BRENHAM | WASHINGTON CO. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EMPHASIZING WORKFORCE ATTRACTION IN 2023
Officials with Brenham | Washington County Economic Development are planning a shift in focus next year.
At Thursday’s Brenham City Council meeting, Brenham | Washington County Economic Development Director Susan Cates said a primary issue heard from talking to local businesses is workforce attraction. In 2023, an emphasis on drawing in new businesses will move more toward supporting current ones by helping them bring in needed employees.
Part of the effort to attract employees is having a strong supply of housing. Cates said that is being worked on by a 25-member housing task force, charged with addressing the needs of residential housing in the Brenham and Washington County market, while also looking into unconventional solutions.
So far, the group has met twice, once in August for an initial meeting and again in October to recap the residential needs assessment performed last year by Community Development Strategies. It will convene this month to meet with a group that is looking into container housing in the community, and in December to visit with a specialist from the Texas Housing Foundation about tax credit housing and creative alternatives.
Cates also shared details about a Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) Plan headed by Brenham | Washington County Economic Development Specialist Erica Warren. The plan was created to engage community partners and stakeholders to support local businesses, implement strategies to strengthen them and industry sectors, and provide them with connections and resources. Ultimately, the plan is meant to build positive relationships and secure future investments within the community.
Through the BRE outreach plan, metrics were set for how often local economic development officials and community partners touch base with businesses based on their number of employees and property value. The plan also uses in-person and online surveys to gather data and analyze trends, while various resources are offered to meet businesses’ needs. Cates said so far this year, 415 unique BRE contacts with businesses have been made.
Two job fairs have been held so far this year, with another planned on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Fireman’s Training Center. Next year, the organization plans to hold quarterly job fairs. In April, members of the Texas Workforce Commission met with local school and college officials to discuss grant opportunities for providing workforce training. Cates also gave a reminder about the free community job board, https://washcotxjobs.com, and said regional advertising for the site will soon launch at Westwood Cinema 6 and on online platforms.
Cates concluded her economic development update with a progress report on some existing projects like the Brenham Crossing shopping center at Highway 290 and Chappell Hill Street. She mentioned that several stores, including Burlington, Ulta and James Avery, are “coming soon.” She also said two projects are at the contract stage in Brenham’s Southwest Industrial Park: Project Color Guard and Project Stones Throw.