The Vandalia City Council passed two resolutions approving agreements for economic development services during their first meeting of October on Monday night. The first agreement discussed was one with World Economic Development Alliance. The city has used them for several years and alderwoman Dorothy Crawford asked Executive Secretary LaTisha Paslay if they had seen results and Paslay explained that they have had a few prospects come from the company and are currently waiting for a company that will be looking for prospective locations in the Midwest.
The agreement is for a total amount of $5450 a year with that cost including a savings of $1450 off of WEDA’s Retail Network option. After discussion, the council unanimously approved the agreement by an 8-0 vote. The council then moved onto discussing an economic development agreement with Buxton Company, another company used by the city for several years. And Paslay explained that Buxton’s services aid the city in that they put together all the marketing information and other information needed to go out to prospective companies that the city connects with on the other agreement and that the cost is a budgeted item.
And Paslay explained that the city usually pays an agreement of $20,000 but an additional $30,000 option for the year would have the company coming in to do a full retail information work up which is something the city had not had done for almost 10 years.
After discussion, the agreement was put to a roll call vote on a motion to enter into an agreement for $50,000 including both options presented by Buxton and the motion was approved by a 7-1 vote with alderman Mike Hobler casting the lone no vote.