Reactions to a draft version of the Garner report provided a springboard into discussions of economic development issues at Thursday morning’s Power Breakfast.

The event, hosted by the Greater Wilmington Business Journal and held at the Wilmington Convention Center, featured five panelists involved in those issues.

Panelists were asked by moderator Rob Kaiser, publisher of the Business Journal, to comment on the draft report, and then to talk about questions of leadership and focus for the area’s economic development efforts. (To read a copy of the draft, click here.)

Panelists were Jim Bradshaw, executive director of Brunswick County Economic Development Commission; Hal Kitchin, 2013 chairman of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce board; Scott Satterfield, CEO of Wilmington Business Development; Lloyd Smith, co-founder of Cape Fear Economic Development Council; and Robin Spinks, vice chairwoman of Coalition for Economic Advancement. 

Speaking about the report, which New Hanover County commissioned from Atlanta-based Garner Economics, Kitchin said, “The Garner report is a conversation starter; now we need to have that conversation. We do not expect to agree with all [its] recommendations.”

“Jay [Garner] would not have done his job if some of the recommendations didn’t make us uncomfortable,” Spinks said, acknowledging that some recommendations in the draft report – such as the suggestion that New Hanover County and Wilmington consolidate at least some functions and services – have been controversial.  

Spinks added that the study looked at what the area should do to attract businesses, not people.

“Quality of life factors are at the bottom of industries’ lists” when they shop for locations, said Spinks, who is herself a site selection consultant. One thing companies do look for, she said, is infrastructure.

“Our sites [in New Hanover County] don’t have water and sewer, and our buildings are overpriced,” she said.

In contrast, Bradshaw pointed out that Brunswick County has two certified industrial parks with highway access and infrastructure, and the county is actively targeting such industries as aeronautics, boat building, plastics, metal fabrication and logistics.

Satterfield found in the report “Affirmation of some things we’re already doing.”

“The review of our successes: that part of the report was compelling,” he said.

“We should be pivoting toward innovation industries, cultivating them and incentivizing them,” Smith said. “We need a more innovative perspective.”

One Garner report recommendation – that the county’s special use permit be eliminated – generated some discussion among panelists.

Smith, Spinks and Kitchin generally agreed that the current revision of the county’s special use permit is a positive move, since the original legislation, created in 2011 to reduce SO2 emissions and keep New Hanover County within prescribed air quality standards, was vague and could discourage some non-polluting industries from locating in the county.

“[In the report] Jay was referring to the original special use permit, because it was too vague,” Spinks said. “There have been a huge number of clarifications made and the table of permitted uses has been clarified.”

In a comment from the audience, New Hanover County commissioner Jonathan Barfield reminded the room that, without the original special use permit, the county would likely have been non-attainment status regarding sulphur dioxide emissions in particular. The poor air quality “would have prevented the growth we have had,” Barfield said.

Kitchin and Spinks agreed with Garner’s observation that the area lacks leadership, although Bradshaw said that the leadership in Wilmington and New Hanover County had been very helpful in supporting his business recruiting efforts for Brunswick County.

“When we go across the country we market ourselves as Wilmington,” he said. “People don’t know Brunswick County, but they do know Wilmington. It’s a team effort.”

Kitchen, Spinks and Smith acknowledged a local leadership void and the need to communicate better and outline areas of agreement in order to move forward.

“We continue to pull in different directions, and it’s not doing us any good,” Smith said.

New Hanover Regional Medical Center president and CEO Jack Barto ended the event with some blunt words about the state of economic development efforts and an offer to help facilitate future conversation.

Saying the current approach is not working, Barto offered to bring together those who are involved to “figure out where we want to go.”

“It’s time we get together and define what job growth, economic development – what it looks like in our region, so we get on the same page,” he said, adding that so-called lean principles the hospital has adopted in recent years to become more efficient could also be helpful in that discussion.

Asked whether he would participate in such a group, Satterfield said only that he appreciates all input.

“We’re always interested in hearing what people have to say,” he said.

Bradshaw said after the event he was interested by Barto’s offer.

“I’d be interested in participating as long as he invites the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners chairman; it wouldn’t be right for me to be the sole county representative,” Bradshaw said. “There’s no forum right now to bring counties together to talk about issues for the region. It would be a real advantage to have our chairman there, because there are so many other things that need to be addressed.”

Reached by telephone, Brunswick Board of Commissioners chairman Phil Norris voiced support for such a forum and said he would be willing for the board to be represented.

“I am a very strong proponent of regionalization and regional marketing,” he said. “We miss some opportunities if we don’t do that. The more we work together, the better chance we have of being successful.”

Connie Majure-Rhett, Wilmington Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, said after the panel talk that the release of Garner Economics’ final report April 2 should be pivotal.

“The conversation has to start at that point,” she said. “The bottom line is we can do better. I’m not going to call anyone a bad guy. We can all learn more and do better.”

Vicky Janowski contributed to this report.