In order to understand economic development, one must first understand that economic development is a process, not an event. While the success of an economic development program is measured by an event, which is normally the announcement that an existing industry is expanding or a new industry is locating in the community, it is ultimately the process that makes the event possible. The process is a deliberate one that is meant to build upon itself while making a local area more attractive for capital investment and job creation.

In 2001, one of the County’s largest employers, Mack Trucks, announced that it was closing its Winnsboro facility. At that point, the County embraced a deliberate approach to economic development and began focusing on the process of developing three fundamental components characteristic of successful economic development programs: worker training initiatives; new product development (industrial sites and parks); and infrastructure upgrades/extensions.

Worker Training Initiatives

• In cooperation with County Council and the economic development office, hundreds of Fairfield County workers have been trained through the State’s workforce training program, readySC.

• In response to the closures of the Plastech and Perry Ellis facilities in early 2008, the Midlands Workforce Development Board established the Fairfield County Transition Center in the old train depot in Winnsboro. The transition center provides WorkKeys assessments, job seeking assistance and job skills training and resources to the residents of Fairfield County.

• Recognizing the need for a technical college presence in the county to train local residents for jobs available in the community, in 2009, Fairfield County partnered with Midlands Technical College on the design and construction of a Quick Jobs facility. The County secured $1.8 million in grant funds for the project. Construction began in January 2010 and the facility will be completed by mid-October 2010. Classes will be offered in January 2011.

Product Development

• By the late 1990s, the County’s flagship industrial park, the Walter B. Brown Industrial Park, was full and the County began planning the second phase. In 2003, MC2 announced that it would construct a state-of-the-art powder and e-coating facility in the second phase of the park, now known as the Walter B. Brown II Industrial Park.

• By 2006, there were no available industrial buildings in Fairfield County. Understanding that 80 percent of projects seeking new locations begin their search by first looking for an existing building, in 2007 the County committed to construct a 50,000-square-foot speculative building in the Walter B. Brown II Industrial Park. The County secured $650,000 in grant funds and utilized proceeds from the sale of the old Hon building to construct the building at no cost to the taxpayers. From 2007 to mid-2008, economic development activity increased by 60 percent, proving that the speculative building was attracting interest to the area. Unfortunately, due to the current economic conditions, the building has not been sold, but it continues to generate activity.

• Realizing that the existing industrial parks provided opportunities for small- to medium-size businesses, but that the County was not able to compete for projects that needed more than 20 contiguous acres of land, in late 2007 the County began seeking locations for an industrial park that would have adequate acreage for at least one 100-acre site and several other 20- 50-acre sites. In early 2010, the County purchased 641 acres off Peach Road and is now in the process of master planning its new industrial park. The County is funding the project through a $1 million grant from the Department of Commerce and a general obligation bond issuance. Bonds were issued with no additional cost to the taxpayers of the County.

Infrastructure

• In the early 1990s, the County identified the Hwy 34/Peach Road/I-77 area for the development of its industrial corridor. Adequate water, sewer and road infrastructure is necessary to support an industrial area; therefore, the County partnered with the Town of Winnsboro and the Department of Commerce, and the Town secured a $3.5 million grant to construct an elevated water tank and extend sewer infrastructure to the Walter B. Brown II Industrial Park.

• In 2006, Carolina Adventure World requested assistance with water infrastructure on Camp Welfare Road. The County worked with the Department of Commerce to secure a $230,000 grant that was used to extend a 10-inch waterline from Wateree Road down Camp Welfare to the Carolina Adventure World site.

• Telecommunications infrastructure is a vital part of an overall infrastructure package. Fairfield County is unique as it is a rural county with excellent connectivity via TruVista Communication’s MetroEthernet service in the Winnsboro and Ridgeway areas. The existing and newly planned industrial parks are included in MetroEthernet service area and the availability of this service provides another unique advantage for the economic development program.

• As part of the master planning process for the new industrial park on Peach Road, the County will upgrade and extend water, sewer and road infrastructure in the Hwy 34/Peach Road area.

• The County continues to work with the rural water companies to provide small grants for water system upgrades. The grants improve the local systems allowing the residents and potential business and industry to be better served.

In addition to focusing the development of critical economic development components, the County has also engaged an independent consultant to develop an economic development plan. This plan is designed provide a roadmap for the County’s economic development program and will outline specific long- and short-term initiatives. Fairfield County is looking into the future and is planning for another decade of growth.

David Brown, Chairman

Fairfield County Council