Council adds Director of Community Development position to EDC, approves transfer of staff

The Mount Pleasant City Council approved adding a new position — Director of Community Development — to the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) approved budgeted positions list and acknowledged a planned personnel transfer.

Jeanette, speaking to the council, said the EDC board already approved transferring Claire Bell Banda into the new role. Jeanette described the position’s duties: “she's gonna be helping a lot with the administrative side of things, and then, she'll be helping our small business. She'll be helping with grants, business attraction and retention. We have the revolving loan fund. So being able to help our small businesses and the fact that she already had that Main Street connection, I think will be super helpful.”

Council members asked for budget placement and timing. Jeanette told the council the salary is included under the city’s contingency in the current budget and that the EDC board planned to transfer funds at its meeting tomorrow to cover five to six months of the full-time salary. The council then voted to add the new position to the list of budgeted positions; the motion passed unanimously.

During final remarks a councilmember urged that the hiring process be opened to applicants and that the city take care in recruiting a candidate with experience to manage downtown and Main Street priorities. Jeanette clarified that the transfer is from the EDC and that Claire Bell Banda is moving from a Director of Operations role into the community development role; Jeanette also said the position will include social media and marketing responsibilities in addition to business outreach.

The council did not adopt a hiring timeline or application process at the meeting; councilmembers asked staff to ensure the opportunity is broadly advertised and to return with details to the council or EDC board as appropriate.