Monday – December 11, 2006

BUSINESS INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT AWARDED ORMOND BEACH – The Volusia County Council approved recommendations from the County’s Division of Economic Development to award a business infrastructure grant to the City of Ormond Beach for the development of industrial acreage at the city’s Airport Business Park. The overall project is expected to cost an estimated $683,000 and provide for fully permitted ready-to-go building sites capable of supporting up to 120,000 square feet of new industrial space. The County’s investment of $189,600 helps complete the City’s investment of just under $500,000 to enhance the park’s ability to provide fully permitted and ready-to-build sites for future business and employment opportunities. If you are interested in learning more about the availability of industrial sites at the Airport Business Park, contact Joe Mannarino, Ormond Beach Director of Economic Development, at 386/676-3266.

NEW CHAIRMAN TO HEAD VOLUSIA’S MANUFACTURING ASSOCIATION – The Volusia Manufacturers Association has inducted Peter von Lersner, Operations Director for Gambro Renal Products (Daytona Beach), as the Association’s newest Chairman. Reba MacLagan of Performance Designs Inc. (DeLand) will serve as the group’s 2007 Vice-Chair. The appointments were made this past week during the Association’s December meeting. The Association also recognized the leadership contributions made by Mark Madore, Sparton Electronics (DeLeon Springs) for his role as the 2006 Chair.

SIGN OF A SLIGHT SLOWDOWN IN THE ECONOMY - The amount of freight moving via trucks dropped 1.8 percent nationwide from September to October and 4 percent compared with the same period a year ago, according to the American Trucking Association. That's likely a sign of a slowing economy. Trucks carry 70 percent of American’s freight, and so is a leading economic indicator. Despite the slowdown, trucking firms are still trying to attract new recruits following several years of driver shortages. However, the nation’s railroads are reporting record level freight transport.

SBA DISASTER LOANS AVAILABLE TO VOLUSIA BUSINESSES - The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that federal disaster loans are available to small non-farm businesses in Volusia County as a result of damages and losses to crops caused by this year’s drought. Under this declaration, SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to both farm and non-farm-related businesses that suffered economic injury as a direct result of the drought. Farmers and ranchers are not eligible to apply to SBA, but nurseries and those businesses that have a direct link to drought-related impacts are eligible to apply for economic injury disaster loans for losses caused by drought conditions. Loan terms for up to 30 years at 4 percent are available for up to $1.5 million. Interested businesses should contact SBA's Customer Service Center at 800/659-2955 (800/877-8339 for the hearing-impaired), Monday - Saturday, from 8 a.m. until midnight (EST). Business loan applications can be downloaded from the SBA's website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX, 76155. Completed loan applications must be returned to SBA no later than July 2, 2007.

LASTEST POPULATION COUNT PUTS VOLUSIA COUNTY OVER 500,000 - The April 1, 2006 population estimate issued by the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR) shows that Volusia County has crossed the half-million threshold with a population of 503,844. BEBR is Florida's official agency for city, county and state population estimates. Volusia County’s population growth is expected to continue, reaching a projected 705,373 persons by 2030, nearly 60 percent higher than our 2000 population of 443,343. This projected increase of 262,030 over the next 30 years averages an annual net gain increase of approximately 8,734 individuals, and a strong indication of continued demand for new housing, commercial, medical and professional services.

PERSONAL SAVINGS RATES CONTINUE TO DECLINE - U.S. personal saving rates remain at historically low levels. Federal data collection on saving rates generally measures personal savings as a percentage of disposable income. The U.S. rate has been declining since the 1980s. The 1985 rate of 6.9 percent fell to 3.4 percent in 1995 and to -0.4 percent in 2005. The most recent measurement reports a first quarter 2006 personal saving rate of -1.4 percent.

NEWS ITEMS WANTED! – Please send your business news items to Dave Byron, Volusia County Community Information Director, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand, 32720-4612, by fax at (386) 822-5072 or by e-mail at dbyron@co.volusia.fl.us.