CITY OF BRENHAM TO TAKE OVER DUTIES OF ECONOMIC DEV. FOUNDATION
Brenham’s Economic Development Foundation (EDF) will soon be under the umbrella of the City of Brenham.
According to City Manager James Fisher, the city is taking EDF activities in-house, while maintaining the EDF board for advisory roles. Fisher says the city plans to take the program and provide it with additional resources.
The city will work alongside the Brenham Community Development Corporation (BCDC), to promote economic and community development by implementing and financing projects. Previously, the EDF—independent of the city—worked with the BCDC, receiving funds from city sales taxes and loans to purchase land and infrastructure improvements.
Brenham EDF Chair Billy Holle says this transition has been discussed at length with the city and assistant city managers for many years, but it was never acted upon due to lack of resources. He says this move will bring many positives to the city of Brenham.
Holle says the transition has barely begun, so there is still plenty of work to do. The city will look for a full-time president and CEO for the department, as well as a project coordinator and specialist. He says the EDF will continue to provide counsel for the city, as it makes this transition.
Holle says the department will enter into a written agreement with the city in the near future.
The city has begun its search for the new positions, and hopes to have them filled by September 1st. They will be filled no later than October 1st.
This a rough start for our new city manager. We are adding major costs to the taxpayers with these administrative staff positions. And true economic development will never make a significant impact as long as large manufacturing concerns with better than average Brenham wages are kept out of our industrial parks by locally owned business influences. Revenue from retail will not increase in the age of internet mail order and when wealthy residents shop out of town. We do not have any significant year round attractions for tourists either, and more sports complexes are not the answer. City property taxes are getting higher and forcing seniors out of their homes.
Hopefully Mr. Fishers new strategy works. This, combined with the cancellation of the contract with the Chamber of Commerece for their tourism leadership.
Brenham does need a shot in the arm, when it comes to new ideas, new business. The “old gaurd”, so to speak, has been around long enough to choke the future prosperity of this town for long enough.
We will see if these changes help or hinder the progress. Something does need to be done to make Brenham a more robust, fruitful economy, (besides ice cream).
Taxes are getting higher, and there is not enough work for the younger generation to survive here, unless they were born in to it.