Kincardine council

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Kincardine council has given initial approval for its economic development committee (EDC) to spend $10,000 to draw up a strategic plan.

In committee-of-the-whole Wednesday night (May 5), Gerry Taylor, project management professional with SMART Project Management, presented a report from the EDC, outlining the need for a strategic plan to provide direction for the committee.

"You're fortunate to have an economic development committee," said Taylor, "to assist the municipality with its community economic development matters."

He said the EDC looks at many projects and ideas but ends up having more questions than answers so the proponents must come back and answer them. The EDC would like to have a check-list prepared so proponents can have the information ready the first time they speak to the committee so they don't waste time.

The check-list would include criteria to help rank the importance of certain projects, determine how they fit into the strategic plan, and which projects have a high risk, said Taylor. "This would provide a more efficient system for the committee."

"The committee wants to accept greater responsibilities and is open to introduce various operational enhancements as a means of strengthening its role as the lead group to manage the community's economic development needs," said Taylor. However in order to do that, the committee needs to complete a strategic plan that will outline improved operating and performance parameters.

The strategic plan will address such items as communications and marketing plan, land control issues, project ranking filter system, project assessment system, EDC roles and responsibilities, EDC operating policies and procedures, etc., said Taylor

"At a future time, the committee will need to determine the best operational model," he said. "At present, the committee operates within an advisory capacity versus operational. These two models are quite different with respect to both governance and operating structure. However, at this time, it is important to finalize the present strategic plan and monitor its implementation prior to reflecting on the best operational structure."

He said the strategic plan would take about three to four weeks to complete.

Councillor Ron Hewitt said he would not support allowing the EDC to be a committee separate from council.

Chief administrative officer John deRosenroll said the EDC wants to enhance its roles and responsibilities so it has a more professional approach to business and industry that wants to locate in Kincardine, and to improve communication.

Deputy mayor Laura Haight questioned any plans to make the EDC an autonomous committee. "There are issues of land use, etc., that are still council's responsibilities," she said. "Are the EDC's activities limited now?"

"We'd like to streamline the process," said councillor Guy Anderson who sits on the EDC. "If proponents bring forward more information to the committee, we can make better decisions and recommendations to council."

A member of the EDC for 12 years, Anderson said many times people bring forward projects that require zoned land and services. "The EDC would like to allow that project to move forward but it has to go to planning and then to council and it takes a long time. As a committee, we want to do a better job, tighten things up so it doesn't take so long to act on ideas."

Councillor Mike Leggett, chairman of the EDC, agreed, saying often a business idea comes forward but there's no land to put it on so the committee struggles with that. "We want to have things in place so when business and industry come to us, we can help them set up shop," he said.

"A strategic plan is a good way to start," said mayor Larry Kraemer. "The main goal for the EDC is to make it easy to do business in Kincardine."

The $10,000 cost is not included in the budget, said deRosenroll, but would come from the Kincardine Development Fund which receives money from land sales and is ultimately to be used for economic development purposes.

Hewitt argued that the EDC is just an advisory committee and a new council, to be elected this fall, could do away with the committee system so this strategic plan would be a waste of time and money.

However, council agreed to go ahead with the strategic plan.

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Tuesday, May 11, 2010