PORT TOWNSEND — In an ongoing effort to get on the same page with economic development and avoid future conflicts, the City Council on Monday night agreed in part to hire an economic consultant firm, equally splitting the $31,800 cost three ways with Jefferson County and the Port of Port Townsend.
Under the joint economic development planning agreement, the city agrees to pay up to $10,600 to hire an economist with Vancouver, Wash.-based E.D. Hovee & Co. consultants.
The City Council authorized Mayor Michelle Sandoval to sign the agreement on behalf of the city.
“It’s great to be working together with all the different jurisdictions,” she said.
“I look forward to working with all our partners.”
Port consideration
The Port of Port Townsend commissioners were to consider approval of their $10,600 appropriation proposal during a 3:30 p.m. Friday meeting at the port offices, 375 Hudson St.
Jefferson County commissioners, who are expected to approve their $10,600 share of the economic development study, were to consider approval next Monday, May 17, but discussed the matter with Al Scalf, Department of Community Development director who works with Administrator Philip Morley and the county’s economic development arm, Team Jefferson.
“There was controversy a year ago,” Morley reminded the county commissioners Monday morning while updating them during their weekly meeting at the courthouse.
Citing it as a time to “build our future together,” Morley said he believed the joint economic development planning agreement was “a step forward in government cooperation.”
Scalf, addressing the commissioners, said:
“We want to hire an economist. We are not economists.”
Luring global firms
Scalf said the Hovee economist would give the government entities a global sense of economic trends that would guide leaders about how global companies such as Intellicheck Mobilisa, Atlas Technologies and Toland Home Garden could benefit, helping them find local industrial sites to expand, if so needed.
“Our goal is to put the rules and regulations into place and get out of the private sector,” Scalf said, adding that it was critical to help the companies find adequate sites to do business and expand.
“This is going to allow us to be more proactive in approaching these issues,” said County Commissioner David Sullivan, D-Cape George.
“I think this also represents a new spirit of cooperation,” added Commissioner John Austin, D-Port Ludlow.
Scalf said the economic development issue in the county will involve much public comment.
The approach is part of an agreement the city, port and county reached in February after economic development issues brought city, port and county leaders to loggerheads on the brink of litigation.
Citing a need for economic development, the three county commissioners in January unanimously approved the Port of Port Townsend’s highly debated 24-acre light industrial and essential public facility rezoning request at Jefferson County International Airport that was opposed by the city of Port Townsend.
For the past several months, an ad-hoc workgroup comprised of city, port and county staffers working with Sandoval, port commissioners Chairman John Collins, county commissioners Chairman Sullivan and with Team Jefferson representatives, have been working toward an agreement.
Clallam effort
Ironically, Clallam County agencies have acquired a consultant in an effort to boost economic development there.
A four-hour summit meeting — which will consist of a roundtable discussion among the 29 participants — will be led by consultant John White of Federal Way-based BergerABAM, who plans to present several “key initiatives.”
Organized by the Port Angeles-based Clallam County Economic Development Council, with $24,000 in funding from the city of Port Angeles, Port of Port Angeles and Clallam County, it will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at John Wayne Marina, 2577 W. Sequim Bay Road in Sequim.
“Key initiatives” will deal with locating suppliers near industries, financing small businesses, “a new model” for communication — which might include a “strategy sharing blog” — eco-tourism and education.
White’s job is to develop an economic development “action plan” that will be considered for adoption this summer by local public entities — such as Clallam County, the Port of Port Angeles and the cities of Port Angeles, Sequim and Forks — and private economic development organizations.
________
Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew and Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335.
