By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – McLean County is giving the local economic development office less money next year and more scrutiny.
In the annual budget which the County Board approved Tuesday, the board approved a six-percent funding cut for the Economic Development Council and several board members including Paul Segobiano raised questions about how the group spend its government dollars.
“I think the EDC ought to be taking a better look, a stronger look at what their needs are and how best they can be served with their tax dollars,” Segobiano said.
Board member Chuck Erickson said it’s a pro-taxpayer concept.
“Sometimes I wonder why we hadn’t done it earlier, but it is what it is,” Erickson said. “I don’t think we should view it necessarily as being anti-EDC.”
CEO of the EDC, Kyle Ham his office welcomes providing the county more regular data.
“We do try to be as open and transparent as possible but if there’s a way to be more transparent, we welcome those suggestions,” Ham said. “That’s important to us as well.”
The EDC is scheduled to receive $94,000 from the county in 2018. The EDC will provide monthly reports to the county instead of quarterly as it had in the past.
Ham says the EDC has maintained a good working relationship with the county in recent years as they worked through the Rivian plant’s planned opening and the proposed Brandt Industries plant, as examples.
The County Board’s $95 million budget also maintains the current tax rate, thanks to a late-minute change. County Board member Jacob Beard proposed using $3,000 in cash reserves to lower the tax rate to current levels.
County Board administrator Bill Wasson said the county had 21 employees take early retirement, which he said enables all those whose jobs were cut to be transferred to another county job.
“We now have sufficient positions available that those individuals will be able to transfer to another postilion with an organization they so wish,” Wasson said.
Wasson said he’s not sure how much money the county will save through the retirements.
The annual budget also freezes salaries and new hires.
Eric Stock be reached at [email protected].
