Wawa Municipal Council's standing by its decision to cut ties with the Economic Development Corporation of Wawa, and move to an "internal model" to address economic development and tourism.
In their Corporate Planning Committee meeting Tuesday night, Council heard from local resident - and EDC member - Mary Harbocian, who decried the decision to cease funding the arm's length organization, saying it recognized the importance of the local economy, business owners, and creative community in attracting residents to Wawa and touting various EDC programs or initiatives as beneficial to the community - asking Council why the disbandment is "so important to" Council and what actual savings will result, as well as the Municipality's new plan for economic development and tourism, and how it will be accomplished.
Mayor Pat Tait reiterated Council's commitment to the decision - which is included in the Municipality's new strategic plan - saying "change is probably hard on everybody, but it's probably not a bad thing" and this move is "a good, good thing" that "is going to be able to have basically the same thing...but in a different way", adding Council is working to address most of the items Harbocian highlighted in her delegation.
While Harbocian emphasized Wawa "needs help desperately and shutting down a viable, successful entity to hand it over to a person who already has a full-time job presents obvious problems", Mayor Tait reiterated that the Municipality plans to create a new position responsible for economic development and tourism, later saying EDC employees would be able to apply for roles with the Municipality, though only by stating that anybody has a chance to apply for jobs that come open.