Monday – April 23, 2007

COUNTY SOLICITS BIDS FOR NEW INDUSTRIAL PARK – Volusia County’s Purchasing Division is seeking bids for the construction of roads, stormwater structures, and utilities as part of the first phase of the 120-acre Tomoka Industrial Park. The planned industrial park will be adjacent to the county’s solid waste facilities on S.R. 415 in Daytona Beach. Tomoka Industrial Park will accommodate light manufacturing, transportation maintenance, recycling and other types of businesses that require outside storage or other contributing factors that prevent them from finding more traditional locations. A nonmandatory pre-bid conference will be held May 4 at 11 a.m. at the county’s landfill, 1990 Tomoka Farms Road, Daytona Beach. Bid documents (bid 07-B-110SR) are available from the Purchasing Division, 123 W. Indiana Ave., room 304, DeLand. Bid responses are due no later than 3 p.m. May 17.

COUNTY'S WORKFORCE TOPS 252,000 -- According to the most recent employment report issued by Workforce Florida, Volusia County's available workforce grew to 252,795 in March, up from 245,797 workers for the same period in March 2006. Volusia County's economy added 6,998 new jobs during the past 12 months. The unemployment rate for Volusia County is 3.3 percent.

PASSENGER TRAFFIC AT DAYTONA BEACH INTERNATIONAL UP 46 PERCENT DURING MARCH -- Passenger traffic at Daytona Beach International Airport increased 46 percent in March in comparison with the same month last year. The county-operated airport recorded 86,399 incoming and outgoing passengers during March. This compares to 59,111 travelers in March 2006. The passenger traffic increase during March is the result of AirTran Airway’s new low fare service which began January 11.

FORECLOSURES UP SHARPLY – Home foreclosures in Volusia County are up substantially, according to the Volusia County Clerk of the Circuit Court. There were 265 foreclosures in January and February last year. There have been 554 foreclosures for the same period this year – an increase of 109 percent.

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX SHOWS MODEST INCREASE – According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the consumer price index for urban consumers (CPI-U) for March shows a 2.8 percent annual increase since March 2006. This index is used widely in escalation agreements to adjust payments for changes in consumer prices. The CPI-U often is used in collective bargaining agreements, rental contracts, insurance policies that contain automatic inflation protection, and alimony and child support payments.

NUMBER OF BUILDING PERMITS DOWN IN FIRST QUARTER; VALUES UP – Commercial and residential permit activity in Volusia County during the first quarter reveals interesting market indicators. Residential activity accounted for 522 new permits for the first three months of the year. This is down 56 percent from the 939 residential permits issued for the same period in 2006. Commercial permit activity was down 21 percent for the same period. However, overall permit values for the first quarter are up 14.5 percent in comparison with the same period last year. The value of all permits issued countywide during the first quarter was $301.5 million, up from $263.8 million last year.

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.