Organization

Business plan is given to state

Monday, June 30, 2008
By Chris Gautz
cgautz@citpat.com—768-4926

Scott Fleming hand-delivered a high-tech pen Friday morning to officials at the Michigan Economic Development Corp. The computerized file inside the pen contained the blueprint to Jackson County’s economic future, the county’s Smart-Zone application, said Fleming, President and CEO of The Enterprise Group, the county’s economic-development agency.

``This is a business plan for the whole community,’’ he said. Tuesday is the MEDC’s deadline for submitting applications, and Fleming said he believes Jackson may be one of the only communities to submit one. If that’s the case, he said officials might hear soon if the application is granted.

In April, Gov. Jennifer Gran-holm signed legislation that allowed three new SmartZones across the state, which was pushed for by the Jackson Citizens for Economic Growth. SmartZones allow local governments to capture business and school taxes generated by new businesses and use the money to provide infrastructure—such as roads, utilities and fiber optics—to support economic development and job growth.

More than 30 members of JCEG and its Youth Task Force were there to see Granholm sign the bill, and drive home the message that Jackson County wants a Smart-Zone. The SmartZone area is a large portion of Blackman Township’s Local Development Financing Authority, consisting of about 1,100 acres along I-94 and M-60.

The 30-page proposal contains a detailed financial plan and describes its mission as attracting, retaining and expanding businesses focused on alternative energy, life sciences and advanced manufacturing. It also contains a signature from a representative of every municipality in the county, members of the private sector and a letter of support from the county’s three higher education institutions. Ron Griffith, Spring Arbor University’s executive director of corporate and community relations and a JCEG member, said because of that, he thinks Jackson has a good chance of having it approved.

``We feel very confident that what we put together is a sound plan and benefits all aspects of the community,’’ he said. Griffith and Fleming said it was important for all groups in the community to have input on the plan, which made it harder to put together, but all the more worth it.

``It was one of the best efforts and evidence of a collaborative venture of so many entities that I’ve ever seen in all my years in Jackson,’’ Griffith said.

``It will demonstrate to outside investors that we have unity in the community.’’