[dropcap]K[/dropcap]eeping up with rapid growth is causing Buda’s Economic Development Corporation to increase its budget to accommodate the growth.
In September, the Buda City Council approved the EDC’s $1.85 million budget, which, according to city documents, is roughly $200,000 more than last year.
Part of the increase in expenses goes toward the organization moving its offices to the new municipal complex, which is expected to open in April 2018.
Ann Miller, Buda EDC executive director, said the EDC has a contract with the city of Buda to pay 50 percent of the total cost over the next 10 years for its space in the new complex.
Miller also said that furniture and technology equipment for the new space would be in addition to the amount they have to pay for the actual space.
Miller said additional changes include the addition of two new staff members, which brings the EDC’s total staff to 3.5 to four employees.
Since the organizations creation in 2003, the staff has consisted of two people. Buda has doubled if not tripled in population since then so must the EDC, Miller said. She added the two new positions would allow the EDC to focus on multiple sections of development at the same time.
One of the new positions is for a planner that will be a “hybrid” position. Miller said the planner would work for the city to better serve the EDC. The new planner will be paid by the Buda EDC, but have an office furnished by the city. Miller counts this position as half belonging to the EDC and half to the city.
The staff member would work solely with commercial development permits. The addition of the new planning position could expedite commercial development permits to less than 25 days.
“Part of our main selling point to businesses looking at Buda to develop is our quick permit process,” Miller said.
The EDC also plans to hire a retail and marketing position; the position wouldn’t be filled until May or June 2018.
The position, however, will act as an in-house retail recruitment tool in lieu of the EDC contracting with a retail recruitment firm. The EDC currently spends $15,000 for retail recruitment.
The Buda EDC is also getting more involved in the future development prospects. The EDC is agreeing to pay the difference for water and wastewater line upgrades for available development properties in the city as part of the long term 10-year capital improvement plan (CIP).
“Several properties in Buda available for development lack water and wastewater lines, so the EDC is agreeing to pay the difference in cost to upsize those lines to support future development on those sites,” Miller said.
Miller said EDC board members would be called to more meetings after the first of the year as they continue to review and update its strategic plan.
“We’re expanding to make sure everything gets the proper amount of focus it deserves,” Miller said.
