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Economic development official urges county support for AHEAD grant, foreign-trade zone marketing and seeks $100,000 invoice payment
Summary
Tim Kelly of the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation urged the county to join the AHEAD grant and to support foreign-trade-zone marketing; he also asked the auditor to review an unpaid invoice of roughly $100,000 for prior marketing services.
Tim Kelly, representing the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation (IVEDC), addressed the board during public comment to request county participation in the AHEAD grant and to describe work to market the county’s foreign-trade zone.
Kelly said he has secured participation commitments from all Imperial County cities except Westmoreland and asked the county to join the AHEAD grant to allow services to reach unincorporated communities. He said the foreign-trade zone is strategically important because the entire county is designated as a zone, which makes the area attractive for businesses seeking tariff advantages. “If we had a president who is going to raise tariffs, the place they need to be is in a foreign trade zone,” Kelly said.
Unpaid invoice: Kelly also said he submitted an invoice in February 2020 for work performed over a year and that the county approved the invoice but later delayed payment. He asked the auditor to review the unpaid amount of about $100,000; Kelly said the district attorney’s office told the board there had been no investigation that would block payment.
Board response: Staff and supervisors said they would work with Kelly and the auditor’s office to review the unpaid invoice and to discuss the county’s potential participation in the AHEAD grant and foreign-trade-zone marketing.
Ending: Kelly said he will advance these items at SelectUSA and other trade events and asked county staff to coordinate participation and payment resolution.
