Maryland's Eastern Shore working to diversify economy

Mary E. Medland

One could easily make the mistake of thinking that the Eastern Shore's only industries are farming, raising chickens and playing host to the swarms of tourists that descend on Ocean City every summer. True, those are key economic elements for the area, but there's considerably more there and more coming down the pipeline.

We're very much trying to develop an economy that has job opportunities for all skill sets, according to James E. Rzepkowski, assistant secretary for the rural Maryland region at the Department of Business and Economic Development. And that has definitely been a challenge.

In the north part of the Eastern Shore lies Cecil County, which with its proximity to Interstate 95, has a bustling, modern economy largely based on manufacturing and distribution centers.

South of the I-95 corridor is the traditional agricultural economy that residents very much want to maintain, said Rzepkowski. But more and more farmers are transforming their crops into food they can sell in the region, rather than ship overseas.

The Eastern Shore increasingly is attempting to draw high-tech companies to set up shop in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester counties. Rzepkowski points to shore residents who have retired from tech companies, such as Lockheed Martin or Northrop Grumman, and who are considering starting enterprises of their own.

We are working on establishing high-speed, broadband Internet access, Rzepkowski said. We'd very much like to keep our high-tech residents who commute to the western shore or to D.C. working here and also have these retired entrepreneurs base their startup businesses here. What we are hearing from these residents is that they don't want to leave the Eastern Shore to do business.

Manufacturing accounts for 12 percent of the Eastern Shore economy, although that figure has dropped over the recent years. High- profile players include Perdue Farms, Harvard Custom Manufacturing (boatbuilding), U.S. Marine, B&G Foods, Airpax (telecommunications for homeland security) and numerous other manufacturers that support the defense industry.

In Rock Hall and Crisfield, the primary industry is seafood - in addition to the watermen, there are the companies, including Claytons Seafood, Nanticoke Foods and Mid-Atlantic Foods, which package and ship crabmeat, oysters and clams worldwide. An important asset making this and other economic development possible is the regional airport in Salisbury.

In addition to Ocean City, tourism plays a key role on the Eastern Shore. Cambridge's Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina is set on preserved land, which makes it especially popular for bird watching, and Dorchester County is the home of the Blackwater Refuge.

The Blackwater Refuge has a lot of university people who do research with oysters, for example, or who study the potential of horseshoe crab blood in creating new medicines, according to Rzepkowski. There are a number of federal and state laboratories here that also do research.

Just off of Route 50 are other tourist attractions, including Cambridge, Chestertown, Easton and St. Michaels.

The Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury is the largest medical and trauma center on the shore and increasingly draws patients from Delaware and Virginia. Physicians are attracted to the Eastern Shore with its accessibility to the water, and the medical center makes it possible for residents to receive treatment close to home, rather than having to travel to Baltimore.

But economic diversification hasn't come without some growing pains. The demand for water and sewers has grown, and keeping the shore environmentally sound remains a priority. We want to grow regionally, but not burst through the seams, said Rzepkowski. Our citizens have let us know that they want to keep development from getting too big - we certainly don't want to become another Montgomery County.

Caroline County

Caroline County, while primarily rural with farming as a major employer, nonetheless is looking to diversify its economy. A Mid- Shore Business and Technology Park is in the planning stages, and the county participates in the One Maryland Program, which promises that employers who create jobs will receive tax benefits. Prominent employers include Solo Cup, Tri-Gas & Oil Co. and Maryland Plastics.

Economic development goals for 2005

* Continue planning and development of Mid-Shore Business and Technology Park.

* Maintain the agricultural economy.

* Work to increase tourism to the county.

* Attract more high-tech companies and workers.

Caroline Economic Development Corp.

Cecil County

With its proximity to the Interstate 95-U.S. Route 40 corridor and excellent transportation infrastructure, Cecil County's economy is largely based on manufacturing and distribution centers. However, much of the county remains rural, and about 70 percent of the county is devoted to farmland. Major employers include DuPont, General Electric and W.L. Gore & Associates.

Economic development goals for 2005

* Continue to remain a strong center for manufacturing and distribution centers.

* Develop agricultural products that can be sold regionally, rather than shipped overseas.

