A local official will be joining the executive committee for the Economic Development Council of Livingston County.

The EDCLC contracts Ann Arbor SPARK to provide services they say attracts and retains businesses to their area of focus. Several municipalities have contracted the EDCLC in the past, seeking an avenue to help boost regional economic development. Handy Township, however, had not. Township Supervisor Ed Alverson says a void was created by the retirement of the township’s economic development consultant, which led the board to meet with the EDCLC and SPARK.

Alverson says there are industrial, residential, and commercial properties in the municipality that officials would like to see developed, and hope the two agencies can help them achieve that. Handy’s Board of Trustees voted last month to approve a three-year contract with the EDCLC at an annual rate of about $3,525.

Each municipality that joins has a representative on the EDCLC’s Executive Committee and on Tuesday, Alverson was appointed as Handy Township’s rep. Alverson says he’s “pretty excited about working with SPARK” on the potentials for the aforementioned properties, with a goal to sell them within the next two years. (DK)