Taylor County Development Authority outlines outreach, site readiness and Select Florida ties
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Summary
TCDA director Bob Cade reported on outreach to 41 industries, site‑readiness work including a Duke site assessment, participation in Select Florida, and personnel changes including hiring a retained consultant to continue brownfield remediation support.
Bob Cade, director of the Taylor County Development Authority, provided a quarterly update to the City of Perry council on Jan. 13 covering TCDA priorities, outreach activity and site preparation.
Cade said TCDA’s three core priorities are supporting existing businesses, preparing properties for investment and attracting new businesses. Since his arrival, he reported 41 industry inquiries and 10 site visits. He described work to prepare City of Perry‑owned property under a Duke site‑readiness assessment and said Duke Energy had sent a three‑person team to inspect an 80‑acre Bessie Green Trust site north of the city.
Cade described engagement with Select Florida — Florida’s international commerce arm — and said TCDA has been invited to participate in Select Florida events and international outreach to market Taylor County’s ready sites. He also outlined a potential project involving advanced manufacturing and defense with an employer that could create about 100 jobs, though he did not promise a specific outcome.
Cade reported personnel changes: Laura DeBell was promoted and confirmed to a federal position and resigned; TCDA re‑retained consultant Chet Thompson on a 12‑month basis to continue brownfield remediation tasks for a former industrial site. He also described modest operational expenditures and a projected shortfall while noting TCDA’s efforts to minimize costs.
Council questions focused on possible school‑board representation on the TCDA board to strengthen workforce and K–12 alignment; Cade said he meets monthly with school leaders and will explore whether an ex‑officio school representative might be feasible.
Next steps: TCDA will continue site‑readiness work, pursue Select Florida outreach and coordinate with local stakeholders on personnel and property matters.
