Council, EDC board meet: city conducts interviews for new EDC director

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 

The Copperas Cove city council and the Copperas Cove Economic Development Board of Directors made quick work of their meetings on Wednesday.
The council met first to canvass the results of the December 12 runoff election held last week, in which Marc Payne won the seat for place 6.  
The council also authorized city manager Andrea Gardner to cast the city’s votes for positions on the board of the Texas Coalition for Affordable Power, or TCAP. 
Gardner’s recommendations for the board included Gabriel Gonzalez, Alberta Barrett, Karen Bosic, Robert Hauck, Miles Risley, Darron Leicher, and Andrew Fortune. 
Councilman Charlie Youngs asked if that was based on their cities’ consumption, and Gardner said she based her recommendations on their qualifications, not based on whether their city was high, medium or low consumption.  
Also, Alberta Barrett is from Harker Heights, and Gardner said she thought it would be good to have somebody from this area on the board. 
After the city council’s special meeting, the EDC board of directors held its regular monthly meeting, during which interim EDC director Mark Marquez requested the board’s approval for the EDC to submit a request for proposals to obtain commercial property appraisals for The Narrows Business and Technology Park. 
“We have the county appraisal, but we need what the market appraisal is from a professional appraiser. This is going to be tagged on to something else that we are developing that will be talked about on (January 13), which is the cleanup of the park,” said Marquez. “Once that park’s cleaned up, I want the ability to have an appraiser immediately and get a number – a per square foot number – so that we can start marketing.”
Marquez said the whole park will be appraised as well as an appraisal obtained for each of the lots, as some are more valuable than others, based on their location. 
At this time, Marquez is serving as the city’s interim Economic Development Corporation director while the city seeks to fill that spot vacated after the termination of Marc Farmer in November. 
The city’s public information officer provided the Leader-Press with an update on the city’s search for a new EDC director.
“The job vacancy was posted on November 10. We received multiple applications and a few interviews were actually conducted yesterday, December 19,” said Keller. “No determinations have been made as of yet.”
Also on Wednesday, the board received an update on the newly acquired property of the CCEDC which it received in exchange from Coryell County. 
Gardner presented an option to the board, of swapping the new property – the former site of the Coryell County Annex on South 2nd St. - for the site of the former utilities administration office, located at 305 S. Main St.
“That’s all it is. It’s not Andrea’s wish list; it’s an option for the board to consider. We’re talking about city property now, that you would look at the possibility of swapping,” Gardner said.
Gardner said she has not discussed the idea of a swap with the council, because that would be premature if it was something the EDC board didn’t want to do. 
She reminded them that the property they acquired is part of the intended location for a future city hall, which would also have offices to include the staff of the EDC. The option of another swap came about in response to a concern expressed by board member Christian Mulvey, over potential businesses seen coming into the city, being seen at City Hall and being discovered. 
“That would alleviate that concern, to the extent of City Hall,” Gardner said. “It’s not going to alleviate it from a community perspective because they can drive by that building and see different vehicles or see people coming out and make their speculations from that as well.” 
EDC board chair Adam Martin suggested that a discussion about the facilities be put on the agenda for the board’s retreat coming up in January. Gardner said a discussion about city facilities would be coming up at the council’s annual retreat, sometime in late February or early March.

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 

The Copperas Cove city council and the Copperas Cove Economic Development Board of Directors made quick work of their meetings on Wednesday.
The council met first to canvass the results of the December 12 runoff election held last week, in which Marc Payne won the seat for place 6.  
The council also authorized city manager Andrea Gardner to cast the city’s votes for positions on the board of the Texas Coalition for Affordable Power, or TCAP. 
Gardner’s recommendations for the board included Gabriel Gonzalez, Alberta Barrett, Karen Bosic, Robert Hauck, Miles Risley, Darron Leicher, and Andrew Fortune. 
Councilman Charlie Youngs asked if that was based on their cities’ consumption, and Gardner said she based her recommendations on their qualifications, not based on whether their city was high, medium or low consumption.  
Also, Alberta Barrett is from Harker Heights, and Gardner said she thought it would be good to have somebody from this area on the board. 
After the city council’s special meeting, the EDC board of directors held its regular monthly meeting, during which interim EDC director Mark Marquez requested the board’s approval for the EDC to submit a request for proposals to obtain commercial property appraisals for The Narrows Business and Technology Park. 
“We have the county appraisal, but we need what the market appraisal is from a professional appraiser. This is going to be tagged on to something else that we are developing that will be talked about on (January 13), which is the cleanup of the park,” said Marquez. “Once that park’s cleaned up, I want the ability to have an appraiser immediately and get a number – a per square foot number – so that we can start marketing.”
Marquez said the whole park will be appraised as well as an appraisal obtained for each of the lots, as some are more valuable than others, based on their location. 
At this time, Marquez is serving as the city’s interim Economic Development Corporation director while the city seeks to fill that spot vacated after the termination of Marc Farmer in November. 
The city’s public information officer provided the Leader-Press with an update on the city’s search for a new EDC director.
“The job vacancy was posted on November 10. We received multiple applications and a few interviews were actually conducted yesterday, December 19,” said Keller. “No determinations have been made as of yet.”
Also on Wednesday, the board received an update on the newly acquired property of the CCEDC which it received in exchange from Coryell County. 
Gardner presented an option to the board, of swapping the new property – the former site of the Coryell County Annex on South 2nd St. - for the site of the former utilities administration office, located at 305 S. Main St.
“That’s all it is. It’s not Andrea’s wish list; it’s an option for the board to consider. We’re talking about city property now, that you would look at the possibility of swapping,” Gardner said.
Gardner said she has not discussed the idea of a swap with the council, because that would be premature if it was something the EDC board didn’t want to do. 
She reminded them that the property they acquired is part of the intended location for a future city hall, which would also have offices to include the staff of the EDC. The option of another swap came about in response to a concern expressed by board member Christian Mulvey, over potential businesses seen coming into the city, being seen at City Hall and being discovered. 
“That would alleviate that concern, to the extent of City Hall,” Gardner said. “It’s not going to alleviate it from a community perspective because they can drive by that building and see different vehicles or see people coming out and make their speculations from that as well.” 
EDC board chair Adam Martin suggested that a discussion about the facilities be put on the agenda for the board’s retreat coming up in January. Gardner said a discussion about city facilities would be coming up at the council’s annual retreat, sometime in late February or early March.