WINDSOR – Simplifying business.

That is the goal of the Bertie County Economic Development Commission (EDC) and Monday the group put it in writing.

During Monday’s meeting of the Bertie County Commissioners, Economic Development Director Steve Biggs appeared before the board asking for their endorsement of a new motto.

Biggs gave the board examples of mottos for a selected group of products and indicated those slogans helped sell the vehicle or product. He said the same was true for Bertie County.

“What we’re trying to do is simplify business,” Biggs said. “The Economic Development Commission has been talking about our goal and wanted to make this change because it is what we’re about.”

Biggs said it was the goal of the commission to make business easier for anyone who was located in the county and anyone who was interested in coming to Bertie County.

He said the EDC board wanted the approval of the commissioners to make the change and update the commission’s motto.

Commissioner Rick Harrell, who serves on the EDC board, made the motion and Commissioner Charles Smith, another EDC board member, offered a second. It passed without objection.

Bertie County Manager Zee Lamb commended Biggs and the EDC for coming up with the motto themselves.

“There are some counties and commissions that pay a lot of money to have this done for them,” Lamb said. “Good job on doing it yourselves.”

In a telephone interview Thursday afternoon, Biggs said he felt the change would benefit the EDC.

“Branding is something that is key in business,” Biggs said. “Donald Trump has made billions branding the Trump name. You also have Coke who had ‘It’s the real thing’ and Burger King was ‘Have it your way.’

“Now every time you see Bertie County Economic Development, you will see ‘Simplifying Business’ and that will be something we can take with us as we recruit industry,” he added. “We want a motto that people will remember. We want them thinking: Bertie County: Simplifying Business.”