The Warren County Commission has committed $24,000 toward a new economic development group designed to help spur job creation in the area. Commissioners said the funds will help cover start-up costs …
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The Warren County Commission has committed $24,000 toward a new economic development group designed to help spur job creation in the area. Commissioners said the funds will help cover start-up costs for the organization, which is officially known as the Greater Warren County Economic Development Council. The nonprofit group is comprised of local business owners who are seeking to partner with local governmental entities to market the area and pursue job-creating projects. The new group is contracting with Community Edge LLC, an economic development consulting firm headquartered in St. Louis, to assist members in the new effort. Commissioners have sat in on multiple meetings with council members and are intrigued by efforts being made to market the county and region. "It's an opportunity to showcase Warren County," Southern District Commissioner Hubie Kluesner said. "Public entities can't provide money to future business people while the private sector can. Anything we can do to improve the economy in Warren County is our goal." Commissioners said $16,000 of the $24,000 commitment will be used upfront. The remaining $8,000 will be contributed next year. They said funds were available, more than initially anticipated, after a contribution for a post-secondary initiative was reduced to $5,000. As part of the organization's ongoing structuring process, membership dues will be established for local businesses and governmental entities, commissioners said. That should lessen the need for a continued large financial commitment from the county in the future. By working together, commissioners feel the private and public sectors will be able to "feed off" each other to hopefully attract new companies or to expand existing businesses. "You have to work as a region to showcase more of the area to attract more and different businesses out here," Presiding Commissioner Arden Engelage said. The new economic development council may fill a void for the county as well. The county does not employ an economic development director whose primary responsibilities would be to identify or handle inquiries from prospective new companies. Commissioners feel the county as a whole will benefit from the recent announcement to expand the GM plant in Wentzville. Kluesner said local companies may be able to pick up additional work by having the new group market the advantages of doing business with an existing one that could also help reduce transportation costs or that county residents could be hired to fill the new jobs. The elected officials also feel the new economic development council could be tied together with the recent announcement of a satellite college campus to open in Warrenton. College classes, offered by Lindenwood University and East Central College, will begin in January. An educated work force could be seen as an advantage for prospective companies interested in doing business in the county or those looking to expand. "We have some of the best workers," Engelage said. "They show up and are hard workers. We just need to showcase that. Our location is prime for that."