Council members will vote Monday on a resolution to outsource economic development services from Hopkins Solutions, LLC. Hiring an economic development director was recommended by the financial consultants’ (EPI) report released May 2009.
The Roger Hopkins who established Hopkins Solutions last year is probably none other than the past director of the DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC), in which case city staff probably would feel quite comfortable working with his firm. But speaking of DCEDC, we still have a contract with that organization for economic development services. Do we need both?
Also, I’m kind of disappointed in the following: We’ve been able to hire a purchasing director, a new public works director and Rick Monas, former PW director who took the Voluntary Separation Program (VSP) last year but who has since been hired back to work at the airport — yet DeKalb is still three police officers down from pre-recession staffing levels.