WEDA – the Watonga Economic Development Authority, has reinvented itself, with more than a little help from the city government.
The authority had been inactive from Sept. 2015 until it was brought back to life with a meeting in April. At that meeting, the city clerk was named as interim secretary for the organization and the city manager was named as group’s general manager.
City treasurer Rodney Jacks was authorized to open a bank account for WEDA at First State Bank, where Mayor Bill Seitter, City Clerk Verlen Bills and Jacks are allowed to sign checks.
The next meeting, in May, set the objectives for the organization for fiscal 2022-23.
In June, the discussion was held to determine if the operations formerly performed by the Chamber of Commerce could be rolled into WEDA and it was agreed that was possible. In July the organization renewed the agreement with Karrie Beth Little, the city manager, to serve as the public trust manager as well, a position that enables Little to seek out and apply for grants for both the city and economic development.
By August, the details of melding the chamber with the economic development organization had been ironed out. A contract was approved allowing WEDA to continue the mission of both economic development and chamber of commerce as long as they did not exceed the authority of WEDA as it was designed.
The meetings of WEDA are held in conjunction with city council meetings. At the September meeting, the 2022-23 budget for the development authority was set at $50,000. Of that, the original intent was to hire a director for a salary of $31,934. Because there are only nine months left in the fiscal year, that averages $15 per hour.
“To get the person we want, “ said Mayor Bill Seitter, “We are going to have to pay more than $31,000. We might have to pay more out of the general fund.”
Little asked Dacia Phillips, the city’s accountant with RS Meacham, whether the director could be hired as a city employee, as most of the benefits that would be offered to the director were under the city’s umbrella. Phillips said developing a new position would work and could be accomplished by adjusting the budget.
The original $50,000 remained in the WEDA budget, and Little went on to outline a grant program already underway for business beautification in the city. The plan is to give out 20 grants of $1,000 each to owners who apply in the belief that improving the looks of their storefronts will improve their bottom line.
The council also noted that the Watonga Economic Development Authority needs five advisory board members to help ensure chamber of commerce functions are being met. In order to serve on the advisory board, the applicant must live inside the 73772 zip code.