In less than a month, a new industrial recruiter might be working for the City of Ironton.

Friday, October 15, 1999

In less than a month, a new industrial recruiter might be working for the City of Ironton.

Thursday, Ironton City Council approved salary expenditures for an industrial recruiter, giving the city administration the green light on the project.

"I’m very happy that council has decided to fund the salary," Mayor Bob Cleary said. "This is something the city has needed for a long time, and I think it is a step in the right direction for Ironton’s future."

The city will advertise for the recruiter’s position beginning as soon as possible, and Cleary said he hopes to have both interviewed and filled the position by the end of the month.

"By law we have to advertise for 10 days, and then we’ll start interviews after that," he said. "It will be close, but I’d like to have someone in the position and working toward the economic development of Ironton by the end of the month."

Council voted 6-1 to fund the salary, which will be between the minimum of $32,000 per year and a maximum of $41,000 per year. Ironton City Council Finance Committee previously agreed to use the Worker’s Compensation Rebate money to fund half of whatever the set salary becomes, so long as it falls within the preset boundaries.

Although he recognizes the need for the position, councilman Leo Ulery said he could not support the resolution at this time.

"I want to make it very clear that I do support any effort to get jobs into our city, but we don’t have the money for the cruisers and dump trucks we need to maintain current city services," Ulery said. "I would favor a contract with a consultant that we would pay as we got results, but I cannot support funding this position full-time at this time."

But to truly utilize the recruiter to the full advantage of the city, it needs to be an in-house position, councilman Jim Tordiff said.

"The original charter recognized the need for someone to be at the mayor’s fingertips, and most cities have an economic development department," Tordiff said in support of the resolution. "The mayor’s plate is pretty full, and he has no way to pursue any inquiries into economic development or anything that would cause an economic boom in the city without stopping everything else he is working on."

To truly recruit and develop the city economically, this recruiter is imperative, he added.

"Even if we have to cut somewhere else inside the budget, this is something we can’t afford not to do, in my opinion," Tordiff said. "I know we call it an industrial recruiter, but I view this as more of an economic development director whose job is not just to find an industry to fill the Cabletron building, but to develop the overall economic well-being of the city."