Council set to OK Priority One funding after three-month delay

In July, the City Council put off a decision to provide funding support as it typically does for Priority One, the economic development arm of the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce.

At its meeting on Tuesday evening, the council is slated to commit $600,000 to Priority One in $120,000-a-year payments over five years.

Mayor Ron Corbett on Tuesday said part of the reason for the delay in July came because the council wanted the city's new city manager, Jeff Pomeranz, to look over the matter after he began work Sept. 20.

Pomeranz, whom Corbett noted has strong background in economic development, now has asked the council to approve a memorandum of understanding with Priority One that will require Priority One to achieve measurable goals in exchange for receiving city funds.

Corbett had expressed displeasure with Priority One in June for what he said was its lack of help in selling downtown Cedar Rapids as one option as Internet firm Go Daddy looked to expand in the metro area. Go Daddy decided on a Hiawatha location.

The mayor on Tuesday called it “coincidental” that the council delayed a vote on Priority One funding in July soon after the Go Daddy dust-up.

“There was no subliminal message from that,” Corbett said. “We knew Jeff was coming on board, and we knew that (economic development) was where his expertise was. We wanted to make sure he looked at it.”

The mayor also noted that council member Monica Vernon had some questions in July about how Priority One and other local economic development entities worked together.

Mark Seckman resigned as president of Priority One on Aug. 31. Dee Baird, former executive vice president of continuing education and training services at Kirkwood Community College, is the new Priority One president.