Another Agency, Another Vacancy

HDC (Hudson Development Corporation) is in the process of filling four vacancies on its board. Interviews with prospective board members have been ongoing and are expected to continue at the HDC meeting that will take place at noon on Tuesday, August 28, at 1 North Front Street. Meanwhile, there's another agency that is seeking a new member: the Hudson IDA (Industrial Development Agency). 

The current IDA board is made up exclusively of people who are on the board by virtue of their position in city government: the mayor (Rick Rector), the Common Council majority and minority leaders (Tiffany Garriga and Eileen Halloran respectively), the city treasurer (Heather Campbell), the city assessor (Justin Maxwell), and the chair of the Planning Board (Walter Chatham). There is also a slot for someone representing the school board, but it seems, in the recent past, no one from the school board has wanted to serve on the IDA. 

At the IDA meeting on Wednesday, August 22, Tiffany Garriga revisited the idea of opening the board to members of the community. Mike Tucker, who was present at the meeting, noted that the makeup of the Hudson IDA was unique in that, according to its bylaws, everyone on the board serves ex officio. He explained that the members of the Columbia County IDA are appointed by the Board of Supervisors. (Carmine Pierro now chairs the County IDA.)

Heather Campbell told the board that the new business administrator for the Hudson City School District, Sharifa Carbon, was interested in serving on the IDA, but noted, "she doesn't live around here." A requirement for serving on the IDA is that a candidate "live in the jurisdiction," i.e., the City of Hudson. 

When discussing the criteria for serving on the IDA, the terms community leader, small business owner, retired person were all mentioned, but no specific criteria were defined. Tucker offered to draft criteria, recommending they "keep it broad and see who shows up." It was indicated that the board would review possible candidates at the next public meeting, but it was unclear how people should indicate their interest in serving on the IDA. It would seem that an email expressing interest sent to Eileen Halloran, who chairs the IDA, or to any one of the other members of the board, should be adequate. All their email addresses can be found on the City of Hudson website.
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