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Greater Freeport Partnership reports business-retention wins, workforce outreach and new leads
Summary
The Greater Freeport Partnership told the Stephenson County Board it recorded business-retention visits, new leads and tourism engagement in the fourth quarter and outlined workforce development and marketing efforts to boost local occupancy and jobs.
The Greater Freeport Partnership (GFP) presented its fourth-quarter report to the Stephenson County Board, highlighting business-retention activity, workforce outreach, tourism promotion and a string of new business leads.
Andrea Schultz Winter and Nicole Hess, representing GFP, told the board that a countywide business survey showed 84% of respondents reported their companies were stable or expanding. They said GFP completed 18 business-retention visits, helped 11 entrepreneurs and brought 14 new commercial leads into the office in Q4, including an announced local manufacturer expansion and a new manufacturer, RVL Metals, planning to collocate with an existing firm.
"An existing ag manufacturer publicly announced a partnership to revolutionize ethanol production by capturing and converting CO2," Schultz Winter said, adding enterprise‑zone benefits were being used in that project. The presentation also cited a startup and business-support pipeline, marketing projects such as a 12‑month printed calendar (800 copies printed with advertiser support) and the annual Pretzel City Brewfest, which GFP said drew a majority of tickets from more than 30 miles away.
The partnership described workforce-development efforts including Manufacturing Day, a Freeport High School and Highland Community College job and career fair and an Ag Expo that seek to connect students with employers. GFP said connections made with Goodwill Industries and CJA grant funding had expanded the Yield program to include alternative energy and basic electrical construction training.
Board members raised questions about tourism occupancy levels and short-term strategies to increase hotel stays for Q1. "What are your plans to make sure in Q1 this year we're going to exceed those numbers?" asked County Board member (and former committee member) who pressed for a 10% increase over last year. GFP responded that much event and travel planning occurs several months in advance; the partnership said it is targeting group tours, conferences and potential new hotel development to expand capacity in the medium term.
Board members also asked about the Illinois Work Share program, which GFP described as an Illinois Department of Employment Security option that allows employers to reduce hours while paying employees a portion of wages through unemployment funds to avoid layoffs. "It keeps the people on the payroll," the presenter said.
GFP also reported progress on membership (about 400 members, including courtesy/nonprofit members), retention rates (96.7% in Q4; 97.5% annual retention) and a continued push to market downtown events and holiday shopping. The board asked GFP to follow up with more concrete short-term occupancy plans and to meet with interested board members to provide detailed ideas.
Ending
Board members praised the presentation and pressed GFP for quarterly follow-up with specific, short-term strategies to raise occupancy and capture more state occupancy taxes to support tourism promotion.
