January 2021 Group Watch: Report Shows Airports Drive Economic Progress

The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) Aeronautics Bureau recently released the summary findings of the 2020 Statewide Airport Economic Import Study. It reports that Alabama’s 80 public airports are economic engines for their local communities and significant contributors to the overall state economy. Airports in the state generate more than $4.9 billion in state economic activity each year, support 44,399 jobs and $1.9 billion in payroll. The study shows that flights to and from Alabama’s public airports reach each state in the United States, as well as 23 countries abroad. Learn more here.

January 2021 Group Watch: Veronica Crock Joins Commerce Team

Veronica Crock, an experienced economic developer and former educator who focuses on workforce preparedness, has joined the business development team at the Alabama Department of Commerce. Crock, who holds the title of senior project manager, will concentrate her efforts on advanced manufacturing projects statewide. She will also have an initial focus on Southeast Alabama, where she previously worked as an economic developer. Crock previously served as the president of the Ozark-Dale County Economic Development Corp. and as president of Grow Southeast Alabama, an 11-county organization that promotes industrial growth and job creation across the region. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, a master’s degree from Troy University and completed doctoral research at Alabama State University.

January 2021 Group Watch: Expansion at Jasper Lumber Facility

Jasper Lumber Co. and Canada’s Tolko Industries Ltd. have formed a partnership that will expand lumber production at a Walker County facility through a $45 million project creating at least 60 new jobs. The investment will triple capacity at Jasper Lumber’s existing sawmill and create additional activity for its other subsidiary companies, which will operate under the parent company Jasper Forest Products LLC, a Jasper-Tolko Partnership. Plans call for the construction of new facilities, the installation of new machinery and increased shifting at the mill. The construction work at the Jasper sawmill will begin in early 2021 and culminates the efforts of the Walker County Development Authority, the Jasper Industrial Development Board and the City of Jasper who have been working on this project for about a year.

January 2021 Group Watch: Briggs & Stratton $9.4M Expansion

Briggs & Stratton announced a $9.4 million expansion at its Auburn facility, which is expected to create 35 new jobs over the next year. The facility is located in the Auburn Technology Park South and remains one of the largest manufacturing employers in East Alabama. Based in Wisconsin, Briggs & Stratton is the world’s largest producer of gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment, as well as commercial lithium-ion batteries, power generation, pressure washers, lawn and garden and job site products. The City of Auburn’s economic development department said the announcement is not only a good sign for the local economy, but an important indicator that the area has successfully weathered the COVID-19 pandemic.

January 2021 Group Watch: Law Enforcement Forms Alliance to Fight Human Trafficking

Federal, state and tribal authorities, and nonprofits have joined to form a task force aimed at improving prosecutions of human traffickers and aiding victims. The Alabama Anti Human Trafficking Alliance, funded by a $2.9 million grant from the Department of Justice, will coordinate response and resources. The Alabama Attorney General’s office will also designate an assistant attorney general and special agent to assist with human trafficking investigations and prosecutions. There were at least 200 cases of human trafficking in Alabama between 2015 and 2019, though authorities believe that number, taken from hotline calls, does not reflect the full scope of the problem. The majority of the victims were women exploited for sex; 30 percent were children. Alabama’s proximity to trafficking hot spots such as Atlanta, Chattanooga, Memphis and New Orleans means traffickers regularly travel the state.

December 2020 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

• Governor Signs Emergency Proclamation: Governor Kay Ivey signed a supplemental emergency proclamation to address tax and economic development issues that were delayed in the Alabama Legislature’s 2020 Regular Session due to COVID-19. The proclamation will allow Alabama citizens and businesses to avoid paying state taxes on certain benefits received under the federal CARES Act. The proclamation directs the revenue commissioner to alter the tax-return forms and instructions to ensure Alabama citizens and business will not pay taxes to the state on the financial aid they received from Congress through the CARES act, aid such as tax credits, advance refunds and loan forgiveness. The proclamation also extends the Alabama Jobs Act tax credits and the Growing Alabama tax credits until the legislature has an opportunity to enact further legislation addressing the programs.
• HomTex Inc. Expansion Creates More Than 300 Jobs: HomeTex Inc. has received $10,572,100 in CARES Act funds to expand operations to Selma to develop Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). HomTex is a family-owned and certified minority-owned business headquartered in Cullman County, and the new Dallas County manufacturing location will create 300 to 325 new jobs. In partnership with the state of Alabama and Wallace Community College in Selma, HomTex will establish an operation to produce General Purpose and FDA approved Level 1, 2 and 3 surgical masks and N95 masks. Wallace Community College will offer apprenticeship programs that will allow students to help make masks for their region and beyond. HomTex also has production and distribution facilities in Silva, NC; Belton, SC; and Leoma, TN.
• More Than $298M Awarded to Public School and College Authority Projects: Governor Ivey announced $298,317,492 has been awarded to Public School and College Authority projects for 20 entities around the state. The Authority was established to tackle long-standing school infrastructure projects or educational upgrades that have been delayed due to limited funding. The Public School and College Authority is comprised of Governor Ivey, State Finance Director Kelly Butler and Alabama Superintendent of Education Dr. Eric Mackey. The Legislature authorized the sale of up to $1.25 billion in bonds, and allocated money to every city and county K-12 school system and to higher education institutions. The money was divided, with 73 percent going to K-12 schools and 27 percent going to two-and four-year colleges.

December 2020 Group Watch: Tweet of the Month

Tweet of the Month

@thebloomgroup
Dec 16
Rest In Peace Hero.

December 2020 Group Watch: Merry Christmas & Very Happy New Year

From all of us at The Bloom Group, we hope your holiday season is safe and full of joy, despite any differences or challenges COVID has brought to your plans. Goodbye 2020, and welcome, welcome 2021!

December 2020 Group Watch: Justice Department Sueing Alabama

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the State of Alabama and the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC). The complaint alleges that the conditions at Alabama’s prisons for men violate the Constitution. The department says Alabama does not provide adequate protection against prisoner-on-prisoner violence and sexual abuse. It is further alleged that ADOC is not providing safe and sanitary conditions, and prisoners are subjected to excessive force at the hands of prison staff. The lawsuit is the result of a multiyear investigation and comes after nearly two years of negotiations that failed to reach a settlement that would correct the alleged deficiencies identified in the investigation. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief, but no monetary damages.

December 2020 Group Watch: Lynn Beshear Retires as Mental Health Commissioner

Lynn Beshear retired as Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Mental Health on December 16, after being appointed to the position in July 2017 by Governor Ivey. Beshear is credited with spearheading many initiatives to increase access of services for citizens with mental illness while navigating complexities of delivery by the department and community providers. Governor Ivey has appointedKim Boswell as the new Commissioner. Boswell comes to the job with more than 36 years of experience working with individuals with mental illness, substance abuse disorders and developmental disabilities. She previously served as Chief of Staff to Beshear and has been both Associate Commissioner for Administration as well as Director of Human Resources for the Alabama Department of Mental Health. Boswell has a bachelor’s of social work from the University of Alabama Birmingham and a master’s of social work from Florida State University.