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Showcase attendees confer with representatives from the U.S. Dept. of Commerce and CareerSource Central Florida. PHOTO/TERRY LLOYD
Taking a role in helping existing businesses grow in the City of Kissimmee, city staff held a free open house and workshop last week, joined by other public and private agencies to help individuals in their quest to launch a business.
Dozens of business owners, entrepreneurs, and other interested members of the community filled the Kissimmee Civic Center’s Cypress Room. Several city officials were on hand to provide insights into planning and fire inspection requirements, and resources available from the city’s Economic Development Department. “This is exactly what we had hoped for, individuals engaging one on one with various agencies to see how they could help their business, “said Tom Tomerlin, Kissimmee’s Economic Development Director.
The Business Resources Showcase was a proactive effort on the part of the city staff and commissioners, similar to Operation Business Boost in 2021, which sought to help entrepreneurs and the business community get reenergized after the long COVID-19 pandemic slowdown.
Over ten agencies, many with several different departments represented, staffed information booths. The agencies exhibiting included Enterprise Florida, Prospera, the University of Central Florida’s Business Incubator, and its eight-county statesp onsored Small Business Development Center. Other agencies included the National Entrepreneur Center and two federal agencies, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The Dept. of Commerce was on hand specifically to provide information and support for businesses looking at exporting goods and services internationally.
Topics presented included resources available, information on how to develop business plans, finding and applying for business grant funding, and how to navigate the city’s permitting process.
“We plan to have three events like this each year, each one with a slightly different focus,” said Tomerlin.
One area highlighted by the Kissimmee staff was the incentives available for both the Downtown and Vine Street Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRA). CRAs are approved at the state level and freeze a city or county’s property tax levels at the time the district comes into being. The property continues to be accessed for taxes, however, any tax increases from the appreciation of the property’s value go into a separate CRA fund to make improvements in the district, including infrastructure, incentives, and amenities such as landscaping.
“Some current incentives, which are available to businesses in either CRA district, include façade improvement grants and funds for demolition of existing structures to promote development,” said Samia Singleton, the CRA Manager for Kissimmee.
The city also has a Business Startup Guide on the city’s website at https://bit.ly/3QIzprY.
