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Apopka City Council Meeting Preview

Becker's presentation for an Economic Development Department highlights today's City Council meeting

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Commissioner Kyle Becker will highlight the agenda at tonight's Apopka City Council meeting, and he means business. Becker will present his plan for an economic development department and why it would be beneficial for Apopka.

Becker took the first step to get this presentation on the agenda at the December 7th Apopka City Council meeting, which he opened with a slide showing 14 municipalities near Apopka, and their status on economic development departments.

"Apopka is outside the norm in terms of what other municipalities are doing to drive the right outcomes within their cities in terms of economic development," Becker said in December.

In tonight's presentation, Becker will add eight more slides covering a range of subjects, which include:

  • A plan of action for creating the department
  • The definition of economic development
  • The scope of economic development beyond restaurant acquisition
  • How do cities benefit?
  • Apopka's current state of economic development
  • How an economic development department would pay for itself
  • How will economic development help Apopka?

At its December 21st meeting, the Apopka City Council voted 5-0 to give Becker an opportunity to present the merits of starting an economic development department. But will it vote in favor of creating the department after hearing Becker's presentation?

It's an important step in potentially changing how the City of Apopka promotes itself to the business community.

Apopka, Apopka City Council, Apopka City Commissioner Kyle Becker, Economic Development

Comments

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  • MamaMia

    I read on another website that Becker wants to hire an economic developer position that answers ONLY to the city council. What about the mayor, the city administrator, and what about us citizens? We, the citizens, are at the top (pecking order). If this is true, to try to bypass the mayor's, and the city administrator's authority over the economic developer's position, then this is justification to shoot down Becker's proposal, and nip it in the bud, with no further a do, at tonight's council meeting. Wanna-be mayor Becker, is not mayor now, and keeps trying to be mayor, doesn't know his place, and keeps trying to find ways to work around the others, he is suppose to work with. Remember when he refused to work with city staff because he said they were biased. He said it, yes he did!

    Wednesday, January 18, 2023 Report this

  • MamaMia

    If an economic developer is the head of a entire economic development department, then that makes the economic developer position a department head. It is the mayor who hires, and fires department heads, and oversees them, and department heads work under the city administrator directions also.

    Wednesday, January 18, 2023 Report this