Hiring Event Deemed Success By IDA
By REBECCA HAZEN
News Editor
The Job Ready Dade Hiring event on Saturday, Sept. 25, sponsored by both the Dade County Industrial Development Authority and the Alliance for Dade, was successful in its goal to get Dade County citizens out to see the available jobs in the community.
“I think it went well,” IDA member Evan Stone said, during the IDA meeting on Monday, Oct. 11. “We had a lot of good reviews. The Water Authority brought 30 applications and gave out every one of them. The County brought 15 applications and gave out each one. I talked to one lady, whose daughter got a job at Vanguard because she came that day.”
Alliance for Dade Chair George Williams was also at the meeting. He noted that 85 people came to the event. The Alliance hopes to have another hiring event in the spring, so that the high school seniors have an opportunity to find summer jobs, and/or jobs that could become careers.
“There was good energy in the room and there was a lot of mingling,” Williams said.
A survey will be sent out to find out how many people were hired because of the event.
Williams also noted that the Alliance is working on the Jolly Holidays Dade Expo, which will be Dec. 4. So far, 30 exhibitors have signed up for the event.
The IDA members approved Beltline Energy’s purchase of three additional acres, in addition to the acreage they are acquiring to construct a solar farm adjacent to Bull Moose Tube Company.
County Attorney Robin Rogers noted that the acreage backs up against easements belonging to the city, but there should not be any problems stemming from that.
“They need to have buffer land, because their biggest problem is trees growing over the years. We’re talking, 30, 40 years on the horizon,” Executive Director William Back explained. “The trees can be gigantic and cast a shadow over the solar panels. Basically, they need an area to keep cut down, so they don’t have shadowing.”
Beltline Energy is a solar development company that is located and headquartered in Atlanta.
This solar farm will be a part of a specific program being offered by Georgia Power called the Georgia Power Customer-Connected Solar Program.
Also noted during the meeting, the IDA is looking at the possibility of new office space at the former Shaw Industries building, located at 13056 N. Main Street. The space would require some light remodeling, including the purchase of office furniture. The IDA has to move from the Dade County Administrative Building, because of a lack of space.
The next IDA meeting will be Nov. 15.