The Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas’ presidential search committee will hold its first meeting next week.
That’s according to the report from RDA Board Chair Kala Maxfield during the board’s regular monthly meeting Friday. A time for the meeting has not been announced and it will be a closed meeting which Maxfield says will lay out the process for finding and hiring a new president including developing a timeline for the search and deciding whether the RDA will conduct an internal search or secure the services of a search firm.
Jim Witt has been serving as the RDA President in an interim role following the resignation of former President Chuck Scott in January.
In other business Friday morning, the RDA Board took action on an appropriations request from Flint Hills Technical College which was seeking an annual financial contribution of $100,000 over the course of five years from the RDA to support more efficient long-term planning in the words of FHTC President Dr. Caron Daugherty. According to Maxfield, the board voted down the request 6-0, but forwarded it to the Emporia City Commission for further consideration.
Maxfield clarified the board supports the appropriation, however, members feel it would be better to find another funding source rather than use RDA economic development dollars. Daugherty, who spoke with KVOE News Friday afternoon, and says she respects the board’s decision.
There is currently no word on when the city commission will take up the matter. The RDA Board will reconvene for its monthly meeting in November.
