MILT THOMAS

The Enterprise Zone Development Agency (EZDA), which normally meets at the county administration complex, held its February 3^rd board meeting at the Gifford Community Center. The meeting was held there with Gifford residents and community leaders in attendance to provide a better understanding of the EZDA mission and activities.

By all accounts, the meeting was successful and a far cry from one held last August in which some vocal Gifford residents felt the EZDA had done little for their community. (See earlier story)

Enterprise Zones are depressed areas within markets around the state of Florida. Locally, the Vero Beach/Indian River County Enterprise Zone includes much of Gifford and the Vero Beach Municipal Airport. According to Helene Caseltine, director of economic development for the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce, “The Enterprise Zone program started in 2005 to help improve economic conditions in the Gifford area by offering certain incentives to companies willing to locate or expand within the zone. After the hurricanes of 2004, Piper Aircraft, the largest private employer in the zone and Indian River County, suffered heavy damage, putting most of its employees out of work, including those from the Gifford area. Enterprise Zone incentives helped defray the cost of reconstruction to get those employees back to work.”

Economic conditions in the Gifford community have not improved substantially since the recession of 2008, and critics of the Enterprise Zone have claimed the program has done little to improve their situation.

However, those in attendance at the February 3^rd meeting felt otherwise after hearing directly from EZDA members and companies within the zone.  Tim Girard, CEO of Girard Equipment, has operated in the zone since 2008. “My family company moved its offices and primary manufacturing from New Jersey to Gifford and we brought six employees with us. Now we have 70 employees and many are Gifford residents.”

Girard Equipment is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of pressure relief valves, a key component of hazardous chemical tanker trucks. “Most of our business is in North America,” said Girard, “but China is a big market for us. We ship our products from Gifford directly to China.”

The company trains most of its employees right off the street and Girard says they are often people looking for a second chance at life after youthful mistakes. “We are like a family and our employees are quality workers.”

Tony Brown, president of the local NAACP chapter voiced his support and respect for Girard at the meeting. “I applaud what he’s done in our community. He sees the positive in people and cares about them.”

Resident Richard Hunter spoke about a new Family Dollar Store that his Mount Zion Baptist Church was building on land they own. “Family Dollar builds in neighborhoods not often served by chain stores. We are going through the technical review and approval process with the county, which is an education in itself, and the store should be built later this year.”

Chris Russell is a member of the EZDA and executive with Oculina Bank, which shares a 20,000 square foot center (formerly known as 45^th Street Commons)  that houses its county operations center as well as private businesses. “We have 27 people working in our operations center. There is also a hair stylist, Pam’s Black Magic, doing well and our last space was just leased to a butcher shop that will sell high quality meats that are affordably priced. I know 27 people anxious for that shop to open.”

Russell offers retail space as low as $3.50 a square foot. “We don’t charge common area maintenance to our tenants either. We have been well received by the community. Many people have come in just to thank us for being here. It’s a great feeling.”

Richard Stetson, CEO of Workforce Solutions, is also on the EZDA board. He explained the services his organization offers to Indian River County and specifically to the Gifford community. His director of field operations, Tracey McMorris, announced that the Workforce Solutions mobile unit will be in the Gifford Youth Activities Center parking lot once a week providing services that include interviewing and communication skills, computer basics and other skills necessary to find and hold a job. “We are here for anyone at any age or education who wants to get back to work.”

Also announced at the meeting was a free procurement workshop on February 20 put on by the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce and Progressive Civic League of Gifford. Purchasing managers from both the County and Indian River County School District will explain the requirements for small businesses to become approved vendors.

Other EZDA members in attendance were Karl Zimmermann, Godfrey Gipson, Penny Chandler, Linda Morgan and Mark Saint-Vincent. County Commissioner Bob Solari  and Vero Beach City Council Vice Mayor, Jay Kramer, both liaisons to the EZDA were also in attendance as well as County Commission Joe Flescher.

The most significant result of the February 3^rd meeting was that it gave residents a better understanding of the Enterprise Zone and what it is doing to improve economic conditions is their community. Other infrastructure and economic development issues are being addressed in the county’s revision of the 2002 Gifford Neighborhood Plan and solutions will be presented at another community meeting later this month.