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Greater Freeport Partnership reports Q4 wins, workforce and attraction efforts to council
Summary
The Greater Freeport Partnership presented its Q4 report, highlighting business‑retention visits, a countywide business survey showing 84% stability/expansion among respondents, marketing campaigns and workforce events; council members asked for detailed hotel‑occupancy data and follow‑up materials.
Representatives of the Greater Freeport Partnership (GFP) briefed the Freeport City Council on the organization’s fourth‑quarter report, summarizing business retention and expansion activities, workforce events and marketing and tourism efforts.
Andrea Schwartz Winters, GFP executive, told council members that a countywide business survey found 84 percent of respondents reported their companies were stable or expanding, and that local manufacturers had added jobs and explored new technologies. She said GFP connected businesses to state programs, linked workforce pipelines with local schools and secured grant connections that expanded the Yield workforce training program to include alternate‑energy and basic electrical construction curricula under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CJA).
Nicole (last name not stated) reviewed marketing work including a 12‑month community calendar printed with advertiser support and a “Shop Local” holiday campaign and reported that Pretzel City Brewfest drew more than 50 percent of attendees from outside a 30‑mile radius.
Council members asked for more detail on hotel‑occupancy figures, which GFP acknowledged were incomplete in the packet; GFP said it would circulate a revised occupancy report after a late submission from the last hotel. Alderman (last name) pushed for more granular documentation and analytics and asked how GFP measures success; GFP said the full Q4 report in the council packet contains detailed metrics and offered follow‑up meetings for deeper review.
Questions about grant funding, membership and new‑business leads followed. GFP said 14 new leads were logged in Q4 and that it is pursuing “site‑readiness” planning grant funding to help prepare land for possible large water‑use or heavy‑industry prospects. Council members asked about coordination with other economic development and the potential for shovel‑ready sites.
Ending: GFP said the full Q4 report is posted at greaterfreeport.com and offered to schedule follow‑up sessions with council members who want item‑level detail.
