The county’s newest committee — its members representing a host of government agencies — has one goal in mind: Attracting and retaining business and industry in Montgomery County.
The freshly created Economic Development Authority, led by Commissioner John Frey, held its first meeting Tuesday at the courthouse.
Board members left with a list of tasks considered essential to the formation of any government body. Developing procedures, gathering information and supporting staff, forming new relationships and exacting criteria for an assistant director position are at the top of that list.
Accomplishing the short-term goals and rounding out this board will allow members to focus on their long-term goals, Frey said.
“What our goal is, and what we’ve been achieving, with the success we’ve had, is creating an environment that people want to be a part of,” he said. “Current businesses and industries are staying here. New business and industry are seeing this community as an opportunity to grow. This is a working group that’s going to continue to accomplish that.”
The board is made up of various elected officials, many with experience in economic development.
Other than Frey, who will act as board president, members include: Ron Dickerson, president of the Redevelopment Commission; Jim Fulwider and Dan Guard, commissioners; David Hunt, county council vice president; Tom Mellish, county council president; and Steve Loy, planning commission vice president.
County attorney Dan Taylor will extend his firm’s services to the new board, and was present Tuesday to provide training for members.
“This is quite a team, I might say, with all the right people,” Taylor said. “Your job as the authority board is to provide overall strategic oversight to the Economic Development Department of the county.”
The board will have its own staff, which currently consists of Montgomery County Administrator Tom Klein, taking on the role of director, and executive assistant and coordinator Lori Dossett. The position of assistant director, discussed Tuesday, is currently being formed.
“You have a staff who can study things for you and bring you information ... and you can talk about it in an integrative way,” Taylor said.
While the city was invited to have its own representation join the group, officials decided to stay separate and instead work side-by-side with the new authority.
“Just because we’re the ‘county’ economic development team, that does not mean that we are looking at everything just outside the city limits of Crawfordsville,” Fulwider said. “We can facilitate someone coming inside the county. Doesn’t matter where it is inside the county line, as far as I’m concerned. If we have a place for somebody, then we’ll try to get them in here.”
Frey’s comments echoed those of Fulwider’s, adding he does not foresee “this being any type of confrontation with the city.”
“We are elected by the whole county. It is our responsibility. There are going to be issues that business and industry have that the city will directly take the lead on — 100%,” Frey said.
The board is set to meet the second Tuesday of each month. A special meeting to discuss its mission statement and criteria of an assistant director’s position is set for 11 a.m. March 23.
