Wayne Mansfield, head of the Longview Economic Develop Corp., acknowledged a recent challenge in local economic development Wednesday during the Chamber of Commerce's annual State of the Economy event.
This year's speaker, Aaron Demerson, president and CEO of the nonprofit-and-independently- funded Texas Economic Development Corp, was the keynote speaker.
He described how the state has the eighth-largest economy in the world at $2.4 trillion gross domestic product. It's also been the top exporting state for 22 years. Texas has led the nation in semiconductor exports for 13 years in a row and for high-tech exports for 11 years in a row.
It was during a panel discussion at the end of the event that included Mansfield and Lisa Denton, the head of the Kilgore Economic Development Corp., that moderator Mark Robinson asked them what the community should and shouldn't be doing to assist their efforts. The two organizations work to recruit companies to this area and work to help retain and encourage expansion of existing companies.
"Stay off social media?" Mansfield said in response to Robinson's question. The audience laughed, but he had an example that could affect whether a "high tech" company that has proposed locating in Longview will actually be able to. Mint Innovation, which is based in New Zealand, is seeking a specific use permit to locate in a vacant building zoned for heavy commercial use at 2120 E. Loop 281. The company needs the permit because it's considered a recycling facility, but it is not a typical recycling facility where cans or plastic and paper are recycled.
"They bring in discarded circuit boards for computers," Mansfield said and then grind them up. He described how the company uses a 2 percent sulfuric acid solution to draw copper out; another solution draws out silver; and microbes draw out gold. The only waste product produced, he said, is gypsum ÐÔÊӽ紫ý” or chalk.
Mint Innovation Founder and CEO Will Barker previously said it's then used in building products. Mint Innovation has a demonstration facility in New Zealand, and a full-scale plant in Sydney, Australia. Barker also has previously said it was the only existing building available in Longview that met the company's height and other requirements.
"They recycle the water they use," Mansfield said. "It is not biomining."
"And the problem is, people have gotten on social media and they will not listen to the facts," he continued. "The CEO himself, who has a PhD in chemistry, was debating someone who printed stuff off AI ....
"The fact of the matter is that two or tree people have gotten on social media and are just transmitting misinformation and outright lies," Mansfield said.
That's frustrating, he said, when trying to bring a company to the city.
"The social media thing can be a challenge to try to overcome," he said.Â
The permit request ÐÔÊӽ紫ý” the company also would have to be permitted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality ÐÔÊӽ紫ý” was previously approved by the city's Planning and Zoning Commission. The City Council, however, then tabled a vote on the issue because of concerns voiced residents and a church in that area.
The council was set to take up the issue again at 5:30 p.m. today, when a supermajority vote of seven members would be required to approve the permit request.
On Wednesday, Denton and Mansfield said they have not pursued companies in the past that don't fit the community.Â
Demerson's presentation about the state of the economy focused on the strength of the business environment in Texas and the importance of local efforts working alongside state efforts to support economic development.
One of the things the organization does is travel domestically and internationally in its efforts to recruit companies to come to Texas ÐÔÊӽ紫ý” Denton, head of KEDC, will join the organization on an international.
The goal is to showcase what Texas has to offer to companies that Demerson said are "hungry to come to the United States" and Texas.
While many companies are moving to the state during this time period, that wasn't always the case. They saw Texas as an oil and gas and agriculture state. That is true, Demerson said.
"But we do a lot more than that," he added. "Now we have a very diversified economy here in our state."
His organization works with economic development organizations through Texas to spread that message.
"The rubber meets the road at the local level." Demerson said.
It's important for local communities to be a part of that process so they can help market the state and talk about the assets their communities have, he said.