Council, EDC board discuss EDC structure, function

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 

The Copperas Cove city council and Copperas Cove EDC board of directors along with the staff of the Economic Development Department held a joint workshop meeting on Wednesday, during which they discussed the possibility of moving the employees from under the direct supervision of the Copperas Cove city manager. 
The idea of having this discussion was initiated by place 7 councilman Charlie Youngs, who led off the discussion. He said that in the 20 months since the employees have been under the city manager’s supervision, communication became very difficult and confusing between the EDC director and the EDC staff. 
“They had to go through the city manager. They had to be hired or fired by the city manager, which apparently happened quite a bit.”
He called the atmosphere “total chaos” and said that “everything has been destroyed, totally,” for the EDC. 
“I feel the current council is responsible. It has to stop this ineffective leadership right now and get the EDC back on track right now. We can’t wait.” He asked that it be put on the April 3 meeting agenda for more discussion but he was tired of discussing it. 
Councilman Dan Yancey said he concurred with Youngs, and councilman Jay Manning said he agreed, except not totally. Councilman Kirby Lack said he agreed with some of Youngs’ comments but not all. 
Lack then directed his focus to the EDC board members seated across from the council. 
“I’ve not heard anything from you all one way or the other. Sometimes council is getting information that someone decides to give us, whether that is a councilman or the city manager. We don’t hear both sides…I’d like to hear what you guys have to say. Do you feel you’re disjointed?”
Lack reiterated part of the “problem,” as he called it, that came to light in 2014, which eventually led to the council’s move of the EDC employees to under the city manager.
“(The EDC) was giving a $33,000 a year bonus to a guy, illegally, and misrepresenting that money to the council,” Lack said. “They thought it was an invoice, but it wasn’t.  The invoice was for $17,000 but they were giving a $33,000 bonus package. ‘We’re going to give you this 33000 extra so we’ll be better friends.’”
Lack then stopped elaborating on that issue, and asked the board members if they felt the city was “slowing them down” from being productive.  
Board chair Adam Martin was the first to speak. 
“This is the only format I’ve operated under,” Martin said, but added that the changes did “gut” the EDC, particularly where its staff and the base of knowledge that had existed in the EDC for a number of years were concerned. That said, Martin said he did see some benefits of the current format, such as the city provides the financials in an easy-to-read format and handling the human resources. 
 “It has to be, what structure gives us the best opportunity for success?” Martin told the council. 
“With all the conditions in place you should have for the EDC, we have money, we have a strong staff, we have a council and an EDC that seem to get along - we should be making moves right now.
“We have it in our bylaws that we cannot interfere, we cannot give guidance, that would interfere with what the city manager has to say. That is something that I would like to see change….I don’t think we need to separate completely. I think some of the economy of scale we have enjoyed…it hasn’t been perfect. But we don’t have to deal with human resources. 
“Now hiring and firing, that is a concern. Because the city manager at any time can terminate our executive director, or can hire without any consultation with this board, I think that’s a problem. That’s how it’s structured today. We’ve seen it happen a couple of times.”
Countering councilman Youngs’ claims, Martin said he doesn’t believe the EDC is decimated and that although it doesn’t have a full director, it does have a very functional interim director. He also shared the bright outlook and what he sees ahead for the EDC, giving examples of The Narrows project and building relationships in the community. 
“I think the businesses we’re going to attract are local businesses. Like the Killeen EDC, their business park is thriving. And they’re pulling out with government contractors, local suppliers and manufacturers…I can see that happening (here). We are also moving forward with the land swap and doing our part…We all seem to be on the same page that we all want to move forward.”
Interim executive director Diane Drussell said there have been gaps, but there is a strong council and board, and she believes at the end of the day, the sole goal of everybody here is the citizens of the area. 
At the end of the discussion, the two groups decided to have another workshop during the first week of May, prior to the first city council meeting in May, to discuss in detail the particulars of any proposed changes to the current format. 
Mayor Frank Seffrood reminded the groups of something to keep in mind. 
“We should not have personal intention, we should have the intention of the EDC and the city and the community. This is a good first step.”