Caroline County recognized for economic development

Caroline County received the Community Economic Development Award (CEDA) from the Virginia Economic Developers Association at its spring conference in Williamsburg on March 13. This is the second time in three years Caroline has won the CEDA Award.

Caroline won the CEDA in competition with other Virginia communities with populations from 15,000-40,000. Caroline has a population of about 26,000.

Caroline won for project innovation and marshalling support and funding for its development projects -- most especially for the county's new visitor center in Carmel Church, with its Miocene-era whale display; and the first phase of the commuter-rail studies focused on the same area of the county.

The CEDA Award also recognizes the many citizens, businesses and agencies that have worked with Caroline to make possible important projects without using general funds that are free to be used for other vital services in the county.

The visitor center, built without general-fund money, was made possible by a donation of land by Union Bankshares, a gift of $1.1 million from Frank and Linda Sealy's Belmont residential subdivision, and TEA-21 grants by the state departments of economic development and tourism, and VDOT's enhancement program.

The whale display project has been funded by the Kath and Litt Thompson Foundation, NiSource Foundation, VSE Corp., Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, MC Dean Inc., Luck Stone Inc., Herlong Associates, and an in-kind donation from Louise Spangler Graphic Design.

The rail studies have been funded by the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration. The rail project is under study.

This is the third CEDA Award Caroline has won. In addition to the two awards Caroline received from the Virginia Economic Developers Association, the county also won a third CEDA in 2006 from the Southern Economic Development Council in competition with the entire South for excelling in business recruitment.

Caroline will go on to compete for recognition in the South again in 2010 when the SEDC opens competition for their CEDA Award.