Economic development board weighs removing a director over five unexcused absences

Princeton's Economic Development Corporation board will decide next week whether to remove one of its members over missed meetings, the same night it accepts a resignation from a director who is moving to the City Council.

The agenda for the board's special meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, in the council chambers at 2000 E. Princeton Drive lists a possible vote to remove Joshua Harrell for unexcused absences. It cites five meeting dates: Nov. 4, Dec. 16, March 17, Aug. 6 and Aug. 18.

A staff memo from Interim CEO Elise Back says the bylaws let the board review attendance records and decide whether absences should be excused. The memo makes no recommendation either way and asks members to weigh the circumstances. The packet contains no statement from Harrell.

A second director, Allan Rasquinha, missed the July 21 and Aug. 6 meetings. The board will consider excusing those absences and formally reinstating him.

Seat opens for the council

Director DeShawyna Walker's resignation from Place 3 is on the consent agenda. In a letter dated Nov. 9, Walker said she is leaving the board effective Nov. 16 because she is about to take her elected seat on the Princeton City Council. She wrote that she had worked in municipal economic development before joining the board.

Bylaws and money

Members will also take up rewritten bylaws, a topic both development boards have tabled or discussed without action since September. Minutes from the Oct. 20 joint meeting show the companion Community Development Corporation discussing changes to its attendance policy, staff reporting structure, purchasing rules and gender-neutral wording. The memo says the city attorney reviewed the EDC draft and made substantive changes.

A cash summary in the packet puts the corporation's cash at about $12.87 million as of Oct. 31. After $1.3 million set aside for two unnamed projects, labeled Project 41 and Project Queen, the report shows about $11.57 million available.

The Princeton-Lowry Crossing Chamber of Commerce is scheduled to give the board its yearly report, and members will meet behind closed doors on real estate matters labeled Project Lumber and Cotton Gin, along with current projects. Any action from that session would be taken in public.

Sources

princetontx.gov

princetontx.gov