Valerie Boddy, commissioner of budget and finance for the city of Lakesite, will utilize her business and accounting background as head of the city’s newly formed Economic Development Committee.
“We’ve had issues with businesses that come in – for some reason they go,” said Boddy. “We decided to reach out to ones that are there and try to find out what kind of issues they might be having that could be preventing them from being the best business they could be, and we’re looking to see what their main priorities and complaints are.”
She said the city is considering changing ordinances that affect businesses, such as the city’s sign ordinance, or clarifying the wording of current ordinances to help business owners understand the reasoning behind them.
“Some businesses don’t have signs out, so people don’t know they’re there,” said Boddy, explaining that city ordinance prohibits the handwritten and temporary signs some businesses want to put up.
Along with addressing the needs of current businesses, Lakesite is also attempting to create more involvement between businesses and the community as well as attract new business to the area.
“We’re looking for businesses that are a good fit with what’s already there,” she said. “We have a significant area of open space.”
Current businesses calling Lakesite home include mainly small retail establishments such as hair salons, as well as a liquor store and a Bi-Lo, the area’s largest business.
“We’re even open to some manufacturing,” said Boddy, “but we don’t want anything to affect the environment, to make us lose the appeal of a small town.”
She said the city would like to hear the community’s input on what businesses they would like to see in Lakesite, as well as ideas on how the city could become more friendly to small businesses.