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St. Clair County commissioners vote to suspend funding, in‑kind services for Economic Development Alliance
Summary
The Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to suspend county funding and in‑kind services to the Economic Development Alliance of St. Clair County, citing lack of transparency and refusal by the EDA board to accept proposed public‑accountability terms.
The St. Clair County Board of Commissioners voted to suspend county funding and in‑kind services for the Economic Development Alliance (EDA) after an extended committee discussion and public comment. Commissioners said the EDA’s governance structure and refusal to accept transparency safeguards left the board with no choice.
The board voted on a motion to “suspend any funding of the Economic Development Alliance of St. Clair County and suspend any in‑kind services indefinitely.” The roll call recorded unanimous support: Commissioner Angie — yes; Commissioner Beaton — yes; Commissioner Trello — yes; Commissioner Samasco — yes; Commissioner Rushing — yes; Commissioner VandenBosch — yes; Commissioner Felix — yes.
Commissioners noted several concerns in the lead‑up to the vote: the EDA’s use of nondisclosure agreements, the executive board’s response saying it would not accept proposed memorandum terms, and a long‑running perception that the EDA operated with limited public accountability. Several commissioners reviewed historical records and statutes and said the county could either revive a dormant county economic development corporation (created decades ago) or pursue other, more transparent structures to support economic initiatives.
Members of the public both for and against the EDA spoke during the committee stage. Supporters said the EDA had helped recruit projects to the county; critics argued the EDA pursued development without sufficient public input and had shielded deals behind NDAs.
Why it matters: The EDA had been a longstanding local economic‑development partner. The suspension will pause county funding and services and requires the board to decide whether to replace the EDA with another delivery model for county economic development, revive a county entity, or pursue different contractual arrangements.
Ending: Commissioners instructed county staff and counsel to follow up on next steps. The board also considered—but did not adopt in the same motion—language limiting county in‑county services to statutorily required items; that motion was withdrawn before a final vote.
