The City of Houston’s economic development head abruptly resigned last week during a meeting of the city council.
Ron Reed tendered his resignation during last Tuesday’s meeting after presenting a report on his department’s recent activities. He thanked the council for its help. Reed, according to minutes released by the city, said he would continue to work on projects that need closing.
No plan has been made concerning seeking a replacement, said City Administrator Larry Sutton. The departure was discussed during a closed personnel session, but no decisions were made, he said.
Reed, the city’s first fulltime economic developer, was hired in January 1999.
Reed’s departure was unknown before it was announced, according to Sutton. Before making his resignation, Reed offered a detailed report on projects he was working on. At its Jan. 2 meeting, the six-member council asked that Reed begin giving a monthly report and keep a log of his activities.
Included in his verbal report:
• Assisted Living Facility: Set for North Industrial and Holder drives, the project is in the architecture and engineering phase.
• New water tower at the Houston Industrial Park on West Highway 17: Grant funding paperwork will soon be closed out.
• Durham Co. expansion: The firm will soon be occupying about 30,000 square feet of new space at its southern-most plant.
• Industrial Development Authority of Houston and Houston Development Co.: The organizations are working toward a merger to better tackle projects to bring jobs to Houston.
• Former Dairymen’s Best building at the Houston Industrial Park: Reed reported he was working on a couple of potential clients. The building could be repurposed for a new occupant, but equipment remains in the building.
• Grant prioritization: Projects will need to be evaluated to determine which grants to pursue.