The Economic Development Authority of
Western Nevada will trim three positions
from its 11-person staff at the end of this
year.
The cutbacks come as the state government,
which faces
budget woes of its
own, continues to
trim its assistance
to regional economic
development
agencies, says
Chuck Alvey, president
and chief
executive officer of
EDAWN.
The positions to be cut include:
* The manager of special programs, a
position currently held by Sarah Woodman.
* The manager of the Business Builders
program, which identifies the needs of existing
employers in the region and helps retain
them. That position is held by Tracey Buxton.
* An office specialist position currently
held by Gina Bonar.
EDAWN has seen its allocation cut twice
by the state government in recent months,
and state officials have said the agency can
expect another cut of anywhere from 4 to 11
percent early in 2009.
At the same time,Alvey said, recruitment
of new, dues-paying EDAWN members has
slowed with the economy. Retention of existing
members remains fairly strong, he said.
The staff cuts mean that the agency will
be focused on a job that its members have
identified as EDAWN's primary mission
recruitment of new employers into the region.
"We're staying really focused,"Alvey said.
"Everything will be focused on job creation."
To be jettisoned are EDAWN's programs
such as its annual lunch and its Business Buzz
breakfasts.
EDAWN members
viewed those programs
as expendable
during tough
times.
EDAWN's
recruitment efforts,
Alvey said, work in
tandem with the
economic development efforts of NV Energy
and other partners in the area.
The recent decision by Dassault Falcon Jet
Corp. to locate a service facility in Reno, for
instance, reflects a cooperative effort between
Reno-Tahoe International Airport and
EDAWN,Alvey said.
