This week, Santa Rosa County Economic Development Office Director Shannon Ogletree and SRC Commissioner Jayer Williamson delivered a one-two punch on growth potential during this week’s Board of County Commissioners meetings. Tuesday, Ogletree opened with company leads and a low unemployment rate while Thursday, Williamson recapped his and Ogletree’s recent retail convention experience.
Tuesday, Ogletree announced as of April, Santa Rosa County has an unemployment rate of 4.4 percent. Compared to our neighbors, he said Okaloosa has a 4.3 percent rate while Escambia County has a 5.3 percent rate. “Basically, that still means we have 3,200 people still out of work, are still looking for jobs,” he said.
On the horizon for the 14,000 people unemployed in the tri-county area, Ogletree said are four existing companies considering expansion, four customer contact centers looking at centers in the county, five aviation projects wanting existing facilities, and four site visits by manufacturing companies. He did say they were not able to respond to a distribution project because they wanted a 100,000 square foot building with a 25 foot ceiling.
Ogletree went on to point out why aviation is a leading industry in the county. He said, “With Airbus being built over in Mobile and four other OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) being built on the east coast, we consider Northwest Florida, Santa Rosa County the sweet spot…It’s a proven method here for Northwest Florida, for Santa Rosa County that aviation companies work here.”
Numerous military bases in the region and a high concentration of military retirees is another draw, he said. He added soon, too, the county will conduct the survey on military spouses to show what working experience they bring to the area.
Past accomplishments, Ogletree highlighted were the grand opening of Gold Ring Gulf Distributing, the Navy Federal satellite office, opening Turbine Parts Repair, opening Aerosync, Capital Materials relocating to the industrial park, selling the other half of 84 Lumber, and the two previously reported certified sites. However, he said, “I still think we have a long way to go to get where we need to be going.”
One area that needs help is making room for new development. Commissioner Rob Williamson pointed out the Industrial Park is 95 percent full. Ogletree said this is why he’s pushing hard on the two sites recently certified as well as the Whiting aviation park. Currently, he said a helicopter company is looking into the Whiting park.
While reluctant to suggest it, Ogletree said the county may look into spec buildings, structures to entice new companies to open in the county. “You need to be willing to sit on it, possibly forever. We get the most looks on available buildings. The majority of leads are based on available buildings in the area.”
Thursday, Commissioner Jayer Williamson, while remaining cagey on the details gave promising reports from the ICSC convention. Major chains in all manner of retail attended, he said, and with them they took a brochure identifying the major retail clusters along retail-dense portions of Highway 90 and Highway 98 where Ogletree said retailers would most likely be interested. Information also included labor force, household income, income distribution, and number of residents from the area’s center in 10, 15, and 20 minutes.
Two specific results from the trip, Williamson said, were meeting a group representing six to eight retailers already familiar with the Pace and Pea Ridge area who were interested in meeting with Santa Rosa County officials next month. Another individual, Williamson said, was interested in refurbishing two vacant properties and filling them with major retailers. “They’re come in and bring jobs and bring dollars into the county and could take an eyesore and make it into a spot people eventually would come and go shopping.”
While Williamson said he doesn’t believe retail is the answer to employment concerns, he said, “People don't want to have to drive 30 miles to go shopping. I don't want them to drive to Escambia County and Okaloosa County to go shopping because I want that money to stay right here in Santa Rosa County, and I'm sure the other commissioners do as well. I'm selfish. I want those tax dollars to stay right here. I don't want to pay for other people's schools and roads.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: County officials reveal more details about industry growth