Dougherty Commission votes to reinstate Economic Development Commission funding

ALBANY — It came with the caveat that Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission officials provide a comprehensive look at how that organization is impacting all segments of the community, but the Dougherty County Commission approved a measure Monday that will reallocate the $50,000 to the EDC that the commission voted to exclude while approving its FY 2016-17 budget.

The eventual vote to approve the measure was 6-1 with District 2 Commissioner John Hayes, who said he was concerned about “abandoned buildings and homes in which residents could see dirt through their floors” in some of the county’s districts, casting the dissenting vote.

The vote brings the county’s funding level for the EDC to a total of $250,000, the same amount that the Albany City Commission and the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce each contribute to the organization.

Hayes initially offered a substitute motion to “have the EDC provide us a comprehensive plan that touches all segments of the community,” but when County Attorney Spencer Lee indicated that that motion did not touch on the funding, Hayes changed his motion, asking to table the matter until EDC officials presented the plan he’d called for.

District 6 Commissioner Anthony Jones, who had initially seconded Hayes’ motion to require a report on the EDC’s comprehensive plan, withdrew his second when Hayes mentioned tabling the matter.

“I withdraw my second; I want this to be the last word we have on this issue,” Jones said.

When Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas asked if there was a second to Hayes’ substitute motion to the one made by District 3 Commissioner Clinton Johnson to reinstate the funds, commissioners remained silent.

Cohilas then called for a vote, and the matter was approved.

“I want to note that there needs to be transparency, as Commissioner Hayes suggested,” Johnson said. “We need to hold (EDC officials’) feet to the fire about their plans. And we need to call for not only meetings with us, but meetings in south Albany and East Albany and West Albany.

“If they are ‘One Albany’ (a slogan adopted by the EDC), I’d like to see them in the communities that they are representing.”

District 5 Commissioner Harry James pointed out that he voted in favor of reallocating the funds to keep the commission compliance with its commitment to the EDC and its member funding partners.

“This is not about giving $50,000 to the EDC, it’s about us being in compliance,” James said. “I don’t want a mis-message out that this is about giving them that money. We have a duty to remain in compliance.”

EDC President Justin Strickland said he’s glad to see the EDC “partnership” restored.

“With three equal funding partners, now our partnership is restored,” Strickland said. “And when you have a true partnership, that’s when you have collaboration.”

Strickland reiterated the EDC’s commitment to bringing new business and industry — and thus jobs — to the community and to retaining and expanding existing businesses.

“That’s what we’ve been tasked with doing,” he said. “That’s a mission we work on every day.”

Asked about communications concerns brought up by commissioners during Monday’s meeting, the EDC president said, “The Economic Development Commission is always willing to provide communication. We present a quarterly report to the (city and county) commission, and the minutes of our monthly meetings are made available to them. Plus, our door here is always open.

“But if there are specific ways that we can communicate better with the Dougherty County Commission, we are open to them.”