By Reggie Connell, Managing Editor
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.
Keywords
Apopka,
Apopka City Council,
Apopka City Commissioner Kyle Becker,
Economic Development
