By Gerri Miller
Staff Writer- Elmore/Autauga News
New Prattville Industrial Development Board Chairman Kyle Glover is ready for the organization to step up its game.
Glover presented his ideas for a more active organization at the Board’s August meeting at the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce Tuesday and from all indications, the members are on board.
“There are so many ways that we can be more engaged as a group,” he said. “Our economic development team needs to be able to utilize us in more ways.”
Glover is the owner of the Glover Media Group and has served on the Autauga County Commission.
He wants a refresher orientation on the role of industrial development boards in communities to be the subject of the Board’s next meeting on October 28th. He also suggested an educational program on how Prattville can take advantage of the Opportunity Zones Program.
The Opportunity Zones Program is an alternative economic development program established by Congress in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The program allows companies to defer taxes to foster private-sector investments in low-income rural and urban areas.
Alabama has 158 Opportunity Zones including a 5,726-acre tract in Autauga County.
“That’s something I know some have already taken advantage of and definitely something we should learn about,” Glover said.
The Board approved a new mission statement that Glover said will help give the Board direction. “I’ve often wondered what role we really play in helping our city move forward in economic development and this helps define it,” he said.
Glover said an area where the Board could help the City move forward would be the construction of a speculative building. Many companies looking to establish operations in an area want a facility that is close to ready for occupation. A new spec building can be easily modified for any number of industries that would choose to locate there.
Alabama Power Company has had a speculative building program since 1991. It provides no-interest loans to qualifying entities with qualifying sites to finance most of the costs of constructing a spec building or, in some cases, preparing a site.
“We are missing opportunities for the Board to act as a conduit for projects and jobs,” Glover said. “We are ready to move forward and learn about these opportunities.”
Glover said he would like for the community to learn more from its resident experts. “We’ve really got a great group of people in Prattville with a lot of knowledge,” he said. “We underappreciate the talent that we have here.”
Chamber of Commerce President Patty VanderWal also gave the Board an update on the organization’s search for an Economic Developer Director. The Chamber will begin the interview process soon and VanderWal said she hopes to have someone in that position in September. Fourteen people have applied for the position.
The position became available after the death of the previous Director Woody Hydrick who died in March at age 51.
The Board also set up its meeting schedule for 2021. After the Board’s October 2020 meeting, it will meet every other month on the fourth Wednesday at noon starting in January.
