Council renews economic development contract

On a 3-2 vote, the Sisters City Council renewed the contract for the part-time Economic Development position for a second year, but not without some widely divergent viewpoints being expressed on the contract process and the focus of the position.

Last year, Mac Hay was hired as a contractor to fill the new part-time economic development manager position ($30,000 per year) amid a barrage of controversy. While some questioned the need for such a position, a majority of the contention centered on the selection process itself.

At Thursday's meeting, Councilor Pat Thompson appeared to be speaking for the majority (Kellstrom, Asson and Thompson) when he said, "I think that Mac is doing a great job. He answers all the calls that need to be answered. I think you are talking to all the people that need to be talked to. The whole program is an amazing success, because without you we wouldn't answer those questions.

"From the very beginning we wondered, how we are going to measure Mac's success? Hey, if he is out there talking to somebody, that is success," said Thompson. "I think that the 'open' sign is out on the City of Sisters and Sisters Country. I haven't found anybody that has not been pleased with the information and help that you've given them. I think that the (monthly) reports that we get are more than satisfactory for the rate of the money that we pay you. For the budget that we put forth, I think you do a great job and I commend you for it."

All five councilors indicated their fondness for Mac Hay. They all appeared to have confidence in his ability, qualifications and temperament to carry out the economic development job as he sees it, that is, in the role of a facilitator.

However, the minority (Weed, Holzman) voiced strong disagreement with the position as it was renewed for the second year. Both councilors requested in writing and during the last two council meetings that Hay's performance last year and his goals for the upcoming year be sorted out at a council workshop. That request was not granted.

"My issues were the position and how we structured the position," said Holzman. "The independent contractor position for me is not one that I would have preferred. Also I would really like to see if there is any additional funding for this position. I believe this was talked about at one point in time. Should the (Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce) be involved perhaps in some funding? Are there other (funding) places so that it is not just falling on city taxpayers?"

Holzman's dissatisfaction with the process was echoed and amplified by councilor Sharlene Weed, who said, "I originally had asked for a workshop on Mac's contract and what's in it. That was declined. Then I asked that we get Mac's goals for the (last) year and have him tell us what things he accomplished and what he didn't, and if not why and how we could help him; and to tell us what his goals would be for the coming year. We didn't get that in our packet. Then I asked for it on the email, and I got from the mayor 'Oh yes, I polled Pat and David and we decided we don't need that information.' Process-wise this stinks."

Weed expressed dissatisfaction with the level of community outreach.

"Getting a roundtable, an economic forum in the community, establishing a web page, creating a database, really doing that rich community work. To me, they were the most important things," she said. "They were largely untouched and didn't get accomplished. How many jobs were created this year? How many jobs were lost this year?"

Hay sought to jettison a couple of items from the agreement that he believes should be outside the scope of his position.

"There are a couple of areas; the statistical work, and the web page, those are important pieces of economic development (but) I don't see this position doing that," he said. "I see this position as a facilitator and a recruiter, and somebody who is working with the businesses to try to keep them in town and to expand them. I think that is different than doing statistical work. That could be done elsewhere."

Mayor Lon Kellstrom agreed.

"Considering that this is not a full-time job, I would rather have Mac establishing relationships, visiting possible businesses, and retaining business than working on a database," he said. "I suggest that we modify the agreement so that the position is not involved in the web page, or trying to find out if anybody has an idea."

In the end, the scope of work was left unchanged. The city will pay Hay $30,000 through June of 2012.