Eleven area legislators sent a letter Thursday to the three Clark County councilors encouraging the elected officials to continue to name the Columbia River Economic Development Council (CREDC) the county’s Association Development Organization (ADO).
On May 20, Councilor David Madore threatened not to name the CREDC due to what he said was the group’s attempt to continue to support the failed Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project, which Madore worked extensively to defeat.
The ADO designation would qualify the CREDC for about $160,000 in annual support from the state Commerce Department to support business services. CREDC, which has been awarded the designation for many years, received about 19 percent of its non-grant budget as a result of its role as the county’s ADO.
Every two years, the Department of Commerce begins the process to re-designate county Associate Development Organizations (ADOs). Forms must be completed and returned to the Department of Commerce before June 15 in order for the CREDC to receive its share of state funding.
“We urge you to complete this process without delay,’’ read the letter dated May 21 and sent to the councilors Tom Mielke, Jeanne Stewart and Madore.
The letter was signed by Rep. Liz Pike 18th Legislative District, Rep. Lynda Wilson 17th Legislative District, Sen. Ann Rivers 18th Legislative District, Rep. Norm Johnson 14th Legislative District, Sen. Annette Cleveland 49th Legislative District, Rep. Brandon Vick 18th Legislative District, Rep. Paul Harris 17th Legislative District, Rep. Gina McCabe 14th Legislative District Rep. Sharon Wylie 49th Legislative District, Rep. Jim Moeller 49th Legislative District and Sen. John Braun 20th Legislative District.
“We have every confidence that our CREDC is meeting and exceeding its mission to develop a strong, innovative business environment in collaboration with private and public sector partners,’’ read the letter. “CREDC, led by Mr. Michael Bomar, is our dedicated business concierge connecting current and prospective clients with resources to accelerate business relocation, growth, and innovation to bring more living wage jobs right here to our communities.’’
A day before the lawmakers sent their letter to the councilors, the CREDC board members also sent Madore, Mielke and Stewart a letter of their own.
“The purpose of this letter is to respond to your request that the CREDC abandon its policy of supporting the Clark County Transportation Alliance (CCTA) project list and to oppose a specific project prior to the county authorizing our re-designation as the ADO,’’ that letter stated. “Respectfully, the CREDC Board voted unanimously today to deny that request.’’
Madore intimated that proposed improvements to the Mill Plain interchange on I-5 is an attempt to revive the CRC. The CREDC stated boldly that it would continue to support the project.
“With regard to supporting infrastructure investments, the CREDC achieves this by informing and supporting the CCTA’s extensive transportation stakeholder meetings and subsequent legislative agenda, as well as relying on the expertise of the Regional Transportation Council,’’ read the letter from the CREDC Board to the councilors. “While our organization does not lobby, it is both appropriate and expected that we advocate and inform policymakers of the economic impacts of projects that receive wide community support.
“The integrity of our organization and our commitment to our broad base of partnerships is critical to the organization accomplishing its mission,’’ the letter continued. “Further, it is paramount to any specific funding source. On behalf of the over 130 private and public partners in our organization, and for the economic wellbeing of our community, we respectfully ask that the Board of County Councilors move forward with re- designating the CREDC as the ADO for Clark County immediately and without condition.’’
If the county councilors do not name an ADO, the funding will not be designated to any organization and the county will not receive the funds because there are no other eligible organizations in Clark County.
In their letter to the councilors, the lawmakers made it clear that they believed the CREDC was worthy of receiving the funding that goes along with the designation.
“CREDC’s ADO contract requires the organization to report quarterly on 15 performance metrics covering recruitment & marketing, business retention & expansion, business assistance (including start-ups), and readiness & capacity building (including collaborative events),’’ the legislators’ letter read. “The organization is on target to meet or exceed all of the ADO performance goals for the contract. CREDC has never been more successful than it is today,’’ the letter stated.
Madore did not return a phone call in time to meet The Reflector’s deadline.
