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Rich Collins, executive director of the Positive Growth Alliance, said the highlight of his year is the annual Quality of Life Awards Banquet.
“One of the most important things we can do is recognize and celebrate those whose successes enrich us all,” he said to start this year’s banquet on Friday, May 16, at Sussex Pines Country Club in Georgetown.
Each year, the alliance takes time out to pay tribute to companies, organizations and individuals that exemplify success.
Presentations this year include:
Economic Development Award – Sussex County Airport and Industrial Park in Georgetown.
Employment Opportunity Award – Kent-Sussex Industries (KSI) Inc. in Milford.
Progress in Healthcare Award – Delaware Eye Institute near Lewes.
Economic Development Award - County Administrator David Baker said the county has a 5-year, $30-million capital improvement plan for the airport-industrial park. The money will cover plans to expand one of the runaways to 6,000 feet and move Park Avenue.
“The goal is to provide more jobs and allow businesses to expand,” he said.
One of the businesses directly impacted by a longer runway is PATS Aircraft, which employs more than 500 people – up from 50 at its start in 1997.
A $1.2 million hangar expansion project will be complete in June to allow Delaware Tech College to start an airframe mechanics training program this fall.
The county has also initiated the formation of a new economic development committee and is in the process of hiring a new economic development director.
Employment Opportunity Award - KSI provides employment opportunities to disabled individuals at its 72,000-square-foot facility in Milford as well as at various companies throughout southern Delaware.
President Craig Couch said KSI paid out $3.3 million in wages last year to more than 300 people. “This allows some people to live independently and gets many people off the social welfare rolls,” he said. “Without KSI these people would not have a quality of life at all.”
“When dealing with people with disabilities, the KSI staff doesn’t see the ‘dis’ part,” said Jody Hudson, president of the alliance board.
Couch said KSI provides about 1 million miles in work-related travel to its clients each year. “We believe everyone is employable. Some have many challenges that most of us don’t have.”
KSI has been in business for 46 years.
Progress in Healthcare Award - The Delaware Eye Institute, located on Route 24 near Lewes, was founded by Dr. David Robinson more than 20 years ago. His original office is now La Rosa Negra on Savannah Road in Lewes.
The institute has grown into a 10-physician, 65-employee practice encompassing all aspects of eye care including specialties such as glaucoma, pediatric eye care and laser vision correction. Robinson said the center treats about 40,000 patients each year.
Robinson said the goal of the institute has always been to bring to Sussex County the same level of care usually found at urban teaching hospitals.
Included in the 25,000-square-foot facility is an ambulatory surgery center where 3,000 procedures are done each year – about 25,000 procedures to date.
Opened in 2007, the Retina Center offers treatment for diseases such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
“We help people see everyday,” Robinson said. “We are changing people’s lives.”
In addition, the Robert Stickels/Tina Fallon Scholarship for Economic Advancement was presented to Jerica Henry, a 2005 Laurel High School graduate who is majoring in business administration at the University of Delaware.
She maintains a 3.3 grade-point average and has provided almost all of her own college expenses through other scholarships and savings.
She has been accepted into the Happy Harry’s management internship program and works part time at Baywood Greens and Johnny Janosik.
Stickels, former county administrator, was in attendance to present the scholarship. Tina Fallon, former state representative from Seaford, has moved to California to live with her son.
Collins said the scholarship, funded with money from the Bay Ball Classic basketball tournament sponsored by the alliance, was named in their honor because of their support for the event.
Uncontrolled government takings hinders growth
As keynote speaker during the Positive Growth Alliance awards banquet, Senate Minority Leader Charles Copeland, R-West Farms, who is running for lieutenant governor, talked about unregulated government takings.
“Taking property is easy, and once you give government that power they are going to use it,” he said.
He said unregulated government taking of property without compensation is a hindrance to growth.
“When do we stop doing that? When do we once again allow entrepreneurs to generate economic returns and take care of themselves?” he asked.
He likened government takings to a despotic power. He said government officials who take land for projects or under new regulations say there is never money for compensation.
“But the taking is very costly to the person affected in unrealized opportunities and also costly to society as a whole,” he said.
Rich Collins, PGA executive director, said there are elected officials who want to change the takings policies, but they are sometimes overshadowed.
“The voices on the other side are much louder,” he said. “Sometimes the officials are afraid to speak up. They need to know we are behind them.”
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