Wawa Municipal Council's cutting ties with the Economic Development Corporation of Wawa.
In their meeting last night, Council voted to cancel the protocol agreement with the EDC and issue notice that the municipality will cease providing core funding to the EDC as of May 1st, though they also voted to signal intent to renew the lease for the EDC's office - which is set to expire at the end of this year - allowing them to stay until the end of 2022.
During the meeting, Mayor Ron Rody noted that the core funding question had been discussed within "in-camera" Council meetings "for some time", with CAO/Treasurer Maury O'Neill explaining the "municipal transformation and service delivery review" produced by outside firm Municipal Government Wayfinders had recommended Council shift to an "internal model" for economic development and tourism - similar to other communities - and she stated the report found multiple benefits.
O'Neill noted the firm had found an "apparent lack of communication" between the Municipality and EDC was affecting operations, but that would be addressed through the new model, with further advantages.
O'Neill explained the plan would be to hire a staff member who would cover economic development and tourism - noting plans to hire a new tourism manager had been put on hold amid the pandemic - emphasizing that the Municipality should work with the EDC Board and its chair to make a smooth transition.
As the EDC is a separate legal entity that merely receives funding from the Municipality, its board could decide to continue functioning or to cease operations - it had indicated when a similar motion came up in 2012 that it would likely wind up operations if funding was cut - though O'Neill noted the consultants did recommend the EDC Board transition into an advisory committee to Council on economic development and tourism matters - it's unclear if that will be happening, however.