Defining the Economic Development Committee

Some of the Common Council committees have existed for a more than a hundred years. Council minutes for 1895 list three standing committees that continue to exist today: Finance, Fire, and Police.

Interestingly, the Legislation Committee, which I take to be the antecedent of the Legal Committee, was a special committee in 1895. Several of the committees that existed in 1895--Street, Burying Ground, Lamp, and Public Buildings--are now merged into one committee: Public Works. Other Common Council committees that exist today are of more recent origin--one of them being the Economic Development Committee. 

The Economic Development Committee was initiated in 2010 by Don Moore, who was then in his first term in office as Common Council president. Moore chaired the committee during his three terms as Council president. Recently, Gossips asked Moore what his understanding was of the committee's purpose when he created it and during the years he chaired it. This is what he said:

I formed an Economic Development Committee in 2010 to concentrate more on the city government's economic development opportunities. After consulting with Council members, the Mayor and the Hudson Development Corporation board, the benefits became apparent of a more active HDC, a very Hudson specific partner for the city in economic development, as did a regular forum for the Common Council to discuss where the city might put its energies in clarifying priorities, plans and strategies. The purpose was to stimulate practical economic development projects that could yield more diverse local business, jobs and tax revenue. These priorities were and always will be of a core concern of city government, as is the opportunity to regularly discuss potential developments with the public, welcome additions in carrying out the Council's evolving responsibilities.

For the first eight years of the committee's existence, there was an executive director of HDC, and a report from the executive director of HDC was a central feature of Economic Development Committee meetings. Since the departure of Sheena Salvino in August 2018, the purpose and goals of the committee and the structure of its meetings seem to be left up to the alderman who chairs the committee. 

At the first meeting of the Economic Development Committee in 2020, the committee's new chair Calvin Lewis (Third Ward) identified job creation as principal focus for the committee. There was discussion about groups and initiatives in Hudson that were already involved in job creation, and it was decided that representatives of these groups should be invited to the committee's next meeting to brief the aldermen on their work. This happened. At February 20 meeting of the Economic Development Committee, Carlee Drummer, the new president of Columbia-Greene Community College, was there talk about the college's economic impact on the area and a "gap analysis" study undertaken by C-GCC to identify where needs for workers exist and what associate degree programs might address the needs; John Lombardi, who heads up the Construction Technology Program at C-GCC, was there to talk about the program and its focus on historic preservation; Jay Neuschatz, representing the Hudson Business Coalition, was there to make the point that the positive change in Hudson has happened "because of the input of local entrepreneurs," to note that "a lot of expertise and experience has come into this town," and to ask how business owners, who feel disconnected from city government, can work better with City Hall; Randall Martin, now chair of the Hudson Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, was there to talk about the HUD Section 3 program, which provides "training, employment, contracting, and other economic opportunities to low- and very low-income persons"; and Jeff Hunt, president of the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, was there to talk about the workforce preparedness education and opportunities for internship offered by the Chamber.

All the presentations at the last week's Economic Development Committee meeting to share a common theme of job creation, with the exception of the first one. Betsy Miller, the marketer and publicist of PR4You, was there to pitch her ideas for "some kind of community involvement with places of worship." She cited Ed Cross's efforts on behalf of the old Shiloh Baptist Church building at 241 Columbia Street as the inspiration.

The three ideas Miller presented for consideration were a "Battle of the Choirs," an event in which gospel choirs performed ten-minute concerts in different churches throughout the city; "Church Lady Suppers," where each church would offer a tour of their building and a buffet banquet; and a walking tour of houses of worship for which the information about each site would be written by the people who worshiped there. The idea was to build on the walking tour of churches that was developed in 2017 by HDC and is available on the GeoTourist app.

The walking tour idea seemed to get traction with the members of the committee. Miller explained, "The idea is to get visitors to see more of the city." She offered to handle the organization and promotion of the event and conjectured, "I think it would be possible to do one of these this summer or fall." (At the beginning of the presentation, Miller made it clear that she was not doing this pro bono but was seeking to be paid for her services.) 

Committee member Jane Trombley (First Ward) urged that the tour should not be restricted to churches and commented, "Even the mosque that is under construction has a wonderful story." Eileen Halloran, also a member of the committee, opined, "This would be a correct use of some of the funds the Tourism Board has." Randall Martin suggested the project could be a "summer employment activity for youth." Halloran added, "They could get involved with the research. They could be the voice on the app."  Trombley asked, "How would we move forward from here?" Miller responded, "I would submit a full proposal." It would seem that is what will happen.
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