Business Is Booming

Episode 16-Mike Shirey.mp3
Narrator: [00:00:01] Business is booming from the small mom and pops to the big industries. Our local businesses drive our economy and provide the products, services and jobs we depend on. Our host Jennifer McCurdy, brings us these stories as she visits with the business owners and leaders of Fort Payne and DeKalb County, Alabama. And now here's Jennifer.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:00:25] Hey, everyone. This is Jennifer McCurdy, director of the Fort Payne Chamber of Commerce. And today we are joined by Mike Shirey, the general manager of Fort Payne Improvement Authority. And welcome, Mike to Business is Booming.

Mike Shirey: [00:00:40] Thank you, Jennifer. I'm glad to be here. Yeah, look forward to our discussion.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:00:43] We wanted to talk with you today about not just Fort Payne Improvement Authority and all the wonderful things that are happening and have happened over the last few years. But about the electric vehicle charging station that recently came to Fort Payne. Sort of talk us through how that happened, how it came about and how it's doing.

Mike Shirey: [00:01:05] Well, I think we were looking at the landscape around the country and specifically in Southeast and were, you know, seeing a lot of interest and and growth in the electric vehicle industry. And, you know, the charging stations were getting some attention as far as being a magnet for people to come into communities and visit areas and that kind of thing. And so we started investigating options to put these chargers in. And kind of in parallel with that, the state of Alabama was coming up with their electric vehicle strategy and issued a roadmap, you know, a plan to install charging space across the state of Alabama. As you know, there's a lot of anxiety that exists with electric vehicle owners. You know, I need to be able to get from point A to point B, but in between A and B, there's a stop or two I might need to make to charge my vehicle. And so I think the goal is that they're trying to get one every 50 miles. They were trying to get one in there. So when they issued that roadmap or strategy that they were for the state of Alabama. Turns out that I-59 was one of the corridors that they were going to be looking at. So we began to work with ADECA that the guidelines that they provided to have some grant monies available and TVA and at the same time, in parallel with that, was working across their footprint to try to do the same thing. So TVA was a very valuable partner as we looked into this road and it turned out that as just kind of married up together, our our investigation and these various grant programs being available for us to tap into to, you know, push our project ahead.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:03:08] Yeah. And that's wonderful. So grant monies brought it to Fort Payne, and since then it's what year did was it complete?

Mike Shirey: [00:03:17] It was January of 21.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:03:22] Okay. And since then I know you've got you're able to run reports. How has it done?

Mike Shirey: [00:03:27] Well, it's really done a lot better than we anticipated. You know, we chose the location for it there in the city park area because.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:03:38] On the corner of fifth and golf.

Mike Shirey: [00:03:39] Yeah, Fifth and Gault, they're down to, you know, downtown because that's a pretty busy little intersection right there with Highway 35. And then we were equally distanced between two exits, off I-59 at that point in time. So it was a great location. And it turns out that it has worked out for for the users. We we're averaging well over 100 charging sessions a month. So, you know, you figure four, four a day, if you average it out. Now, obviously we don't have four every day because, you know, it rises and flows with, you know, the traffic and folks travel patterns and vacation plans and all that kind of stuff. In fact, you know, we see in June probably this this just, you know, this year was our one of our highest months ever. I think we had 185 sessions in June. Wow.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:04:37] Do you think the June Jam contributed to that?

Mike Shirey: [00:04:39] Could have been June Jam. Could have been a lot of stuff. It's it's interesting. You know, when you look, you know, over over the course of that you know and and in that June there was a lot of repeat people come in there so what 185 different folks that charge their vehicles there. It was actually we've got data that says there were 50, 50 unique vehicles that charge there. So 50 people stopped and charge their vehicle. And any given time over the month of.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:05:10] June, it's amazing how technology can show you a first time user versus a repeat user.

Mike Shirey: [00:05:17] Yeah, exactly. Exactly.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:05:19] And that software program or, well, I this is I told you earlier I looked up charges the charge point Charge point. Yeah. Which is I guess the app that the electric vehicle owners use to identify where charging point stations are. Yeah, well that's interesting. It gives you some data on how much it cost, how long it will last, your I guess how many miles you can get out of it. And I think that's super neat. Yeah. And when the last person charged. I love technology and reports.

Mike Shirey: [00:05:50] Yeah, exactly. It's a it's pretty amazing. And the way the Chargers work, it's technology, too, you know, they just use their phone. They just go up there and their phone gets next to the charger and the charger point. It says, okay, you're, you're cleared to charge. You know, it clears them on the charger. They plug it up and.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:06:09] Oh my goodness.

Mike Shirey: [00:06:10] It charges them right there.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:06:11] So and what's the difference in this charger and there's other chargers in Fort Payne I know that Hampton Inn has some chargers there and I think that Donohue Chevrolet has some chargers. Ours are a fast charger, which is different. Theirs aren't.

