MEDA Quarterly News JUL – SEP 2002 / Vol. 7
McDowell Economic Development Association, Inc.
25 South Garden Street
P.O. Box 1289
2nd ANNUAL INDUSTRY APPRECIATION EVEN
HELD AT
COATS
The 2nd Annual Industry Appreciation Event was held on
Approximately
100 people from the community attended the event which included a tour of the
manufacturing plant and a lunch. Tom
Borland, Vice President, Manufacturing, introduced Dr. Max Perks, CEO, The
Americas, who provided attendees with an overview of the future of the textile
industry world-wide and the steps that Coats has taken to remain
competitive.
A
number of special guests from Coats North America were in attendance and were
introduced. These guests included: Dick
Norman, Vice President Human Resources, Coats North America; Mike Hanney,
Former Plant Manager, Sevier Plant and Current Plant Manager, Toccoa Plant; Max
Morgan, Retired President, American Thread Company; Roger Cothran, Retired
Senior Vice President, Manufacturing, Coats North America; and Bill Henline,
Retired Vice President, Finishing Operations, Coats North America.
Raymond
Burrows with the North Carolina Department of Commerce provided a presentation
on the importance of economic development organizations formalizing their
planning process and involving business and industry leaders in this process.
Vice President of the MEDA
Board, Kathy Rabb, presented plaques to outgoing MEDA Board of Directors
members. These included President, David
Wooten, Joe Kaylor, Butch Hogan and Mayor Everette Clark. Kathy also recognized the new members to the
Board of Directors, Harold Walker, Andy Webb, Lloyd Cuthbertson and Jeff Judd.
The
Industry Appreciation Event is designed to express community thanks to existing
manufacturing employers. The
manufacturing sector employs approximately 45% of the
MEDA
would like to thank Tom Borland and Coats North America for hosting the
event. We would also like to thank
Harriet Smith with MEDA and Chip Cross, Steve Williams, Pat Cantey and Fran
Hollifield with Coats North America for coordinating the event.
CORPENING MEMORIAL YMCA
~
Corporate Membership Opportunities
By:
Ian Luck
Construction on
the Corpening Memorial YMCA continues to run on schedule and is anticipated to
be complete by the end of January, 2003.
The proposed opening date of the YMCA is middle to late February with
the membership campaign due to begin in mid-November.
The
membership rates are as follows:
Family - $100 joining fee, $54/month
Adult - $75 joining fee, $39/month
Teen/student - no joining fee, $20/month
Youth - $125 per year
It is well known
that people who exercise regularly are more productive, are sick less often,
and have a healthy outlet for stress.
Therefore, in addition to the four basic membership categories, the YMCA
will offer Corporate Membership options to area businesses.
A corporate membership will involve
your business/employer paying a “corporate” joining fee, based on the size of
your company, for the first year and then a reduced fee for each subsequent
year that your business wishes to remain a corporate member. The paying of a corporate joining fee
entitles any (or all) of your employees to join the YMCA with no joining fee -
the joining fees listed above will be waived.
Once joined, your
employees will then pay the regularly monthly fees to the YMCA - $54/month for
families and $39/month for adults.
However, if your business wishes to payroll deduct employees’ membership
dues and issue the YMCA one check, this can be coordinated with the YMCA.
In return for your
business signing up as a corporate member, the Corpening Memorial YMCA will
provide health/wellness seminars and health screenings to your employees on a
yearly basis. Such health screenings
will include blood pressure, heart rate, body composition, and an overall
wellness assessment.
The
corporate membership rates are as follows:
#
of Initial Fee
Subsequent
employees (1st year) years
<20 $500
$250
20-49 $750 $375
50-99 $1000 $500
100-199 $1500 $750
200-299 $2500 $1250
300+ $3500 $1750
The philosophy of
the Corpening Memorial YMCA is to improve spirit, mind, and body through
programs and activities that help build strong kids, strong families, and
strong communities throughout
The YMCA will
provide a free fitness orientation to all new members. The YMCA will offer several land and water
aerobics classes per week, a 4,000 square foot wellness center, 8-lane indoor
pool, gymnasium with suspended running/walking track, teen center, indoor
climbing wall, aerobics studio, rehabilitation space in conjunction with The
McDowell Hospital, and free childcare for children while a parent uses the
facility. The majority of these classes
are included with membership. Where
there is an additional fee involved, members will receive discounts on these
programs - swim lessons, youth sports, adult sports, child care, summer camp,
and other programmed classes. These are
just a few of the opportunities available to YMCA members.
If you are
interested in seeing how a YMCA Corporate Membership could benefit your place
of business, please contact Ian Luck at 659-9622 or iluck@ymcanc.org.
Crane Resistoflex
Expands Operation
Crane Resistoflex
announced in August that it would be expanding its operation in
New
Industry Announces
Location in
McDowell
Industrial
Park
A metal working
company located in
INFO from
NCDOC
and
DPPEA
The NC Dept. of
Commerce has asked that we assist them in providing industries in our area the
document below from Scott Mouw of the NC Division of Pollution Prevention and
Environmental Assistance which describes the services and uses of the NC Waste
Trader. This service could save
industries a considerable amount of money, either in managing discards or in
finding valuable materials for use.
