Bastrop EDC outlines one‑year strategic priorities: focus on industrial park, workforce partnerships and retail recruitment

At a joint meeting on Jan. 27, 2025, the Bastrop Economic Development Corporation reported results of a Jan. 13 strategic planning session and discussed proposed amendments to EDC policy statements and priorities for the coming year. City staff and EDC members reviewed four pillars: industrial‑park marketing, workforce development, business attraction/retention and partnerships.

Sylvia, the city manager and interim EDC executive director, summarized the Jan. 13 session and told the bodies the EDC will focus on a one‑year, agile plan that can pivot as market conditions change. She said the EDC plans to update the park map and marketing materials, minimally improve selected park access points to enable showings, and deploy targeted outreach through Visit Bastrop and Retail Coach.

On workforce development, staff reported they have launched a quarterly roundtable with partners including Career Tracks and Workforce Solutions. The roundtable identified childcare and transportation as recurring barriers to placing trained workers; Workforce Solutions reported funding streams for new child‑care centers and potential state support for programs that achieve state “star” accreditation. City and EDC members said staff will continue to facilitate those conversations and will bring partners together, but cautioned that direct EDC funding for broad workforce programs must comply with state law.

Legal counsel told the board that EDC funding for workforce projects must meet statutory tests; the meeting referenced Texas Local Government Code §505.158, which permits certain expenditures for projects that the board finds “promote new or expanded business development” for municipalities under 20,000 population. Staff and legal counsel agreed that donations of equipment to schools or projects tied to specific employers are more straightforward than general operating support for workforce programs, and that any funding decisions should be evaluated case by case with documented findings.

During a line‑by‑line review of policy language, council and board members debated whether housing should remain listed among EDC priorities. Several members said housing is a citywide priority but not clearly within the EDC’s core role; the consensus in the meeting was to remove housing from the EDC’s one‑year priorities and revisit the issue in future updates. Film‑industry activity and potential ancillary businesses were discussed; members agreed to monitor film‑related opportunities and to reassess film priorities the next year rather than treating film as a near‑term EDC priority.

Board members emphasized measurable results and asked staff to produce one‑year and three‑year ROI metrics for prospective projects. Staff said they currently use an internal spreadsheet and will explore more robust modeling tools, while promising to produce clearer metrics for jobs, taxable sales, property‑tax impacts and qualitative benefits.

Other near‑term EDC actions and goals discussed or assigned included updating industrial‑park covenants and restrictions, minimally improving selected park access points so brokers can show sites (EDC to supply materials; city crews to provide labor/equipment), marketing the park in two national and one global publication, and continuing quarterly partnership meetings with BISD, Visit Bastrop, Bastrop County EDC and utility providers.

No formal vote was recorded on policy amendments during the Jan. 27 discussion; the exchange functioned as a joint review and direction to staff to prepare revised language and metrics for future board and council consideration.