A proposed agreement between Livingston County and the Economic Development Council of Livingston County has been revised since last week, when it first failed to gain final approval from the county’s Board of Commissioners.

A resolution for the original contract, which sought to continue the partnership between the county and the EDCLC at an annual rate of $175,000 for a period of three years, failed in a tie vote by the county’s Board of Commissioners on November 5th. Several votes were then held to reconsider an amended version of the contract that would instead be in place for one year; however motions to approve the amended version and reconsideration of the resolution also failed.

A resolution then came before the county’s General Government and Health and Human Services Committee Tuesday night, seeking approval of a three-year contract at the same annual rate, but with a major modification made to the original contract. The revised contract includes a provision allowing early termination at December 31, 2019 or December 31st, 2020, upon written notification by either party no later than 30 days prior to the early termination date. The county subcommittee voted three to one to recommend approval of the amended agreement. The resolution will need to pass the Finance Committee before it heads to the Board of Commissioners for consideration and potentially final approval.

Dennis Dolan and William Green, members of the General Government and Health and Human Services Committee, voted in favor of the revised contract, but are hoping to receive more detailed reports and input from the business community in the future. Committee member Bob Bezotte was the lone dissenting vote. Bezotte cited other issues in the county, including road funding, the opioid crisis and public safety, as priorities that he feels should take precedence over the yearly investment with the EDCLC.

The EDCLC works to provide economic development services for the area and contracts Ann Arbor SPARK to provide business recruitment and retention services in the region. EDCLC Board Chair Ron Long says the EDCLC is grateful for the support from the county and local municipalities. Long says since the beginning of the partnership with SPARK, the entities have been able to leverage the participating communities' economic contributions to $292 million in private investment, which Long says has generated $2.7 million in tax revenue. (DK)