Business
and industries across
Businesses and industries are also
always on the lookout for inexpensive feedstocks, materials, and products to
use in their operations. Finding high
quality, low cost materials helps a company’s profitability.
A new service from the NC Division
of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance (DPPEA) can help on both
fronts. NCWasteTrader is a free on-line
waste exchange service now open for business at www.ncwastetrader.org. NCWasteTrader is designed to be
To access NCWasteTrader, simply log
on to www.ncwastetrader.org.
Participants may list items anonymously or with their names show publicly
for direct contact. DPPEA will contact
anonymous listings on behalf of parties interested in listed items.
The
entire spectrum of possible material exchanges are eligible under
NCWasteTrader. Potential listings may
include conventional recyclables, unusual discards, one-time or continually
generated wastes, and ongoing needs for material supplies. Anybody can us NCWasteTrader - the greater
the participation, the greater the chances of effective waste diversion and
efficient materials use.
NCWasteTrader also has handy links
to other key marketing information sources including the NC Recycling Markets
Directory, other waste exchanges in the
For more information on this service, please contact Scott
Mouw or Tom Rhodes at DPPEA at 919-715-6500.
DPPEA is a non-regulatory state agency established to provide pollution
prevention and waste reduction assistance to
MEDA
MEMBERSHIP
MAILED OUT
Membership
renewals were mailed out in early July.
Membership rates are as follows:
Affiliate
Membership $ 15.00
Full
Membership $100.00
Executive
Membership $150.00
Membership enables
your organization to serve on the Board of Directors, attend the Annual Meeting
and receive the Quarterly Newsletter.
All citizens of
VISION: An open association of citizens who strive
for continuous improvement in the quality of life for all citizens by
maximizing our potential for economic growth and development.
MISSION: To create an environment conducive to
economic growth and development for all, and to market
If you would like
further information or if you would like to become a member of the McDowell
Economic Development Association, you may contact Harriet Smith at (828)
652-9391.
INDUSTRY RECOGNITION
MEDA would like to congratulate the following industries for
recognition that they have received within the past few months:
Ethan Allen
celebrated it’s 70th Anniversary on
Coats
Do you have any news that you would like to see in this
newsletter, i.e. safety awards, changes
in management, anniversaries, or any other special recognition? All are welcome and encouraged. Please call, fax or email us and we will include it in the next
newsletter.
ESC Report
Patin Howard
Employment Security Commission
McDowell’s
August 2002 UI rate was 7.6%. June,
8.7%, is the only other month in 2002 with a UI rate below 9.2%. The 2002 January and July UI rates were the
highest following the traditional pattern.
Since the July UI rate reflects the traditional pattern, it is best to
look beyond a comparison of the July and August UI rates when looking for
trends. August 2002’s UI rate was .9%
lower than August 2001’s reflecting an improvement. Additionally the most significant trend is
that the February through April UI rates were comparatively stable between 9.2
and 9.6, June’s rate dropped to 8.7% and August’s rate dropped to 7.6%. These comparisons indicate some improvement
in the local economy. Since mid July
McDowell’s job market showed some improvement.
Several larger employers increased replacement hiring, one large
employer started expansion hiring and two new companies indicated they will be
opening facilities in
Following are Unemployment Insurance payments to McDowell
county residence for recent months:
2001, September 658,667.00
2001, October 722,802.00
2001, November 714,187.00
2001, December 799.039.00
2002, January 1,231,724.00
2002, February 667,888.00
2002, March 734,339.00
2002, April 801,425.00
2002, May 595,430.00
2002, June 512,329.00
2002, July 734,446.00
2002, August 413,362.00
Current ESC
Workforce Information
from
as of
Number Of Unemployed: 1,463
Augustl 2002 3 Months
Ago 6 Months Ago 12 Months Ago
7.6% 9.6% 9.4% 8.5%
Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefits Paid in
Last 30 Days: $615,299
Year-To-Date: $7317,999
New Business/Industry Openings In
- Last 4 Weeks -
Business/Industry Closings In
- Last 4 Weeks -
Unemployment Workers Statewide (August 2002):
248,600
N.C. Unemployment Rate:
Ausgust 2002 3 Months Ago
6 Months Ago 12 Months Ago
6.3% 6.9% 6.3% 5.7%
Unemployment Benefits Paid to N.C. workers:
Month To Date: $28,820,589
Last Month: $82,949,742
Year To Date: $947,014,200
Unemployment Benefits Paid to N.C. workers
In September 2001: $75,109,202
N.C. Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Balance:
(As Of
Current
MEDA Board Members
David Wooten, President
Kathy Rabb, Vice President
J.B. Bundy, Secretary/Treasurer
John R. Biddix
Joe Kaylor
Sarah Buchanan
Jim Kilbourne
Everette Clark
Ray Linder
William Dover
Dr. Virginia Mitchell
Larry “Butch” Hogan
Garland Norton
Adolph “Butch” Justice
Dennis Whitson
Ex-Officio
Members
Rod Birdsong
Bob Boyette
Rep. Mitch Gillespie
Paul Hughes
Dean Kanipe
MEDA
Office Staff
Charles R. Abernathy,
Executive Director
Harriet C. Smith
Office Manager