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Consultant outlines site wins, airport demand and monitoring plan in Taylor County economic update
Summary
At a June 17 workshop, consultant Laura Dibella told Taylor County leaders that remediation talks have opened with Georgia Pacific, West Fraser is under contract, airport hangar space (about 12,000 sq ft) is marketable, and an environmental monitor was hired to track the mill closure.
Laura Dibella, a consultant with Adam and Reese LLP, told Taylor County commissioners at a June 17 workshop that momentum is building around several county sites and that targeted, short-term steps could yield near-term job growth.
Dibella presented a follow-up economic development strategic plan that she said builds on 18 months of work, public meetings and interviews. "This is when we need to act," she told the board, emphasizing state and federal outreach to capitalize on current interest.
The presentation covered infrastructure and site inventories. Dibella said utility capacity, rail access, stormwater and broadband remain critical factors for attracting manufacturers and other employers. She highlighted the hospital and local colleges as workforce assets and urged retention-focused incentives to support existing businesses.
On specific properties, Dibella reported that discussions with Georgia Pacific "have gotten warmer" and that the company plans environmental remediation before marketing the site. She said the remediation timetable could be about one-and-a-half to two years, though Georgia Pacific appears willing to engage about future options now. To monitor the closure, the county’s consultant has contracted Chet Thompson, a former mill environmental manager, for one year; "He started in April. So you'll be receiving those for the next 10 months," Dibella said, describing weekly reports to county staff.
Dibella said the West Fraser property is under contract and expected to close once minor title issues are resolved. The buyer plans to clear and ready the site for new tenants; because the site already has warehouse space, power and rail, Dibella said job creation there could be rapid once the sale completes.
The City of Perry parcel has entered a site-readiness process through a site-selection group (Dibella cited Duke) with environmental due diligence underway; she noted wastewater availability—not potable water—remains the primary constraint for that site.
The airport stood out as a particularly marketable asset, Dibella said. She described an aviation maintenance-and-repair operator that is interested in roughly 12,000 square feet of hangar space and noted that Florida Forestry will vacate airport space by March, making space available by April 1. Dibella and her team discussed pursuing a foreign-trade-zone (FTZ) designation to help market airport- and port-adjacent sites.
On support services and programs, Dibella recommended resurrecting an SBDC (Small Business Development Center) satellite office for Taylors County in partnership with local institutions and the chamber, and reported that the TCDA applied for a coordinated marketing grant to raise the county’s profile. She also recommended tracking key performance indicators—job creation, capital investment, site development and population growth—and reporting progress annually.
Dibella closed by asking the board for questions and reiterated that many pieces are already moving: environmental monitoring is in place, several sites are being positioned for users and grant opportunities are being pursued to support waterfront and other repairs.
The workshop moved next to a question-and-answer period; no formal votes or motions on these items were recorded in the workshop transcript.
