City Puts Out Call for Economic Development Director

By Tom Shevlin

NEWPORT – Hoping to further boost its fortunes, City Hall is putting out a call for an economic development director.

The position, which was posted on the city's website on Friday, will be responsible for a range of activities, from overseeing certain planning and development activities to proactively marketing the city to businesses, brokers and other economic development professionals.

As a director-level position, the job will carry with it a salary ranging from $80,000-115,000.

City Council members had earlier this year directed the city administration to make economic development a top priority for the city, and a dedicated economic development working group reinforced that commitment.

Following the reorganization of the city's planning department in which a director-level post was eliminated, it seemed only a matter of time before the city shifted gears to bring back on an economic development director.

The city last hired an economic development director in 2007. The position, which was limited in scope, was then filled by Jonathan Stevens, now an aide to Gov. Chafee.

Whomever is selected to take on the title now, is expected to be met with a much broader set of responsibilities.

Comments (4)

Comment Feed

waste not

Why a salary of $100K? Hire someone on commission. Get jobs you get a buck or two. Look how much the last State director of Economic Development did for the State"s bottom line. Hold the line on expenditures, the taxpayers are not your slaves.

Chmn 188 days ago

Insult to injury

The real twist of the dagger will be if we learn that the position is offered to Keith Stokes. I heard he's recently unemployed and has experience in these failing quasi offices.

Peter 192 days ago

Is this really necessary?

Another blasted telephone sanitizer earning six figures?

It's not enough the lame City Council wastes $1/3 Million on a useless semi-submersible beach rake, wastes gobs more cash on a U/V system that does nothing to stop "Atlantic Beach, MIddletown" closures (hint, it's the SAME BEACH folks, bacteria don't respect city lines).

Between ridiculous expenditures, studies ad infinitum with results that are never followed, and the absolutely pathetic kowtowing to the business community, what the hell is left for the resident? What do we get for our tax dollar?

If this worthless position is that necessary, let the damn business community directly fund it. There is absolutely no value to we that are struggling to live here (crappy roads, graft ridden bureaucracy, diminishing and expensive city services) in funding an "economic development director".

Absurd.

Concerned Taxpayer 192 days ago

Replaving lost revenue

The first assignment should be to find a million dollars in tax revenue that will be lost when Newport grand closes its doors thanks to self righteous zealots.

Taxpayer 193 days ago