^Ylew* - journal
Section B _
Thursday, June 2, 1983
ME I*
Towering above the rest
This water tank is located at the main city water plant located on Dickson Street in Raeford. The entire water
plant produces nearly 2.5 million gallons a day, and according to City Manager Ron Matthews can produce at
least 500,000 more without "taxing the system. " These modern facilities and capabilities make the City of
Raeford and Hoke County attractive to future industry.
I. I
Getting it ready
Faberge employees keep a watchful eye on the thousands of products that slide by them during a day. Faberge
Industries came to Raeford In I97i and has expanded Its facilities greatly since that time. They are presently -
planning another J 2 million expansion that will create at least 50-100 new jobs. According to Chamber of Com
merce Director Earl Fowler, expansion within a company, Uke Faberge, is beneficial to the community and also
I helps attract other Industry Into the area.
The Selling Of Hoke
Both Raeford And County Tax Funds
Are Being Used To Lure Industries
By Sherry Matthews
Hoke County, which was form
ed in 1911 from Cumberland and
Robeson counties, stretches over
389 square miles, has a population
of nearly 21,000 people and is
ready and waiting for new and
diversified industry.
Of the 21,000 people living in
Hoke County, 1 1 ,679 are between
the ages of 18 and 64 making
57.3% of the total population
members of the labor force.
All these things make Hoke
County "sellable" to industries
that may want to hang their shingle
in the little county that is nestled in
the southeastern section of the
state.
Industry is already present and
very much felt throughout the
community.
Burlington Industries, Faberge,
JRA Industries, and the House of
Raeford together employ over
3,000 people.
Combined, these industries have
brought prestige and pride to the
Hoke community.
Chamber of Commerce director
Earl Fowler believes that the in
dustries already here are a major
asset to attracting further com
panies into the area.
"The industries we already have
are a major tool in drawing more
prospective companies into Hoke
County," Fowler said.
"Our climate and our labor
force are also vital tools in attract
ing new industry," Fowler added.
A profile of the county, recently
distributed to possible future pro
spects, shows that the climate for
the Hoke area could very well be a
drawing card.
With a yearly average
temperature of 62.4? and an an
nual snowfall of only 3.0 inches,
Fowler believes that this area
would be an ideal attraction for
out-of-towners looking for a new
location.
Another thing that Fowler feels
is "vital" in bringing new industry
to the county is "community sup
port."
"In order to recruit industry in
to this area, the community must
want industrial growth," Fowler
said.
"We have a good, positive at
titude about industrial growth in
this area, and that is an asset,"
Fowler added.
City Manager Ron Matthews
agrees.
"We've got what it takes. We
have the modern facilities, good
weather and a good industry
record," Matthews said.
Matthews is "very much in
favor" of attracting new industry
into the area.
"We need more industrial
growth to keep our young people
in the area," Matthews said.
In order to get more industry
that will utilize "our most valuable
resource (the kids)," Matthews
believes there are several steps that
need to be taken.
According to Matthews, getting
the industrial sewer moratorium
that was placed against the city
lifted, will almost "ensure" good
possibilites of growth in the area.
Another asset is Raeford's
modern water and sewer facilities.
At present the city's water and
sewer systems have a capacity
which exceeds the present use.
The sewage treatment plant
handles approximately 2.2 million
gallons of waste a day.
According to Matthews the
plant can actually treat 3 million
gallons a day.
"We have an excess capacity of
600,000 or 700,000 gallons a day,"
Matthews said.
The water plant can also pro
duce more than it does at present.
Matthews said that the water
system is producing nearly 2.5
million gallons a day.
"We could easily produce a half
million to a million gallons more
without taxing our system," Mat
thews said.
According to Fowler and Mat
thews, these are the kinds of things
that will help to "sell" Hoke
County and Raeford to industries.
"Selling" the area is very impor
tant to Fowler, Matthews and
County Manager James Martin.
Both the city and the county set
aside money in their budgets for
industrial development.
The county invested $14,000
towards such development in the
1982-83 year, while the city in
vested over $6,000 with plans to
budget $2,000 more for the coming
fiscal year.
Although Fowler says there are
no "active" prospects at present,
everyone seems encouraged that
there will be in the "future."
State Industrial Development
director Alvah Ward believes that
Hoke County can attract new in
dustry.
"That area has an excellent
track record," Ward said, adding
that he had no reason to believe it
would change.
Ward also believes that efforts
should be made to "expand ex
isting industry" along with
recruiting new companies into the
area.
_ Fowler seems to agree.
"We are having industrial
growth within the industries we
already have," Fowler said, point
ing out the $2 million expansion
that Faberge is now planning.
"From them you generate more
industry," Fowler added.
As another stepping stone to
bringing new industry to the area,
Fowler has sites available for in
dustrial use when the time comes.
"We don't have an industrial
park because of the great expense
involved, but we have sites ready
and waiting," Fowler said.
The sites that have been made
available have letters of intent to
sale when the time comes, Fowler
said.
With all these vital things going
in Hoke County's favor, industrial
growth should not be a problem.
With modern water and sewer
systems, already flourishing in
dustry, vast community support
and the lifting of the moratorium,
selling Hoke County does not ap
pear to be such a difficult task.
"I constantly sell the City of
Raeford everyday," Matthews
said.
"I really believe, and 1 have told
this to many people, that we are
one of the best kept secrets around
the state," Matthews added.
Industrial greetings
North Carolina Secretary of Commerce D.M. "Lauch" haircloth is greeted by local officials and Faberge staff
as he prepares to tour one of Hoke County's most prosperous industries. Faircloth was in Raeford last week to
take a tour of the facilities and to speak at the annual Chamber of Commerce dinner which featured some 200
local businessmen and residents.
L
Sewer ready to treat more waste
The city's sewage treatment facility treats about 2.2 million gallons of waste a day. According to City Manager
Ron Matthews, there is about 500,000 gallons In excess capacity. With a new and expanded facility that will treat
some 700,000 more gallons than presently sent through the system. Industry can be treated well in the Hoke com
munity.