Oh, that Friday news. There’s no doubt CDA should have some dedicated staff to work on their many projects but . . . first, it was a project manager, which they need. Now, its an Executive Director, which sounds less hands on and more administration. The item is on the agenda for introduction on Tuesday, but is only going to Board of Estimates so it should be back quickly. Gregg Shimanski, Chair of the CDA explains:
Alders:
On your 3/2/10 Common Council agenda you will find the introduction of a new employment postion for an Executive Director for the Community Development Authority (CDA).
This introduction is brought forth with the support of Mayor Cieslewicz, all CDA commissioners and staff, as well as Alder Bruer and Alder Kerr, who serve so admirably and represent the Council on the Authority’s Board.
I am writing to ask your support for the creatiion and fujning of this Executive Director postion. This suggested position is the result of a great deal of discussion, debate and hard work on the part of the Mayor’s office, CDA commissioners, Brad Wirtz and his staff, Mike May and his staff, and Alder Breur and Kerr who have all contributed to this initiaive and process to create this new position. It replaces the previous postion of Redevelopment Manager, that was approved as part of the budget cycle. Given the suggested changes in the administration of Planning department that were made public after the budget approval, we felt the Executive Director postion more appropriate to our needs based on those changes.
The CDA has made great strides over the last few years to achieve its mission, goals, and objectives. We are proud of our development accomplishments in Allied Drive, the Park Street corrider to include the Villager Mall and suggested Burr Oaks Senior Housing project, as well as the Comprhensive Master Plan and Renovation to the Truax Park Public Houisng Units which we hope to begin Phase I this fall. In addtion there are a number of other services we provide to the community to include management and oversight of all 800 plus units of Public Houisng, the Section 8 Low Income Housing Voucher program, and other financial loan programs, to name just a few.
Given the intensity and depth of our current and planned improvements to the affordable housing stock of the city, as well as other development initiatives, we need a full time, dedicated Executive Director to lead and direct this effort. Someone who is focused on our development goals and objectives and can work primarly on assisting us in achieving those goals with success.
To assist you in further understanding the logistics of this, I am attaching a memo from Brad Wirtz that lays out the process and plan we will follow and how this employment position is being created.
All commissioners feel this will dramatically assist our efforts to continue not only to achieve our mission, but to dramtically succeed and deliver the best product available to the citizens of Madison who we serve.
Thank you for your consideration of this request, and support for this Executive Director position.
Feel free to email or call me or Ray Harmon with questions you might have.
Regards,
Gregg Shimanski
Gregg Shimanski Realty, Inc.
1603 Monroe Street
Madison, Wisconsin 53711-2021
A few comments:
1. Note the financial switcheroo, this person is going to get paid a whole lot more than originally anticipated, because they are not starting the position til May 1, but still budgeting a full year salary, making next year’s salary a whole lot higher.
2. This position is switching from the Economic Development Unit to the CDA, meaning, who is their supervisor? The Mayor? The CDA Board? I think its the later, tho the memo says the Mayor through the new Director of Planning and Community and Economic Development. Sounds confusing, and like another Water Utility Board situation. I’m surprised the Human Resources and Mayor support this set up, as we have seen problems in the past. The City will be paying over $100,000 per year for a position that will be independent and the CDA board hires and fires.
3. I’d like to see more focus on public housing and the Section 8 program and less on development. I see they are messing with the Housing Operations Director position as well, but I can’t tell if there is really much difference. And, I’d like to see people focus on doing what they do better before expanding and over-extending and I’d like to see Housing Operations get more support because there are finally good/better staff in place there. I don’t want to see low income housing take a back seat, again, while they do projects like the Villager and Truman Olson.
4. Wanna take bets on if Olinger gets the job?
