Business View Civil and Municipal l January 2023

91 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 12 the fact that the county’s northern borders are about 25 minutes from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro N.C., Duplin County is within a short drive from some of the country’s most notable and well-respected military installations. “The hope is that this can help us be successful with actively recruiting more defense contractors to relocate here in the county,” says Duplin County Manager Davis Brinson. “We already facilitate training and provide facilities for the United States Marines here. Whatever we can do to support our military is a good thing for our county and our residents.” Grants also are helping to fund the development of the new Duplin Public Transportation Center, a 5,311-square-foot facility that will be located at the Duplin Commons County Government complex. It will have a paved and covered parking lot to accommodate 20 public transit vehicles and feature a secure space to store and DUPL IN COUNT Y, NC protect the fleet. The transportation center has a scheduled completion date of June 2023. Duplin Commons is also the home to the $3.9 million Duplin County Animal Care, Control, and Adoption Facility, which is expected to open by the fourth quarter of 2023. This facility will expand upon the animal care and animal control services available to residents. Numerous partners help Duplin County accomplish many of its goals, including the various development projects mentioned above. The county’s Economic Development Board is composed of business and educational leaders from the community. It serves in an advisory capacity. North Carolina’s Southeast is a regional public- private partnership that markets the state’s Southeast Region – nationally and globally – to encourage new economic growth. It has supported the county’s efforts to recruit new employers, helping to identify options from different industries all around the U.S. The county works hand-in-hand with its municipalities’ leadership teams to support events, funding, infrastructure needs, and more. Some of those municipalities also have chambers of commerce to help promote county businesses as a whole. Business owners are also invaluable partners and often suggest creative ways for the county to market itself more effectively to other employers and prospective job candidates. Finally, the North Carolina Department of Transportation has aided Duplin County officials in supporting road and infrastructure funding projects “We work with our partners to showcase ways to bring the community together,” Brinson says. Duplin County is home to James Sprunt Community College, an institution in Kenansville, N.C. that responds to the individualized educational and workforce development needs of the community by increasing accessibility, providing innovative teaching, and expanding