Finance panel hears ODP budget as department sheds economic development coordinator and downtown event contract is cut
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Summary
The Finance Committee reviewed the Office of Development & Planning budget, learned the economic development coordinator position will not be refilled after retirement, and debated removal of the contracted event coordinator and a $20,000 working capital allocation for downtown events.
Victoria Mueller, chair of the Finance Committee, opened Monday’s meeting by asking Director Reyes to present the Office of Development & Planning budget. Reyes told the committee the ODP budget is “very small” this year and is roughly 15% below last year’s level in part because of one retirement.
The committee learned the city will not replace the retiring economic development coordinator. Reyes said the position’s responsibilities will be absorbed by cross‑trained staff and by himself as the director, describing his office as the department’s “safety net.” Councilors emphasized the importance of having a consistent small‑business liaison in the downtown and asked how the city will preserve that human contact when the position is gone.
Separately, the committee discussed downtown cultural events. Councilor Cluitt asked who is responsible for planning and running recurring downtown events; Reyes explained that the city council held the budget line for the event coordinator contract and that ODP typically managed the contract although the line sat in the council’s budget. The committee learned the city put the event coordinator work out to an RFP that did not result in a contract and the FY27 budget removes the previous $67,000 contract. The mayor and several councilors supported a modest $20,000 working capital allocation to cover vendor expenses and support some organic events this summer while councilors debated whether to restore a full coordinator function.
The discussion focused on tradeoffs: reinstating a salaried coordinator would provide dedicated oversight and consistent promotion of downtown businesses, while leaving the function to contract or to volunteer nonprofit partners reduces recurring personnel cost in a tight budget year. The mayor’s office and ODP said the $20,000 would be managed by ODP as liaison funding for ad‑hoc events; some councillors said any decision to fund a vendor or partner should return to the full council for approval.
The committee did not take a formal vote on changing the budget line; members said they expected follow‑up conversations before the council’s final budget vote.
