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Council signals support to add $30,000 for economic development planning in FY27 draft
Summary
City staff proposed adding $30,000 to the FY27 draft budget to hire a consultant to scope economic development options; council members debated volunteer alternatives and directed staff to include the amount in the next draft for further details.
City manager Regina outlined a possible FY27 add of $30,000 to resource an economic development planning effort and said staff would engage a consultant to help define next steps if the council approved the concept.
"If this council is comfortable with something like 30,000 additional because... we can work with 30,000," Regina said while describing options for hiring a consultant to convene a committee and outline a program. The council discussed whether the money should instead fund a part-time staff hire or rely on volunteer expertise and noted that a consultant engagement could help determine long-term staffing needs.
Several council members recommended tapping existing community volunteers and local expertise before committing to sustained staffing. Regina and budget staff agreed to show the $30,000 in the next draft scheduled for Jan. 28 and to return with recommendations on consultant scope, outcomes and whether a hire would be required in future years.
The discussion did not produce a final, formal vote but produced clear direction to include the planning resource in the next budget iteration and to provide additional detail at the following meeting.
