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Winnsboro EDC tweaks business survey, plans outreach and a centralized resource packet
Summary
The Winnsboro Economic Development Council debated clearer survey wording, department‑specific comment boxes and digital resource packets for local businesses, and assigned members to conduct one‑on‑one interviews to guide EDC investment priorities.
The Winnsboro Economic Development Council spent a large portion of its meeting refining a draft business survey and planning outreach to better capture local business needs.
Council members recommended adding a clear lead‑in question about respondents’ interactions with city government before asking department‑specific questions, and proposed placing comment boxes next to department items to capture why businesses rate services as favorable or unfavorable. A recurring concern was that broad numeric ranges for anticipated investment (for example, “less than $250,000”) would be too imprecise; members suggested allowing respondents to enter numbers or use tighter ranges such as $0–$5,000 and $5,000–$50,000.
“Let me find the answer for you,” Council member (Speaker 6) said, describing how staff follow up when a business raises an issue; the speaker urged the group to ensure respondents have a clear contact point. Members agreed to create a centralized digital resource packet and shareable materials — including a contact list and web links — so business owners can find the right city contacts, permitting guidance and educational programs without delay.
The EDC also discussed outreach logistics: each member will interview businesses they have identified and return with qualitative responses to help the council decide where to direct Economic Development Council funds — options mentioned included parking, sidewalk repairs and business‑support services. Members pointed to an example where staff resolved a road‑related complaint quickly after a council member forwarded the issue via City Works.
The council emphasized keeping the survey simple enough to quantify while allowing space for narrative explanation. The group expects to aggregate interview findings and the survey results to prioritize investments and outreach in a future meeting.