* Work to increase tourism.

Cecil County Office of

Economic Development

Dorchester County

Dorchester County is home to a widely available work force, more than one-third of which is in the 20-44 age range. Two modern, fully equipped industrial parks accommodate large and small businesses. The county offers new and expanding businesses an array of county and state services and incentives, such as the One Maryland Program.

Economic development goals for 2005

* Strategic planning.

* Assist existing businesses.

* Business development.

* Develop a new technology park because all sites in the Chesapeake Industrial Park have been sold.

* Protect the beauty and bounty of the waters surrounding Dorchester County for both industry and recreation.

* Train more registered nurses at the new Critical Care University in Cambridge.

Dorchester County

Economic Development

Kent County

No business personal-property tax means lower overhead costs for businesses seeking convenient access to Philadelphia; Wilmington, Del.; Baltimore; and Washington. Kent County has a dedicated work force and award-winning schools.

Economic development goals for 2005

* Provide jobs for citizens.

* Promote economic development that will maintain and complement the country's unique agricultural and waterfront character.

* Retain and strengthen regional initiatives: value-added agriculture through Chesapeake Fields; marine careers through Chesapeake Marine Trade Career Center; health research and medical- related industries that offer better-paying jobs.

* Develop the light industrial Kent County Business Park at Worton and the LaMotte Office Campus in Chestertown.

* Market existing Kent County businesses to the region and the mid- Atlantic area.

P.A.M. Schaller, Director

Kent County Economic Development

Queen Anne's County

Queen Anne's County Commissioners are committed to increasing the vitality of the county's commercial economic base.

Economic development goals for 2005

* Business development, enhancement and retention.

* Water and sewer infrastructure for commercial use.

* A regional approach to sustainable/profitable agriculture and marine-related industries.

* Readily available/accessible broadband/high-speed Internet service.

* Assistance to local businesses in interfacing with government and regulatory agencies regarding financing programs, tax incentives, etc.

Suzanne Eakle, Director

Queen Anne's County Department of Business and Tourism

Somerset County

Somerset County is the ideal place to locate or expand a business. The county has affordable acreage, a trained work force, One Maryland Tax credits and access to a good quality of life.

Economic development goals for 2005

* Concerted effort in addressing adequate infrastructure issues.

* Create an inventory site list for targeting economic growth.

* Manage economic growth to retain the quality of life.

* Revise strategic plan for the county.

* Update office technology for rapid

response.

Daniel K. Thompson, Executive Director

Somerset County Economic

Development Commission

Talbot County

Talbot County is a diverse cultural center with the longest waterfront in Maryland, which makes it one of the more desirable places to raise a family. But that is not the only reason companies such as BAI Inc., which creates ideas in unmanned aircraft; Cadmus Communications, which is pioneering international communications for medical technology companies; and our environmentally focused businesses have found common ground in Talbot County.

Economic development goals for 2005

* Encourage more high-tech companies to come to the county.

* Maintain a healthy environment.

* Wisely manage growth.

* Continue to maintain quality of life.

Frederick Smyth, Economic

Development Director

Talbot County

Wicomico County

Wicomico County offers a relaxed and rural lifestyle with amenities more often found in larger, metropolitan areas. From first- class educational institutions to commercial air service to a growing labor force, Wicomico is the perfect place to live, work and raise a family.

Economic development goals for 2005

* Construct the Silverton Marine manufacturing plant.

* Redevelop the Salisbury Mall property.

Renovate the former airport terminal into a business incubator.

* Enhance development opportunities at the Air Business Center.

* Construct WestWood Commerce Park.

David Ryan, Executive Director

Salisbury-Wicomico Economic

Development Inc.

Worcester County

Worcester County is best known for Ocean City. However, non- tourism employers include Bel-Art Products, Perdue Farms and the Atlantic General Hospital. The county - home to Assateague Island National Seashore - is also popular for those individuals who enjoy outdoor sports.

Economic development goals for 2005

* Continue efforts to develop Ocean City as a year-round travel destination.

* Increase ecologically based tourism.

* Continue to attract jobs through participation in the One Maryland Program and its tax credits for those who develop jobs.

Worcester County Department of

Economic Development

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