Vickers gives update on economic development

Ben Vickers, the new Economic Developer for Vernon County and the City of Nevada, recently addressed the city council with updates pertaining to his work. Vickers was selected earlier this year to fill the recently created position.

“Although I am new, I did start part-time in March and I've been working very hard towards various projects and things going on in Nevada for the development of our community,” stated Vickers. In updates of his work, Vickers noted, “Whenever COVID-19 broke out, it was right about the time that I started. So, a lot of what I've been doing involves research, training, and then also dealing with COVID-19. Early on, I conducted around 20 interviews with various businesses in the City of Nevada to see what their response was. I submitted this to the state and the state used this for legislative purposes to the state economic development department.”

“Around the same time, I was also working on a grant for a local steering committee for a meat processing facility. What we did was a grant for the feasibility study to see what our business plan would look like and if it was even possible to do. I helped research, write, and submit that grant and we will hear back sometime in July.

Vickers has also been a part of Build VC and the Affordable Housing Assessment (a branch of the group). “In that assessment we will be conducting research and surveys of local landlords and realtors to see what the current housing stock of Nevada lacks and what direction we should take it,” stated Vickers. “The approach for that will be three parts. We'll give some recommendations to government officials. We will give an assessment to potential investors and an assessment to the public so that they can be aware of everything that we've been doing. One of the things that we plan on recommending to the City of Nevada and the county may include potential tools that you may utilize to help our communities. That would be TIFs (Tax Increment Financing), community and neighborhood improvement districts, as well as Chapter 100 and Chapter 353 Tax Abating.”

Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a public financing method that is used as a subsidy for redevelopment, infrastructure, and other community-improvement projects in many countries. The original intent of a TIF program is to stimulate private investment with a blighted area that has been designated to be in need of economic revitalization.

“I feel like we have a lot of tools available to us that we might not have been aware of,” noted Vickers. “I know that the City of Nevada is very open to improving in any way that we can and to look forward to the future.”

In closing, Mayor George Knox extended gratitude for Vickers' work as Economic Developer. “I just want to thank you so much because you've been on our community partners calls and are always willing to help in any way you can,” stated Knox. “That is much appreciated.”