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Middletown searches for new economic director
Adam Gale
Issue date: 11/21/08 Section: Community
In the wake of AK Steel's announcement that it would be cutting hours for hundreds of workers at its Middletown, Ohio plant, city officials announced they would be appointing a new economic director for the city.
The position has been vacant since September 2008, when the previous director left for a post in Cincinnati. More than 40 candidates are currently being considered for the job.
According to James Brock, Miami University professor of economics, an economic adviser can combat the growing problems of unemployment and small business failure in a number of ways.
"The person that comes into that position (of economic director) is a middle man," Brock said. "He'll be expected to make contacts and find someone interested in locating an operational organization in Middletown. Basically, his job is to make an analysis of all of the city's available and hopefully attractive assets and find someone who's interested in what they have to offer."
Middletown Mayor Larry Mulligan Jr. outlined what would be expected of the new economic director.
"The key focus of the position is to attract and retain companies in Middletown," Mulligan said. "This provides a stable income tax base that supports the general fund of the city which pays for core services such as police, fire and EMS (emergency medical services)."
Brock pointed out that selling a low-income suburb to corporate investors is a daunting task in a country where nearly every city has a person doing the same thing, but he also said that Middletown has the important advantages of being located on Interstate 75 and being proximate to several major metropolitan areas.
"With Cleveland and Toledo to the north, Louisville to the south, Pittsburgh to the east and Indianapolis to the west, Middletown has a large market area that someone might find attractive for a business," Brock said.
Mulligan also talked about the importance of capitalizing on Middletown's location.
The position has been vacant since September 2008, when the previous director left for a post in Cincinnati. More than 40 candidates are currently being considered for the job.
According to James Brock, Miami University professor of economics, an economic adviser can combat the growing problems of unemployment and small business failure in a number of ways.
"The person that comes into that position (of economic director) is a middle man," Brock said. "He'll be expected to make contacts and find someone interested in locating an operational organization in Middletown. Basically, his job is to make an analysis of all of the city's available and hopefully attractive assets and find someone who's interested in what they have to offer."
Middletown Mayor Larry Mulligan Jr. outlined what would be expected of the new economic director.
"The key focus of the position is to attract and retain companies in Middletown," Mulligan said. "This provides a stable income tax base that supports the general fund of the city which pays for core services such as police, fire and EMS (emergency medical services)."
Brock pointed out that selling a low-income suburb to corporate investors is a daunting task in a country where nearly every city has a person doing the same thing, but he also said that Middletown has the important advantages of being located on Interstate 75 and being proximate to several major metropolitan areas.
"With Cleveland and Toledo to the north, Louisville to the south, Pittsburgh to the east and Indianapolis to the west, Middletown has a large market area that someone might find attractive for a business," Brock said.
Mulligan also talked about the importance of capitalizing on Middletown's location.
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