Effective Economic Development

Much has been discussed regarding economic development, employment and small business. It seems as if everyone has their own idea on improving the county. I must confess, I am no different. I, too, believe I have an effective solution that will produce real results.

Fast Track the permitting process and establish a staff position within the Dept. of Economic Development who will be responsible for tracking this process and become the liaison between the small business owner and the various regulatory agencies involved throughout the process. No longer would the business owner need to jump from one agency/office to another to learn the status of a permit or what stage of the process they were in. There would be one point of contact that would stay on top of the entire process. This would eliminate costly delays and confusion, thus allowing the small business owner to focus on their business.

The long-term effect of this plan would be a more positive business climate in the county and increased revenues due to the elimination of costly delays. The county would, in turn, attract and retain more businesses.

Small business is the backbone of not only our county, but of this great country of ours. Small business owners are our neighbors, our community leaders. they give a great deal back to their community through volunteering, donations, etc. It is time that we support the businesses that support our local communities. Too often I hear stories of confusion and frustration from our small business owners regarding their experiences in dealing with the county. This must be addressed and corrected. The current climate does not encourage business ownership.

I propose forming a task force of representatives from Calvert county businesses in order to create a more business-friendly environment within local government policy. From input of the task force, I would work to encourage local and new business growth and investment, helping to create more paying jobs in Calvert. Our county leaders must seek out communication from local business owners as if it were water in a desert. We must encourage new business by making it easier for them to locate here. We must strive to understand their struggles and to work with them to overcome these struggles. If we want to know how to improve the business climate in Calvert..we need to ask the current business owners.