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Big Spring EDC advances succession plan, approves $10,000 budget amendment and executive-assistant hire
Summary
The Big Spring Economic Development Corporation sought three staffing-related budget adjustments and won council approval to add $10,000 for anticipated buybacks tied to the director’s pending retirement and to hire an executive assistant as part of a succession plan.
The Big Spring Economic Development Corporation (EDC) moved forward with succession planning Tuesday as the City Council approved a $10,000 budget amendment tied to anticipated vacation pay buybacks and authorized the hiring of an executive assistant to support the EDC director ahead of his planned retirement.
EDC Executive Director Mark Willis told the council the request reflects both policy alignment and succession needs. "It could be up to $70,000," Willis said of the potential top cost for the position depending on timing and candidate, and added the salary range the board expects is between $45,000 and $50,000 based on Texas Economic Development Council survey guidance.
Why it mattered: Willis said the EDC had not been following the city’s vacation buyback policy, generating a liability the board moved to correct; the $10,000 amendment covers anticipated payouts connected to his announced retirement in September. Willis told council the EDC board unanimously supports planning for a transition so operations and ongoing projects — including marketing roughly 550 acres, tax-increment financing and infrastructure work — continue uninterrupted.
Council debate focused on whether the three related budget items should be considered together or separately and on transparency about previous buybacks. Willis acknowledged some buybacks already occurred earlier in the fiscal year and said the EDC adopted the city policy only recently. Finance staff explained the $20,000 item for accumulated vacation was previously discussed and one related motion failed for lack of a second; the council later approved the $10,000 amendment 4–3.
What was approved: Council approved the $10,000 EDC budget amendment and separately approved the request to hire an executive assistant to allow on-the-job training before Willis’s planned departure. Willis said the hire is intended to create redundancy: "You need at least two people who know how to do all this stuff," he said.
Next steps: The EDC will proceed with recruitment and return any negotiated employment contract or final fee terms to the council or appropriate board as required; council members requested clarification and documentation of the buyback calculations and the hiring timeline before the next fiscal-year actions.
