Edgewood EDC May Revise Policy To Help Existing Businesses

EDGEWOOD—Patricia Reed wants to expand Edgewood Day Care and Learning Center.

A little financial help from the Edgewood Economic Development Corporation (EDC) would make that easier to do.

Reed, who bought the day care facility in January 2007, is not the first owner of an existing business to come before the EDC board seeking assistance. The only problem currently is that the EDC’s set of guidelines covers only new businesses.

That could change soon. Board president David Musslewhite said he felt it was within the EDC’s power to help existing businesses when it comes to adding jobs and boosting the local economy.

"I believe it falls within our purpose," he said.

He later added, "I know we’ll be setting a precedent, but I believe if a local business wants to expand and increase its payroll, we should encourage that as much as we can. It is as important as supporting a new business."

Board member Pattizo Humphries said she was concerned about the board "opening a can of worms it can’t handle."

"The EDC just doesn’t have the funding to assist existing businesses to expand," she said, noting a budget of $40,000 per year.

"If you help (business) A, you’ve got to help B," Humphries added.

The current EDC guidelines for assistance to new businesses in Edgewood calls for up to $2,000 for every $20,000 in payroll provided, Musslewhite said earlier in the discussion.

Board member Kim Dunn said she felt the availability of financial assistance to new businesses had not been promoted well.

"I’m all for new businesses coming into Edgewood, but if we don’t do something to help nurture existing businesses, we could start to lose the businesses we have," she said.

"If we came up with a package for existing businesses, it may not be the same guidelines, but if there is anything we can do to encourage a business to stay in business here, we should do that," Dunn added.

Reed and the day care’s assistant director Sylvia Flurry attended Monday’s meeting. Reed said she wanted to expand in preparation for plans for a new regional hospital at the corner of U.S. Highway 80 and State Highway 19, just east of the Edgewood city limits.

"Right now, we are licensed for up to 43 children and we are currently at 35 to 38. It will not take long before we reach that maximum.

Reed said she wants to convert a garage into a nursery with an office, which would allow her to accept up to five more infants and add another employee.

Plans to build two additional rooms would allow 13 to 18 more children, she said.

"That would allow us to add two more employees for a total of three. We have seven employees now," Reed said.

She also said she would like to offer a part-time position to a high school student in conjunction with state certification classes for childcare.

"It would be great to have one come in and work with us. I’m a big supporter of the high school students who want to be in a work program," Reed said.