Organization

Blackman developing site

Tuesday, July 01, 2008
By Chris Gautz
cgautz@citpat.com—768-4926

Regardless of whether the state approves Jackson County’s SmartZone application, Blackman Township is moving forward with development plans to bring jobs to the area.

Blackman Township Supervisor Raymond Snell, who also chairs the township’s Local Development Financing Authority, said the township will be building a road, to be known as Technology Drive, inside an 80-acre site on County Farm Road, adjacent to TAC Manufacturing.

The site, within the 1,100-acre proposed SmartZone along I-94 and M-60, could be home to the SmartZone’s first new tenant.

``We’ll be finalizing the deal this week,’’ Snell said.

The unnamed manufacturing company, which is currently leasing space in the county, plans to build on four acres, he said. It would create a minimum of 10 jobs in five years, according to the SmartZone application.

Snell said the company hopes to be open by the end of the year. He also hopes companies inside the proposed SmartZone boundaries will choose to stay and expand.

Today is the Michigan Economic Development Corp.’s deadline for submitting applications. The MEDC is not releasing how many communities have submitted applications until a decision is made, according to spokeswoman Bridget Beckman.

Scott Fleming, president and CEO of The Enterprise Group, the county’s economic-development agency, delivered the county’s application for the SmartZone to the MEDC on Friday.

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.

Fleming said he is proud of the final product and doesn’t think other communities could put together a proposal with so much support between governmental entities and the community.

It 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.

``We’re showing that we work together,’’ Fleming said.

The EG was paid $10,000 by the Blackman LDFA to write the 30-page SmartZone proposal, Snell said.

It also contains a detailed financial plan and describes its mission as attracting, retaining and expanding businesses focused on alternative energy, life sciences and advanced manufacturing.

Snell said the LDFA board also plans to allocate another $50,000 to the EG to market the SmartZone area.

Bruce Inosencio, a member of Jackson Citizens for Economic Growth, which helped push for the legislation that allowed three new SmartZones across the state, said he is pleased with the results.

``It will certainly benefit the community in the long run,’’ he said.