Scott Maynard Senior Vice President of Economic Development St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce

Scott Maynard, senior vice president of economic development at the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, talked to Invest: about the population growth that the county experienced before and after COVID-19 and the challenges that brought to the local infrastructure. He also discussed how the Chamber of Commerce is working to serve its members and how sectors such as retail, manufacturing, and healthcare have grown in the Greater Jacksonville area.

How is St. Johns County working to develop and improve its local workforce?

We need to ensure that we are growing and developing our workforce. We are fortunate that all our high schools have a series of career academies built into them. That means students in the county have flexibility of choice. Suppose they want to go to the biomedical, engineering, culinary, or another academy and they attend another school. In that case, they can transfer to the school that best fits their interests based on the academy of choice. There are job shadow experiences and internship experiences for students within those academies.

Additionally, each academy has an advisory board formed by local businesses based on its focus. That means we can educate students about local employment options and provide them with opportunities to get their foot in the door while still in high school. This allows us to retain or recruit them back after they attend a post-secondary school.

What goals does the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce aim to achieve with its new nonprofit foundation?

We are trying to provide opportunities under that 501(c)(3) organization that we could not under the 501(c)(6). It will open additional grant and funding opportunities for us to partner with local governments, nonprofits, or local schools, including K-12, community colleges, and four-year institutions. Our Chamber is responsible for Emergency Service Function 18, which works with all local businesses and industries in the event of a hurricane or other natural disaster. Our goal with the foundation is to begin a small business grant program for disaster relief. We also have a strong Leadership St. Johns (LSJ) program. We will soon have a kickoff fundraiser to provide scholarships for individuals to participate in that program.  

What challenges is the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce aiming to tackle to facilitate the relocation of businesses and families to the area?

We are drawing population from outside the state and other parts of a state where it may be even more expensive to live. We were the fourth fastest-growing county in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are still one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida because our school district is ranked at the top. Moreover, our quality of living is ranked high, and we are the healthiest county in the state. St. Johns is still a fairly rural county, with only about 311,000 inhabitants. When you compare that to Duval, which has 1.2 million inhabitants or more, we still have space to grow and still keep conservation areas and quality farmland.   

What are the most important economic trends influencing the different local businesses and economic development?

In St. Johns County, it is all about growth management. We grew so fast in residential population during and after the pandemic that we are now seeing retail and other commercial sectors flood in to catch up with that population growth. Like many places in Florida, we are just catching up with population growth. We are thankful that the county commissioners and the city council members in the cities of St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach have been proactive in addressing those issues. 

Rapid growth has also led to infrastructure challenges. Each day, around 60,000 people leave our county to work in other counties, while approximately 42,000 people commute into St. Johns County from Duval, Clay, Flagler, and Putnam County. This daily migration results in a staggering 100,000 cars changing counties, exacerbating our infrastructure issues and causing traffic delays. Currently, there are 75 road projects underway in St. Johns County, a testament to the scale of the problem and how the county leadership has quickly addressed the issues.

That growth has also taxed the school district tremendously. Since COVID, we have been building one or two new schools yearly. That is a challenge, as constructing schools today is costly. The school district not only faces funding challenges, but it must also redistrict and move students around every time a new school opens. The result will be positive with first-class facilities throughout the county, but we will experience growing pains for a few years before reaching that goal.

What new legislation or regulation is the chamber monitoring due to their potential impact on economic development in the county?

We were excited that the legislature reduced the business rent tax from 4.5% to 2%. That will be beneficial to our local businesses. Hopefully, they will continue to reduce or eliminate the percentage next year or the year after. Additionally, the Live Local Act has started to address the issue of attainable housing and the challenges our workforce faces. We welcome the extra $100 million to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation for the Hometown Heroes program that helps new homebuyers get their first house. Additionally, we are excited to see the statewide tourism development arm, Visit Florida, being funded on a recurring basis. That supports many sectors across our county.  

What should businesses and investors that are interested in relocating or investing in St. Johns keep in mind to get established in the area?

We encourage all businesses to get involved at the chamber and engage with the community. Most of our locally established businesses, particularly the major manufacturers, are growing and expanding. That shows they have confidence in this economy and will continue attracting the workforce they need to grow and develop.

For instance, KeHE, which focuses on organic food distribution, recently started construction on a 530,000-square-foot warehouse facility. Similarly, Rulon International, which manufactures wooden acoustical tiles, is expanding and growing, and Vested Metals, which manufactures high-end titanium and other metals for surgical applications, has expanded its warehouse. Ring Power Corp, which does large construction and agricultural equipment, is preparing to build a new warehouse, and Publix recently announced a 183,000-square-foot pharmaceutical fulfillment center.

What are some other economic sectors or industries that are experiencing major growth in St. Johns?

We are seeing massive growth in healthcare. Ascension St. Vincent’s opened a new hospital two years ago. Around the same time, Encompass Health opened a hospital that offers inpatient rehabilitation services. Baptist Hospital is preparing to open a brand-new emergency room and imaging center along with Wolfson Children’s Hospital. Acadia Healthcare will begin construction on a 104-bed behavioral health facility soon, and the University of Florida Health St. Johns just had a groundbreaking for their new 156-bed hospital that will include a doctor’s medical center and a YMCA. University of Florida Healthcare also has plans to invest over $1 billion in the county and region in the coming years. Most counties feel fortunate to have one hospital to go to in a time of need. We have six or seven options that people can choose from. Health and wellness will be one of our primary areas of focus when recruiting new businesses to this area.

How have ongoing changes in the economic environment impacted the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce?

Even with interest rates rising, we continue to see significant growth in our residential real estate segment. Nevertheless, as those interest rates increase, they will eventually reduce that growth as equilibrium returns. The cost of revenue is always a concern. Similarly, the availability of capital for new businesses to come in and existing businesses to grow and expand is another concern that we are trying to address. Our goal is to highlight the strength of our region and workforce to make St. Johns County a prime choice for site selectors and new businesses.