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As a matter of public policy,however,the MRC should consider the potential for an ED Project which would invest in high-speed telecommunications infrastructure under the following conditions: • Invest public dollars only where there is measurable benefit to the public at large, especially in terms of reduced cost of access to high-speed telecom; • Invest public dollars only where there is adequate technical and operations support to assure that service will be consistently of high quality; • Invest public dollars only after issues such as easements/rights of way and other technical obstacles have been adequately addressed and resolved;and • Invest public dollars only where there is sufficient evidence of the need for service and a sufficient number of high-volume customers to assure that the high-speed telecom service is self-funding through service revenues. It is difficult to begin a path with so many questions that require and deserve comprehensive answers. In some cases,the commitment to implement is too often presumed,rather than allowing the idea to fully gestate and address the issues that are necessary to make a project worthy of public investment. Such pitfalls must be avoided in order to retain the high levels of credibility of the MRC. At the same time,it is possible to envision a telecom project scenario where the result of the MRC investment is that Mooresville residents receive excellent high- speed telecom services at below-market costs and in those cases where the result of public investment is to reduce the local cost of living,the investment of public funds might be justified. There is much work necessary,however,to develop such a project structure. Real Estate-Related ED&Redevelopment Protects: The MRC Retreat also revealed a number of real estate related projects which deserve fair r consideration,in order for the MRC to maintain its competitive advantage in the economic ` development marketplace. The projects below are of varied priority,and are highly dependent upon the project circumstances,such as location,condition,owner,etc. The real estate-related Projects identified in the MRC Retreat are briefly summarized as follows: • Shovel ready/site certification for purposes of market-competitive advantage; • Acquire/option,etc.land and/or buildings for purposes of industrial attraction; • Ability to own,lease,improve and/or sell properties for purposes of redevelopment and neighborhood revitalization; • Potential for construction of spec building(s)under certain situations; • Development of a facade improvement program,especially for downtown historic buildings; • Consideration of certain building rehabilitation projects to remove/eliminate blighting influences and restore economic viability,such as the South Bridge Crossing shopping center; • Consideration of projects in partnership with educational institutions,including continuing education,for purposes of worker training/re-training,as well as improving human capital. It would be the intent of the MRC to be able to engage in real estate-related Projects for a broad range of economic development purposes,including enabling/facilitating existing business expansion,and redevelopment of abandoned or under-utilized property,as well as attracting new industry. The intent of engaging in real estate-related projects would be to improve/increase the quality of life in neighborhoods and/or to address other community and economic development goals of the community at large. For purposes of this 2012 ED/RD Plan Amendment,the term 9 Mooresville Economic Development&Redevelopment Plans:2012 Amendment (draft,June 27,2012)