SAN BENITO — The city’s economic development director’s job appears in limbo.
After the city’s Economic Development Corporation ran without a director for nearly three years, city commissioners took no action to fill the position last month.
In early 2016, the city fired its last EDC director before City Manager Manuel De La Rosa took over the job’s duties.
Meanwhile, De La Rosa hired a coordinator to oversee the department.
Then during a Dec. 27 meeting, commissioners met behind closed doors to consider a candidate selected by the EDC’s board members.
After the meeting, commissioners announced they had chosen not to take action.
Yesterday, city spokeswoman Martha McClain, in a phone call with the Valley Morning Star, refused to disclose the EDC candidate’s identity and the job’s status.
However, EDC President Julian Rios said board members will likely try again to fill the EDC’s top administrative position.
From Oct. 24 to Nov. 17, the EDC advertised for a director, searching for candidates with bachelor’s degrees and experience in economics, public or business administration, marketing or a related field and five years’ background in municipal government finance and economic development.
The EDC preferred candidates with master’s degrees in public administration, business management, real estate, urban planning or related fields, setting the job’s salary range at $55,000 to $85,000.
The EDC’s push for a director came amid the resignation of EDC coordinator Rachel Siller.
After De La Rosa was hired in December 2015, the city apparently replaced the director’s job with the coordinator’s position, in part to cut costs.
In 2016, the city fired Salomon Torres, its last EDC director, who was hired in 2012 at a salary of $65,000.
After Torres’ firing, De La Rosa took over the director’s duties.
