MARSHFIELD – During its Aug. 26 meeting, the Marshfield Common Council got a recommendation on the organizational structure for economic development from Kristen Fish-Peterson of Redevelopment Resources — a firm that works with communities in data analysis, resources, concepts and implementation assistance.
During its March 25 meeting, the council approved a budget resolution, 7-2, allocating $7,000 for an economic development organizational structure analysis.
At that time, Marshfield City Administrator Steve Barg said that the analysis would provide “thoughts on what we're doing; where are we falling short? And then to take a look at how we might be able to restructure it to make things happen that are falling through the cracks now.
“But just a good snapshot from somebody who has done this in other communities, who's been in economic development for a long time, to say, ‘Look, here's what I see. Here's four things you might want to do to be make it better… and here's how we had to work together.’”
During the Aug. 26 meeting, Fish-Peterson came back with her findings.
“The current system for economic development staff is fragmented, and the department has been understaffed for quite a while. So the short story is, I'm recommending hiring two dedicated staff members and then changing the name of the Community Development Authority (CDA) and establishing a Redevelopment Authority,” Fish-Peterson stated.
“This will achieve better coordination, streamlined strategy and stronger economic growth opportunities for the city.”
Fish-Peterson said that to conduct her research for the analysis, she met with staff from the City of Marshfield, Marshfield Utilities, Main Street Marshfield, Visit Marshfield, MACCI and the CDA.
“I wanted to ask each entity how they contributed to economic development in the city of Marshfield, and a little bit about their work, and just to get more familiar with each entity, even though I was pretty familiar already. I understand what Main Street entities do, and what tourism entities do and what CDAs do. (I have) longtime experience with MACCI, so I understood pretty much the landscape, but I needed to speak to those entities and ask them specific questions. So I spend some time doing that.
“Currently, there are some gaps in your economic development department staff. You have no director, there's no dedicated economic development staff and there's limited coordination across all of those six organizations. So strategic planning capacity has been hampered, and it's just somewhat fragmented.
“Everybody does their own job really well. But as far as coordinating any of it, it's lacking. So, I made a recommendation to hire an economic development director — who would lead strategy, manage the economic development side of tax increment financing, do marketing, oversee planning and zoning — and then an assistant, or a No. 2 economic development and planning coordinator, who would work with project management, planning and outreach.”
Fish-Peterson also suggested other possible means, outside the budget, to fund the positions, including TIF administration funds, excess utility funds and applicable room tax monies.
In addition, Fish-Peterson recommended transitioning the CDA to a Housing Authority, which she said would open the door for the addition of a Redevelopment Authority (RDA).
The RDA positions would be mayor-appointed and include individuals working in banking, real estate and utilities.
The economic development director would then serve as executive director of the RDA.
“Eventually, when that RDA was up and running and it had its own revenue sources, they could even pay a portion of that person’s salary,” she explained.
The RDA would manage redevelopment planning and projects; borrow money, issue bonds and pursue grants; acquire property and redevelop blighted property; support infrastructure improvements; manage property sales/leases; and develop a five-year economic strategic plan.
Fish-Peterson said that through this model, the six related entities’ positioning would remain the same, but would be in coordination with the dedicated city staff member.
The presentation was for discussion only. No action was taken.
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