-June 2,2020-
Tulare County Board of Supervisors voted this week to remain in the Tulare County Economic Development Corporation for another year now that the EDC board has adopted a lower cost membership formula.
The EDC had earlier proposed a doubling of the County’s annual contribution prompting some Supervisors to suggest the County would not remain part of the job development agency.
Now the proposed county membership would be $50,000 a year, the same as Visalia, says County economic development staffer Mike Washam. “It would be just an $8,000 a year increase now“says Washam.
Convincing the County that changes would be made in the funding formula, EDC board voted earlier that they would rely more on private funding going forward for part of their annual budget rather than all public funding from local cities and the County.
Now with new funding formula based on population, Farmersville is the only city who voted to withdraw from the organization as of July 1. The EDC has since voted to reduce the proposed Farmersville dues from $3,186 to $2500 a year, a sum that it is possible the small community may accept.
The new formula was key for the County to stay in says Supervisor Amy Shuklian who represents the County on the EDC board.