Will Franklin get an Economic Development Director?

It's been a topic of interest among city leaders since then-Economic Development Director Doug Wheaton left the post in 2008. Since then, the post has been vacant, and despite several attempts by aldermen past and present to get the process moving forward to hiring a new director, no significant movement has occurred. However, with Franklin announcing a desire to research three significant locations within the city for major economic development, the discussion of a Economic Development Director has resurfaced.

Tonight the Common Council will be taking up the beginning process of hiring an Economic Development Director - approving the job description and engaging a consultant to find the city the top candidates for the post. While it sounds like a slam dunk for approval based on past desire by the Council to get moving on filling the post, it could get mired in controversy. Concerns regarding the description, in particular the section that has the director reporting solely to the Mayor and avoiding any mention of coming before the Council even on an annual or biannual basis to report on updates, could bring the approval to a screeching halt.

Additionally, some aldermen have expressed concern that the description doesn't do enough for the Economic Development Director to seek out new retail opportunities in the city, and instead has the Director focus more-so on avenues that could build business and industrial parks, something Mayor Olson has highlighted as a component of a larger economic development picture in Franklin. Instead, the need for an equal footing on both retail and business attraction should be the goal, especially with a growing call from residents to build a City Center for Franklin at the 76th/Rawson/Loomis commercial district.

The Council meeting begins tonight at 6:30pm at City Hall.