Economic development director to give first quarterly report

The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors will hear about what the Economic Development Department has been doing since being formed earlier this year during a public meeting on Tuesday.

Cole Przybyla, the department’s director and sole employee, is scheduled to give a presentation to the board on his first quarterly report at 10:30 a.m. that day. He said in an interview Thursday that he’s optimistic about what’s happening in the county.

“I’m excited for the general public and my constituents to finally see who I am as a director of a county department, what I’m focused on, what my priorities are, and be able to show that I’m listening and working for them,” he said of the upcoming presentation.

Przybyla was hired by the board in early July to replace the now defunct Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority, a former partnership between the county and City of Sonora that dissolved in February due to controversy over the agency’s accountability and spending.

In the report, Pryzbyla lists the pillars of economic development as business retention, expansion and retraction.

A chart in the report stated Przybyla has reached out to a total of 511 businesses and organizations, 64 percent of which were local. Outside businesses accounted for 24 percent, statewide organizations were 11 percent and conferences were 1 percent.

“What I’ve heard from the community about what they want me to focus on is helping those businesses that are already do

ing business in Tuolumne County,” he said. “That’s how I spent most of my time for the first quarter of my position.”

Some of the work completed in the area of business retention included multiple articles in various forms of media, 15 referrals to local business development and workforce training organizations, and hosting an economic summit at Teleli Golf Club in Sonora on Nov. 7 that brought together 15-plus business organizations with key county staff and elected officials.

Przybyla said he plans to host three additional events next year about specific aspects of business in the county, including broadband Internet, funding sources, and resilience to disasters like wildfires.

Work completed by Przybyla in the area of business expansion reportedly included connecting the manager of Twain Harte Shopping Center with 11 different businesses interested in opening a location in the center, as well as working with Sierra Northern Railway on plans for upgrading its freight railroad tracks between Riverbank and Standard.

Sierra Northern secured a $17 million grant earlier this year to help upgrade the line over the next six years.

Przybyla didn’t have a role in the process of securing the grant but said he’s been working with the company to boost the county’s position on the priority list for investment, which is currently last because its at the end of the line.

“It opens up Tuolumne County to some more business options in terms of freight travel and getting products out to international markets through the ports,” he said of the potential benefits an upgraded railroad could provide.

In the area of business attraction, Przybyla reported that he reached out to more than 100 outof-county businesses that included the likes of Target, Home Depot, Tesla, eight regional small grocery stores, and three craft breweries.

Przybyla said some of the companies have specific requirements for locations where they invest that precludes the county, like Target’s requirement for 150,000 people living within 10 minutes of store.

“The answer is ‘no’ a lot of the time, but we still need to reach out to them,” he said. “If we find ways to convince them those requirements are met or they change them, then they will have a contact through me and know who I am.”

Some of the out-of-county businesses did express interest and are continuing to be in contact with Przybyla, particularly in the area of natural resources.

Przybyla said some of those he contacted also became part of the 25-plus that have expressed interest in doing projects, such as a proposed ropes course off Highway 120 near Groveland that recently applied for a conditional use permit.