I attended Wednesday evening’s board meeting of the re-organized Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation (BEDCO).
Members of the private/public entity talked about revised bylaws, potential projects and officially voted to, as promised, abide by the state Freedom of Information Act.
They also discussed Don Eversley’s job description. When Mayor Bill Finch announced in July he was teaming with the Bridgeport Regional Business Council to revive BEDCO, he also said Eversley, the city’s head of planning and economic development, would leave that job to become BEDCO’s executive director.
But since then Eversley’s job title has changed to project manager. That caused a bit of confusion for some board members, who were advised it was a better description of Eversley’s responsibilities.
Below you’ll find Eversley’s new job description.
Finch briefly attended Tuesday’s meeting to thank the board and to reiterate his confidence in Eversley, who has his share of critics. Don’t we all.
“I couldn’t think of a better guy to do it than Don,” Finch said of Eversley (seated right).
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BRIDGEPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Primary Staff Position
Job Description
To be reviewed by the BEDCO Board of Directors
EMPLOYER: The Bridgeport Regional Business Council
POSITION TITLE:
REPORTS TO: BEDCO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
INTERFACES WITH: BEDCO Board of Directors, BEDCO President, BRBC Board of Directors, BRBC President, staff, City of Bridgeport OPED and office of the Mayor, the Bridgeport Port Authority, the Center for Sustainable Business Growth, the investment and development community.
FUNCTIONS: The BEDCO primary staff position will be responsible to the Board of Directors of BEDCO for a range of specific project related responsibilities as agreed to and assigned by the Board each of which will directly relate to the organization’s mission of achieving economic growth, job expansion and tax base growth within the City of Bridgeport.
Project assignments, as approved by the BEDCO Board, will include, but not be limited to: 1.) the creation, management and implementation of a minority contract support program in keeping with the intent of Public Act 12-189; 2.) the management and processing of the required permitting approval and construction process for the application for a renewable energy park to be developed at the Seaside Park landfill, including the necessary interfacing with all public agencies as well as community outreach; and 3.) the quarterly completion of a Bridgeport regional economic scan and written report of the region that includes types of industries, number of companies within specific industries, a list of regional businesses, regional assets and resources, regional economic drivers, and specific economic /labor data delivered quarterly to the BRBC; and, 4) responsibilities with regard to the Bridgeport Regional Maritime Complex as assigned by the Bridgeport Port Authority Director Other project management assignments will be mutually developed and agreed to by the BEDCO Board of Directors and the staff.
Job Tasks and Responsibilities:
Leading the planning and implementation of projects;
Facilitate the definition of projects scope, goals and deliverables;
Define and carry out project tasks
DELIVERABLES: A program of work and in-place support process for a minority contract support program;
An approved, permitted and developed renewable energy park at the seaside Park landfill;
A quarterly report delivered to BRBC President on the state of the regional economy.
An agreed-to alternative use for the Bridgeport Maritime complex;
Development (under discussion) of a proposal to the BEDCO Board on the creation of a Municipal Development Plan for the West End Industrial Park
Others as agreed to.
GOALS AND MILESTONES: To be mutually developed by the BEDCO primary staff position and the BEDCO Board of Directors.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
• Lead the planning and implementation of projects
• Facilitate the definition of project scope, goals and deliverables
• Define project tasks and resource requirements
• Develop full project plans
• Coordinate and oversee the work of any project support staff
• Manage project budget
• Manage project resource allocation
• Plan project timelines
• Track project deliverables
• Provide quality assurance
• Report regularly on project progress to defined stakeholders
• Report regularly on project progress, problems and solutions
• Create project evaluations and assessment of results
Key competencies:
• Critical thinking and problem solving skills
• Planning and organizing
• Decision-making
• Communication skills
• Influencing and leading
• Delegation
• Team work
• Negotiation
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