Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan
MAYVILLE – Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan has started the process of finding a new director for the county’s Planning and Economic Development Department.
Last month, current P&ED director Bill Daly announced he would be retiring from the position at the end of May. Since the announcement, Horrigan has been working with a search committee to find the best possible candidate to replace Daly.
“I have two legislators. Legislator [George] Borello has agreed to chair the committee and legislator [Fred] Larson is also on that committee,” Horrigan said during the March 26 County Legislature Meeting, adding, “IDA Chairman Mike Metzger is also on that committee. David Dawson, who is a past IDA director is on that committee, and we will be adding a few more.”
Horrigan added that he will also be working with regional economic development officials to help find a candidate. He says that he’s hoping to have some names by the end of this month so that a new replacement could be selected by the time Daly retires.
“Our goal is to try to get this process underway quickly in April to be able to get some candidates for me to look at by the end of May. Mr. Daly will be there through the end of May. If we need an interim director, I have a couple of prospects but I’m not ready to announce that at this time.”
And while the county has received some recent bad news regarding layoffs and closures in the manufacturing sector, Horrigan doesn’t think that the timing of Daly’s retirement and the search for a replacement will impact the effort to bring in new businesses and jobs.
“That’s not a concern. First of all, those that know Mike Mitzger, he and I work very closely together. We talk one or two times a day. We have a great board of directors – Rich Dixon is doing a great job over there. We are in regular contact with companies. I have someone who is willing to step forward who is a very strong person if we need that in the interim.”
Not only does Daly’s position oversee the county’s department of planning and economic development, but it also is the executive director of the county’s industrial development agency.
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