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Interim chief sought for business position
By TERESA BURNEY, Times Staff Writer County Administrator Paul McIntosh wants to give Hernando County's business nourishment efforts a jump-start by hiring an interim director to run its new Office of Business Development. McIntosh said Monday he plans to ask county commissioners today for permission to hire Mike McHugh, retired vice president of Florida Crushed Stone, for six months as interim director of the newly created Office of Business Development. "We are continuing the recruitment (of a permanent director) but, realistically . . . it would be three months before we could have someone on board," McIntosh said. "I think this really allows us to hit the ground running." The county's efforts at business development have been at a near standstill since last May, when it canceled its contract with the privately run Economic Development Commission. The county decided to use the money it was sending the EDC to fund an in-house economic development office that would concentrate on helping existing businesses survive and thrive. That department's debut has been stalled by the lack of a director. McIntosh's top choice for the job turned down two offers, once because of pay and the second time because of political turmoil. The county is re-advertising the position, but recently a sense of urgency developed among the commissioners and McIntosh to open the new office sooner. Two larger manufacturers have announced plans to shut their doors in April and that left county leaders worried others would follow. McHugh, who retired as vice president from Florida Crushed Stone last April to spend more time with his young family, seemed like a natural choice for the job as interim director, McIntosh said. "He's a longtime member of the Chamber of Commerce and very well respected in the business community," he said. "If you are going to do a program where the emphasis is on helping our existing business base . . . it helps to have a businessman who can get out and talk to his colleagues." If commissioners hire him, McHugh said, he would become the county's ears in the business community, listening to problems and concerns. "I would look forward to trying to help the county on an interim basis," McHugh said. "There is a real need to focus on retaining local businesses and help them expand." McHugh said he doesn't want the job for good. He thinks the county should hire someone who is an economic development specialist. McIntosh suggested the county pay McHugh $45,000 for the 6-month contract. That's equal to what he had offered to the job candidate who turned down the offer, plus the cash value of his benefits package. McHugh would be a private contractor, so he would have to pay his own employment taxes and insurance. The county isn't the only organization interested in filling the economic development void in Hernando County. Recently, the Economic Development Commission, the organization that the county fired, decided to reactivate itself with private funding. That organization, too, wants to concentrate on helping existing Hernando County businesses stay in business and thrive. County officials have said they see no problems with having two groups working toward the same goal as long as they communicate and the business community doesn't confuse them. Toward that end, county commissioners voted last week to call its new department "The Office of Business Development" rather than the Office of Economic Development. To further distinguish between the two, County Commissioner Chris Kingsley requested the new county organization's business advisory council have different members from those who are involved with the old EDC's revival.
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From today's Hernando Times |
