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PEDC reports fourth-quarter activity; council approves minor budget amendment and delays bylaw changes
Summary
The Pecos Economic Development Corporation (PEDC) updated the council on downtown and housing initiatives, website work, internships, and land-sale prospects; the council approved a budget amendment and postponed proposed bylaw changes to next fiscal year.
Jimmy Dutcher, executive director of the Pecos Economic Development Corporation (PEDC), briefed the Pecos City Council on the PEDC's fourth-quarter activities and a proposed amendment to the PEDC fiscal year 2024-25 budget.
Dutcher said the PEDC is updating its website to consolidate regional information, collecting RFQs under one umbrella to attract contractors, supporting downtown improvements, and coordinating with city and county partners on housing and energy projects. He highlighted a plan to complete 12 homes on Jackson Street and to acquire additional acreage to complete a larger subdivision; he said the PEDC is in talks with a developer that also is pursuing a conversion technology project and that land cleanup and design work are underway.
Dutcher said the PEDC will run a 10-week, paid internship program for local high-school students to gain community-based economic-development experience and that the PEDC has hired a grant writer who will meet with the mayor quarterly.
Councilman Arona moved and Councilwoman Seals seconded a motion to approve an amendment to the PEDC's 2024-25 budget (item F-10). The council approved the amendment; the transcript shows the motion carried but does not provide a roll-call tally.
On proposed changes to PEDC bylaws (item F-9), Dutcher said the board will postpone bylaw changes until the next fiscal year to better align the PEDC with other entities under the joint-entity umbrella; the council voted to postpone consideration of proposed bylaw changes until a later date.
Dutcher noted minor variances in projected oil-and-gas revenue and interest income but said land sales and sales-tax receipts were compensating factors; he reported the PEDC had set aside funds to clean a parcel the board expects to sell and that potential buyers were requesting RFQs and cleanup designs.
The PEDC's broader strategy includes marketing to out-of-area investors, recruiting diversified businesses, and coordinating with state and federal contacts (Dutcher cited a recent visit by state Senator Blanco's staff and the PEDC's lobbyist activity in Austin and Washington, D.C.). Dutcher said the PEDC plans targeted outreach to increase local contractor participation in RFQs before going to external firms.
Ending: The council approved the PEDC budget amendment and deferred bylaw revisions; the PEDC will continue land-preparation work, website consolidation, and internships as described in the quarterly report.
