Updating an earlier post, the city council last night has referred to committee a request from Mayor Ted Bettencourt to create the position of “business liaison,” which the mayor hopes will help make the process of doing business in Peabody easier. This position would pay from $45,500 to $58,500 a year, and since it replaces a vacated position in the Community Development Department, it’s budget neutral. Referring it to a sub committee is a step in the process toward approval, and this new position isn’t expected to get much resistance from the councilors once it’s put to a vote.
The responsibility of this liaison would be to guide business people through the process of setting up and maintaining a business in Peabody when it comes to dealing with the governmental issues and red tape.
Requirements for applicants include a master’s degree in business or planning, as well as five years of experience working in local government. EOP has learned from a reliable city hall source that, contrary to some anonymous comments in some of the posts here, no current elected official is presently being considered for this new position.
EOP has also learned that the mayor’s Economic Development Council, which hasn’t met in several months, will start meeting again in December. Although the EDC as a whole hasn’t met since the spring, the mayor has been convening a smaller group of business leaders, who have been focusing mainly on the downtown area.
It looks like economic development and expanding Peabody’s commercial tax base, in an effort to create new revenue for schools and infrastructure, continue to be big priorities on Bettencourt’s first term agenda.
More to come …
$45-58k a year and you expect to get someone with a Master’s degree?
long overdue but you get what you pay for….
“Update: Council moves forward mayors request for business liaison position Eye on Peabody” was a great read and also
I personally was very pleased to find the article.
Thanks for your effort,Major