City council has dissolved most of the city’s economic development arm, Rivercorp.
The organization’s seven volunteer board members finished up their roles as of Dec. 31 and at Monday’s council meeting, council, as a matter of legal process, cut the number of directors down to just one.
That one director, Freeman Mary Ashley, has agreed to act as trustee of the economic development corporation for a term of up to 12 months.
Mayor Andy Adams said council is thankful to Ashley for accepting the appointment and to the entire Rivercorp board for all of its efforts.
“Council extends sincere thanks to the board members for their contribution to the community through the work they have done,” Adams said. “I also want to acknowledge Freeman Mary Ashley for stepping forward and taking on this guiding role.”
The move comes following the announcement last April that Rivercorp would be amalgamated into City Hall operations. Prior to that, in November of 2014, Rivercorp’s chief executive officer, Vic Goodman, and the Rivercorp board came to an agreement to part ways.
Goodman and the economic development corporation were frequently criticized by the public for a lack of visible results during Goodman’s tenure with Rivercorp. A review of economic development was initiated by the current council shortly after it took office in December of 2014.
Ashley will take over the reins temporarily in order to meet legal requirements to keep the corporation structure intact, and enable economic and tourism operations to continue until a new model is implemented.
Adams said that lawyers for Rivercorp and for the city have both looked over a set of resolutions which council passed Monday night in order to shrink Rivercorp down to one board member, Ashley.
“Lawyers have worked to provide a mechanism where we can continue to move forward as per council’s recommendation in that we can continue with the pursuit of an economic development posting that is currently out,” Adams said.
He added that the new economic development officer will work out of city hall and report to the city manager under the direction of council to advise on how economic initiatives should align with council’s strategic goals. The hiring process and full integration of the position into City Hall operations is expected to take six months.
In the meantime, staff at the Enterprise Centre (across from City Hall) will continue to carry out community economic development initiatives and develop and distribute tourism materials for 2016. The city has also put out a call for proposals from tourism specialists to identify the best model to carry out the city’s tourism function, which includes the pursuit of provincial approval for a local hotel tax.
“What is before us today are special resolutions that maintain the identity of the association in the event we want to maintain that (current) model for the tourism entities that are currently out to RFP (request for proposals),” Adams said at Monday’s council meeting. “Council recognized tourism as a vital economic driver in Campbell River, and we are looking for input from industry professionals to create the best structure for tourism services in our community and region.”
Rivercorp and Tourism Campbell River have both been run out of the Enterprise Centre, albeit with separate boards and staff and at an arm’s length from the city.