Tuesday night the Wake Forest Town Board changed the eight-year arrangement under which the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce was paid to be the economic development arm of town government.
The board added two positions to the town’s pay scale – economic development director with pay between $75,222 and $122,526 and a permanent part-time economic development coordinator with pay to be determined later. The commissioners also agreed to join the chamber as a community investor at the board of advisors level effective in January. The membership fee is $11,000.
“This will still be a partnership with the chamber,” Town Manager Kip Padgett said. “Economic development is not a one-man sport.”
Two other recent changes made Tuesday’s actions almost inevitable. Padgett, who came on board in July, was hired partly to increase the town’s emphasis on economic development, and Marla Akridge, the chamber president who headed up a robust economic development program, left town earlier this month for a job in Virginia.
Padgett said the town staff and officials thought about the best way to handle enticing industries and businesses to town. “Marla had done such a great job. We wanted to keep the momentum rolling now that she’s gone.”
“I think this is a great thing,” Commissioner Jim Thompson said. He pointed out that there has been an increase in activities in downtown since the town brought downtown development inhouse. Also, he said, Holly Springs has been recognized for its success with economic development and that is inhouse.
The town will conduct a search for the economic development director, and that person’s salary and the coordinator’s will be paid this budget year with the $49,250 the town will not pay the chamber. There is $98,500 allocated for economic development in the 2015-2016 budget, and Padgett said the first half was paid to the chamber in July.
Don Bowman, chairman of the chamber’s board of directors, said they had to change the job description for the chamber president position. He said they have finished receiving resumes and will begin winnowing the applicants and holding interviews soon.
Bowman spoke briefly, saying the town has seen “dramatic and impressive growth” since 2007 when the chamber took over the economic development program. “We really do appreciate the opportunities the town has given us over the past eight years. . . We gratefully accept your membership to the board of directors.
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Carol, Your opening quotes were certainly right on target and much appreciated. Your articles this week were very informative.