Thomas Garrett

The Southern Virginia Committee meeting agenda includes welcoming remarks, roll call, and approval of minutes from the previous meeting. Key discussion points involve grant projects, pending projects in closed session, and extensions and modifications. The agenda also covers the FY26 Southern Virginia Program's first round, featuring staff summaries and recommendations for various projects related to agribusiness, business development, sites and infrastructure, tourism, and other economic development initiatives, including housing.

This strategic plan for the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission (TRRC) for 2025-2027 aims to accelerate regional transformation by fostering economic stability, diversification, and enhanced prosperity, addressing challenges from historic dependence on tobacco, textiles, furniture, and coal. It is built upon three strategic priorities: Focus, emphasizing transformational investments in economic competitiveness, entrepreneurship, talent, people attraction, and capacity growth; Sustain, ensuring financial stewardship through long-term planning; and Engage, enhancing organizational effectiveness and collaboration with partners.

The Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission Fall 2024 Committee & Commission Meetings include discussions and decisions on grant projects, extensions, and modifications across various committees. The Southern Virginia Committee reviewed grant applications for the FY25 Southern Virginia Program, focusing on agribusiness, business development, sites and infrastructure, and tourism. The Incentives and Loans Committee addressed TROF program extensions and modifications, and the Tobacco Region Incentive for Agribusiness Development (TRIAD). The Energy Ingenuity Committee discussed grant projects. The Southwest Virginia Committee addressed extensions and modifications. The Strategic Planning Committee focused on the strategic planning process and proposal. The Full Commission reviewed financial summaries and TROF loan updates.

The committee discussed the Megasite Policy, including setting up a Megasite round for evaluating grant values and investments on a holistic basis, with a focus on maximizing the benefit of the remaining balance. They also reviewed new project proposals related to regional economic development and access to healthcare, including digital media content, construction costs for the Appalachian Trail Center, sewer extension for Summit View Business Park, and utility infrastructure for Greensville County MAMaC. Additionally, the committee addressed several requests for grant extensions related to various projects, including the Berry Hill Mega Park and Liberty University's Center for Medical and Health Sciences.

The Tobacco Commission's meeting on May 18, 2023, involved several key actions across different committees. The Education Committee's recommendations led to the approval of Workforce Financial Aid applications for the 2023-24 school year, subject to specific conditions including matching funds, documentation requirements, limitations on dual enrollment funding, poverty level income requirements, and final reimbursement deadlines. The Commission also approved project extensions for the New Radiography Overhead X-Ray System and the Counselor Education Program in SWVA. Furthermore, the Commission addressed project extensions and modifications, including those for Scholle IPN Packaging, Inc., Speyside Bourbon Cooperage, Inc., Polycap LLC, Blue Wolf Sales and Service, and Blue Star NBR, LLC. Additional funding for PBS Appalachia Virginia was approved, while no action was taken on the Revitalization of Former Mendota. Extensions were granted for The Wired Road Connector Project and Connect Grayson with a revised project scope. The FY 2024 annual budget was also approved.