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Burton council rejects $50,000 final payment to Retail Strategies after months of mixed results
Summary
The Burton City Council voted 4-3 on March 17 to deny the third and final $50,000 payment to Retail Strategies, ending a two-year debate about the marketing contractor’s effectiveness and turnover of account representatives.
The Burton City Council voted 4-3 on March 17 to deny a $50,000 final payment to Retail Strategies, the city’s three-year retail recruitment contractor, after multiple council members said the firm had produced little verifiable development leads.
Supporters of keeping the contract pointed to ongoing outreach and the long timelines typical in retail recruitment; opponents said the city had seen no clear benefit and questioned continuing to spend on the program.
Council context: the payment was presented as the third and final annual installment in a three-year contract. Council discussion in the chamber included divergent views about whether the firm had contributed to recent business activity and whether the city could terminate early.
“I think it was an noble effort on our side to try to market our city, but it just hasn't worked from my perspective,” Councilman Smith said during debate. He said the $50,000 could be spent elsewhere in the city budget.
Mayor (not named in transcript) described the contract terms and the firm’s communications with the city. The mayor said there is no early-termination fee and that the contract can be ended with 30 days’ written notice: “There’s no early termination fee. It is a 30 day notice to quit.”
Other council members said Retail Strategies had changed representatives several times during the engagement, which complicated long-term relationship-building. Council members also noted some businesses that opened in Burton arrived through other channels, and they disagreed about whether those outcomes were connected to Retail Strategies’ work.
After discussion, the council called the question. The roll call vote was: Heffner — yes; Hixson — yes; Wiens (Weins) — no; Hull — no; Fenner — no; Miller — yes; Smith — no. The motion to authorize the $50,000 payment failed.
The council did not adopt any substitute motion to suspend or renegotiate the contract during the meeting. Several council members said they would continue to evaluate the firm’s communications and potential leads outside the meeting.
The vote ends the immediate authorization to pay the third installment; the contract remains a topic for future council consideration if members choose to reopen or formally terminate the relationship.
