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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2002-04-10, Page 5News Councillors concerned by $ioo,000 cost to have an economic development officer By Scott Hilgondorff Expositor Editor Despite Mayor Lin Steffler's adamant stand in support of a potential $100,000 cost to have an economic development officer in Huron East, there was some resistance from council at last Tuesday's meeting about justifying the bill. "I'm sure the taxpayers in Molesworth don't give a damn," said Brussels Ward Counc. Greg Wilson, after a presentation by members of the Business Retention and Expansion Committee (BR+E) which requested an economic development officer be hired. "It seems to me there is a great deal of interest for an economic development officer," said Steffler. "I believe in this position and think the municipality needs to take an active role." Steffler was strong in her support for the committee's request that an economic development officer be hired to help the communities in Huron East grow. The BR+E Committee, led by Gwen Devereaux, was at council's April 17 meeting to pitch the plan that would see an economic development officer hired for $50,000 a year with a $50,000 operating budget. The hope is the officer would be able to apply for grants and funding that would generate the $50,000 operating budget. That person would be in place to work with existing business and industry across Huron East and work with new businesses trying to get started. Wilson said he wanted to see how $100,000 would affect tax payers in the budget before accepting the idea. He said council can't count on the committee generating $50,000 for an operating budget through grants. "Last year, they got nothing," he said. Last week's proposal to council was similar to one made by Devereaux and other members of the committee approximately a year ago to the individual councils and the Seaforth Agricultural Society, seeking financial support that would have been matched under a government grant program called Agri -Ventures. Deputy Mayor Bernie MacLellan reflected on that proposal and reminded the committee that the area councils agreed to the support in principle. While the application was made for Agri -Ventures funding, MacLellan said the area councils, before they became Huron East, never heard about it again. Devereaux explained that the committee didn't get the funding and that they were applying for it again. Steffler suggested some of the savings generated by forming Huron East could be funnelled back into the cost of an economic development officer. Three employees including a top administrative position were not refilled when municipal staff left for other positions in the past year. Steffler suggest the money saved would be one possible way to balance the expense. Tuckersmith Ward Coun. Larry McGrath agreed with the idea of an economic development officer but was concerned about council already being ready to spend any savings generated by the amalgamation that took effect four months ago. He reminded council the whole purpose of amalgamating is to save money. Steffler said, "Ratepayers are naive if they believe taxes are not going to go up." Despite that, she also said council would do everything in its power to be sure tax payers' money is spent wisely. McKillop Ward Coun. Sharon McClure agreed with Wilson's concerns about the perception of rural taxpayers. "I think there will be a lot in rural areas who question it," she said. Steffler disagreed believing rural people should be able to see the benefits to them as well suggesting the possibility an economic development officer could help bring agricultural based businesses to town as well or maybe a TSE store which markets products for farming. Brussels Ward Coun. Joe Seili said last year, when a similar pitch was made to the former Brussels council, he was strongly opposed to paying for an economic development officer. However, he said his opinion has changed and he can see a need to try and get more industry and business in Huron East to help keep the community's youth employed in the area. During the meeting, Devereaux also gave councillors a resume package from Selena Anderson, the woman hired to coordinate the current fund raising campaign being held by the Seaforth Businesses stress need for position to handle economic development An economic development officer is needed to help Huron East grow and prosper, said the Business Retention and Expansion Committee. Members of the committee were at council's April 17 meeting seeking a potential $100,000 commitment from council to hire an economic development officer. BIA chair Liz Cardno told council, "The concern at the BIA is that we are at a standstill." Through the amalgamation the BIA lost the involvement of former deputy clerk Cathy Garrick who helped the organization coordinate several events and promotions including the annual moonlight madness and street dance. She also helped keep the business community linked by. preparing a newsletter and arranging its distribution. "I can't do it myself. We have to have someone," said Cardno. She also said the issue needed immediate attention because of the large number of events and promotions that take place in the community between June and December that need someone's help. Cardno was one of more than 15 members of the business community that came to the meeting to show their support for an economic development officer with representation from businesses across Huron East, not just Seaforth. The officer would serve as a facilitator for numerous endeavours in the community. For example, Gwen Devereaux, chair of the business retention and expansion committee, said the question has been raised by Communities in Bloom, why Seaforth and Brussels have been the only communities in Huron County that have never taken part. But, Devereaux had earlier explained the business retention and expansion committee is only a group of volunteers with limited resources and there is only so much they can do. An economic development officer could coordinate the different groups in the community to help organize an entry for the competition which generates national and international exposure as communities are judged for their overall horticultural beauty. The person would also be responsible for applying for numerous grants Devereaux said are available to help communities, with the hope those funds would generate the $50,000 operating budget so it didn't have to come from the taxpayers. "Opportunities are out there [for funding]. If we don't write proposals and tap into them, we're missing out on a daily basis," said Devereaux. The officer would work directly with council and the business improvement area (BIA). "We have wanted this from the very beginning of the committee," said Devereaux. The committee formed about three years ago through a pilot project by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs to help survey the busine'ss and industrial community and assess the needs of those areas to help strengthen them and attract more. Seaforth's was considered the most successful of seven committees formed and was asked to represent the program in New Brunswick where a similar initiative was about to take place two years ago. Through the survey, the committee uncovered business needs from wanting to attract more industry,to the need for handicapped parking spaces in front of a local business. The committee, as volunteers, worked to clear up the easier issues such as getting the requested handicapped parking spot put in place. The committee hosted a youth job fair and tourism swap in the past two years, has organized business networking breakfast meetings with the business improvement area, and facilitated the design of a Seaforth web page and brochures for the museum through a partnership with Conestoga College. Devereaux stressed the need to have an economic development officer with a working budget to help take the community farther and meet some of the more complicated goals of strengthening the business and industrial community, needs identified in the survey. "We are a great bunch of volunteers but we're just not good enough," she said. Community Hospital Foundation. She said Anderson has a masters degree in economic development, grew up in a rural area and recently moved to Huron East. Because of her recent efforts with the hospital foundation, Devereaux said, "We already know she works well under stress." However, Wilson objected to Devereaux pushing a candidate for the officer's position just because she personally likes Anderson for the job. He said they would need to interview candidates for the job and suggested someone else might be just as qualified for Tess money. Steffler insisted on a firm commitment from council that each member would give it open-minded and serious consideration as they prepared to take a first look at the budget at last night's committee meeting (April 24). "I want Huron East to become a place in Huron County where people want to move to because it has all the businesses and amenities," she said, stressing an economic development officer could make it happen. "I would like to see this go to the budget with a general feel that, 'yes, we support this project,"' she said. 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