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Hernando Today

Business Committee Debuts Tuesday

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

Hernando Today

Published: March 15, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - Now it's the other committee's turn.

The county's new business and economic development committee will make its debut Tuesday, with plenty of front-burner issues on the agenda.

Two weeks ago, the other standing committee members, devoted to budget and finance, sat for the first time during a meeting that lasted more than five hours.

Both committees are the brainchild of County Administrator David Hamilton who believes this merging of government officials, staffers and citizens will lead to more detailed discussion of the issues before they come before the entire county commission during its regular meeting.

On tap for Tuesday:
Economic Development Director Michael McHugh will update members on the county's economic incentive programs and what he is doing to attract new industry to the county and help retain existing business.

McHugh recently drafted an amended economic development incentives ordinance that targets several new kinds of industry for Hernando County and sweetens a company's bottom line if it brings in higher-paying wages.

The amended ordinance provides cash grants to certain targeted industries that create jobs here. Those cash grants would be performance-based and paid out to the company over a four- or five-year period.

Committee members will also be briefed on the various housing programs available to Hernando County residents.

One of those programs includes the down payment assistance program which assists qualified applicants with zero-interest loans to help meet their down payment and closing costs.

The loans would be repaid after the homeowner refinances or sells the home.

Also up for discussion will be the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) that allows the county to access federal money that would help people to move into foreclosed homes.

The NSP is part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which allocated $541 million to Florida. Of that, Hernando County is expected to receive $4.3 million.

The business and economic development committee is led by County Commissioner John Druzbick. Commissioner Jim Adkins is a board member.

Serving as citizens on the business committee are local engineers Nick Nicholson and Richard Matassa and Realtor Laurie Pizzo.

The business and economic development committee will meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 17, at the Hernando County Government Center, 20 North Main St. in downtown Brooksville.

In other meeting news:

• Hernando Progress will sponsor its bi-annual community summit at 8 a.m. Thursday, March 19, at Silverthorn Golf and Country Club.

Noted economist Bill Fruth will be the keynote lunch speaker and give an economic update during the lunch break.

The summit is an open meeting and the public can observe. Only those invited will participate in the workshop.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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