Seaside commission to draft annual work plan, pursue five-year economic action plan and hire economic development staff

City staff asked the Economic Development Commission to identify its top priorities for the coming fiscal year and to help refine a staff-drafted five-year action plan intended to translate the Seaside 2040 general plan and the council's strategic plan into measurable actions.

"One of the first tasks and duties of the commission will be to put together the annual work plan," City Manager Greg McDaniel said, noting the fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30 and that staff will circulate prior adopted work plans and a draft template for review.

McDaniel said staff has prepared a draft five-year economic development action plan that is roughly "75% complete" and spans about 30 pages; the draft is intended as a framework for commission input rather than staff's final vision.

He also told commissioners each commission has a placeholder annual budget of $3,500 for small expenditures, while larger initiatives would go through the city's budget process and could include consultant hires. "If we have to hire a consultant that may be working for this group, we will do that through the annual budget process," McDaniel said.

On staffing, McDaniel said Laura (administrative analyst) is currently the city's sole economic development staffer assigned to these efforts and that the city plans to hire a dedicated economic development director within roughly a year to 18 months. He listed additional staff who will support the commission, including the assistant city manager and the city clerk assistant/public information officer.

The commission did not take a formal vote on the work plan or the five-year plan at this meeting; staff said it would email the draft work plan and chapter 4 of the Seaside 2040 general plan and place the item on the next meeting's agenda for deeper review and commissioner feedback.