During a discussion on the budget at a meeting this week, authority member Marc Greene urged the group to take most of the fund balance - that has been sitting there for a while - and use it to move forward with promotion ideas.
Greene said that would be doing what the authority is charged to do.
"We have a small amount of money, but it is an amount of money that we need to start marketing the county to improve our image in the state that we're ready to have some economic growth here," Greene said.
Development Authority Chairman Bob Oliver said this is a positive direction for the group.
"For years, we haven't done much in trying to recruit, to get new businesses here or to get some economic development," Oliver said. "I think we're going to spend some money to do it. We need to come up with a good plan and I think that's what we're going to do."
Oliver said the authority wants to work closely with the White County Chamber of Commerce 2020 vision plan developed recently. He said the authority has no set timeframe for its projects.
Greene said authority members have a big responsibility as far as economic development to "not only bring new businesses to town, I think we need to help create a positive business environment for the businesses that are here already as they continue to expand. And I have a passion for that. I've been on this committee a number of years and I don't think we've been very active in creating a positive business environment for our existing businesses and drawing new businesses in."
The authority already has developed a marketing brochure and working on a video presentation for the county.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2013/7/263437