Web posted
Friday, June 20, 2008
Cowley First future?
Economic group considers life after director leaves
By ROY GRABER
Courier Editor
It may be several weeks before a search begins for a new countywide economic development director. During that time, however, members of Cowley First will have an opportunity to evaluate the organization before they begin the search for a new director.
Debra Teufel, director of the Cowley First economic development group, resigned in early May. The job has been vacant since May 16. Cowley First administrative assistant Kerri Falletti and county administrator Leroy Alsup have been handling the county's economic development matters.
When meeting with the Cowley County Economic Development Partnership's advisory board on Thursday, Alsup said it would likely be three to four weeks before they aggressively seek a replacement.
"Any time you lose a director, you have the opportunity to reflect and evaluate," said Alsup.
Teufel's resignation also comes at a time when three of the organization's funding partners are setting their annual budgets. Cowley First gets funding from the cities of Winfield and Arkansas City, Cowley County and local banks.
According to Alsup, some of the governmental entities will likely want to evaluate how the economic development initiative is working, what changes might need to be made and how much funding would be appropriate.
Alsup said an effort to hold a joint meeting by the commissions and staff members of the three governmental entities is being made. Then, he said, they could get a feel for how comfortable everyone is with Cowley First and the services it provides.
Winfield City Manager Warren Porter said the City has not raised issues of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with Cowley First, but he did add, "Improvements can always be made."
The City is not proposing any changes at this point, Porter said, but the commission and the staff will listen to what is being said by others.
Arkansas City Mayor Mell Kuhn said a countywide economic development effort is necessary because the different entities "have a lot of horsepower together."
"In one form or another, we have to have this, no matter what we name it," Kuhn said.
Kuhn wants to make sure the organization meets the needs of industry, to make sure there is plenty of available labor and to take care of the existing industries.
According to Kuhn, the evaluation process could be complicated because Cowley First brings so many groups and people together.
"There is a realization that we can't be individuals all going in our own direction. We need to work together, and that process can be a long, arduous one because we can't have just one broad answer that fixes everything," Kuhn said.
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