Anyone wanting statistical, economic, business, housing or pretty much any other data about Polk County now has a resource online. The Polk County Economic and Tourism Development Commission (ETDC) launched a new website last week for economic development.
The website, which can be found at www.polkedc.com, was reviewed during a meeting of the ETDC on Wednesday, Sept. 26.
“I’m really, really excited about this because it has everything a business would want to know,” said Polk County Economic Development Director Libbie Johnson.
The site has approximately 65 pages of content, including a downloadable fact book about Polk County. The fact book is 100 pages of information about Polk County and its towns, ranging from census and economical data to information about permits, taxes, transportation, schools, medical care and maps.
The website also includes snapshots of businesses that will be changed frequently, as well as links titled “Living Here,” “Doing Business Here,” “Polk Data,” “About ETDC,” “Snapshots,” “News” and “Contact Us.”
On the home page, pictures of the county rotate with some of the county’s attributes, including “Doing Business Here,” “Why Polk County,” “Our Horses Mean Business,” “Why North Carolina,” “Connectivity,” “Weather,” “Location” and “Community.”
The “Doing Business Here” link, for example, says, “There’s a strong, old-fashioned bond between business and community here in Polk County. Our towns bustle with small, medium, and a few large companies providing products and services. If you’re considering launching your own business here, you’ll find an eager workforce as well as regional economic development agencies that encourage entrepreneurial spirit while they support existing businesses. Whether you are looking at bringing a large business or a small cottage industry, you will find local governments and organizations ready to accommodate your needs–and make you feel genuinely welcome in the community.”
Other snapshots on varying pages of the website include positive rankings of the county, such as being “top five horse communities,” “Tryon voted best place to raise children,” “Voted one of top 10 places to live in rural America” and “Polk County High School voted top 100 high schools in America.”
Another bulleted item says, “Live like others vacation.”
The ETDC will post monthly meeting minutes on the website as well as the commission’s monthly newsletter.
Johnson said she feels the website is easy to navigate and added that it was launched on time and under budget.
The department is also working on a new tourism website it plans to launch soon.