City of Dayton Biz Bytes

January 26, 2007
Reorganization Includes Economic Development Focus

Dayton City Manager Rashad Young announced changes he plans to make to the City of Dayton's organizational structure to reflect a greater emphasis on stimulating economic development and enhancing service delivery. The reorganization, which includes the realignment of some departments and the creation of some new functions, must be formally adopted by the City Commission before taking effect."To be successful in today's competitive and fast-changing environment, City government must maximize its strengths and capitalize on opportunities," Young said. "The reorganization plan I am putting forth will help accomplish these goals by refocusing the organization on priority initiatives while encouraging greater interaction among and between departments to get the job done." The reorganization represents essentially a cost-neutral change, with the addition of new functions offset by streamlining others. At the executive level, a third Assistant City Manager position will be created to focus on strategic economic development issues. The creation of the new position, to be called Assistant City Manager for Strategic Development, responds to a loud and clear message from the City Commission and the community that strategic economic development is a vital component of the city of Dayton's long-term success.

In addition, to being responsible for the traditional functions of the economic development office, this new Assistant City Manager position will also maintain tangential reporting relationships with personnel in other departments that impact economic development activities, like Building Inspection, Water, and Aviation."This position will be very important to strengthening the city's tax base and maintaining Dayton as a thriving core of the region," Young said. "Among the key goals of the new Strategic Development area will be supporting and promoting existing businesses; assisting and nurturing the development of entrepreneurial upstarts; working with our partners to attract new businesses and promote workforce development; marketing the city of Dayton as the business location of choice; and implementing new strategic development initiatives for the City."