Century board approves payment to northescambia.com to promote businesses in Century, McDavid, Walnut Hill and Molino
The Century Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors voted to spend $50,000 of economic development money from the county commission with William Reynolds' website northescambia.com to have him promote 50 businesses in the Century, McDavid and Molino area on his website.
Under the plan Reynolds has agreed to run profiles and ads on 50 properly licensed businesses selected by a committee to be named later.
The money is coming from discretionary funds controlled by Commissioner Steven Barry. For fiscal year 2018 and 2019 Barry had $55,000 per year in discretionary funds for economic development with another $55,000 expected in fiscal year 2020 for a total of $150,000. The University of Florida's Hass Center's current survey market analysis for Century cost $24,500, which leaves a balance of $130,500.
Reynolds approached Barry with a proposal where 50 properly licensed businesses would be selected from the 32535, (Century) 32568 (McDavid/Walnut Hill) and 32577 (Molino) zip codes to become members of the Century Area Chamber for $1,000 each of the money given to Reynolds. The FY 2018 $55,000 has to be utilized soon or it will not be available. Commissioner Barry has designated these discretionary funds to be used to gain jobs and business growth in the north end of the county.
The $1,000 membership would purchase a spotlight with 300 to 400 words and six pictures on Reynolds' website for each business selected and exposure on his social media for a number of times evenly divided from the 120 days of August through November, 2019.
A committee would be formed to review applications and select qualified businesses to participate.
The chamber would received the $5,000 left over from the $55,000 allotted for FY 2019, which it could utilize to offer businesses a speaker series, meetings and special events to promote the business.
Reynolds would receive $25,000 in August and the remaining $25,000 in December, for a total of $50,000.
“These businesses would be getting a package for $1,000 that I normally charge $3,250 for,” said Reynolds. “I will hire a couple of people part-time to help with the spotlighting ads, so I'm providing jobs, and that's part of the economic development.”
Reynolds said the static display business ads would be seen 200,000 times, at 50,000 per month for the four months. The spotlight ads would rotate, but the static ads would be seen every day.
Chamber president Gerald McKenzie asked Reynolds if the Century Chamber would be visible every day to increase exposure and member Jane Woods suggested having an aspect of Century such as a picture of Lake Stone on the spotlight page. Reynolds said he could create a banner with chamber information across the bottom of the page to keep Century Chamber front and center to viewers.
“We've not had a plan presented to us like this,” said Chamber Vice President Mary Hudson. “I know there are some difference of opinions, but this is the first proposal that we have gotten that offers some progress for the chamber. I think it is a step in the right direction for the chamber and the community.”
The next step is approval by the Escambia Board of County Commissioners at their Thursday, July 18 meeting. If approved, businesses would begin to register July 22 and the chamber would set up a committee to select the 50 businesses to be spotlighted. Ads would begin to run on Reynolds' website August 1, 2019.
Century Mayor Henry Hawkins, who was not at the meeting, did not support the chamber's decision.
“William's is not a paper, he is just a blogger,” said Century Mayor Henry Hawkins. “Why didn't they do it with the Tri City Ledger? When they gave the money for the chamber, the council also approved it. That money is under the town's discretion. What has the chamber done in the last 10 years for economic development? It's the taxpayers' money and the taxpayers should have a say so. I don't think we should throw the money at the first deal that comes along.”
Mayor Hawkins noted that he tried to bring business into Century and later paid the money spent back to the town.
“I've been trying to get businesses in here before and its been getting shot down,” said Hawkins. “William will do what he has to to look good, but he has been stirring things up.”
With plans for a 5K run fundraiser, a farmer's market set to open in September and a website that is almost ready to go online, the Century Chamber seeks to grow its membership and promote business and economic development in the north end of the county.
