The Development Corporation of Snyder (DCOS) board of directors approved spending $3,000 for a study on the DCOS’ impact on the city, county and region.
The board will use Karr Ingham, an economist with InghamEcon, LLC, to review data provided by the DCOS and develop a marketing piece. Executive Director Bill Lavers said he wanted the final product to be simple.
“My focus group would be a third grade class. If a third grade student can understand it, then I think the entire community can understand it,” he said.
Lavers said among the information he would provide to Ingham is a five-year history of the DCOS, including sales taxes, jobs created and incentives.
“It will be tailored to what we want it to say,” he said.
Board chairman Shawn Ragland said the final product should be “factual and simple.”
“Lets get the facts out there. There is a lot of coffee shop talk. This is a good time to tell our story,” he said.
Lavers said the idea for the study came about after a citizen submitted an open records request wanting to know the history of the DCOS. The request asked for the entire history of the DCOS, including job creations, and how much was collected in sales taxes.
“This will be a good thing, especially since it came about because of a public records request,” said board member Mark McClain, adding the study could be compared to a financial audit.
He said businesses and government entities do not check their own financial information annually, but use a third-party to perform an external audit.
“It will give us credibility having a third party verify all of our data,” Ragland said.
“I think it is important to tell our story,” said board member Joe Coronado. “A lot of people think we are wasting taxpayer dollars.”
Ragland said when meeting with Ingham, he asked what the impact would be if the DCOS was dissolved. Ragland said Ingham could not answer that question.
“We have done more and Bill does more,” Ragland said. “We are holding Bill accountable. Let us tell you what we have done. We have nothing to hide. Yes, we had a lot of challenges, but we have done a lot of good things.”
Lavers did not have a timeline on when the information will be completed, but said the DCOS will use it as its 2016 marketing piece.
The board also approved hiring Via Rail Logistics, LLC, of Hurst, to be the construction manager for the Snyder Rail Park rail track development project, which includes moving the two dirt mounds.
The board approved spending $13,000 to use the company in the bid process for the work and developing 30 percent of the preliminary track design, which must be approved by the DCOS and BNSF.
Via Rail will submit the bid documents and specifications for advertising to the DCOS and the city’s purchasing department before they are published.
Hiring Via Rail as the construction manager will “ensure the awarded contractor adheres to the design plans to accurately construct a rail track bed that will be acceptable to BNSF for future rail consideration,” the proposal stated.
With building a track bed, potential bidders will need to have experience in that type of construction, the proposal stated.
Via Rail will not be responsible for surveying, staking, permitting and geotechnical services. Lavers said the DCOS would provide the survey.
Following a closed session to discuss prospects and real property, the board took no action.