Local officials discuss development issue

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The response to Van Wert County Economic Director Sarah Smith’s firing during a meeting held Thursday ran the gamut from extreme caution to seeking an immediate end to the county’s relationship with the Ohio State University Extension, which hired Smith to replace Nancy Bowen and then fired her three months later.

Smith’s termination on Wednesday came because of what was called her “ineffective communication with internal and external partners which has had a negative effect on the Van Wert Economic Development Office and OSU Extension,” according to a letter given Smith by Dr. Stephen Wright, OSU Extension West Region director.

Thursday’s meeting, which was attended by the county commissioners, a number of city officials, and others, was held to discuss Smith’s termination, as well as the future of county development efforts.

Several of those at the meeting said they were not surprised by Smith’s termination, since she had openly questioned whether it might not be better for the county to end its association with OSU Extension, as it pertains to economic development.

Commissioner Thad Lichtensteiger said one person who knew Smith had indicated she was “biting the hand that fed her” in questioning whether the economic development relationship with OSU Extension was still viable.

That doesn’t mean that those at the meeting condoned the way she was terminated, though, with several questioning the abrupt termination and most objecting strenuously to the fact local officials had no input into the situation.

Delphos Safety-Service Director Greg Berquist, who was in Toledo but joined the conversation through a conference call, had said that, despite the fact he is president of the Van Wert County Economic Development Advisory Council, he didn’t know of Smith’s firing until shortly before he was contacted by The independent for comment.

Lichtensteiger said that, while he wasn’t particularly surprised by OSU Extension’s action, he did feel “the trigger was pulled too quickly” and was upset local officials weren’t consulted — or even contacted — prior to Smith’s termination.

One of those extremely upset by Smith’s firing was Councilman At-Large Jeff Agler, who said he felt the development partnership with OSU Extension should be terminated immediately.

Others were much more cautious, with Commissioner Gary Adams saying, “I’m not in favor of burning any bridges.”

Although Van Wert Mayor Don Farmer said he doesn’t feel the city’s Jobs Ready Site is threatened by the lack of an economic development director, noting that it would take a year before infrastructure work is completed and the site is ready to be marketed, he and others did say it was imperative that the current situation be resolved as soon as possible.

During his input into the meeting, Berquist pointed out that dissolving the county’s contract with OSU Extension could take up to a year, and local development officials would then have to decide who the next economic development director would work for, noting that there a number of possibilities, including having the city or county employ the person, or create a not-for-profit corporation that would have responsibility for the local development office.

The Delphos safety-service director added that any of the above scenarios would take time to put in place.

One thing that all those present agreed on was to make sure that Development Coordinator Darlene Myers not be “collateral damage” in the current disagreement with OSU Extension.

Meanwhile, it was decided to have the executive board of the advisory council, with the addition of Jon Rhoades of the Community Improvement Corporation, draw up a tentative job description for the economic development director’s position, as well as talking points for a discussion with OSU Extension officials, to be held hopefully within the next two weeks.