Mahoney pledges to bring opportunities to Glades County

EDC luncheon highlights new members, new directors

 

  In a videotape prepared for the Glades County Economic Development Council’s annual luncheon, held Jan. 26 at Maine’s Best Seafood at the Port LaBelle Inn, freshman Congressman Tim Mahoney pledged to work with local officials to work to protect the rural quality of life while helping to find opportunities to help Glades County thrive.

 

 The Venus Democrat who had been received warmly by Glades County residents during his campaign against Congressman Mark Foley, even before the incumbent’s resignation from office, expressed his regrets at being unable to attend the luncheon, having visited Glades County during the annual legislative delegation luncheon hosted by the EDC in November.

 

 The former businessman and entrepreneur said he ran for Congress to help insure America’s ability to compete and win in a global economy. Today, America is just waking up to the threat of global competition. We see it at the super Wal-mart where the majority of products come from the Far East. We see it when our husbands and wives shop on E-bay and purchase products made in Britain that are delivered to our door  by UPS the next day,” Congressman Mahoney said. “It takes the form of cheap citrus from Brazil, or beef from Argentina.

 

 “Three weeks ago I was a business man and entrepreneur with over 25 year experience in the computing and financial services industry. As the founder of several businesses and a nonprofit, I’ve spent my life working to create jobs, dedicated to fostering innovative entrepreneurship to making sure America continues to be on the cutting edge of innovation and the world economy.”

Congressman Mahoney pledged to work with local leaders “100 percent” to foster smart economic development in Glades County and throughout the district.

 

 “I congratulate you on your efforts to bring the power plant to Glades County, knowing it will bring jobs, build infrastructure and provide a tax base on which you can build,” Congressman Mahoney said. “Your efforts to recruit businesses and tourism is the kind of economic development model which will produce results now and in the future.”

 

 The Florida representative said by working with industry and government, Glades community leaders are on the path of success and financial security. “As the father of a 20-year-old daughter, I understand the importance of a strong economy that offers good paying jobs, jobs with a future. You have enormous potential here in Glades County and already have many accomplishments to celebrate.“Earlier this week I had the honor of attending the President’s State of the Union address and I was happy that he agreed with us that energy security should be a top priority, by calling for a reduction in U.S. gasoline usage by 20 percent in the next ten years.”

 

 The freshman Congressman noted Glades County stands to benefit greatly from the increased demand for alternative fuels. “By diversifying our energy supply through production of citrus and sugar based ethanol and other alternative and renewable energies, we’ll make America more secure, our environment cleaner, our pocketbooks fuller and our communities stronger,” Mahoney said. “It has the potential to give our children the opportunity to compete in the global economy without having to leave home.”Saying his job in Congress is to make sure his constituents get what they pay for with their taxes,  Mahoney pledged to be a strong advocate for Glades County.

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 I’m committed to working with you every step of the way in this coming year,” Mahoney said.

Echoing the Congressman’s remarks, Glades County manager Wendell Taylor told the bankers, real estate agents and other business people attending the luncheon about new projects on the horizon in Glades County, announcing plans to build a new yacht storage facility in Ortona, plans to develop a 2000-unit planned unit development near Moore Haven, and anticipated start of construction at Muse Rural Village, a 3500 unit mixed use development by Lykes scheduled to break ground this year.

 

 Mr. Taylor also announced plans for a public hearing on Feb. 20, from 6-9 p.m. at the Doyle Conner Building, during which a panel of experts in emissions, economic development, transportation and other subjects will answer written questions and take comments from residents regarding FPL’s Glades Power Park.

 

 In other business during the annual meeting, the EDC membership welcomed three new businesses and voted to elect two new directors to the Economic Development Council Board of Directors.

 

 New EDC members include Hendry Regional Medical Center, Sunrise Appliances and Wright Construction. New directors are Andrew Couse of First Bank of Clewiston and Travis Trueblood of the Trueblood Law Group. In her remarks, Ms. Whirls noted that the new memberships and new directorships include a blend of historic relationships and inclusion of new businesses in the county.

 

“Sunrise Appliances was one of the first new businesses to open in Moore Haven in many years. By deciding to open his second store in Moore Haven, David Grego was one of the first new businesses to come to Glades County, which now includes our first new private medical practice, Dr. and Ellen Geake’s Riverside Glades Medical Center and our first new law office, Trueblood Law Group.

 

 “We want to welcome Hendry Regional Medical Center as a new member, recognizing that the hospital has long served the medical care needs of Glades County residents, and our newest director Andrew Couse’ family has a long history here in the Glades. Our other new director, Travis Trueblood, is a newcomer to Moore Haven, one of five Native Americans licenses to practice law in the state of Florida, who specializes in real estate law for the Seminole Tribe.”