Industry
Appreciation Week is recognized by the governor and Enterprise
Florida on an annual basis for the contributions of the business
community to the state of Florida and to the communities which
they serve. Traditionally, this had provided an opportunity to
recognize businesses in Charlotte County for their contributions
to the economy.
This
year, however, Charlotte County is in a different place. Because
of the impact of the storms of 2004 on the community, many business
owners who recognized the impact on their employees and the community
went above and beyond in assisting with insurance deductibles,
food, housing ... the list is endless.
This
year, the Economic Development Office will recognize those businesses
that reached out to assist with Industry Recognition.
The
event is planned for Oct. 18 and applications are available at
the Economic Development Office and on its Web site: www.PureEconomics.org.
The
nomination process is open to everyone: employees, employers,
neighbors and friends. If you are aware of a business that assisted
their employees following the storms of 2004, please nominate
that business for this special recognition.
In
the aftermath of the storms, we all learned this is a great community
as neighbors helped neighbors to rebuild. There are some wonderful
stories to tell -- tell us yours.
On
another note of particular interest to employers, the Work Force
Housing Task Force has been collaborating with the Housing Strategies
Committee to arrive at recommendations to address the housing
shortage. The consensus of both groups is that work force housing
is a big issue for employers and a priority for economic development.
The
teaching profession, health care providers and law enforcement
work force need affordable housing, as do employers considering
a Charlotte County location who require assurances their employees
can live where they work. The task force has been looking at best
practices across the state and recommendations will be presented
to the County Commission at its 2 p.m. workshop June 28.
Betty
Williams is economic development manager for the Charlotte County
Economic Development Office (www.PureEconomics.org).
