Tipton City Council commissioners at odds

By DANIEL HUMAN
Tribune staff writer

June 08, 2009 11:26 pm

— TIPTON – A future economic advisement group would have decision-making abilities if the Tipton County Board of Commissioners accepts a resolution the Tipton City Council approved Monday.
The council voted on Resolution 2009-11, which was written in response to the recent appointment of Gayle Van Sessen, the new executive director of Tipton County Economic Development Corp., and the creation of the Tipton Advancement Committee.
The county commissioners drafted a resolution to establish the Advancement Committee, but the city council wrote its own resolution. The city council’s version cannot establish the committee or make any formal changes, but the resolution is intended to serve as a proposal.
The city council’s resolution states the Tipton County Economic Development Corp. should serve as a free adviser, but not a member, to the TAC.
The development corporation approved its own resolution to offer the services at its annual meeting June 1, organization chairman Vance Voorhis said.
The council also suggests the commissioners change the 11-member Advancement Committee from an advisory committee to an executive committee, which would give members the ability to vote on decisions, not just advise Van Sessen.
The council’s resolution also recommended that the commissioners remove two citizen members from the original four-citizen members planned to sit on the committee.
Councilwoman Barb Cardwell suggested the council remove the membership change from the resolution.
“Four people would be better than two,” Cardwell said.
Once the membership changes were removed from the resolution, the city council voted in favor of forwarding the proposal to the county commissioners.
The commissioners, who have the final say on the resolution, have their next scheduled meeting Monday.
Daniel Human is a Kokomo Tribune staff writer. He can be reached at (765) 454-8570 or at daniel.human@kokomotribune.com.