The Downtown Economic Development Corporation, a new group charged with representing the mutual interests of the town, University and downtown business owners, has faced a bevy of ups and downs in its first six months.
The corporation formed last summer in hopes of broadening the work of the town’s Downtown Commission by bringing business owners, town officials and University administrators to the table.
The corporation joins four members from the town, two from the University and one at-large member chosen by the other six. Its $210,000 budget is split equally between the town, the University and funds from a special downtown business tax.
Since its inception, the group has both progressed toward its goals and come under fire for what critics say is a lack of cohesion and direction.
In August, UNC marketing professor Nick Didow was tapped to lead the group as interim director.
In November, that addition was countered by subtraction when Bob Epting, the corporation’s chairman, resigned over what he said was the body’s misapplication of the N.C. Open Meetings Law.
Epting offered his resignation to Mayor Kevin Foy after a disagreement over moving portions of the corporation’s Nov. 17 meeting into closed session. Foy and other Town Council members asked Epting to stay in the group, but he declined.
Much of the controversy centered on whether the DEDC is a public body — a still-unanswered question.
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
