Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Bessemer — Members of the Bessemer Downtown Development Authority voted last week to advertise the position of a part-time executive director for their board.
The person hired will take the reins from Samantha Dorr, who has served in that role for the past year and a half.
The position was created when former City Manager Charly Loper assigned Dorr, then the city secretary, to round up information for the DDA while Loper was immersed in a multi-year utility and road project.
It began as an extra responsibility for Dorr and then morphed over time to titles such as “coordinator,” “administrator” and now “executive director.”
Dorr resigned from the position this year because she was named last fall as the city’s deputy clerk.
“This is a very high-level type job,” said Dorr while summarizing the responsibilities for board members. “It’s equivalent to the city manager position, in my opinion.”
She added, “It’s such a wide range of things that you do that you’ve got to kind of figure out how to apply it.”
As Dorr said she works closely with DDA Chair David Osier and other board members and under the supervision of City Manager Christopher Frazer.
Responsibilities include — but are not limited to — facilitating and managing activities relating to DDA goals and requirements, which include developing and maintaining the city’s Tax Increment Financing Plan.
She also provides monthly written reports and an annual report to the City Council.
The director also manages the city’s Downtown Bessemer Facebook page, finds and writes grants, issues Requests for Proposals, and manages ongoing projects such as the city’s Pop-Up Shop program and its Façade Assistance program.
“Being able to write grant applications is huge,” said Dorr.
She added that the director also works to establish relationships with local business owners and pursues appropriate training.
Dorr suggested that her successor should expect to work about 30 hours per month. The level of pay for the position has not yet been determined.
Frazer said he will act in Dorr’s place until the DDA decides on her successor.
