Person County commissioners vote to restore previous Economic Development Commission structure

The Person County Board of Commissioners voted Aug. 18 to revert the Person County Economic Development Commission’s bylaws, job description and organizational chart to prior language discussed by the board, a move intended to restore the commission’s earlier role in advising and supporting economic development.

County staff had presented two statutory options: keep economic development as a county line department with employees reporting to the county manager, or establish the Economic Development Commission (EDC) as a public authority with its own budget and hiring authority. Staff noted that, for an EDC to operate as a public authority, it would need an independent budget and must comply with local government finance and public employment laws referenced in general statutes cited in the agenda packet (chapters noted as 158 and 159 in staff materials).

After a brief closed session, commissioners discussed an email from former economic development director Glenn Newsom and a history in the 1990s when the county saw a surge in jobs while the EDC hired and guided the director. Several commissioners said they wanted to return to that structure, emphasizing the role of community business leaders and the EDC in supporting recruitment and job creation. One commissioner said the county’s earlier public-private approach helped prepare the county’s industrial mega site and related recruitment work.

A motion to “move forward with the change to the structure as previously proposed and revert back to those changes that we just discussed in the bylaws, the job description, and the org chart to reflect that” passed by voice vote.

Commissioners also discussed a proposed resolution to amend EDC membership to appoint the mayor of Roxborough to a seat. The board agreed to leave the existing language in place, which provides for the elected mayor or an alternate elected official to serve, and removed an agenda amendment referencing a specific appointment.

Separately, commissioners expressed concern about an Environmental Issues Advisory Council that had compiled a list of questions for Microsoft about the county’s mega site; one commissioner said those questions should not send a conflicting message to an industry the county has been recruiting. The board directed representatives to follow up with the advisory council chair to clarify scope and coordination.

Staff cautioned that making the EDC a public authority requires establishing an independent budget and adherence to the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act and applicable public employment law (statutory chapters noted in the packet). The board’s vote directs staff to implement the bylaw/job-description/org-chart changes discussed and to produce revised documents reflecting the board’s direction.