The Commissioners Court voted Monday in a split vote not to fund the Orange County Economic Development Corporation next year. The county has been contributing $68,600 annually to the Orange County EDC which was formed more than a decade ago.
The Court’s decision comes two weeks after the Orange City Council and the City of Orange Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors voted not to pay the city’s $25,000 annual payment to the Orange County EDC. Bobby Fillyaw the Director of the Orange County Economic Development Corporation had no comment after the meeting. When asked by the Court what projects he had in the works, Fillyaw responded by saying 10 projects estimated to be worth six to eight billion dollars.
County Judge Brint Carlton said the county did not have the funds to adequately fund the Orange County EDC and made the motion to cease payments beginning in 2016. Commissioners John Banken and Jody Crump also approved the judge’s motion. Both Commissioners David Dubose and Barry Burton said they were disappointed in the decision and had earlier made a motion to continue funding the EDC at its current level, which was defeated.
Last year, the county EDC had an income of $228,730 provided by the Port of Orange, the county, and cities in the county. The Port District is the largest contributor to the EDC with $103,000 or 45 percent of the EDC’s income. The cities contribute on a per capita basis.
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