CAA to hire development director

LISBON - The Community Action Agency has received permission to use some of its federal stimulus money to hire an economic development director for Columbiana County.

The position will be funded with $320,889 of the $446,000 in stimulus funding awarded the CAA this year through the federal Community Services Block Grant program.

The position is being created by the CAA on behalf of county commissioners, who have been without an economic development director since the position was abolished in 2001 when the director was unable to obtain enough state and federal grants to continue funding the position.

The stimulus money is to be used to reinstate the development director position, with the CAA providing financial assistance for up to two years, by which time the new director is expected to have obtained grants on behalf of the county to pay for the position and keep it self-sustaining, although the CAA would still have direct oversight.

The CAA has begun running advertisements for the position in newspapers in Cleveland, Akron, Columbus, Warren and Pittsburgh, plus on two Web sites and at the county One Stop employment office. Six applications had been received as of Sept. 18.

Commission Chairman Penny Traina said they obviously were thrilled by the news and hope to be able to name a director as quickly as possible.

The plan calls for a 16-member economic development initiative board to be created to hire the director and serve in a supervisory capacity. The members would include representatives from the county and local government, business leaders, social service agencies, health organizations and the community. The board would conduct the job interviews and set the salary.

Traina said she would serve on the board, along with CAA Executive Director Carol Bretz, county Engineer Bert Dawson and county Auditor Nancy Milliken, among others. She said they are in the process of recruiting other board members and will release the names once they are at full complement.

The development director will be paid a salary ranging from $60,000 to $100,000, based on experience. Benefits include standard CAA benefits, such as two weeks paid vacation, 10 days of sick leave, life insurance up to $50,000, long-term disability plan, 11 paid holidays, and 403b pension plan. The director is required to have a proven track record in the economic development field, with a minimum of 10 years' experience.

The director will have very specific goals, including bringing in eight new businesses to the county over two years, creating 125 jobs that pay a minimum of $15 an hour.

The person also must perform a countywide assessment of every area, detailing assets and deficiencies, developing an inventory of available commercial and industrial property, and determining needs of existing manufacturers and related businesses. The assessment also is to catalog tax incentives or abatements, zoning and building permits, and other local resources, along with availability of federal and state resources. The information will be compiled and placed on a Web site for businesses and others to access.

The director is required to meet at least monthly with county commissioners and also report to the board monthly on his or her progress in meeting the goals. As a stipulation attached to state approval, it required the development director to provide the state with a quarterly progress report.