Town Manager Gilbert Davidson and staff presented a suite of economic-development activities intended to attract higher-wage jobs and improve local amenities. Davidson said the town is prioritizing manufacturing, technology and other higher-wage employers while remaining “very mindful of water resources.”

Davidson highlighted several private projects and town efforts: a Marriott near the Toyota Center expected to open in November; a Home2 and a Homewood Suites project in the Glassford Hill area (one not yet started); a planned Aldi grocery on Glassford Hill Road between Kohl’s and Walmart; and an approved incentive program the council adopted to encourage grocery investment. "We did try to encourage them to go to North PV… We actually have an incentive that the town council approved, for that," Davidson said about outreach to grocers, adding that developers typically pick locations based on traffic patterns.

Davidson also described the town’s Shop Local 365 campaign, Restaurant Week promotions that offer specials to encourage dining locally, and a Moonshot entrepreneurial competition that provides financial awards to small businesses; he cited PB Bark as a past winner. He pointed residents to the town’s economic roadmap on the municipal website for further detail.

Davidson said the community faces a challenge in which median household income is several thousand dollars below the state average while housing costs are above the state average, which complicates recruiting and retaining workers such as police officers, teachers and health-care staff. He said economic development, housing strategies and water stewardship are being pursued together to address those constraints.

Staff encouraged residents interested in business or development to consult the town’s online resources and contact economic-development staff for follow-up.