Pulaski County CDC May Soon Hire Part-Time Employee

  
 
The executive director of the Pulaski County Community Development Commission will soon have a helping hand, as the county council this week approved a $9000 transfer to allow Nathan Origer to look into hiring a part-time employee to help alleviate some of the responsibilities that are weighing him down. Origer said he is having a difficult time attending numerous meetings, manning the office, taking care of clerical work and working as the “ambassador of Pulaski County,” all while trying to entice businesses to set up shop in the area.

Origer said the CDC board feels it would be beneficial for him to have another employee, freeing him up to spend more time going “door-to-door,” riling up business for the county. He said a big part of trying to get businesses interested in the county’s industrial park is to visit businesses, advertising the park, but he said he is too busy with clerical work and other responsibilities that he is unable to catch up.

David Zeltwanger, secretary of the CDC, told the council that Origer spends about 25 percent of his time going door-to-door, with another 50 percent of his time spent in his office doing clerical work, and the remaining 25 percent is dedicating to attending meetings. Zeltwanger felt Origer’s time could be better spent drumming up business for the county, and Origer explained a part-time employee could perform clerical work, attend meetings and take minutes for Origer to review later.

The part-time employee would likely only work 17-18 hours a week, and the council asked Origer if he would be willing to share a secretary with the Board of Zoning Appeals, as they recently hired a new part-time employee. Origer said he would be fine with that idea.

The council ultimately approved a motion to transfer $9000 for the part-time employee, and Origer said he would return at their next meeting to update them as to whether or not sharing the BZA employee could work.