City May Invest in Business Development Director : Ventura: The official would focus on attracting new firms to the area while providing assistance to local economic base.

Hoping to attract more jobs and industry to the city and cater to existing businesses, the Ventura City Council tonight is expected to approve hiring an official to oversee economic development in the city.

In response to a recent survey of more than 300 firms, staff analysts are recommending that the city hire a full-time business development manager to implement the city’s economic plan.

“We really need an external focus,” said Terry Adelman, the city’s resource management director. “A point person talking to business people out there and making sure that what we’re doing with our internal programs is aligned with the outside needs.”

The new executive would be responsible for:

* Marketing the city to companies interested in relocating to Ventura.

* Coordinating city-run business-assistance programs.

* Obtaining state or federal economic-vitality grants.

* Streamlining the permitting and licensing processes.

* Promoting tourism.

Last year, the council hired an economic development consultant on a six-month contract to review the city’s economic base and map a strategy for reinvigorating the business climate.

Part of what former Burbank mayor Tom Flavin, who received $6,000 a month for his work, recommended was hiring a permanent economic development manager. Flavin was not available for comment Friday.

Councilwoman Rosa Lee Measures, who became the top vote-getter in the 1993 election after campaigning largely on a pro-business platform, said such a specialist would help the city work more closely with businesses.

“Bringing an economic development person on board to focus exclusively on the retention and expansion of business is consistent with our council’s goal of promoting economic vitality,” she said.

“This person will be interfacing with the business community and making a strong statement to the community that our council is committed to economic vitality.”

The director would be paid about $93,000 a year with benefits, Adelman said.

The city’s internal economic-vitality plan is expected to cost more than $238,000 to put into effect. That sum includes a part-time clerk to aid the director and a small-business development office.

Budget analysts have already set aside about $140,000 for the program, but Adelman said he is confident the city could find the rest of the money despite a projected $1.2-million deficit in the next fiscal year.

Other council members said hiring one person to recruit businesses and work with existing firms would boost the local economy.

“We don’t have anybody on the staff who’s able to focus strictly on economic development,” Councilman Gregory L. Carson said. “And that’s certainly a goal of this council.”

Carson said he recommended that the City Council hire an economic development specialist three years ago but could not get enough votes of support.

“We couldn’t focus on what the responsibilities would be,” Carson said. “Now I think we’ve more defined the role, and we’re all on the same page.”

“Obviously we would be very much in favor of anything that will allow the council to operate in a businesslike manner,” said Jim Friedman, president of the Greater Ventura Chamber of Commerce.

Friedman said he is pleased with the pro-business direction the council has taken since the 1993 election.

“You’re always going to have that no-growth-environmentalist edge or segment of the council,” he said. “But that’s OK, because it balances out.

“The bottom line is it takes money to live in this world, and to subject the city to a situation where they’re running in an unprofitable mode or at a deep deficit--that can only last for so long.”