ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 

 

TO:

Mayor and Members of Council

 

 

 

 

FROM:

Stephen Chait, Economic Development Director

 

 

 

 

PREPARED BY:

Ted Northcott, Sr. Business Development Officer

 

 

 

 

DATE OF MEETING:

September 20, 2005

 

 

 

 

SUBJECT:

Town of Markham and Markham Board of Trade Mission to Cary, North Carolina

November 1-3, 2005

 

 

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

That the report entitled “Town of Markham and Markham Board of Trade Mission to Cary, North Carolina”, herein referred to as “the Markham delegation” be received. The cost is not to exceed $4,000 based on the participation of one member of the Economic Development Department, one member of Council as selected by Council, and the Chief Administrative Officer;

 

The expenditure is to be funded from within the 2005 business development account # 086-6900-6773-005

 

DISCUSSION:

The Town of Markham, The Cary of Chamber of Commerce and The Town of Cary have enjoyed a 3 year alliance that was formalized in a Memo of Understanding, signed in Markham in 2002.

 

Since that time we have maintained an on-going relationship with Cary through formal and personal visits e.g. Cary sent a small delegation to our RFID conference in April, and email and telephone correspondence.

 

On August 25, 2005, Councillor Webster hosted a luncheon in Cary for select Cary and area representatives. The main purpose of the luncheon was to further develop our relationship  and make a re-commitment in taking our alliance to new levels of cooperation especially in the business to business area. Guests included Mayor McAlister, Mayor Pro Tem Jack Smith, Canadian Consul Louis Boisvert, Chamber President Howard Johnson, Wake Tech Community College Dean Wayne Loots, Susan Rennie from SAS and Sean Mitton, President of CAN SOUTH (a group of over 250 Canadians living in North Carolina). At the luncheon, Councillor Webster was also able to discuss with Wayne Loots an idea to have an exchange of student and faculty between Wake Tech and Seneca College.

 

In keeping with the Town’s interest to continue to foster our relationship, learn from each other on various economic development topics and to increase the business to business aspect of our relationship, there are 6 key reasons to meet in Cary this November with Cary and area representatives:

 

1) To re-affirm our alliance with the Cary Chamber of Commerce and Town officials and plan activities for the next 2 years.

 

2) To participate in the scheduled Cary Economic Development breakfast where there will be a presentation about the Research Triangle Regional Partnership (the RTP is reported to be the largest science park in North America) and an opportunity for the Markham delegation to present a Markham update

 

3) To network at the Cary Chamber of Commerce one day “EXPO 2005” on Wednesday, November 2, which will feature nearly 100 exhibitors and allow for networking opportunities for the Markham delegation. Attendance at EXPO 2004 was over 3,000.

 

4) To allow the Markham Board of Trade’s CEO and President, Keith Bray, an opportunity to learn from the Cary Chamber of Commerce operational model and to sign a twinning agreement with the Chamber

 

5) To discuss possible business opportunities with the Canadian Consul in Raleigh and the CAN SOUTH organization (made up of over 250 Canadians living in North Carolina)

 

6) To identify partnership opportunities for SAS (the world’s largest privately held software company) in the 2006 RFID conference in Markham

 

Although an agenda still has to be finalized, it is proposed that the Markham delegation would fly down Tuesday, November 1 and have meetings that night with various officials. On Wednesday, November 2, attend the economic development breakfast and EXPO and attend one-on-one meetings as set up by the Cary Chamber and Canadian Consul, and meet with CAN SOUTH representatives in the evening. On Thursday morning tours of SAS and Cary would be arranged with the delegation flying out in the late afternoon.

 

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The estimated cost of the trip for 3 Town of Markham representatives to attend (the Markham Board of Trade is to cover their own costs) is $3,000 and would be financed out of capital account # 086-6900-6773-005.

 

Calculation:

 

1)      Airfare                                                                          $1,500

(3 x $500)

 

2)      Hotel                                                                            $900

(3 x $150/night x 2 nights)

 

3)      Meals                                                                           $450

(3 x $150)

 

4) Miscellaneous                                                                 $500

                                                                                          ______

                                                      Estimated Total        $3,350

 

 

 

 

ENGAGE 21ST CONSIDERATIONS:

The activities are in alignment with the Town’s strategic plan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Chait, Director of Economic Development

 

Jim Baird, Commissioner of Development Services

 

 

Word/report on cary trip November 1-3, 2005 drafted august 25 revised