Business View Civil and Municipal l January 2023

81 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 12 it’s so new. But overall, if we can get the right project to come along, we’re confident we can secure the funding and the help through some of our economic development partnerships.” The County is also looking to grow its people footprint by leveraging its geography and accessibility to maximize its economic well-being. “We’re centrally located in the eastern North Carolina region,” Bender explains. “We’re JONES COUNT Y, NC right in between three large military bases, consisting of Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, Cherry Point in Havelock, and Seymour Johnson in Goldsboro. And so, the biggest selling point for Jones County is our location.” Being a stone’s throw from the beautiful Atlantic Coast and just a two-hour drive from the capital city of Raleigh and the bustling Research Triangle Park translates to a big opportunity for this market. “We’ve got the Future I-42 running