PORT TOWNSEND — Pulling back $25,000 budgeted for the Economic Development Council, Jefferson County commissioners moved Monday to take the oft-dysfunctional job-creating agency under its wing.
It was an action praised Monday by Port of Port Townsend and Port Townsend city officials working with the Jefferson County Economic Development Council, or EDC.
Approved by county commissioners unanimously, the action designates the county as an associate development organization under the direction of County Administrator John Fischbach, and makes it eligible for a $28,000 grant to help operate the new organization.
“This is something we have talked about for a year,” said Commissioner David Sullivan, D-Cape George.
The new development comes before the EDC’s board of directors meets at noon Friday in the Point Hudson Marina Room to discuss the agency’s future in the aftermath of the resignation of Executive Director Tamer Kirac.
Kirac leaves the EDC today for an economic development adviser’s position with the U.S. State Department in Baghdad, Iraq, beginning in mid-March. He will advise 18 Iraqi provinces.
Taxpayer accountability
Sullivan said the county’s action would in effect make EDC more effective and accountable to taxpayers under the county’s direction.
“I think it’s important that we are just doing the function,” said Sullivan.
“EDC, as an organization, has to decide what to do as an organization.”
Fischbach said the county can take over EDC grants but it would be ultimately up to the EDC board in its advisory capacity “to make their own determination as to their own future.”
“We will have a board but not deal with governance,” said the county administrator.
“(EDC) hired an attorney and they will have to look to him.”
Those details could be the outcome of Friday’s EDC board meeting.
EDC board president Lawrence Graves declined to comment Monday, saying he had not discussed the details of the commissioners’ action with Fischbach.