The San Benito County Board of Supervisors met Aug. 16 to offer
direction to the County Administrative Officer Rich Inman on
drawing up a contract with the Economic Development Corporation of
San Benito County.
The San Benito County Board of Supervisors met Aug. 16 to offer direction to the County Administrative Officer Rich Inman on drawing up a contract with the Economic Development Corporation of San Benito County.
During the budget hearings, held in July, the supervisors had agreed to continue funding the EDC for $50,000 a year – though they wanted to hold further discussions on how to disburse the funding as well as expectations for the agency. That took place at the meeting Tuesday.
“I believe government should have a seat at the table,” said Nancy Martin, the executive director of the EDC, during the morning’s discussion. “Many who have a stake in it are on the board (of the EDC.)”
Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz broached the topic of private partnerships during the budget hearings and again raised the issue at the board meeting. One of the ideas presented was that more private businesses should be contributing to the EDC instead of just government agencies. De La Cruz touted the idea of matching private donations.
“We are open to constructing an agreement that benefits the community as well as businesses,” Martin said.
Supervisor Anthony Botelho said that the EDC’s board would have to be more involved in fundraising in support of Martin.
“They need to do more,” Botelho said. “Since I’ve been on the board, there has been a concerted effort to have a partnership.”
The supervisors had been concerned as well that the city of Hollister might drop funding to the EDC. Through the redevelopment agency that is in limbo, the city gives the EDC $75,000 annually. The future of the RDA has been up in the air since Gov. Brown recommended abolishing them while offering alternative successor agencies.
“It’s not up in the air because the RDA doesn’t support us,” Martin said. “It’s ‘Are we going to buy into this lawsuit? Are we going to move forward?'”
The other issue that concerned the supervisors during the budget hearings was a sense that they did not know what the EDC had accomplished. In this regard, they directed Inman to put into the new contract a requirement for quarterly reports from Martin about the work of the EDC.
“Martin took the EDC to the next step from its infancy to its teen years,” De La Cruz said. “We need to require more. The EDC needs to be the first link. I want to see a substance relationship. We are going to need to see numbers.”
Botelho agreed.
“I think quantifiable reporting of what you are doing would help so we can be on the same page,” he said.
Supervisor Margie Barrios, the board chair, acknowledged that Martin has to be vague about companies in which she is in early talks, which can make it hard to give concrete evidence of work behind the scenes.
See the full story in the Pinnacle on Friday.
