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Chamber outlines infrastructure, site and workforce priorities to sustain Montgomery’s economic momentum
Summary
Anna Bucklew of the Montgomery Chamber briefed commissioners on targeted economic development priorities — including site readiness, the inland port, Maxwell gateway, airport improvements and workforce — and asked for county partnership on funding and planning.
Anna Bucklew, speaking for the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce, briefed the Montgomery County Commission on recent economic development accomplishments and a set of priorities the Chamber says are necessary to sustain momentum and attract new projects.
“Data tells us that we are running out of capacity in terms of sites for new companies,” Bucklew said in the presentation, flagging land availability and readiness as a critical constraint for future economic growth. She outlined three core focus areas for the Chamber: targeted economic development, talent and workforce, and tourism and visitor experience.
Bucklew highlighted infrastructure projects and sites the Chamber considers priorities: leveraging the inland port and related capital logistics, advancing the Capital Maxwell Gateway entrance into downtown and Whitewater, improving service and terminal experience at Montgomery Regional Airport (including runway resurfacing), and identifying and preparing new sites for industry. She said the Chamber is working with an economic development consultant and urged county and city partnership to position the county for federal and private investment.
Bucklew cited recent state rankings and large projects as evidence of momentum, noting major capital investment and job-creation victories in recent years. She described the inland port and related infrastructure investment as significant drivers and said the Chamber will press for federal funding where appropriate, for example, for the Capital Maxwell Gateway study and airport improvements.
Commissioners responded with thanks and described the presentation as useful; no formal county action was taken at the meeting. Bucklew said the Chamber will continue to develop site inventories, pursue federal funding and coordinate with the county on strategic studies, including a proposed strategic basing study tied to Maxwell Air Force Base missions.
Clarifying details from the presentation included the Chamber’s estimate that recent project investment totals in the market run into the hundreds of millions of dollars and that specific projects such as the inland port included a cited infrastructure figure of about $90 million. Bucklew also referenced job-creation figures from a recent state commerce report and noted a combined capital investment figure discussed during the presentation.
