By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Whitewater officials recently received a piece of good news amid ongoing overtures to grow the city’s economic base. But the news comes with a challenge as well.
Jeffrey Knight, chair of the Whitewater Community Development Authority, revealed the next step in filling a newly created economic development specialist position is about to get underway.
Early this year, the CDA cast its net for applicants after the Common Council gave the green light and added the line item into this year’s municipal budget. The call for applications closed last month, and the process of narrowing the field of candidates has begun.
“I’m amazed,” Knight said at the CDA’s most recent monthly meeting Feb. 25. “We’ve got some very, very good candidates.”
But Knight further stated the process of reducing the number of hopefuls could be difficult.
Patrick Cannon, executive director of the Whitewater CDA, said 14 applicants have thrown their hats into the ring for consideration. Thirteen of those candidates meet the education requirements sought and only a few are light on professional experience.
As they brainstormed the new position, members of the CDA proposed the ideal candidate coming from a financial or municipal planning background. The group asked candidates to have at least a bachelor’s degree, and Cannon said 11 of the professionals possess master’s degrees.
“I think this is one of the better recruitments I’ve seen,” Knight said.
The person eventually assuming the position will work for the CDA on a full-time basis, and a salary range in the ballpark of $40,000 annually has been proposed.
Plans call for a small group — likely comprised of Cannon, Knight and City Manager Cameron Clapper — working to narrow the group of applicants. The top three candidates will likely go before the full CDA for more intensive interviews.
