WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced that the Small Business Administration (SBA) has designated Wilmington a Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone). The designation gives small businesses in the area – or those that employ residents of the areas – preferential access to federal procurement opportunities in order to encourage economic development and job creation in the region.
“This is about bringing new opportunities to Wilmington’s businesses and Clinton County’s skilled workforce,” Brown said. “When there is a natural disaster or homeland security threat, the federal government deploys all available resources to help the affected community recover. DHL’s decision to close it Wilmington facility was an economic tragedy. The SBA designation – coupled with the National Emergency Grant I fought for – represent the kind of ‘all hands on deck’ response that Wilmington and Clinton County deserves. This designation will provide critical opportunities to Southwestern Ohio families and businesses.”
“With support from SBA, I am confident that businesses will come back to Clinton County, acting as economic anchors to bring jobs to Wilmington and boost economic development.”
Since DHL announced plans to shutter all operations at its Wilmington hub in May 2008, Brown has been an outspoken advocate on behalf of the Wilmington community, and helped secure the first two rounds of NEG funding for Clinton County. In January 2010, DHL announced that it would transfer authority of its air park to the Clinton County Port Authority. Following that announcement, Sen. Brown wrote Assistant Secretary of Commerce John Fernandez urging the Agency to expedite consideration of two proposals submitted by Wilmington officials to the Economic Development Administration. The first proposal calls for a revolving loan fund (RLF) to be administered by the Clinton County Port Authority. This RLF would provide additional financing for capital improvements and long-term planning to re-use the facility. The second proposal includes a micro revolving loan fund to be administered by the City of Wilmington for small business and economic development projects.
Sen. Brown has been working closely with local and state officials on the issue of ownership of the air park. In Feb. 2011, Wilmington received $2,932,835 through the U.S. Department of Labor’s National Emergency Grant (NEG) Program for reemployment services to 729 workers affected by layoffs at Wilmington Air Park in Wilmington. That announcement marked the third round of NEG funding for Clinton County, following $3.8 million in Nov 2008, and $4.4 million in November 2009.
Brown helped secure more than $50 million in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to assist Wilmington and other areas across the country that are facing sudden and severe job loss and economic distress due to corporate restructurings.
Brown authored legislation that would assist Wilmington and other communities undergoing extreme economic distress. Brown’s “Rapid Response” bill is based off issues raised at a 2008 roundtable Brown convened with Mayor Raizk at which they met with displaced workers and outlined next steps for Wilmington. The legislation is modeled after the successful federal coordinated response implemented when a military base is shuttered. Brown’s legislation would connect economically distressed communities with a specialist or project manager to streamline coordination and assistance efforts available through federal economic and workforce development programs authorized in the Labor Department, the Department of Education, Small Business Administration, Housing and Urban Development, the Treasury Department and Agriculture Department.
Last year, Brown introduced the Business Incubator Promotion Act which would make more communities in Ohio eligible to receive funds that support business incubators through the Economic Development Administration. This bill would encourage the formation of business incubators in distressed communities to promote innovation and entrepreneurship, helping regions to create high-skill, high-wage jobs. It would also give EDA authority, in cases of severe economic distress, to reduce the non-federal share (match) to 20 percent of the cost of a project or to waive the local share if the unemployment rate of the area exceeds 12 percent.
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