Officials with a planned call center for Pennington Gap will soon begin conducting pre-employment workshops for prospective employees, the Lee County Industrial Authority learned Thursday evening.
IDA Director Tim Long told the authority that KCG Call Centers is still working on the facility, located inside the West Gate MiniMall, and is preparing to begin interviewing the first group of prospective employees.
Long said those interested in working for the company must first register with the Virginia Employment Commission, located in the Workforce One center in Pennington Gap. Those registered will then have to attend one of the workshops, which will be held to explain what the company does, what will be expected of employees, etc.
Long stressed that interested persons must be registered with the VEC to get on the list for the workshops and for possible employment interviews.
The times, dates and locations of the workshops have yet to be determined, he said.
Long also advised the authority that he intends to apply to the state for an enterprise zone designation in the county. The program has been revised since the IDA's last enterprise zone application, and Long has scheduled a meeting with Frank Kibler from the Lenowisco Planning District to go over the latest application.
Long said that requires the authority to conduct a recessed meeting, which will be held June 22 at 6:30 p.m.
The Board of Supervisors will conduct a public hearing on the application at its June 21 meeting. The deadline for submitting the application is June 30.
Having an enterprise zone designation allows the county to offer certain incentives to industries that locate in the zone.
Long also reported that the virtual building program is moving forward and said he hopes to have blueprints to show at next month's meeting. The master plan for the Constitutional Oaks Business Park is getting "rave reviews" from prospects who have viewed it, he told the board.
Funding applications to the Virginia Tobacco Commission will be reviewed by the commission in late July or early August, he said.
When Long told the authority that Wal-Mart is now "moving dirt" for a planned supercenter near Lee High School, board member Ernestine Wright asked why the school board recently denied easements across school property for water and sewer lines.
Long said he has fielded a number of calls on that issue and believes there were no members from the Public Service Authority present to answer questions school board members may have had. Attorney Greg Edwards, who is also an attorney for the school board, said he understands that some board members had questions regarding the easement documents and the route the easements would follow.
Long said he understands that County Administrator Dane Poe will attend the school board's monthly meeting next Monday to answer questions so the board can hopefully approve the easements to move the project forward.
The meeting concluded with a closed session to discuss prospective businesses and legal matters.
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