Agenda Item Wording:
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Membership Agreement - Authorize continued membership in the Tulare County Economic Development Corporation through December 2025 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/2026 in the amount of $30,000 while staff assesses current and alternative service options.
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Deadline for Action: 10/6/2025
Submitting Department: Community Development
Contact Name and Phone Number:
Devon Jones, Economic Development Manager, devon.jones@visalia.gov, (559) 713-4190
Paul Bernal, Planning and Community Preservation Director, paul.bernal@visalia.city, (559) 713-4025
Department Recommendation:
Receive a report from the Tulare County Economic Development Corporation (TCEDC) and continue membership for FY 25/26 through December 2025 in the amount of $30,000, direct staff to assess current and other potential service options for the remainder of FY 25/26 and report back to Council on these potential options.
Background Discussion:
The TCEDC is providing the attached report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024/25 activity and requesting continued membership for the City of Visalia for the FY 25/26 in the amount of $60,000 (budgeted in Economic Development division budget). In general, staff believes there is value in partnering in regional efforts to promote economic development. However, due to the City's own efforts to provide a high quality industrial park with many viable 'shovel ready' industrial sites, coupled with the efforts of a highly invested industrial development community of well-established speculative builders, property owners, local industrial real estate brokers, and the close partnership with the Visalia EDC and other strategic economic development partners such as the Tulare County WIB and the COS Training Resource Center, it is difficult to assert that all of the services TCEDC offers are necessary for continued growth in the industrial park. Currently, several other TCEDC member jurisdictions are scrutinizing the return on investment of TCEDC members...
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