Harry Blanton, speaking for Alloy Development Company (the county’s contracted economic-development organization), told the commissioners he was asking them to maintain current funding rather than accept a 5% cut recommended by county administration. Alloy runs the county’s Economic Development Office, the Office of Small Business and the Office of Innovation, Blanton said, and highlighted a Community Impact Program that has worked in Cheviot, Laughlin and Mount Healthy.

Blanton said the office helped attract a planned Givaudan redevelopment, described in his presentation as a roughly $130,000,000 investment expected to create some 300 jobs. He also said the Office of Small Business assisted more than 1,500 small businesses this year and urged commissioners to preserve EDO capacity to continue revenue-generating redevelopment work.

Alloy proposed a funding reallocation: about $79,000 from a remaining $150,000 in a county 504 down-payment-assistance fund could be redirected to the Community Impact Program and the Office of Small Business to help more companies, Blanton said.

Commissioners and Alloy staff discussed program performance, the modest cost-of-living increase Alloy requested (about $46,000) and the trade-offs in a tight budget year. Commissioner questions emphasized the need to balance one-time and ongoing priorities and to seek creative funding while the board weighs countywide requests.