The proposal is in the city budget, it's in the strategic plan, it's on the drawing board, but officially, the Batavia City Council has yet to approve the creation of an economic development director.
The vote will take place at the council's next business meeting, but on Monday council members got a chance to learn more about the proposal, ask questions and state their opinions.
There were no strong objections, and Councilman Bill Cox called on his fellow council members to approve the proposal.
"It’s a great opportunity for the city and it’s the most important thing we’ve done in a long time," Cox said. "I don’ think you’re going to see any results for 18 months, because no matter what you decided, you’re going to have to apply for grants, you’re going to have to wait for replies, you have to be selective, so I think we’ll see the first fruits of our labor in 18 to 24 months."
Under the proposal, the city would chip in $10,000 per year for each of the first two years (funded by cutting $15,000 from the grant writing budget of the city), with the balance of the eventual hire's salary being covered by money from the revolving loan fund and the micro-enterprise fund (both funds filled years ago by state grants).
The Batavia Development Corporation, which in the past has overseen the revolving loan fund, would hire and supervise the economic development position.
Councilman Bob Bialkowski wondered if, within the two years allotted for the new position to start paying off, whether new grants would start funding the position.
Ray Chaya, president of the BDC board of directors, said, "that would be the hope. Even though the state is in dire straits, there is still money out there for economic development. We want to be able to capture whatever is out there as soon as it’s available."
Council members asked questions about benefits -- the new hire will not receive benefits through the city as an employee of the BDC -- and what the person will actually do.
The job description specifies that the economic developer will be required to recruit and retain small businesses in the city and help businesses find ways to expand and grow.
If the council approves the proposal, the BDC can get to work on recruiting the right person and hopefully getting him or her in place on or before Aug. 1.
"We really need three-to-four months to get that person in here and really have benchmarks set up," Chaya said. "Two years is really a short amount of time, so this person needs to have strong communications skills, small business sense and a really good understanding of economic development."
How does the town of Batavia
How does the town of Batavia attract all the new businesses without an economic development director .The city had this position before an got rid of it..The stated goals are .. The job description specifies that the economic developer will be required to recruit and retain small businesses in the city and help businesses find ways to expand and grow.Isn't that what BID was spose to be doing..Isn't this also what GCEDC spose to be doing..Will the economic development director be giving out tax breaks to keep businesses like the GCEDC does....
Who is Ray Chaya..What is the BDC..Is it a private or public company..Who pays their salary..Never heard of this company before..
Mark , Great questions you
Mark , Great questions you bring up . Unfortunatly it sounds like this is done deal .I would assume you will see article after article of all the positives and confusing details and figures in the future just like GCEDC has done when someone questions them. Just another joke on us .
Mark, the only thing that
Mark, the only thing that I've seen that the town has attracted that the city has not is big box stores. Those would be attracted to open space near the Thruway as much as the zero-tax rate (plus any PILOTs or other abatements they may have gotten (I wasn't around then, so I don't know).
Most of the new businesses
Most of the new businesses that have been attracted to the Town of Batavia, were attracted because of the tax incentives offered by the GCEDC and the availability of land upon which to build megastructures that generate sizable revenue for the GCEDC.
That situation doesn't exist in the City.
I would only support the creation of a City Economic Development Director if a clear identity for the City was established first through deliberate discussion with all stakeholders and general concensus. We've discussed this, or rather the lack of it, before on The Batavian.
Spending money just because it is there only contributes to wasteful spending (it's still our tax dollars) and continuation of the current disjointed, piece-meal style of economic development in the City.
We shouldn't spend a nickel on an Economic Development Director until we are able to hand that person on Day 1, a clear vision and plan for the City of Batavia. The vision itself should not be left up a Director that may be more interested in padding their resume than actually improving the quality of life in Batavia.
JMO!
JoAnne i agree..Howard i
JoAnne i agree..Howard i would just like to try to understand more what this City Economic Development Director is for ..I would think the person to talk to would be a private developer..They would know what it would take to grow an area..Thats why i was wondering who this Ray Chaya is...We had and outside developer who wanted to buy the whole mall and redevelope it..The city shot it down...Government will not be the answer to this city's growth..In the end City Economic Development Director will all be funded by tax payer dollars..State City or Federal its all taxpayer money..Lets not forget that city council gave money for the Masse Mall ..so that it could bring in more tax dollars..How about an update on that project before we go hiring someone else to create more programs like that...Has the city increased the tax base from that project..
Ray Chaya is a Batavia
Ray Chaya is a Batavia native. I don't have his title in front of me, but he works at the BEST Center at GCC helping small businesses. He's president of the BDC.
So it sounds like he is just
So it sounds like he is just another government employee...Someone who has never created a job in his life..I think the city need input from other private job creators.As To what is the best course for the city to follow..Do you agree..
I don't remember his complete
I don't remember his complete profile, but he's done a lot more than just work for the government. Why would you assume such a thing?
Do you know anything about the BEST Center? It's one of the best resources for small businesses in the county.
Mark, The city did not shoot
Mark,
The city did not shoot down the sale of the mall. It was willing to do whatever was needed, if the developer could get about 80% of the property owners to sell. Remember, each property is privately owned. The plan was to tear down the mall and build a smaller plaza back towards Washington Ave. Penny's and the theaters were not included and would have stayed where they are. But as usual, the owners and developer could not come to terms and the developer then dropped the project and moved on.
But back in 2001, the City Council (Chris Fix, Tom Mancuso, George Spinnegan and others), did refuse to sell 5 properties that had been foreclosed on by the City to Dr. Chess who wanted to develop them. Dr. Chess bid approx. $50,000 for them and in fact, time after time, Dr. Chess was the only bidder for the properties. Rather than keep the property on the tax roles, they decided we needed City Hall built there instead. You decide if they made the right choice.
Howard no i don't know
Howard no i don't know anything about the best center..Glad to hear its the best resources for small businesses in the county but if its the only resource then it would have to be the best Or are you saying that the GCEDC is not useful to small business in genesse county...Why then have this new city position.Where can we find out more on the Best Center..
John seems to me the the city council made the wrong choice....
Google is your
Google is your friend:
http://www.genesee.edu/gcc/best/default.cfm