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Commissioners wrestle with future of EDC
By JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK © St. Petersburg Times, published November 30, 2000 BROOKSVILLE -- During its four-year existence, the Economic Development Commission has labored to bolster Hernando County's business base with more than a million public dollars but minimal public direction. Results have been mixed at best, with EDC leaders claiming success amid a constant refrain of doubt from residents who question the wisdom of using their tax money to fund the vast majority of the public-private partnership's annual budget. "In business, when you try something and it doesn't work the way you thought it would, you bring it in, assess it and cut your losses," resident Bill McGuckin told the County Commission earlier this week, as he urged commissioners to make economic development a government function again. Some commissioners are toying with the notion of canceling the EDC's contract, which faces possible revisions, especially in the area of opening the agency's activities to increased public scrutiny. The revised document is expected to come to the County Commission in December. Before then, county commissioners will face the broader question of how to reassess the EDC model and mission for success. On Tuesday, County Administrator Paul McIntosh will ask the County Commission to consider hiring the University of Florida Center for Building Better Communities to create an "overall economic development plan" to guide the county and EDC through the coming period of expected growth. The cost would be anywhere from $46,525 to $76,825, depending upon the options commissioners might include in the study. "I don't know anybody who thinks we can just meander our way through economic development," said McIntosh, who approached UF urban and regional planning assistant professor Rhonda Phillips during the fall. The county has "a strong sense of need to focus to get the right kind. To do that, you need a plan." "This probably should have been done before the EDC was formed," said Chairman Chris Kingsley, the County Commission's chief proponent for a strategic economic plan. EDC president Don Clifford offered hearty praise for the idea, too. Done properly, he said, the study and recommendations can benefit the county as it works to grow responsibly. Approval is far from certain, though. County Commissioner Mary Aiken has said she does not support sending money out of the county to pay for studies. Aiken, who also has called the EDC a "boondoggle," declined to comment about the specific proposal because she had not read all the documents available. County Commissioner Diane Rowden said the concept sounded "great" in theory, but she still harbored concerns. She questioned whether the EDC has the right players to execute a change effectively, and said that spending as much as $76,000 for a report while charitable organizations such as the Dawn Center go needy strikes her as wrong. Rowden also suggested that the EDC should kick in a portion of the fee if it's so important, something Clifford said EDC directors will consider. "I just need a lot of information," Rowden said, adding that she would have preferred to have a workshop about economic development before being thrown a big project to decide upon. McIntosh defended placing the proposal on next week's agenda, because Phillips plans to use the study as a research project for graduate students whose semester begins in January. And Kingsley rejected the thought that the UF team is just another "out-of-town consultant." With or without the EDC, they argued, the county needs to set a plan that focuses its business growth. UF charges only direct costs, McIntosh added, while other consultants would cost three times as much. "It's really an incredible opportunity, I think," Kingsley said. The proposed project would be done in three phases over eight months. First, the team would assess the county's economic development environment, looking at such things as demographics, transportation, available buildings, education and training opportunities and quality of life factors including recreation and cultural offerings. Next, the team would identify economic development goals, talking to community leaders and residents. Optional elements would be a survey and a forum. It would compare Hernando County to three similar counties, and then make recommendations for retention and expansion of existing businesses, as well as recruitment of new ones. Finally, it would devise a method to benchmark and monitor performance to the set goals. An option would include using technology and mapping to further guide the county in its planning and decision-making. "No matter who you are, if you're for or against the EDC, everyone says they want the same thing -- accountability," McIntosh said. "The questions that plague people right now will be answered by this.' The Center for Building Better Communities is a new initiative focusing on community and economic development research. Phillips has a doctorate in city and regional planning, and has worked as an economic development professional for Birmingham, Ala., the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the International Development Research Council in Atlanta.
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