The Gloucester County Economic Development Authority plans to use a recent survey to gauge needs of the local business community.

Douglas Meredith, Gloucester’s economic development director, said Feb. 1 that the EDA, using survey results, plans to come up with a draft initiative this spring that it can work on in future months.

Meredith said that the survey was conducted in late 2010. Surveys were sent to 302 Gloucester businesses, with 67 responses received. "We were happy with the response rate," Meredith said. The survey had 10 questions.

Consultant Katherine Cork of Roanoke, who coordinated the survey and recently reviewed the results with Meredith, said she also was pleased with the response from local businesses.

Meredith said the survey showed how important small businesses are to the county’s economy. The most responses—49—came from the 23061 zipcode (Gloucester Court House area), with 13 responses from the Hayes (23072) area.

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