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Randolph County debates future of Randolph County United funding, eyeing county economic-development role
Summary
Commissioners and RCU leaders questioned whether current county funding for Randolph County United is delivering broad economic-development value and discussed forming a joint committee or hiring county staff to handle development and grant writing before next year’s budget.
Randolph County Commissioners and leaders of Randolph County United (RCU) spent more than an hour on the future of the county’s economic-development support, with commissioners questioning whether the county’s current funding level should continue or be restructured.
Clyde Schaefer, president of RCU, and Ruthie Rose, RCU office administrator, briefed the board on RCU operations and finances. Commissioners raised concerns about responsiveness to local businesses and whether RCU’s spending produced countywide results. One commissioner described the organization as having become “clubbish” and said parts of the county felt underrepresented in RCU outreach.
RCU and several commissioners agreed the current funding level — discussed in the meeting as roughly $270,000 annually — may not be sustainable under upcoming state budget changes and recommended a cooperative review. Schaefer proposed forming a working committee consisting of the RCU executive board and at least one county commissioner to develop a joint plan and proposed budget before the county’s August budget hearings. Commissioner Tom volunteered to serve on the committee.
Commissioners and RCU representatives discussed alternatives, including: (1) reducing county funding and directing smaller amounts to town-level economic projects, (2) hiring a county economic-development or grant-writing position (possibly part-time) to pursue grants and provide a local point of contact, or (3) maintaining RCU but improving oversight and on-the-ground presence.
RCU representatives acknowledged gaps — including limited staff presence in the county and a need to reach more manufacturing employers and peripheral towns — and said they are open to working with county officials on solutions. Commissioners asked for additional documentation, including a breakdown of RCU’s restricted and unrestricted assets and a list of recent trips and grant recipients, and directed staff to convene the proposed committee ahead of the budget process.
The discussion closed with an agreement to continue dialogue and produce a committee report for the county’s budget deliberations.
