County To Consider Contracting For Economic Development Staffing

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners is considering contracting with the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce to handle economic development rather than employ a county economic development director.

Under the proposal, the Chamber of Commerce would designate a staff person to handle economic development for the county.

That staff person would be answerable to the Chamber but would be overseen by an Economic Development Council with involvement of multiple governmental bodies in the county.

Justin Kirouac, county administrator, outlined the proposal on Monday to a called meeting of elected officials.

Members of the Board of Education and of the Board of Commissioners, representatives of three of the county’s four cities, members of the County’s Industrial Development Authority, both of the county’s representatives in the Georgia House of Representatives, and a small number of citizens were present.

Response to Kirouac’s proposal was wholly positive.

For more on the story, with a video of the meeting, please go to Oconee County Observations.

Pictured: Chart showing proposed structure for economic development.