Mike Shirey: [00:06:28] That's correct. Our, you know, our people that charge using our station generally, their sessions are about 30 minutes. I think right now our average session length is 22 minutes. I've got that data in here. So and that's the real attraction for putting the charger in because people need something to do. So we tried to locate this charger where they had access to downtown Fort Payne. They could go to local merchants or restaurants and eat. I just pulled a comment, you know, and drivers can make comments.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:07:03] Yes, I saw that too.

Mike Shirey: [00:07:04] I love it on our website. And I just thought this was interesting. Um, the driver tip that's on our charger, it says on a nice day walk to vintage 1889 great restaurant for casual American fare.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:07:18] And I saw one that said walked over to Blue Jug ButterSnob and cute little store. You have some just light food options. They might have some chicken salad or something there. Pimento cheese, but they have wines and beers and and smoothies and things like that. Yeah. And we're right in front of the Depot Museum. So you could always walk over there and check out the depot.

[00:07:42] That was another comment on our website, our ChargePoint website advising people to go go check the depot museum out because it's really a cool place.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:07:52] Just walk downtown. There's several restaurants and shopping. It's I think having it in that location was ideal. Couldn't have been any better.

Mike Shirey: [00:08:01] Yeah, we had, I know no one user from Louisiana that was headed somewhere, I think headed to Knoxville or something. And they stopped in, charged and I forget who talked to him, but somebody talked to him and they said, you know, hey, this is the first time we've ever been in Fort Payne. And they were just taken in the the area. And he said it won't be the last. They want to know what was what was coming up. Somebody said Boom Days is coming up. Said, well, we'll be back. And so that's kind of was our goal in the very beginning was to have that magnet that drew people into downtown Fort Payne and then exposed them to what we have to offer.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:08:41] Yeah, I know people are shopping around, just like you said, vintage and then roadside cuz right beside it and they are coming back and we love that. I mean the Chamber of Commerce is downtown. We have people stop in frequently that have moved here from other places. A lot of people are coming and moving to our area and we always ask what, what made you decide to come here? And usually it's the cost of living and convenience as well, to Chattanooga, Atlanta, Birmingham, other areas. And just it's a beautiful, friendly town. And once you visit it, you will want to come back. So. Exactly, Yeah. Some other things y'all are working on in Fort Payne Improvement Authority or you have done since you've taken the lead in 2017. You let me back up a minute. You were at TVA for 35 years.

Mike Shirey: [00:09:32] That's correct.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:09:33] And then in 2017, retired and became the general manager for Fort Payne Improvement Authority.

Mike Shirey: [00:09:38] That's correct.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:09:38] Okay. And since then, we've got the electric vehicle charging station. And we also you also opened a south end substation. Can you tell us how that will impact the south end of town and potentially, well, economic growth, yeah.

Mike Shirey: [00:09:56] I think for several years the the improvement authority, even before I came, there was a desire to help improve our reliability and flexibility in our system with another source, power source on the south end of the system. So one of the things that I immediately started working with our engineering consultants was a study that would help strengthen and support working with TVA in partnership with them to to to build this station. And, you know, it was no small investment on their part as well. So you have to have a what they call a joint one ownership study, which would prove in the ability for them to justify building a line in to serve our substation as well as us investing to build that station. And so we were successful in getting that study approved. And, you know, one of the big things about that study is, is, you know before that station our entire downtown Main Street community and residents. All of downtown Fort Payne, as well as all the south end of Fort Payne, even including our service that goes up on Lookout Mountain all the way down to Dogtown, Akins Furniture, was being served out of the small substation that sits over in town, right over there around Second Street South. And that substation is served by a radial line, a single line that comes from a station in there that is real difficult for us to work on. So if something happens to that line or that station, all of you know, downtown Fort Payne's out. And so and it was heavily loaded and it was the oldest station that we have. So as we looked at that, you know, we were, you know, at risk the the low little low I'll call it the little old station.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:12:14] That's what it was.

Mike Shirey: [00:12:15] The little little old station was was chugging along as best as it could. And it was carrying, you know, very critical load for us. So we justified this new station to the point that we said, hey, we'll we'll take the load off that station, take about half the load off that station and put it in this new station. We had to build some extra lines going south and going up the mountain down at Colburn Gap to be able to reach out onto men up on Lookout Mountain at Dogtown. And you know those places up there. But yeah, it was a great project for us. It was, you know, all our folks did a great job pulling that together, as well as our contractors and consultants that helped us along the way. But now that station sits there in the South End, it's also adjacent to one of our few developable pieces of industrial property down there. So when we put that station in, we went ahead and put two feeder circuits across the railroad tracks into this industrial property over there. And we're sitting there ready whenever some big industry comes in and says, Hey, I want to relocate here. We've got the power to serve them.

Mike Shirey: [00:13:37] And we're, you know, it's kind of like Field of Dreams.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:13:42] If you build it, they will come.

