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| Galesburg City Council Dumps GREDA |
The City of Galesburg will apparently have to figure out how to proceed with economic development without having the services of the local economic development group.
The Galesburg City Council last night not only rejected a newly-renegotiated deal with the Galesburg Regional Economic Development Association, but they also voted to terminate the current contract effective March 15th.
Aldermen Ken Goad, Wayne Allen, Russell Fleming, and Lomac Payton voted against the new deal. Fleming, along with Aldermen Karen Lafferty and Mike Lummis voted against terminating the current deal.
Fleming said he didn't like the proposed new deal for one main reason.
"It has to do, basically, with the China initiative," Fleming said. "I can not vote for a contract that has that language in it." Fleming said he felt the contract mandated GREDA continue to work with China and other foreign entities to bring commerce here, though GREDA Board Chair Bob Fulton said he didn't see it that way, and that 80-percent of the organization's time is instead spent on domestic issues.
Fifth Ward Alderman, and Mayoral Candidate, Karen Lafferty says she thinks the $75,000 deal that was proposed last night was worth every penny. "If we don't have GREDA, we don't have anything as far as an outside entity to take care of questions, to help people wanting to establish a business in Galesburg" Lafferty said.
Aldermen continued questions about how much reporting they'd get from GREDA, while at least two aldermen again questioned GREDA's leadership structure, one of which suggested they had too many quarterbacks and not enough linemen.
City Manager Dane Bragg says the city council will have to take up how to proceed after the first of the year.
(Bob Fulton, right, GREDA Board Chairman, listens to the Galesburg City Council Monday night.)
(GREDA officials led by Vice President Dick Johnson, Center, listen during Monday night's City Council discussion. WGIL News Story and Photos by Will Stevenson.) |
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| 12 15 08 by Newsroom |
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