|
Tuesday, 14 November 2006 15:12 |
Buncombe County now has a facility to help new technology entrepreneurs develop business models and find financial support, Max Queen told the county Board of Commissioners Nov. 7.
Queen, who is vice president of continuing education at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, discussed the newly formed Technology Commercialization Center.
The TCC, which has been operating since August, is based out of the A-B Techës Small Business Center Incubator at its Enka campus. The facility will officially open Thursday.
The
TCC is the result of collaboration between the college and Technology
2020, an organization based in Oak Ridge, Tenn., which has been
"instrumental in stimulating technology industries along the Tennessee
Valley Corridor," Queen said.
Some of the
funding for the TCC came from the countyës HUB Project, which works to
promote the area as a destination for technology industries. Queen
acknowledged this support, saying "Buncombe Countyës Hub Project has
provided the much-needed resources to partner with Technology 2020."
He then introduced Bob Wilson, TCCës manager.
"Weëve developed a very strong client funnel," Wilson told the board.
In addition to
providing funding and guidance to developing companies, a major purpose
of the TCC is to train business owners how to manage their companies,
he added. "Part of our process is a knowledge-transfer process."
By bringing
together experienced businesspeople and young entrepreneurs, the TCC
will "create solid jobs in the community," Wilson said.
The TCC also serves as a networking center for technology workers, Wilson told the board.
As an example,
he listed a former executive for Kodak who wanted to move to Asheville,
but had not found suitable employment in the area until he contacted
the TCC, which put him in touch with a new startup that was seeking a
C.E.O.
"A lot of people come to us to get connected to the technology community," he noted.
In other action, the board:
ï Heard an
update from Assistant County Attorney Mike Frue about proposed changes
to the Planning and Development Departmenës bylaws.
Among the
changes listed was a requirement that a minimum of 30 days transpire
between the submission of a development plan to the board, prior to its
hearing.
This change was proposed, Frue said, to allow the public more time to be notified.
The new changes also would also allow the planning department to reject a rough master plan without a formal hearing.
A new allowance
was included for developers to be granted variances to the countyës new
steep-slope ordinance, allowing greater density on a particular plot,
if a comparable amount of land is set aside to not be developed.
Commissioner
David Gantt expressed concerns about this provision, saying that his
understanding was that such variances would only be allowed if done for
"environmentally friendly reasons," such as allowing a road to be built
on a slope that normally would be considered too steep to do so ÇƒÓ if it
prevented demolishing a section of a mountain.
"I didnët really hear that spelled out as much as I think it could be. Is that a change?" he asked.
Frue assured Gantt that the board would only allow variances under such circumstances.
ï Heard a report
on the status of a new mental health plan for the county in the wake of
the closing of New Vistas-Mountain Laurel Inc. The center, which closed
Oct. 31, had provided mental health services for about 10,000 people in
Western North Carolina.
Its closing, which was due to financial pressures, is currently being investigated by the Office of the State Auditor.
Curtis Venable,
an attorney with Pisgah Legal Servicesë Childrenës Law Project,
commended the county on its swift resonse to the closings.
"Buncombe County stepped out early to lead this prjoect," he said. "You had locally crafted solutions."
In the future,
counties facing similar situations will look to the model of Buncombe
County, Venable said. "Theyëre going to be saying, ǃÚHow in the world
did you guys do this?ë" he told the commissioners.
ï Heard a report from Charles H. Dickens, Buncombe County delegate to the Senior Tar Heel Legislature.
Dickens outlined
the priorities the Legislature has selected to submit to the N.C.
General Assembly for review, including shifting the costs of Medicaid
from counties to the state, providing more services for older adults by
increasing the Home and Community Care Block Grant by $5 million and
providing prescription drug assistance for low-income residents 65 and
over.
ÇƒÓ By JIM GENARO
|