Mike Shirey: [00:13:44] Yeah. So it's it's really been a great addition to our system. Plus, you know, the fact that it took that load off of that district substation is what we call it. Not little old substation, but district substation. We took the load off of that one and that gives it a new life and new energy. It's not quite as stressed as it was. It's still serving main, the downtown main street. All the businesses in Fort Payne are still served out of that station. But that is our next objective as we're trying to figure out exactly how do we either rebuild that station where it's at or relocate it somewhere else and and provide a more a stronger, more reliable source for downtown.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:14:33] Oh, that's good.

Mike Shirey: [00:14:34] And, you know, we're looking at all different options there. There's there's opportunity for us to even expand the service area of the south substation to take in more of downtown Fort Payne as well. So there's always opportunity to grow and different ways to provide that reliability. But, you know, that's that's our that's why we're here.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:14:56] Always things in the works which is good. Speaking of ready for industry. To the point of economic development and bringing in industry. I think there's a big misconception in general for people who maybe aren't in the economic development world about, well, why don't we have an industry here? What about bringing them here? Talk to us a little bit about the importance of having the infrastructure in place for development opportunities.

Mike Shirey: [00:15:27] Well, you know. The easier that you can make it for a company to see the value that you provide, the better off you are. And that comes in tangible infrastructure and also the intangible side side things about the workforce capability. The. The community values. The opportunities that are available to, you know, companies when they're when they're looking at a place to locate. So it's just like just like you said earlier, people are moving to this area because they see what what we have to offer and they like what they see. So it is with industry. Of course, they're always looking for dollars and cents, too. So any incentives you can provide them either through dollar values are like pad-ready sites that are available for them to move into or certainly where you can show them that, hey, it's just a matter of plugging in the cord. You know, we're sitting here ready for you to build your building. We can plug you up and have you run and you know, and meet your timeline as well. So all those things play into it. You know, there's all other kind of, you know, gas, water, railroad, roads, you know. Yeah. You know.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:16:57] Location. Demographics.

Mike Shirey: [00:16:59] So much plays into an industry's decision to locate somewhere, you know. And I think that we're fortunate in Fort Payne, we're right here with the interstate. We got railroad. It's such a blessing and a curse sometimes, I guess. But. But we have that infrastructure that's right here available to us. And so we should be trying to tap into that and take advantage of it every opportunity we get.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:17:27] And and kind of switch your mindset, like you said, a blessing and a curse with the railroad. Okay, it's here. It's not going away. So let's make the best use of it. Let's figure out how to capitalize off the fact that we do have a railroad system running through our town.

Mike Shirey: [00:17:41] Yeah, exactly.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:17:43] Well, what else can you share with us about Fort Payne Improvement Authority? Any?

[00:17:47] Well, I think that, you know, just a little advertisement for for Fort Payne Improvement Authority. We've been around over 80 years now serving the people of this community.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:17:58] And your mother worked there?

[00:18:00] Yes, she did. She did. She spent 34 years of those 80 she spent there. And I don't think I'll make 34. But.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:18:09] Well, you've already had one career.

Mike Shirey: [00:18:12] But, you know, it's you know, one of the things that that I always took pride in when I worked for TVA, TVA had a little tagline in there, vision and mission statement, and it was to improve the quality of life for the people of the Tennessee Valley. And that's exactly why TVA was created, you know, 80, 90 years ago, I guess, now. And so it carried forward into, hey, I'm working for the Fort Payne Improvement Authority now, so hey, what better way to to kind of finish out your career than to come back home? You know, I worked in a bigger area and a lot of different places with TVA, but now I can come back home. I can focus here in Fort Payne and work with a group of people, some of the best folks around, to improve the quality of life for this community. And I think that's exactly what we've we've been trying to do for over 80 years here in Fort Payne at the Improvement Authority.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:19:16] And Mike's also you are also very involved in the community and that you you serve on our board of directors, the chamber board of directors. You also serve on the Economic Development Board of directors. You're very involved in Rotary. You hold a position within Rotary.

Mike Shirey: [00:19:30] I'm the president elect for Rotary.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:19:32] Well, here you go. And he's the president elect for the chamber as well. This is what happens when you start serving on boards. You're valuable and nobody wants to let you go. So but it takes people like Mike, like you, Mike in the community to see the value of your community, want to improve your community and not just want to do it, but you actually do it. You're involved. And we appreciate that and thanks for all you do at Fort Payne Improvement Authority as well.

Mike Shirey: [00:19:59] Well, thanks for what you do. And you know, it's it's a pleasure to serve. So we hope we do it well.

Jennifer McCurdy: [00:20:07] Well, we'll have you back on the show when after your next initiative is complete. All right. Or project. Thanks, Mike.

Mike Shirey: [00:20:14] Sounds great.

Narrator: [00:20:15] You've been listening to Business is Booming, a podcast brought to you by Fort Payne Chamber of Commerce. The host is chamber director Jennifer McCurdy, executive producer Stephen V Smith. Our engineer is Lucas Smith of Lucky Sound Studios. Business is Booming is a production of Rare Life Media.