The Economic Development Advisory Committee recommends that the town hire a part-time economic development director as soon as February.
In a report submitted to the Board of Selectmen last month, committee members said the position would involve 19.5 hours per week with an annual pay of $42,000.
Now that the recommendation is made, the next step is for members of the Board of Finance and members of the Economic Development Commission to examine the proposal. That will happen later this month.
The Board of Selectmen did not approve the recommendation, but rather, accepted the report for further study.
Economic development is important for the town because it helps to build the tax base and offset the tax burden on homeowners.
Selectman W. Kurt Miller said he wants the best value for the dollar — especially given the weak economy.
“Is this the best bang for the buck, when we are stretched very thin?” Miller asked. “Or are we better off bringing in a human resources consultant to look into things and see if the town staff is structured properly, and we couldn’t free up someone, and now we have that money in the budget.”
It is not the first time Seymour has explored getting an economic development director. There had been a sense of urgency several years ago. The administration of First Selectman Robert Koskelowski hired a part-time economic director. But he left.
“Unfortunately you get a good, younger, part-time candidate and they’re looking for other work and that’s what happened to us,” Selectman John D. Conroy Jr. said.
One of the concerns about adding the position as soon as February would be that the next budget year is rapidly approaching, Conroy pointed out. He questioned if it would be wise to start something and possibly see it stop in a few months.
The recommendations will be discussed by the Board of Selectmen again on Jan. 18.
Seriously??? This town needs ANY business it can get, and it needs someone answering the phone and sending out information packets.
They really should be using (at the very least) a temp secretary to answer the phone in the Ec. Dev. office.
We also need incentives to bring white collar jobs in!!! and quit thinking that factories are going to ramp up again. Software, Medical, High Tech.
The Town has no business hiring an Economic Development Director. Who out there thinks it’s smart to ask a Board who has no real-world experience in Economic Development to hire a highly paid part-time employee, who very likely will not have the necessary qualifications to accomplish the task? The guy Koskwlowski hired had ZERO experience in development and accomplished absolutely nothing, and in fact ran for the exit the very moment he got another offer. Perhaps someone on the Board should solicit Criscuolo’s opinion as to how best to accomplish the Town’s goals? He might be able to provide the Board with some keen insight on if, and how the position can produce real results. That said, my opinion is that the Town needs to offer some incentives to attract business, but unfortunately the Town has no experience or direction, and lacks the impetus to challenge the status quo. Take the $45k and then some, and provide incentives for actual progress. Guaranteed results or no cost to the Town! This Board has in fact lost new business as a result of its inability to respond to development offers or even put together its own plan for how to attract new business. And please, enough with this rhetoric about attracting new business to lesson our tax burden. Sounds like your trying to lure a fly into your tax web. Business wants to be located in a municipality that lessens their operating costs and increases their profits. Reduce the size and cost of the Seymour’s bureaucratic body and reduce the absolute waste of taxpayer dollars and the Town will ultimately be successful in attracting new business. In my opinion, what Seymour needs to ask is: “How best can we assist you and help you to improve your bottom line” and if successful, the result will be a diversification of our tax base, while improving the quality of life for our residents.