EDA weighs re-soliciting legal services after only one applicant

Members reviewed the EDA's prior outreach to secure legal counsel and discussed next steps. One board member explained that the EDA set aside seed capital (reported as $20,000) to pay for resources such as an attorney and that from the solicitation only one attorney responded. "I'm sorry to say that only 1 person responded," the member said, naming the respondent as "Max Herline," and adding he is currently on paternity leave.

Board members debated whether to resolicit or to ask neighboring towns for recommendations. One member suggested speaking with other towns of similar size to identify attorneys with municipal experience, while others emphasized that having options would be preferable to relying on a single respondent. The group agreed to resend the letters and to follow up with suggested contacts; no formal appointment was made.

Members noted there were no urgent legal matters requiring immediate counsel, but they recommended restarting outreach so the EDA would have a choice when services are needed. The board asked members to forward any recommendations to the staff lead for inclusion in the next solicitation.