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Council delays vote on three‑year Cosmont economic development contract
Summary
The Norwalk City Council pulled a consent‑calendar item renewing a three‑year contract with Cosmont Companies for economic development services and asked staff to have the firm present at the July 1 meeting for questions about services and tenant‑tracking tools.
The Norwalk City Council on June 16 removed from the consent calendar a proposed three‑year renewal of a contract with Cosmont Companies for city economic development services and directed staff to have Cosmont present at the council’s July 1 meeting.
Community Development Director Alex Hamilton told the council the proposed contract continues Cosmont’s work on business recruitment and retention, market and fiscal analysis, and maintenance of the city’s economic development opportunities plan. Hamilton said Cosmont first prepared the city’s economic development opportunities plan in 2018 and updated it in 2023, and that the firm provides quarterly market dashboards and project‑specific fiscal analyses.
Council Member Ramirez said she wanted Cosmont to come to council chambers “to answer questions and not be rubber‑stamped” because she and other members had follow‑up questions after the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) trade show. Council Member Rios asked specifically whether Cosmont or the city uses a retail tenant database such as the Brown Book Retail Tenant Guide; Hamilton answered Cosmont currently provides similar services and staff would not duplicate subscriptions without council direction.
Council Member Ramirez moved to pull the item to the next meeting; Vice Mayor Perez seconded. Council Member Perez said he would support postponing the item until Cosmont could present. City staff said Cosmont would be scheduled to appear July 1 and that the PowerPoint summary shown at the meeting would be circulated to councilors.
The item was not decided at the June 16 meeting; the remainder of the consent calendar (excluding the Cosmont contract) was approved by roll call. The contract renewal will return for council consideration on July 1, with Cosmont present to describe specific services and any subscription tools they use.
Why this matters: Cosmont is the city’s primary consultant for economic development strategy and fiscal analyses tied to projects such as the EIFD and the transit village; the council requested direct answers about service scope and value before authorizing another multi‑year contract.
Next steps: City staff said Cosmont will present July 1 and that staff will forward the PowerPoint presented at this meeting.
