEDC also recently received the 2007 Workforce Development Best Practice award for the Work in Terrell program. It was the second time the Work in Terrell program won the award.
Terrell also received a request for proposal from one of the nation's largest site locators during the three months for a project that included two manufacturing facilities dealing with the production of parts for the aerospace industry.
The request, the report stated, was received directly from the consultant as well as the Governor's Office of Economic Development.
More than 40 cities responded and over a several week period and numerous elimination rounds Terrell was included in the final four Texas cities under consideration.
However, according to the report, Texas as a whole was eliminated from consideration but the consultant was very complimentary of Terrell's responses and promised to include the city in future projects.
Following the massive fire that destroyed majority of Precisionaire's manufacturing company, TEDC was pursuing efforts to relocate and build a new facility in Metrocrest Business Park.
According to the report, a proposal was made to provide land for a new facility along with a small incentive package but the company, located at Farm-to-Market Road 148 and U.S. Highway 80, decided to relocate partially to Dallas and Mexico.
The Staubach Group is now marketing the property and the report stated the company has met with interested parties in regard to Terrell's residential growth.
Like Precisionaire, Helwig also decided do business elsewhere, only it never was located in Terrell.
Discussions began in July 2006 to bring the refrigerated trucking business to Terrell at a trucking terminal in Metrocrest Business Park and the project was approved by TEDC in September and the City Council in October.
After City Council approved the proposal, work proceeded for the next several months, the report stated, before Helwig announced the business wasn't coming to Terrell, instead intending to locate in Rockwall.
According to the report, had the trucking business moved to Terrell, it would have added millions of dollars to the tax rolls because of the value of the trucks and trailers.
According to the TEDC's quarterly report, during that three-month span, the organization looked into a land project for a new business park, successfully resumed the Work in Terrell program and received an increase in annual funding from $72,000 to $175,000.
Also during those months, Precisionaire decided to relocate its business and Helwig Trucking Co. opted not to move to Terrell, which also received a request for proposal from one of the nation's largest site locators.
With the Metrocrest Business and Airport Business parks both at least 90 percent developed with no rail sites available, the report stated, as part of the economic development strategic plan existing business parks were reviewed and recommendations were made concerning the development of a new business park.
A potential site for the rail-served park would have been on property east of Terrell. However, after a contract was developed for the property with a review period, the owner - after months of work by TEDC - deemed the contract unacceptable, according to the report, which also said at this time TEDC is not pursuing additional locations.
After successfully creating the Work in Terrell program in 2001 and filling more than 95 percent of all job vacancies, the Terrell Chamber of Commerce, TEDC, the city of Terrell and the North Central Texas Workforce reimplemented the program in June 2006.
During the first six months, the program held two, two-day job fairs totaling more than 1,600 participants.
The TEDC also recently received the 2007 Workforce Development Best Practice award for the Work in Terrell program. It was the second time the Work in Terrell program won the award.
Terrell also received a request for proposal from one of the nation's largest site locators during the three months for a project that included two manufacturing facilities dealing with the production of parts for the aerospace industry.
The request, the report stated, was received directly from the consultant as well as the Governor's Office of Economic Development.
More than 40 cities responded and over a several week period and numerous elimination rounds Terrell was included in the final four Texas cities under consideration.
However, according to the report, Texas as a whole was eliminated from consideration but the consultant was very complimentary of Terrell's responses and promised to include the city in future projects.
Following the massive fire that destroyed majority of Precisionaire's manufacturing company, TEDC was pursuing efforts to relocate and build a new facility in Metrocrest Business Park.
According to the report, a proposal was made to provide land for a new facility along with a small incentive package but the company, located at Farm-to-Market Road 148 and U.S. Highway 80, decided to relocate partially to Dallas and Mexico.
The Staubach Group is now marketing the property and the report stated the company has met with interested parties in regard to Terrell's residential growth.
Like Precisionaire, Helwig also decided do business elsewhere, only it never was located in Terrell.
Discussions began in July 2006 to bring the refrigerated trucking business to Terrell at a trucking terminal in Metrocrest Business Park and the project was approved by TEDC in September and the City Council in October.
After City Council approved the proposal, work proceeded for the next several months, the report stated, before Helwig announced the business wasn't coming to Terrell, instead intending to locate in Rockwall.
According to the report, had the trucking business moved to Terrell, it would have added millions of dollars to the tax rolls because of the value of the trucks and trailers.
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