EDC position funding up in the air

The city of Sarasota and The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce are all in. But the Downtown Improvement District is still wavering.

In July, the Sarasota City Commission agreed during budget workshops to keep funding in the budget for the economic development director position. It did this with the knowledge that changes in job responsibilities are being made since former EDC director Randy Welker resigned.

Currently, the city pays $40,000; the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce pays $25,000; and the DID pays $25,000 a year for a total of $90,000 in annual salary for the position.

The DID is now on the fence about whether the position is even needed downtown.

DID members balked at funding $25,000 for an additional three years after Welker resigned in June, then changed their minds and voted unanimously to approve the funding after hearing a report and a revised set of tasks for the position at a July 10 regular meeting.

DID Chair Ernie Ritz is still unsure the position is necessary and might suggest the DID redirect its monies elsewhere. Discussions are ongoing.

If a new EDC director is hired, staff has suggested a new general job description that incorporates past responsibilities, such as implementing strategies to increase the number of businesses and jobs downtown. Attracting more residents downtown would also be a key task for the position moving forward.