Fort Walton Beach Resolution — 2009-24-Business Retention Ad-Hoc Panel — reading text

RESOLUTION 09 .. 24 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ESTABLISHING AN AD HOC BUSINESS RETENTION PANEL; ESTABLISHING THE DUTIES OF THE BUSINESS RETENTION PANEL; SETTING A TERMINATION DATE AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH: Section 1. Intent. The United States is experiencing the most significant economic recession since the Great Depression. The current recession has seen five million jobs lost nationally over the past fourteen months, the state unemployment rate surpasses nine percent, and Fort Walton Beach unemployment levels are eight percent. Across the country, housing values have dropped, credit is difficult to access, and unemployment has soared. While the Greater Fort Walton Beach area has a diversity of business and industry and has, to date, withstood the impacts of the recession relatively well, it has not been immune from its effects. The City Council desires to appoint a Business Retention Panel to serve as a liaison with the business industry, identify and recommend actions that the City can implement to support economic recovery, help City residents access resources to allay the recession' s impacts, and improve the City' s overall business climate. Section 2. Formation. The City of Fort Walton Beach hereby establishes the Fort Walton Beach Business Retention Panel. The purpose of the panel is to serve as a liaison with the business industry, identify actions that the City can implement to support economic recovery, help City residents access resources to allay the recession' s impacts, and improve the City' s overall business climate. The panel shall recommend strategies and actions that the City Council may undertake to mitigate the impacts of the current recession on City residents and businesses, and to help promote the economic recovery of the city and region. Section 3. Membership. The Business Retention Panel shall consist of six members to be appointed by the City Council. The Panel shall elect from among their body a chair and vice chair at the fIrst meeting of the panel. A designee of the City Manager shall serve as the City staff liaison to the Panel. Section 4. Meetings. a. The Panel will meet no less than once a month at a location and time to be determined by the Panel. The Panel may schedule additional meetings to conduct the business of the Panel by voting on the date, time, and location of such additional meetings at any regularly scheduled meeting.